The city of Chicago has a vast public library system, and the Lincoln Park branch has many amazing resources and events you and your children can enjoy. What’s more, since it’s part of the city’s entire public library system, your family can also take advantage of the resources, events, and collections at other branches around the area. You may even be able to access many of these features from the comfort of your own home. Here’s everything you need to know about getting the most out of your Chicago Public Library (CPL) membership and your local branch in Lincoln Park, located at 1150 W. Fullerton Ave.

Get Help With Homework

The outside of the Lincoln Park public library in Chicago, Illinois

“Lincoln Park” licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Flickr by danxoneil

The Chicago Public library system offers a robust tutoring and homework-help program free of charge to students of any age. Many branches host a certified teacher to assist students completing homework in a variety of subjects and to help kids boost their study skills. What’s more is that you can also reserve Teacher in the Library sessions online! Your child can ask just a few questions and leave or stay for the whole session.

The CPL also offers services through Brainfuse, the live one-on-one homework help site that assists kids at every grade level. From 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., kids can sign into a Brainfuse to get help with specific homework questions, general study and homework skills, essay writing, ACT and SAT prep, and more. So if your child has a question about their math homework and math isn’t your strong suit, help them log in to Brainfuse on a computer at home using your library card.

Get Help With Your Career

If you want to get tips and training to improve your career, CPL has you covered there, too. Many branches hold in-person and virtual sessions on career coaching and technology skills. The library also has many online resources to teach you how to create a stellar resume and get professional feedback on your applications. CPL and the Lincoln Park branch have a fantastic selection of career development books on resumes and cover letters, job hunting skills, career skills, entrepreneurship, and more.

Read and Listen to Books Online

CPL partners with Hoopla and OverDrive to provide toddlers, kids, teens, and adults entertaining (and convenient) e-books and audiobooks of all sorts. If you’re looking for a book for yourself, browse the entire library of adult fiction, YA novels, cookbooks and hobby books, comics and graphic novels, memoirs, as well as popular magazines (which they also offer through Flipster and OverDrive Magazines).

For the teens and kids, you can search these audience-specific libraries by accessing OneDrive or Hoopla through the kids’ or teens’ section of the library website or on the digital library app. That way your children only see books, audiobooks, and magazines that interest them. What’s more is that when you do go through the CPL website’s kids’ section or teens’ section, you and your children can start the book search by choosing from the library’s special picks, seasonally themed collections, genres, and what’s new. Your children can also read magazines like NatGeo Kids, Time for Kids, and Highlights.

Join a Book or Special-Interest Club

While Lincoln Park has put events and clubs on hold, there are still many book clubs and special interests clubs for everyone in your family. 

Parents and caregivers can join Adult Book Discussion, a book club through multiple branches that features insightful group discussions about true crime, nonfiction, literary fiction, mystery, sci-fi, fantasy, and even books made into TV shows. Adults can enjoy a podcast-friendly club and a recipe-sharing club, too.

Older kids and teens can join a variety of book clubs, too, including ones focusing on comics, manga, and graphic novels. Other special interest groups include a Dungeons and Dragons club, video game club, puzzle club, and arts & crafts clubs. Some branches even host group events called YOUMedia, which teach kids how to create media with technology. And if your child is a writer, have them register for one of the many writing workshops.

Attend In-Person and Virtual Events

While the Lincoln Park branch doesn’t have anything scheduled at the moment, keep an eye on their events calendar for upcoming classes, group discussions, and storytimes like these:

  • Writing classes and workshops: Some branches offer both in-person and virtual meetings for writing groups, fine arts, as well as film and media discussions.
  • Film screenings: You can attend in-person film screenings, some of which are family movies you can bring the kids to and others that are adults only. 
  • Author talks and special presentations: Many branches host authors to come do readings and Q&A sessions as well as special presentations from authors, researchers, and other interesting voices. 
  • Dance lessons: Some branches may host local dance groups to come teach lessons. For example, the Aegea Greek Dance Troupe holds lessons online through CPL.
  • Kids storytime: Branches hold both in-person and virtual storytimes featuring new books, classics, and seasonally themed stories that kids and parents will enjoy.
  • Arts and crafts: You can register your family for LEGO night, a themed craft event, and many more lessons that get you and the kids feeling inspired.

Book Private Rooms for Events

The Lincoln Park branch has a study room you can reserve if you and your kids need a quiet place away from home to do homework or complete a project. You can reserve this room up to two weeks in advance for up to four hours per week, and the rooms are only open during the library’s open hours, which are Monday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

In addition to these features, you can also take out books, movies and TV, music, and much more from other branches in the CPL system and even request titles from other state library systems. You can also take advantage of the research resources and use the computers to print items or conduct research. Lastly, trust the CPL website for its variety of resources, publications, and quizzes on Chicago and Illinois history, too.So there you have it, the many features you can take advantage of at the Lincoln Park branch and many of the other branches of the Chicago Public Library system. Did we miss your or your child’s favorite feature about the local library? If so, let us know, and we’ll be sure to add it to our list!