Chicago Turns All Public School IDs Into Library Cards To Boost Student Access

CHICAGO — All Chicago Public Schools students now have access to nearly everything the city’s libraries have to offer — including physical items like books as well as extensive digital resources.

The Chicago Public Library and CPS announced Tuesday the expansion of The 81 Club, a program that allows school identification cards to double as library cards. Named after the city’s 81 library locations, the program builds on a 2022 pilot and looks to remove any barriers to accessing the library system’s 6 million-item collection as well as its online databases and free academic support, according to the city.

“With this expansion, every student — no matter their ZIP code, school enrollment or their age, will have access to library cards and programs and resources that make their lives more enriched,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said at an event announcing the expansion Tuesday inside the Austin Branch of the Chicago Public Library, 5615 W. Race Ave.

The 81 Club works through an agreement between CPS and public libraries to share student data, according to the city. This interagency communication removes the need for an application, paperwork or any additional steps for students to gain a library card. All a student needs is their student ID or student ID number in order to check out books or gain access to other resources.

Chicago Public Library officials said the initiative is aiming to promote resources for young people facing the greatest barriers to education, such as foster youth, unhoused students and undocumented students. The program allows access to the library system without the need for students to provide additional documentation.

The 81 Club is a partnership between city libraries and CPS that automatically registers the district’s more than 315,000 students, with students’ school ID cards doubling as a library card. Credit: Michael Liptrot/Block Club Chicago

The program also expands educators’ access to public library resources. CPS teachers can access digital resources such as research databases, instructional tools and the educational platform Sora. Not to be confused with the OpenAI video generator of the same name, Sora provides access to millions of eBooks, audiobooks and classroom learning materials.

The public libraries will also partner with the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events to release limited edition cards for The 81 Club members that will feature student-made artworks. The department’s acting commissioner, Kenya Merritt, recalled growing up in the Austin area and visiting the library regularly and said the program is another step towards equity for local kids.

“This partnership is what it looks like in action when young people have access, not just to books, but to stories, art and creative expression. It opens doors for them. It helps them to imagine what’s possible for themselves … it helps students envision their future that’s full of opportunity,” Merritt said. “What’s really powerful about this collaboration is that it’s going to reach every single CPS student. That’s how we make equity real.”

The library access pilot program launched in 2022, leading to a 63 percent increase in library access among economically disadvantaged students and 81 percent among English language learners, according to local policy research institute Chapin Hall.

In the pilot project community areas of Englewood, West Englewood, Rogers Park and New City, The 81 Club members now exceed the number of traditional library card holders among highly economically disadvantaged students, according to the city.

For more information, visit the program’s website.

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