Library cArd

How do I get a library card?

Property taxes support local education, police/fire protection, local governments and infrastructure.  They may also support a library depending upon where you live.  The El Paso District Library is a library funded primarily by property tax revenue.

Most libraries in this area belong to RAILS (Reaching Across Illinois Library System). What this means is that no matter where your home library is, once you have a library card you can use it at any library in the area, including Normal, Eureka, and Peoria. 

This is the criteria we use to determine a person's home library (the library that will issue a library card):

 What township does your main residence reside?
                 Kansas - home library is the Carlock Public Library
                 Gridley Township in McLean County - home library is the  
                                                                Gridley Public LIbrary  
                  El Paso, Greene, Palestine, Panola - we are your home
                                                               library only IF YOU RESIDE IN THE
                                                               EL PASO - GRIDLEY SCHOOL
                                                              DISTRICT
                 Other - You need to go to a different library, we can try to help you
                                  figure out which one to go to if you call or stop by.


If we are your home library, we will need to see a picture identification and proof of your current address.  A driver's license will cover both unless your address on the license is not correct, then you will need to bring in something with your current address also, such as a piece of mail that was delivered to your current address.  

It is worthwhile to check your property taxes to verify whether or not you are paying for our library or possibly another library.   The Woodford County Government website has a section called Public Access to Real Estate Taxes.   You can use this to easily see what you are paying.  You will want to choose the view on the side of the screen that says Taxing Bodies to see how your tax dollars are being used.  If the taxing body of El Paso District Library is listed, then you have already paid for your library card.  

Many people confuse the CUSD #11 school district (El Paso-Gridley) with the library district.  We use the boundaries of the El Paso-Gridley school district (with the exception of Gridley Township in McLean County), but we are not tied in any way to the El Paso-Gridley school district. Note that citizens residing in the Gridley Library District will need to get their library card from the Gridley Public Library.  

Resident cards are issued for three years.   If you pay property taxes on a business you own in El Paso, you are eligible for a Taxpayer type card.  It is virtually the same as a resident card except that it is good for one year instead of three and we can give out one card per family not one card for each family member.  Children can get a library card at age 7.  However, parents/guardians are responsible for all fees and fines on their children's account.

Do I need to bring my library card each time I visit the library?

Yes!   We can look patrons up by their name but it is more secure to bring in your library card.   In a small town, there are many people with the same last name, the same first name, and we even have a few cases of patrons with both the same first and last name.   

If you use your card, you can be sure that your library books are going on your account.