February 2022
The Addison Public Library’s Board of Trustees voted on Tuesday, February 15 to update a circulation policy allowing middle school and high school students to get a Teen Restricted library card without a parent or guardian present. Under the new policy, these cards will now be called Teen Limited Access cards and will allow students to check out more types of library materials. The new policy also allows the library to work with Indian Trail Junior High School to verify student addresses, ultimately increasing library access for local students.
At the Addison Public Library, children under age 18 are able to get their own library card with their parent or guardian, who must provide proof of address and a photo ID on the child’s behalf. The Teen Limited Access card allows students in grades 6-12 under the age of 18 to get an Addison Public Library card without a parent or guardian present.
The Board of Trustees first approved the Teen Restricted card in January 2014. Head of Teen Services Elizabeth Lynch said this was an important step in improving library access for Addison teens.
“We know from talking to kids every day after school that many of them want to borrow from the library, but a lot of our kids have parents that are working nights and weekends, or are caring for family at home. It becomes difficult for teens to get a library card when their parent isn’t able to come to the library and provide the documentation we need to issue a library card,” said Lynch. “The updated Teen Limited Access card means that it’s going to be easier for those kids to get a library card, so when we find the book that gets a kid excited to read or the perfect tool for their creative project, they’ll be able to use their library card and take those items home.”
Students who want to sign up for a Teen Limited Access card will need to show their school ID and fill out a library card application. To complete their registration, the library will also need to verify the student’s address. Addison Trail High School students can verify their address with a copy of their transcript, which they can request from the school. Indian Trail students can log into their Skyward account, which shows their name, birthdate, and address, to provide proof of residency. If an Indian Trail student is unable to show proof of address when signing up for a Teen Limited Access card, the library will work directly with the junior high school to verify the student’s address.
“We are excited and grateful for the opportunity to work together with District 4 in helping our teen community sign up for a library card. Working with the schools was a crucial step in making this possible, since address verification presents a challenge,” said Jenny Cuevas, Head of Guest Services. “They welcomed the idea to help the library with this initiative and for that we are thankful. By working together, we are able to support our teen community in their educational, developmental, and recreational needs.”
In addition to changing the name, the Teen Limited Access card also comes with increased borrowing privileges. Previously, Teen Restricted cardholders were not able to borrow video games or Library of Things items. Now, Teen Limited Access cardholders will now be able to check out video games and items from the Library of Things collection in addition to books, DVDs, Blu-rays, CDs, audiobooks, and downloadable materials.
Teen Limited Access cardholders may borrow 1 charging cable and up to three library materials at a time. The only items that remain restricted to Teen Limited Access cardholders are internet-enabled devices like laptops and mobile hotspots. This is unchanged from the 2014 policy, which restricted access to those library materials to ensure the library remains compliant with the Children’s Internet Protection Act.
With the new Teen Limited Access card policy, Cuevas is looking forward to helping more Addison teens sign up for their library cards.
“We have to give a special thank you to our Library Director and Board of Trustees who have been supportive in this new policy, and to library staff who contributed,” said Cuevas. “We are very excited about this change.”
To celebrate the new Teen Limited Access cards, the library is holding a Teen Library Card Sign Up Drive on March 21-25 from 3:00-4:30pm each day to encourage students to sign up for the new Teen Limited Access card. Any student who gets a library card during the sign up drive will receive a gift from the library.
Students may apply for a Teen Limited Access card any time the library is open.