This year of newsletters celebrated people who signed up for new Lake Forest Library cards, including City of Lake Forest employees, long-time Lake Foresters and new library users, and families who recently moved to town.

In many cases, people visit the Library to get their card. (Maybe they kick‑start the process at lakeforestlibrary.org/card.) But sometimes the Library comes to you, such as when Library staff reach out to students and teachers at local schools.

Whether attending new student orientation at Lake Forest College (resulting in 73 new card holders), hosting a sign-up table in the Lake Forest Academy cafeteria (17 new card holders), or stopping by summer classes at Deer Path Middle School (4 new card holders), your Library staff are out in the community, meeting students and teachers where they’re at, and issuing library cards.

We do it because students and teachers have nothing to lose and so much to gain from a Lake Forest Library card.

• Access to databases such as Tutor.com, Culturegrams, and World Book Online can be invaluable for help with homework and projects.
• The ability to borrow books and study guides supports success in their studies by expanding their pool of resources.
• The act of signing up for a card reminds them that the Library is available to them when they need it.

Of course, the Library is available even without a library card—providing programs, access to materials to use while here, and space to study together and meet with tutors—the card is the icing on the cake. In fact, library cards have been called “must‑have school supplies” and one of the “smartest cards in your wallet.” We think Lake Forest students and teachers would agree.