ASK A QUESTION
If you’re looking for the blue book value on a car, a source for an obscure quote, or etiquette tips for e-mail, just ask! Our professional staff is ready to assist you with your information needs. Staff at the Adult and Youth Services desks are ready to help – no matter what your question may be.
BOOK A COMMUNITY TABLE
Highlight your local organization or raise funds by booking a Community Table in the library’s lobby. The library will allow one Community Table per week and will try to accommodate specific requests for times and dates. Click here for the Community Table Policy.
BORROW FROM OTHER LIBRARIES
If the library does not own an item, we can attempt to borrow it from another library and have it delivered to the Zion-Benton Public Library. Some transactions will involve a fee, which is charged back to you. We will notify you before placing a request if there is a fee. A staff member will be happy to help you.
DISCOVER NEW AUTHORS
Need help finding a good book? Want to read more titles by a favorite author? Our experienced reference staff can help by suggesting titles, authors, or subjects.
GENEALOGY HELP
Interested in tracing your family tree? For over 20 years, the Library and the Zion Genealogical Society have worked in partnership to help family researchers pursue their hobby. Volunteers from the Zion Genealogical Society hold free workshops every Wednesday evening from 7:00-9:00 p.m. Workshops are held in the library’s group study room, conveniently located near the genealogy reference collection. Experienced and enthusiastic help with family history is as close as your library!
Nearly 900 books and dozens of genealogy and local history newsletters from all over the U.S. and Canada are part of ZBPL’s collection. This extensive research collection is shelved in the study room in the Adult Services department.
GENEALOGY RESOURCES
ZBPL subscribes to two genealogy databases. HeritageQuest can be access from home through the eResources page. All you need is your library bar code number. Ancestry.com must be accessed from within the library. Can’t make it to the library? Call the Adult Reference desk at 847.872.4680, ext. 4.
HOLDING ITEMS
We’ll be happy to place items on hold for you or you may do it yourself in the library catalog. When items arrive, our automated system will telephone or email you, depending on how you’ve set your preferences. You’ll have six days to pick up your hold once you receive a phone call and seven days from the date of the e-mail to pick up your hold. Click here to register for email notification.
HOMEBOUND DELIVERY
If you are ill or disabled, sign up for homebound delivery. The library delivers to district residents and acts as a liaison for the Library of Congress Talking Books Program. For more information or to volunteer with homebound delivery, contact the Adult Reference desk at 847.872.4680 and press 4.
LIBRARY CATALOG
ZBPL shares its catalog with 22 other libraries. You can check your account, search for an item, build a bibliography, and more, all from the comfort of your own home.
MICROFORM
The library has two reader/printers to view and print from a large collection of microform resources. Printouts cost 10¢ per page.
NOTARY SERVICE
Several staff members are commissioned notary publics and will notarize your important documents at no charge during regular library hours.
PHOTOCOPIERS
Need to make a copy? We’ll be glad to show you how. Two copiers are available to make black and white copies for 15¢ per page. Double-sided copies cost 15¢ for each side.
PRINT FROM HOME OR YOUR LAPTOP
If your printer is on the fritz or you need to print from your laptop, use remote printing. Black-and-white printouts cost 15¢ per page/side and full-color printouts cost 25¢ per page/side. To start, just click here.
- Choose b/w or color printer.
- Click use this printer.
- Use browse to find a file on your computer or storage media OR type in the URL of the web page you want to print.
- Type in a network ID – can be anything, whatever you’ll remember to use when picking your print job up.
- It will take a several seconds to count pages and calculate a price, then you’ll need to click on Print.
- It’ll take several more seconds to confirm the job was sent.
REGISTER TO VOTE
You may register to vote at the library if you are a U.S. Citizen 18 years of age (by the date of the next election) and a resident of your Lake County precinct address for 30 days immediately prior to the next election. Two forms of identification are required to register through a deputy registrar. At least one of the two forms must show your name and current address, and only one form of identification may be a piece of mail for a contractual service addressed and delivered to you.
SEND A FAX
We’ll send your fax from the Circulation Desk for $1 per page and you’ll receive a confirmation.
STUDY ROOMS
Both the Adult and Youth departments have group study rooms with seating for six. You will need a library card to sign in for a group study room.
TYPEWRITER
The electric typewriter is located in the computer lab. You will need to bring your own paper.
USE OTHER LIBRARIES
You may use other participating Illinois public libraries and check out materials using your Zion-Benton Public Library card. Return the materials to us and we’ll send them back to the lending library.
WI-FI
Use your own computer – no passwords are needed. Your computer must have wireless capability. Surf the ‘net, email, use the library’s online resources, and download eBooks from any spot in the library. Use our remote printing service to print from your laptop.
