Chicago is taking a major step forward in making educational resources more accessible for its youth. In a new initiative, Chicago Public Schools students can now access books, tutoring, and a wealth of other library services using just their student ID number.
By turning everyday school IDs into all-access passes, the city is effectively eliminating the hurdles that often keep kids from fully utilizing the public library system.
This move is the latest expansion of “The 81 Club,” a collaborative effort between Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Public Library. The initiative’s goal is to make it incredibly simple for students to tap into the materials and resources available at all 81 public library branches across the city.
By making the process automatic, more than 315,000 students are now enrolled and granted access without having to fill out a single piece of application paperwork. In the past, the traditional process of acquiring a library card, which usually required specific documentation, could act as an unintentional barrier for busy families or under-resourced students. Now, that barrier has been completely removed.
While checking out a favorite novel is a huge perk, this initiative provides much more than just physical books. With their student IDs, CPS students instantly gain access to the library system’s vast collection, including professional tutors and extensive digital databases.
This ensures that whether a student needs help with a tough math assignment, requires digital resources for a research paper, or simply wants to dive into a new book series, the tools are right at their fingertips.
Photo Credit: Michael Liptrot/Block Club Chicago
