For our complete library card policy, please see our Library Policies page.
Who can get a library card?
If you live in Mahomet Township, you live in the Mahomet Public Library District and you have paid for your library card through your property taxes. To see if your address is in our district, open this map. Homeowners can check their property tax bills to see if they pay taxes to the Mahomet Public Library. Every member of your household may have his or her own library card.
Please see below for information on getting a card if you do not live in the library district.
Can children have their own library cards?
Children may have their own library cards. For children younger than high school age, a parent or guardian must sign the application. Parents of minors assume responsibility for:
- Guiding their children to select appropriate materials,
- Caring properly for the items, and
- Fees for replacing lost or damaged materials.
How do I get a library card?
If you (or your minor children) have outstanding fines or fees at another library in our library system, you must pay these fees before we can issue you a card.
Applying for a card in person
To apply in person, please bring the following items:
A completed library card application, which you may print or pick up at the library.
- print application for children under the age of 16
- print application for children over the age of 15 and adults
A photo ID.
Proof of your current address, such as a valid driver's license, a recent (within the past 3 months) bank statement, bill, apartment lease, paycheck stub, or cancelled mail. Online versions of these documents are acceptable. If you do not have proof of address, you will be issued a temporary library card with an expiration date of 2 weeks. You will receive a welcome letter from the library in the mail. Bring the letter to the library as proof of your address. The expiration date of your library card will then be updated.
Applying for a card online
Register for your card here through our online catalog.
At this point, you will receive a temporary card number, which allows you to request items from our catalog and check out eBooks and eAudiobooks from our Cloud Library platform. This card will expire in 90 days if you do not visit the library to receive your permanent card.Bring the following items with you to receive your permanent card:
A photo ID
Proof of your current address, such as a recent (within the past 3 months) bank statement, bill, apartment lease, paycheck stub, or canceled mail. Online versions of these documents are fine.
Once you have your permanent card, you will have full library privileges to check out items and use our online resources, such as Consumer Reports Online and OverDrive (for eBooks, eAudiobooks, and eMagazines).
Can I get a library card if I don’t live in the district?
According to an inter-governmental agreement between the library and the Mahomet-Seymour School District:
If a school-aged child (aged 3-21) lives in the Mahomet-Seymour school district, but does not live in any library district, they may be issued a free non-resident card.
If a Mahomet-Seymour teacher does not live in any library district, they may be issued a free non-resident card.
For everyone else, you can purchase a non-resident Mahomet Public Library card if both of the following are true:
You do not pay property taxes to any other library district AND
The Mahomet Public Library is the closest library to your home OR you live in the Mahomet-Seymour school district.
Because you do not support the library with your property taxes, you will be asked to pay the same amount for your card as you would pay in taxes if you lived in the district. We will multiply the current library tax rate by the taxable value of your home to determine your library card fee. Renters will be charged the fixed minimum fee, as established annually by the library board of trustees. Please contact the library for the current rates.
To apply for a non-resident card, please bring the following to the library:
A copy of your most recent tax bill (for renters, a copy of your most recent rent receipt or cancelled rent check) AND
A photo ID
Why do I have to pay for a card if I don’t live in the district?
No one receives a “free” library card. Those who live in the district pay for their cards through their property taxes or, if they are renters, through the property taxes of their landlords. Non-residents purchase cards by paying the same amount they would pay if they paid property taxes to the district.
Why don’t you expand your district so I don’t have to pay for my card?
The library district has a legal boundary, established through a Mahomet Township voter referendum in 1966. We can expand our borders only if residents in another township vote to join our district.
In 1995, the library attempted to expand our borders to include Newcomb, Hensley, and Scott townships, but voters in those townships did not approve the measures.
What if I don’t live in the district, but I own or lease commercial property in the district?
If you do not live in the library district, but you do own or lease property in the district, you pay taxes to the library. Each owner or leaseholder may receive a library card. Property owners must present the most recent tax bill to receive a card. Leaseholders must present a copy of the commerical lease.
Where can I use my library card?
The Mahomet Public Library District is a member of the Illinois Heartland Library System. You may use your Mahomet library card at any of these IHLS libraries, just as you would use it at the Mahomet Public Library. You may also use your card at the Champaign Public Library or Urbana Free Library, but you must first register at one of those libraries. For more information on using the Champaign and Urbana libraries, please see Using C-U Libraries.
You may also use your card online for access to eBooks and audiobooks, magazines, and online research tools.