Chicago Public Library, Chicago Public Schools Expand Automatic Library Access to More Than 315,000 Students

From the City of Chicago:

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and Chicago Public Library (CPL) are expanding access to diverse and rich digital library resources across the city through a new partnership called The 81 Club. Through this CPS-CPL partnership, the District’s more than 315,000 public school students are automatically registered and have digital access to the full resources of CPL’s 81 neighborhood libraries.  

Through a first-of-its-kind data-sharing agreement between CPS and CPL, CPS students can instantly access library resources and materials through the 81 Club with no application, paperwork or additional steps beyond a school ID number. The initiative removes any barriers to access and creates a seamless pathway to learning beyond the classroom.  

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to a 6 million-item collection, online databases, digital media and free academic support. Through library resources like Teacher in the Library and Brainfuse, students can access one-on-one tutoring both in person and online, reinforcing classroom learning in real time. 

“At Chicago Public Library, the library is the city’s most accessible out-of-school learning space,” said CPL Commissioner Chris Brown. “The 81 Club moves us beyond access, it ensures every CPS student can step into opportunity, with the freedom to explore their interests, the joy of choosing their own path, and an abundance of books in every neighborhood. This is how we connect schools and libraries to strengthen Chicago’s neighborhoods and support young people and their families.” 

The 81 Club also expands educators’ access. With dedicated “eTeach” accounts, CPS teachers can access CPL’s digital resources, including research databases, instructional tools and the Sora platform, which provides seamless access to millions of eBooks and audiobooks aligned with classroom learning. These resources help enhance instruction and deepen student engagement both in and beyond the classroom. 

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From the Chicago Sun-Times:

Officials with the two agencies said this expansion is meant to help young people take advantage of what the library system has to offer, even if they lack stable housing or legal immigration status in the U.S. — barriers that could make it hard to get to the library in person or provide additional paperwork.

“We all know too well that talent is equally distributed across this large city in every single neighborhood, but opportunity access is not,” Michael Fassnacht, board chair of the Chicago Public Library Foundation, said during a Tuesday news conference at the Austin Branch Library.

Through the program, students have access to the library’s online databases and digital media and can request one-on-one tutoring services online or in person, among other services.

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