Kids
Elementary School Services
Teacher Borrowing Privileges
Every K-12 teacher at a school within the city limits of Elmhurst is entitled to teacher borrowing privileges. The highest-ranking administrator (i.e. superintendent, principal, director, home educator) must sign an Agreement of Service* with the Library each school year.
With your teacher card you can:
- Check out up to 200 physical items at a time, including books, movies, music, and items from our regular collections and special collections such as:
- Adventure Backpacks
- Assistive Book Kits
- Audiobooks
- Board Games
- Learning Links
- Library of Extraordinary Things
- Nook and iPod eReaders
- Puppets
- Puzzles
- Read-Along Picture Books
- STREAM Kits
- Teacher Technology Kits
- World Languages and Bilingual Materials
- Place requests for materials, gathered by Library staff
- Use the Makery
- Reserve Meeting Rooms for school-related classes and clubs
- Take items from the book sale room, free of charge, with your teacher ID
*An Agreement of Service authorizes teacher borrowing privileges for new teachers and for teachers with existing privileges. Teacher borrowing privileges allow you to check out Elmhurst Public Library materials for your classroom. The school or daycare accepts responsibility for replacement costs for materials that are not returned. If you have never had teacher borrowing privileges, first contact your organization’s school librarian or administrative office.
Homework Shelf
If you have a class assignment or required reading lists, let us know! We can pull materials to temporarily house on our Homework Shelf in the Kids’ Library for your students to easily find and check out. We also keep copies of required reading lists at the Kids’ Desk for easy reference when your students come to visit us for assistance.
Visits
Have us visit your school or classroom, or plan a visit to EPL! We offer a variety of programs, both in-person and virtual (live or pre-recorded):
Award Nominee Programs
Grades K-5. Based on the current year’s Monarch, Bluestem, and Caudill nominees, we can tailor storytimes, book talks, and interactive lessons for classrooms or school library time.
Book Talks
Grades 2-5. Want to offer new book recommendations to your students? We can come in to share new and popular book titles offered at the Library.
Club Visits
Grades K-5. Schedule a time for Elmhurst Public Library to meet with your after-school club.
Creative Storytelling
Grades 2-5. We will tailor an interactive lesson on creative storytelling for your students.
Database Tutorials
Grades K-5. Elmhurst Public Library offers a variety of databases for students to access at home with their EPL card, or in the building on a public computer without a library card. In your classroom or school library, we can offer an informative session on what databases are available and how to use them.
Field Trips
Grades K-5. Take a behind-the-scenes tour, and enjoy a library scavenger hunt! Field trips are a great way for your students to familiarize themselves with all the Library has to offer.
Reading Program Promotions
Grades K-5. We love to encourage your students’ participation in our Winter and Summer Reading Programs here at EPL. We plan for these visits and promotions in December (Winter) and April/May (Summer).
Shadowing
Grades K-5. Allow us to visit your school library for a day, shadowing and assisting with activities during library time, or presenting a special program, lesson, or storytime.
Special Events
Grades K-5. The Library can be at your next school event! We can be present at curriculum nights, family reading nights, PTA events, back-to-school events, and more with an information table, activities, or stories to share with a crowd.
STEM Playground
Grades 2-5. Let us set up a STEM playground, featuring classroom sets from our teacher technology collection. We can provide a mix of games and self-directed options for your students to play, explore, and learn.
Storytimes
Grades K-2. Have us visit as a mystery reader or provide a themed storytime in your classroom or during school library time.
Unincorporated District 205 Students with Income Eligibility
District 205 students who live in unincorporated Elmhurst or in surrounding unincorporated areas who participate in the Federal Free or Reduced-Price School Meal Program may apply for an EPL card free of charge. Learn more about how to get a card.
Contact Us
Heather Forster Jensen
School Services Coordinator (Grades K-5)
Heather.ForsterJensen@elmlib.org
For general inquiries, please contact us at TeacherRequests@elmlib.org.
