We offer library services to citizens of Germantown Library District, which has the same boundaries as the Germantown School District. Anyone who owns property in our district pays an annual library tax and is entitled to a library card. Anyone who does not own property in the district but who would like a card may purchase one for $75 per household per year.
Our library cards may be used at any library in the state of Illinois. Even if you do not have a card, you may use any resource inside the library.
Books, large print books, magazines, audiobooks, DVDs, computers games, children’s activity bags, puzzles, encyclopedias, newspapers and items of local history are available. Most may be checked out for 2 weeks. We do not charge late fees on overdue items. Once an item is overdue by 14 days, an overdue notice will be sent via email. Once an item is overdue for 30 it will be considered lost and the patron will be billed for the item. If the item is returned, all fees will be waived. However, if an item is returned in damaged condition the patron will be charged the cost of the book plus a $2.00 processing fee so the item can be replaced.
The Germantown Public Library is part of the Illinois Heartland Library System. We participate in inter library loan and receive free delivery of materials through the library system 5 days per week. If you cannot find an item you want at our library, the librarians can assist you in locating the item at another library in our system, the state of Illinois or anywhere in the USA. Items requested through interlibrary loan usually arrive within a week and you may check them out as you do our own items, for 2 weeks. There is no charge for this service.
Wireless internet access is available on our property 24/7. In addition, we offer 4 patron computers with internet access. These may be used at no charge. We ask users to limit their time on the computer to 30 minutes if others are waiting. Anyone under the age of 10 must be accompanied by an adult to use a computer.
We have a color scanner available, also at no charge. You may print from the computers at a cost of $.25 per page. Black and white or color – same price per page.
We make photocopies on regular or legal size paper for $.25 each.
Our laminator accepts items up to 26″ wide and we charge $.50 per foot to laminate for large items. Regular size paper (8×11) or Legal size paper (11×17) is $.25 per page.
You can send or receive faxes at the library. Cost is $.25 per page to send or receive.