Get To Know the Marion Carnegie Library

Any community would feel blessed to have access to a library like the Marion Carnegie Library here in Marion, Illinois. This library is a pillar of our town, offering many possibilities for learning and having fun. With frequent events, tons of books for people of all ages and interests, and a welcoming and relaxing environment, you’ll love spending time here. The team at Ike Honda certainly does. Let’s get to know the Marion Carnegie Library better so you can understand why it gets such great reviews.

Get books

Image with matthew Feeney is licensed with Unsplash License

Housed in one of the few remaining Carnegie buildings, the Marion Carnegie Library has books that appeal to everyone. To check out books from the library, you’ll need to sign up for a library card. Any resident of Marion over 5 years old is eligible for a card, but parents will have to be responsible for the books their child takes home and needs to be present to get them a card.

Getting a card is simple. All you need is:

• A state-issued ID
• A piece of mail with a recent postmark

You must live within the city limits, which is why they require identification and a recent bill or another piece of mail. They’ll issue nonresident cards to those outside the city limits, but these aren’t free like the ones for residents of Marion. Once you have your library card, you can check out books and more. Some of the things you can check out aside from great books include:

• Audiobooks
• DVDs
• Video games
• Laptops
• Mobile hotspots

Usually, you can take home up to 30 items, but some items have limitations. Ask your librarian if you have any questions, as they’re always ready to help. Most books have a three-week checkout period, but other items may have a shorter borrowing time frame. They have titles for young children, tweens, teens, and adults. Whether you’re writing a report, researching history, or just looking for popular authors, you’ll find what you’re looking for at this exceptional library.

Attend events

There’s always something going on at the Marion Carnegie Library, especially around the holidays and summer. Regular story hours for kids take place on Wednesdays and Thursdays, while tween movie nights on Saturdays give youngsters something fun to look forward to each week. Older kids will have a blast and meet new friends during teen game days on Saturdays. Both young and old can attend craft events, where you’ll learn to make something new or just let your creative juices flow.

Adults can get career coaching and advice at Continuing Careers events, and the Lawyer in the Library event provides legal advice from an actual lawyer to anyone who needs it. Check the library’s events calendar to see what’s going on today.

Join a club

Youths aged 12 to 19 can join the Anime Club. This group meets regularly to watch and discuss anime programming, eat popcorn and socialize with friends who share their interests. They meet in the youth department on the top floor of the library, and you can find out when events are taking place by calling the library or checking the website.

Project Next Generation is another fun club for youths to consider joining. This program has the goal of helping middle, and high school students develop skills to use various technologies, achieve success through project-based learning, and gain life skills, such as effective communication, goal-setting, and conflict resolution. Through this club, these kids can gain confidence in themselves, helping them to feel good about what they can achieve.

If you have an idea for a club you’d like to start or be a part of, consider making a suggestion to the library staff. They can help you get started and offer resources that help make your idea a reality.

Study at Carnegie Commons

Head to the northeast corner of the library’s main floor if you’re looking for the perfect place to study. It’s where you’ll find Carnegie Commons, the library’s in-house coffee bar. The lovely coffee aroma will help you concentrate, plus it’s a quiet place where you’ll have no trouble studying. You can enjoy a delicious cup of joe while you learn, and you can take advantage of the free Wi-Fi if you need to access more resources. Remember to bring cash, as it’s the only payment they accept.

Book a meeting room

As a further service to the community, you can reserve a meeting room at the Marion Carnegie Library. These rooms provide a clean, well-lit, and safe place to get together with a group. Important things to keep in mind when booking a meeting room include:

• All meeting rooms are issued on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Library-sponsored events are given preference for meeting room usage.
• For-profit organizations are charged a small fee for using the meeting rooms, but they cannot charge attendees an entrance fee except for workshops or classes.
• Not-for-profit organizations aren’t charged a fee.
• Rooms can be used during normal open hours: Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

If you’d like to reserve a room, the library staff needs at least 48 hours notice to ensure the room isn’t occupied and that it’s clean and ready for your meeting.

We’re proud to have the Marion Carnegie Library in our town. Have you been to the library? What’s your favorite thing about it? Let us know if there’s a program you think we’d enjoy or a book we should check out. We’re always interested in learning new things, and our team loves an excuse to go to the library. Come in and tell us about it, or use our contact form to share your experience. If you haven’t been, we hope this introduction to what the library offers will motivate you to go and check it out.