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Coming Soon: Foyer Pickup
Curbside Collect is ending Saturday, July 17. Starting Monday, July 20, holds will be available to pick up in the Library Foyer. A Library staff member will still call you to let you know your items are ready to pick up, and you will still have 4 days to stop by the Library to grab your bag or bundle.
Thank you all for your enthusiastic use of Curbside Collect while the building was temporarily closed!
Thank you for your interest in this past event, survey, or contest. The information may no longer be up-to-date or active.
We are pleased to again offer physical materials to Lake Forest Library patrons through our new Curbside Collect service!
Place holds any time. Pickup hours are listed on this page. Please wait for a personalized phone call from the Library before coming to pick up your items.
Lake Forest residents who do not have a library card can request a library card virtually.
Thank you for your interest in this past event, survey, or contest. The information may no longer be up-to-date or active.
How to use Curbside Collect
- Place items on hold. You can make your requests in 3 ways:
- Search the online catalog and place holds on items you would like. Make sure “Limit by” is set to “Lake Forest Materials.”
- Request a Curbside Care Package and we will choose items we think you will enjoy based on your preferences.
- Call us at 847.234.0636. You may need to leave a voicemail with your requests, or ask us to call you back if you are looking for reading recommendations.
- Wait until you receive a phone call from a Library staff member confirming that your items are ready to pick up. When we begin processing your holds, you may receive an email, text, or phone notification like you did prior to the stay‑at-home order. Please disregard these notifications and wait for a personalized phone call from us before coming to the Library.
- Within 3 days of receiving your personalized phone call, drive to the Library back dock during the pickup hours listed on this page. Pickups must be by vehicle only. If you do not have access to a vehicle, please let us know so that we can make special arrangements for you.
- Place a sign with your full name on it in the passenger window.
- Without exiting your car, please roll down your back passenger window or pop your trunk.
- Library staff will place the bag in your car, and you can head home to enjoy the books, movies, and other items you checked out!
- If you have returns, please make another loop around the building and drop them in the return boxes. Library staff cannot take items directly from patrons.
Thank you for your interest in this past event, survey, or contest. The information may no longer be up-to-date or active.
Curbside and Quarantine FAQs
- Is it safe for me to handle physical library materials again?
As always, we encourage you to be mindful as you enjoy physical library materials. Please use your best judgment when handling materials. As a precaution, we suggest washing your hands before and after handling Library materials. Good hygiene practices always matter, but especially now.
Lake Forest Library cannot guarantee your safety when handling library materials, but the Library is following recommended steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19. For guidance, the Library relies on CDC, IDPH, State of Illinois Coronavirus Response, OSHA, and the REALM Project.
Research on the persistence and vitality of COVID-19 on surfaces is ongoing, and the Library reserves the right to update our lending policies and procedures as needed to maintain the health and safety of Library staff and patrons like you.
- Before I borrowed this item, what precautions were taken to reduce exposure to COVID-19?
From the publisher to book distributor to Library staff, gloves and face masks have been worn when handling new items. All other items have been quarantined for at least 3 days.
- I returned an item, why is it still showing as checked out on my library account?
Returned items will go immediately into quarantine, so they may remain on your account for several days. If you’re sure you returned an item, you can disregard any overdue notices received for that item. And remember, we are a fine-free library!
- Can I clean or disinfect my borrowed items myself?
Using cleaning products, microwaving, and other unproven disinfecting methods are not good for Library materials. Items damaged due to excessive cleaning will be charged to the patron’s account. As the best defense against COVID-19 spread through surface contact, the Library quarantines returned items for 3 days.
- When are my items due?
Due dates and renewals work the same as before. A checkout receipt is included in your Curbside bag so that you can review your due dates. In addition, many of your borrowed items will likely autorenew, enabling you to keep them even longer. Items that will NOT autorenew include: anything another patron has requested and put on hold, new DVDs, and magazines.
- Can I return library materials?
The book boxes behind the Library and the return slots in the wall of the West Train Station are open and accepting returns. In the interest of maintaining maximum safety during this time, any non-library materials will be discarded. The Friends are not yet accepting book donations, so please do not leave items at the back dock or in the return boxes.
If you have further questions, please contact us:
- Call 847.234.0636
- Live chat or contact form on the website
- Email reference@lakeforestlibrary.org
Accommodations and Additional Info
Please let us know if you need special accommodations, and we will do our best to serve you. Contact the Library
Our goal is to provide access to physical library materials again while prioritizing the safety of Library staff and patrons.
Thank you for working with us to minimize contact and maintain physical distance at all times. We also understand if you do not feel safe leaving your home or handling physical library materials at this time. Please continue to use our extensive digital library of eBooks, streaming movies, learning tools, databases, and more at lakeforestlibrary.org/digital and lakeforestlibrary.org/databases.