What's New

Love to Read Books, But Just Can’t Find the Time?

The librarians at DeKalb Public Library have just discovered the secret for finding the time to read a good book again…and they’re just itching to tell you about it. The DeKalb Public Library has gone high-tech and they’re now offering the latest, hottest idea for people who want desperately to read, but just can’t find the time. DeKalb Public Library delivers portions of books to you in your email. Each day, Monday through Friday, the library emails subscribers a portion of a book that takes about 5-minutes to read. By the end of the week, subscribers have read two to three chapters from the book and if they like it, they check it out of the library. New books are featured every week. You can sign up for the service at the library or by clicking here.

Want to keep up on the latest book news? Well now you can!

The DeKalb Public Library is happy to introduce BookNews, a new online service for readers. This new reader's advisory service gives readers access to free electronic newsletters about a wide variety of books via the internet or delivered directly to your e-mail. Readers can access the service via the BookNews link and select the newsletters they wish to read. They can also select to receive the monthly newsletters via e-mail on the 15th of each month.

DeKalb Public Library End of Year Report

Our end of the year report is available as a handout and here on our website. Over 286,500 people visited us last year, a 28% increase from FY2008. We circulated 9.8 items for every man, woman, and child in DeKalb. Over 200,000 virtual visits occurred. Over 43% of renewals are now done on-line. Thank you for your continued support of the DeKalb Public Library.

New Online Databases

The DeKalb Public Library has added eight new databases to its collection of online databases. These databases will be available to everyone who visits the library, and from home for DeKalb Public Library card holders:
 

Morningstar Investment Research Center	Value Line Research Center
Heritage Quest Online	NewsPaperDirect Press Display
Science Online	Chicago Tribune Historical Archive
Ancestry Library Edition (library access only)	Learning Express Library

Access from home is through the library's website: www.dkpl.org. At the home page click on "online databases." 

Stop by the library for instruction on how to use these new databases, or any of the library's online databases. For more information call the reference desk at 815-756-9568, ext. 220.

Looking for information on loan periods or other FAQ's

We have moved them to a new section called FAQ to make room for our policies. Click here to find what your looking for.

DeKalb Public Library Upcoming Events E-Mail List
Get all your library news first! Sign up here to get email notices about DeKalb Public Library’s upcoming events, special programs, holiday closings, and much more! The DeKalb Public Library will never share your email address with any third party, nor will it send spam. You will be free to unsubscribe at any time.

Sign up here!

The Board of Trustees has passed the following Resolution: The DeKalb Public Library, as the cornerstone of a growing and dynamic community, provides easily accessible information and a welcoming environment to all its patrons. In order to extend this standard of service, the Library’s Board of Trustees has resolved unanimously to expand and improve the Library’s services and facilities. To this end, the Board has hired two consulting firms, both of which recommend that the Library’s physical space be increased from 19,000 to 60,000 square feet. The Board of Trustees will continue to explore all available options for increasing the Library’s holdings, programming initiatives, and physical space.

The Ben Gordon Self-Help Center

This area on the first floor will house substance abuse, mental health and relationship books. The Ben Gordon Foundation is generously supporting this new endeavor.

Youth and Children's Book Lists

"What should I read now?" Click here for a few suggestions. If there are other book lists you would like to see, let us know.

Downloadable Recorded Books

There are currently over 500 best-selling and thought-provoking titles available with 30 new titles being added monthly. The audiobook department is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can be browsed online anytime you want or wherever you want. You will never have to wait for a book to come in with Downloadable books. The audiobooks can be downloaded to many portable devices (see below). For more information about NetLibrary's Downloadable Recorded Books or to set up a personal account please, visit the DeKalb Public Library Reference Desk.

NetLibrary's Downloadable Recorded Books are available through the link on the left hand side of the page for patrons who have already come into the library and set a personal account. These books can be checked out for 21 days and also can be renewed.

These audio titles use copyright protection technology from Microsoft Corporation. Unfortunately this means iPods (and Mac) can not be used with this services because they do not currently support copyright-protected Windows Media Audio (WMA) files.

For help with these new services and answers to frequently asked questions please visit NetLibrary's help section on their website.