Champaign-Urbana has two terrific libraries that are a part of the larger Lincoln Trails Library System (LTLS). LTLS is one of nine multitype Library Systems in Illinois. LTLS serves 119 in Champaign, Clark, Coles, Douglas, Edgar, Ford, Iroquois, Piatt, and Vermilion counties. If you live in Central Illinois, it is likely you can gain access to a library card from your local library and that library will be a member in the LTLS. What this means to you is books not available at your local library can be loaned from other member libraries and delivered to your home library for pick up for free. Many other libraries will also provide their patrons interlibrary loan privileges outside the LTLS for free as well, giving you access to a vast collection of books and other materials.

Both CU Libraries provide quality special events for children and adults and can be found via their on-line so calendars. Both libraries have rooms that can be reserved for patron use along with offering online study aids, and homework help, and the Champaign Library has a very good homeschooling webpage.

Urbana Free Library

Main Web Site

www.urbanafreelibrary.org

Teacher and Parent Resources

http://www.urbanafreelibrary.org/children/resources.php

Children’s Calendar Link

http://www.urbanafreelibrary.org/children/calendar.php

Champaign Library

Main Web Site

http://www.champaign.org/

Homeschool Resource Page

http://www.champaign.org/parents/homeschools.html

Calendar

http://www.champaign.org/events/month.php

My Media Mall

My Media Mall is a service provided by the Lincoln Trail Library System to its patrons (people with local library cards). Through My Media Mall a sizable digital library is available, patrons can browse, checkout, and download digital audiobooks, evideos, and ebooks anytime of day from anywhere in the world. Further information can be found: http://www.lincolntrail.info/mediamall.html The site may be accessed at http://www.mymediamall.net

University of Illinois

The University of Illinois (UIUC) has library collections for the support of their schools of education and library science, as well as a rare book collection that includes children’s books. While some of these resources do not circulate, many do and they may be useful to homeschoolers. The Champaign and Urbana Libraries will assist patrons in getting interlibrary loans from UIUC. However, as a resident of Illinois you may get a courtesy card by contacting the Main Library 333-2290. You may check out books directly from UIUC online and have them sent to a preferred pick up location.

UIUC Library Courtesy Card Policy

http://www.library.illinois.edu/circ/policies/borrowers/ll.html

UIUC Library Locations

http://www.library.illinois.edu/services/hours.php

UIUC Online Catalog

http://www.library.illinois.edu/

A Youtube video regarding the S-Collection (children’s) at UIUC

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJXrKuzv8u0

The UIUC S-collection is housed:

http://www.library.illinois.edu/edx/index.html

Other Resources

Freshwater Fred's Lending Free Lending Library includes approximately 1,100 educational videos, software programs and curriculum - and the collection is always growing. Explore topics such as biology, zoology, anatomy, physics, math, history, geography, the arts and environmental science.

http://www.hepn.com/freshwaterfreds.asp