Chicago Public Schools Expands Program To Allow Students To Access 81 Public Libraries Using Student IDs

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) will increase youth literacy through an expanded partnership with the Chicago Public Library.

The 81 Club 

The 81 Club is a program that ensures students have access to all 81 Chicago Public Library branches and is driven by a mission to “encourage and celebrate the creative and ambitious thinking of young Chicagoans by championing their curiosity,” according to information on its website. Block Club Chicago reports that the program also offers academic support and access to online databases.

Program Expands

The 81 Club, which was piloted in 2022, will now be expanded to ensure CPS students can participate in the program “with no application, paperwork, or additional steps,” per the Chicago Sun Times. The district’s 316,000 students only need to show their student ID to check out a book or use the other resources offered through the program.

“With this expansion, every student — no matter their ZIP code, school enrollment, or their age — will have access to library cards and programs and resources that make their lives more enriched,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said during an event held Tuesday surrounding the announcement, per Block Club Chicago.

Officials say removing barriers to the library will be particularly helpful for unhoused and immigrant students, as well as those in the foster care system.

“We all know too well that talent is equally distributed across this large city in every single neighborhood, but opportunity access is not,” Michael Fassnacht, board chair of the Chicago Public Library Foundation, according to the Chicago Sun Times.

That focus on expanding access is further reflected in CPS’s partnership with the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, which will launch limited-edition cards for Club 81 members featuring artwork from students, reports the outlet. Kenya Merritt, who serves as the acting commissioner of the department, said the partnership will help to foster students’ creative expression.

“This partnership is what it looks like in action when young people have access, not just to books, but to stories, art, and creative expression. It opens doors for them. It helps them to imagine what’s possible for themselves … it helps students envision their future that’s full of opportunity,” Merritt explained, according to Block Club Chicago. “What’s really powerful about this collaboration is that it’s going to reach every single CPS student. That’s how we make equity real.”

The post Chicago Public Schools Expands Program To Allow Students To Access 81 Public Libraries Using Student IDs appeared first on AfroTech.

The post Chicago Public Schools Expands Program To Allow Students To Access 81 Public Libraries Using Student IDs appeared first on AfroTech.