Wilmette Public Library cardholders will lose access to online accounts, holds and several digital services for four days starting Friday, Oct. 16.

The disruption runs through Monday, Oct. 19, while two new libraries join the Cooperative Computer Services (CCS) shared catalog that Wilmette, Glencoe Public Library and Winnetka-Northfield Public Library District already share. Rolling Meadows Library and Wauconda Area Public Library are the newest additions to the 34-library consortium, according to the library's service alert.

Bring your physical card. Staff will not be able to look up accounts during the outage, so patrons who visit the building will need it in hand.

What won't work

  • Online account access, including placing holds
  • Full catalog search (limited functionality only)
  • Outdoor pickup lockers
  • Online resources that require library card verification
  • New library card registration

What will still work

  • In-person checkouts and hold pickups, with a physical card
  • Digital downloads through Libby and hoopla for existing account holders

Patrons who run into trouble can call the library at (847) 256-5025.

What's behind the outage

The migration adds Rolling Meadows Library's roughly 185,000-item collection and Wauconda Area Public Library's holdings to the shared network. Rolling Meadows received a $53,050 grant from the Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS) to cover startup and migration costs, according to the Rolling Meadows Library.

Jack Bower, executive director of Rolling Meadows Library, said on the library's website that the expansion is "a transformational step for our community." He said patrons' access will grow from thousands of items to millions while the library keeps its local staff and programming.

Once the work is finished, Wilmette cardholders will have access to more than 5 million items across the consortium.

The Wilmette Public Library Board of Trustees meets Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 6:30 p.m. in the lower level Auditorium, the first regular meeting after the outage window closes.