- You live in our library district (or own property or a business located in our library district.)

Not sure? Check our map or enter your address here (use the Search by Address tab) to see which library district you pay taxes to.

- You have priority access to materials at all 9 of our locations as well as full digital access (ebooks, audiobooks, music, research databases, etc).

- You have limited privileges at some other public libraries in Lake County and other Indiana counties. Please check with staff for details.

• You live in a district which pays taxes to another library system, or you are a non-resident teacher or student, or your card has been issued to a business or institution, not to an individual.
  

• You have limited borrowing privileges at the Lake County Public Library, but may subscribe to LCPL for full access. Here's how it works:

  • Upgrading costs $55/year

  • You get complete access to all of our materials

  • You can use our inter-library loan services and make purchase requests

Here's what you can borrow if you live in Hammond, Whiting, East Chicago, Gary, Crown Point, or Lowell OR elsewhere in Indiana with a library that participates in Statewide Borrowing:

Here's what you can borrow if you don't live in our library district but teach or go to school here:

If you're not sure which is your home library district, check our map or enter your address here (use the Search by Address tab) to see which library district you pay taxes to.

Recognizing the importance of volunteers and their service, the Lake County Public Library presents special gold and silver volunteer library cards.

These cards enable volunteers who have completed many hours of service at the library to check out more items at one time than normal cards. In addition, whereas most items are fine free for all at LCPL, even high-priority items like video games or Bestseller Express books are fine free when checked out on a gold or silver card.

Adult Gold Cards Volunteers (18 years or older) who complete 100 hours of service will earn a Gold Card. The Gold Card may only be used by the named cardholder and not by any other family member.

Juvenile Silver Cards Juvenile volunteers (under the age of 18) who complete 50 hours of volunteer service will earn a Silver Card. The Silver Card may only be used by the named cardholder and not by any other family member. The card will expire on the 18th birthday of the cardholder but can be renewed annually as long as the volunteer is actively volunteering. The Silver cardholder has until their 21st birthday to earn the additional 50 volunteers hours to convert to a Gold card.

Gold and Silver Cardholders' Responsibilities

• Do not lend card to family members or friends.

• Use your card (library purges all library cards after three years with no use).

• Renew or return materials if you receive an overdue notice.

• Pay for lost or damaged materials when you are billed.

• Follow the Library's Code of Conduct.

Failure to follow the above could result in loss of your special library card privileges.