The ReciproCard Report: Illinois
Overview
Illinois is one of the states where my research has found the fewest verified agreements that include Libby access. Agreements between libraries here may exist for physical borrowing, but confirming which ones also cover Libby has been difficult.
There are 577 library systems here and 21 separate Libby catalogs, which means there are 21 different collections of books in the state. I've only confirmed 4 new card opportunities so far. With this many distinct catalogs, there are likely more agreements out there that I haven't been able to verify yet.
Libraries and Libby Participation
Library systems: 577
On Libby: 474 (82.1%)
Not on Libby: 103
The ones not on Libby: A. Herr Smith & E.E. Smith Loda Township Library, Albion Public Library, Andalusia Township Library, Ashley Public Library District, Auburn Public Library District, Beecher Community Library District, Bertolet Memorial Library District, Bryan-Bennett Library, Bunker Hill Public Library District, C.E. Brehm Memorial Public Library District, Calumet City Public Library, Carmi Public Library, plus 91 more.
Not every library system uses Libby. Some offer digital borrowing through other services, and a few haven't adopted a digital platform yet. This report only covers libraries that are on Libby.
Unique Catalogs
Illinois has 21 separate catalogs, which means 21 different collections of books.
A shared digital catalog, sometimes called a consortium, is a collection of ebooks and audiobooks that multiple library systems fund and share together. Each catalog listed below is a separate collection. Libraries that belong to the same one are all drawing from the same pool of books.
Ten Largest Catalogs
| Catalog | Library systems |
|---|---|
| Digital Library of Illinois | 118 |
| Alliance Digital Media Library | 97 |
| Online Media of Northern Illinois Libraries | 86 |
| Rolling Prairie Digital Consortium | 61 |
| Media On Demand | 59 |
| eMediaLibrary | 24 |
| North Suburban Digital Consortium | 8 |
| Pinnacle Digital Consortium | 6 |
| NILRC Academic Shared Digital Collection | 3 |
| Arlington Heights Memorial Library | 1 |
Plus 11 more, 12 of which serve a single library.
A shared catalog is what happens when a group of libraries pool their money and buy one collection together. In a state with this many of them, every card you can get your hands on is potentially a whole new library of books.
New Card Opportunities
New card opportunities: 4
That covers 4 of Illinois's 474 Libby libraries, or 0.8%.
A new card opportunity is any time a library system's cardholders can access a Libby catalog they don't already have, as identified by ReciproCard. These come from Libby partnerships (where your existing card works at another library's catalog), reciprocal agreements (where you apply for a free card at another system), and statewide programs (where a library is open to all residents regardless of location). ReciproCard filters out duplicate catalogs, so each opportunity listed here represents access to a genuinely different collection. Keep in mind that ReciproCard only tracks agreements that include Libby access. Many libraries have reciprocity for physical books but not Libby, and those aren't counted here.
How Illinois Compares
- 2nd of 51 for number of library systems (577).
- 8th of 51 for separate Libby catalogs (21).
- Tied for 36th of 51 for new card opportunities (4).
- 16th of 51 for opportunities through Libby Partners (2).
- Largest catalog: Digital Library of Illinois (118 libraries).
Explore Other States
Haven't Searched Your Own Library Yet?
This report gives you the statewide picture, but your results depend on your local system. If you haven't already, enter your home library system in the search above to see what cards you might be eligible for.