Frequently Asked Questions

The Questions:

The Answers:

How do I get a library card?

Library cards are available to residents and taxpayers of the Lillie M. Evans Library District. (Peoria County residents can verify their taxing districts by using the Peoria County Clerk’s Tax District by Address page at: http://propertytax.peoriacounty.org/) Registration can only be completed by visiting the Lillie M. Evans Library with a valid form of identification. Photo ID is the preferred method of identification. If the ID does not have the current address, an additional verification of address is required. This can include a piece of USPS mail, letter, or bill with the name and local address.

Library cards are issued to individuals and are non-transferable. Children are eligible for their own library cards when they reach the age of five. Children under the age of 18 years of age must have a parent/guardian signature on their registration cards. Cardholders and parents/guardians of minors are responsible for all items checked out on their cards. Patrons are encouraged to bring their cards to the library for the most efficient service. Library staff may ask for ID verification before checkout to a person who has forgotten his/her library card. Patrons are responsible for notifying the library of any change of home address, email address, or phone number.

Non-resident cards are available for a fee (23 Ill. Admin. Code 3050.60). "Non-resident" means an individual residing in Illinois who does not have his or her principal residence within the territory of a public library service area. ↑Back to Questions

Can my child/spouse/relative checkout under my card?

We do not do group/family cards at this time so if a person is not specifically listed on your account as able to use your card they will not be able to check out and need to register for their own personal card. This protects card holders from overdue/lost material fees on items they did not know or authorize to be checked out on their library account. Cardholders are responsible to return borrowed materials on time, complete (all pieces, discs, etc), and in good condition or they will be fined accordingly. ↑Back to Questions

Who owns the library?

The library district is a unit of local government-owned by the people that live in the district. There is a 7 member board of trustees that are in charge of the library. They are elected every four years in a two-year rotation. The board makes the policies under which the library operates and meets every month in a public meeting to discuss the business of the library. The board appoints a library director to run the library for them. ↑Back to Questions

Why is it called the Lillie M. Evans Library?

Mrs. Evans grew up in the Princeville area. Although she moved away as an adult, she chose to leave a bequest to the people of Princeville to "build and equip" a library. She stipulated that the town must have a library tax to operate the library. The building is named in her honor. ↑Back to Questions

Who picks the books?

Actually, materials for the library are selected in several ways. The library has a collection management policy, passed by the Board of Trustees that provides guidelines for the staff to use when selecting materials. We use reviews, customer requests, and suitability in making the decisions of what to order. ↑Back to Questions

Why do you charge fines?

The fines help people remember to return things on time so that someone else can use them. The money that we collect from fines helps us pay for the time and postage to send the reminders that tell you that you have something you need to return. You can avoid paying fines by renewing most materials. Items many items can be renewed twice for two more weeks. ↑Back to Questions

How much are the fines?

Fines can be confusing, that’s for sure. The fine for books, CDs, audiobooks, playaways, and magazines is $.10 per item per day, with a maximum of $5.00 per item if the item is returned in good condition. If you are 62 years or older, you are not charged overdue fines. Any of these items can be returned in the book drop at the east entrance to the building. If they are returned before we open, they are counted as back on the previous day and no fine is charged. DVD fines are $.50 per day and they can be returned in the book drop as well. Remember books, audiobooks and CDs may be renewed twice for two weeks and videos DVDs and magazines for one week twice if no one is waiting for them. Hotspots are not renewable and incur a $5.00 per day late fee. ↑Back to Questions

What are the charges for copies, faxing, or scanning?

Black & white letter & legal size copies or prints are $.15 per side; ledger (11x17) are $.30 per side.
Color letter & legal size copies or prints are $.25 per side; ledger (11x17) are $.30 per side; 18x24 poster $1.00; 24x36 poster $2.00.

Outbound faxing service in USA is $1.00 for the 1st page; $.25 each additional. International fax service is not available.
Inbound fax reception is $.15 per page.

We do not charge for scanning services, however, we will accept a donation for the service. Please bring a USB drive or provide an email we can send your scanned files to. ↑Back to Questions

Why do I have only one week when I check out magazines and movies?

Most magazines can be read in one or two days and the information remains current for a relatively short time. When you return them as soon as possible, more people can use the material. DVDs and Blu-Ray are normally viewed completely in one sitting. These are popular items and the numbers are limited. When you return them promptly, someone else can watch it too. ↑Back to Questions

Why don’t you put my favorite type of book together in one spot?

Some libraries put a certain type or genre of book on the same shelf, for example, all of the mysteries together or all of the science fiction together. Our library does not do that for several reasons. First, many books do not fit in only one area. Some romances are also westerns and some mysteries are also inspirational fiction. Secondly, special collections take extra space and space is precious. We want to fit as many books as possible into our collection. Besides, think of all the good "stuff" you find while browsing the shelves. Watch for the special stickers on the spines of the books, they’ll help you find your favorite genres. ↑Back to Questions

Do you have public access computers?

Yes, there are 6 computers available to the public to use. All of them use Windows 11, have Microsoft Office products, catalog access and internet. We ask that you check out a computer usage pass and sign a computer usage agreement before sitting down at these desktops. There are also four "walk-up" computers throughout the library that are only public access to the library catalog. ↑Back to Questions

Why do you limit my time on the computer?

The user’s agreement that our computer users sign says that you have thirty minutes of computer time per day. Often, you can have more time if no one is waiting to use the computer. At certain times of the day, the computers are very busy and people are waiting for a turn. In order to allow more people to use them, we might have to ask you to leave after your thirty minutes is up. After school is always very busy so, if it is possible, you may want to come at a different time if your project requires more time. ↑Back to Questions

Can I check my email, social media, etc. on the computer?

Many members of our community and visitors come to the library to check their email, social media, access job sites, bank statements and more. You are welcome to use the public computers to do so. Computer users are responsible for protecting their accounts and privacy by logging out of any online services they use and fully deleting any documents or files they download during their visit. Just closing the internet browser does not log you out of your account and could result in the next user having access to your information. Library staff can help with this upon request. ↑Back to Questions

Can I use my laptop in the library?

The library has a wireless connection and if your laptop is wi-fi enable, you can use it anywhere in the building. ↑Back to Questions

Can I use your phone?

The library does not have a public telephone. Our phone is our business line so we ask that you limit the calls that you make from that phone. We will allow short local calls, to parents for example. ↑Back to Questions

Is there a meeting room available for my event?

When our meeting rooms are not being used for library functions other groups may request to reserve them. Reservations will only be accepted for LME Library patrons with a valid card in good standing. Events must be within our meeting room policy's acceptable use guidelines. There is currently a $15 reservation fee payable to save your date. Ask for a copy of the meeting room policy explaining the rules at the circulation desk. ↑Back to Questions