Don’t have a library card yet? There’s no time like the present! September is Library Card Sign-up Month, and Chillicothe Public Library District (CPLD) is celebrating by partnering with local businesses to endow those cards with even more superpowers than usual.

For the month of September, CPLD members can show their library cards at participating businesses to receive special deals. The library is grateful to the following businesses for their partnership: Covered Wagon Crafts, Dairy Queen, Faraway Mercantile, FroSmokes Meatery, High 5, Lela’s Resale Shoppe #2, Little Shop of Hoarders, Looking 4 Treasures, McDonald’s, Molly’s Pizza, Picket Fence, Stems by Allison, Wheels O’ Time Museum, Sweet Finds, ThreadZ, and Solez. A full list of participating businesses and their special offers is available at the library.

After September, your library card will continue to offer plenty of other superpowers! CPLD cardholders have access not only to thousands of print materials and other media like DVDs, magazines, and audiobooks, but also to online resources and entertainment, discounted passes to cultural venues around the state through Explore More Illinois, and more.

Also in September, CPLD kicks off their inaugural Fall Reading Challenge: Genre Exploration! All ages, birth through adult, are invited to read one book from three different genres between September 1 and October 31. Those completing the challenge will get a free drink from the library’s coffee bar, a special bookmark, and entry into a drawing for a gift card from our sponsor, Triple Dipple’s! Reading logs are available at the library, where participants can also get book recommendations from staff or use the NoveList tool to find books in a new genre that may share some favorite elements from a familiar genre. (New to NoveList? The library is holding a workshop on September 3 at 11:00 a.m.; RSVP at bit.ly/3uX9G4w.)

For more information about how to get a library card, the Fall Reading Challenge, or any library programs and services, call 309-274-2719 or visit chillipld.org, or drop by at 430 N. Bradley Ave., Chillicothe, IL.