Gay's Guide to the Library: Part 1 What can I do at the library?

Gay's Guide to the Library: Part 1 What can I do at the library?

I get it. You may remember the library as the place in school where you weren’t allowed to talk, or touch anything, or eat, and the only reading options were musty books by stuffy old white guys. Sound familiar? 

I’m here to tell you to go to the libraries in CU. They aren’t what you experienced as a kid. Libraries are vibrant community centers. They can connect you to the resources you need, answer your questions, show you how to use technology and more! Big picture: they are now one of our only so-called “third spaces” in the United States, a place you can go where you aren’t actually expected to spend any money. That’s right – libraries are free! You really can just walk into a library and sit there. You don’t have to check out a single book. You can sit at a table and play on your phone. Walking around town and need a free bathroom? Go to the library! Use the space! It’s there for you. 

Gay’s Guide is all about giving queer people in CU a chance to talk about their interests, and my interest just so happens to be libraries. I just finished my master’s in Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, with the hope of becoming a librarian. During my degree I worked at the Champaign Public Library, and apprenticed at The Urbana Free Library. I also volunteered at both libraries, and did a graduate assistantship at Grainger Engineering Library on campus. Right now I work at the University of Illinois Press, which publishes around 80 nonfiction books a year on a bunch of topics, including labor studies, Black studies, history, women’s and gender studies, musicology and more. I have a chronic illness that was flaring this year, so I left the library for a role with more hybrid flexibility to manage my symptoms. In this guide maybe you’ll let me indulge my love of the library. 

People think librarians do it for the books. I do love books, but I really was interested in the community building aspect of libraries. Coming from journalism, where I would put articles out into the world and wonder if they were helpful, or what people actually needed to know, libraries seemed closer to the type of direct community information sharing relationship I was looking for. I was seeking more of a two-way conversation. When I worked at the library I was always learning new things from patrons (that’s you – the people who come in the library) and I loved the chance to share when you asked me for a queer romance book rec, or for the best place to eat in CU or how to evaluate news sources online.

So what can you do at the library? 

Check stuff out. This one you probably already know, but of course you can check things out. Did you know that libraries have a lot more than books though? For example, at The Urbana Free Library, you can check out a sewing machine (have clothes that need altering?), or at Champaign Public Library you can check out Kindles that come pre-loaded with a cool selection of books in a certain genre, like romance or mystery. 

Use the space. The space is totally free to use, and you don’t have to be reading to use it. There are nice tables to study at, or do things quietly, like read or play on your phone or listen to music. Meet a couple of friends there and play a board game. If you have a library card (Cards are based on where you live: more on getting a card at Urbana here and Champaign here), you can also book a meeting space for free. The spaces vary between the libraries, so ask the librarians what features they have available and they can explain and show you where it is on the website. If you are part of a group, the library is a great place to host your meetings, and hosting meetings there is great for your community! Using the library ensures it will stay a part of the community in the future – stats often play a role in libraries’ staffing and funding. 

Go to free events! Did you know our libraries host so many cool free events? From author visits, to musical performances, to crafting sessions, the libraries have so much to offer and the events are free! Instead of going out on an expensive date night or outing with your friends, try registering for an event at the library! If you have extra funds as a result, consider redirecting that money to a local mutual aid fund.

Make cool stuff. Our libraries have so many ways you can create things, which will be the subject of a future post, but I didn’t want to neglect to mention it here. Champaign Public Library has a makerspace called The Studio, and both public libraries have after-school library programs for teens with makerspace components. The Urbana Free Library also has a monthly Craft Happy Hour for adults on Wednesdays. Don’t worry, there’s even more – keep your eye out for a future Gay’s Guide post about it! 

Use the computers. The library has free computers, including laptops you can ask to use in the library if you prefer to sit at one of the tables instead of using the desktops. Those are first come first serve, though, so get there early if you prefer to use one of those. They also usually have free headphones available at the desk you can use, so feel free to ask for earbuds if you need them! 

Fax, scan, and make copies. Use the library to get all of your weird administrative tasks done. Is your landlord making you fax all of your documents? Did the financial aid office ask you for a copy of every document you’ve ever had? Ask the librarians to help – they know how all of that stuff works and know how to use the fax machine. They want to help! Don’t be shy! 

Note: Faxing at Champaign Public Library is free, but copies do cost money. The librarians can help you print a couple of pages for free if you need assistance, but can usually only go up to ten pages. Copying and faxing at The Urbana Free Library costs money, but the librarians have an ongoing program with the Township if you are applying for rental assistance and need copies for that, so let them know and you will not be charged. If you have issues with paying and need help, let the librarians know! 

Get help with stuff. Do you need help researching a question? Do you need to apply for a job? Do you need to apply for rental assistance? Do you need to figure out how to use the library catalog? Ask a librarian! That’s what they are there for! Seriously I cannot emphasize enough how exciting it is for us to get a question. We get the degree so that we can answer questions. We love to help. I love a puzzle.

Use expensive resources for free. Libraries have access to resources that are expensive for us to purchase on our own, but the library can purchase on behalf of the community, like ancestry.com or Mango Languages (a resource for learning new languages). The resources available depend on the library, so check their respective websites, but the librarians are happy to explain what you can get with your library card, and show you how to use them at one of the computers in the library. At Champaign Public Library, if it is busy at the library when you ask about it, they may have you make an appointment called a “Book a Librarian” appointment, where you book one-on-one time to go through what you want to learn. It’s a great way to get uninterrupted time with a librarian since the desk can get busy! 

With all of this, I’ve just scratched the surface of what our libraries can offer. Now it’s up to you to take a chance and try it out. Are you interested in going? Do you have more questions? If you have questions you can email me at samehlinger@gmail.com and I can either email you back if you want private help, or answer them in a future Gay’s Guide post if you think it would be helpful for other people to see the answer.  

Next up, I’ll be covering: What stuff can I check out and how do I look for it?

Planning to make a trip before the next post? Below are two public libraries in CU! 

The Urbana Free Library

210 West Green Street

Urbana, Illinois 61801

Champaign Public Library

200 W. Green St.

Champaign, IL 61820