Free stuff your Tri-Cities library card gets you

Before you pay for another streaming service, a museum ticket or a tool you will use once, check what your library card already covers. The St. Charles, Geneva and Batavia public libraries each lend a lot more than books, and most of it costs nothing.

Museum and attraction passes

All three libraries take part in two pass programs.

Museum Adventure Pass gets you free admission or a discount at participating Chicago-area museums and cultural spots. Offers vary by museum. Each library allows one pass per family for a seven-day loan, first come, first served.

• St. Charles: pick one up in person or use the online request form, then print it or show it on your phone.
• Geneva: visit the Kids Landing Desk on the first floor. Geneva passes can't be reserved online or by phone.
• Batavia: show your card at the Youth Services Desk.

Explore More Illinois is an online system for free and discounted tickets to museums, science centers, zoos, theaters, sporting events and more. You log in with your card number and PIN and book by date. St. Charles allows two active reservations per card. Batavia allows adults 18 and older up to three at a time. Attractions may ask for a photo ID.

Movies, music and audiobooks

Your card works with several streaming apps. Monthly limits differ by library.

• Kanopy (movies, documentaries, TV): St. Charles gives 10 play credits a month, and Geneva allows up to 10 movies a month. Batavia also offers Kanopy Kids, aimed at ages 2 to 8.
• Hoopla (movies, TV, music, eBooks, audiobooks, comics): 5 titles a month in St. Charles, 7 in Geneva and 10 in Batavia. No holds or waiting.
• Libby (eBooks, audiobooks, magazines): St. Charles allows up to 10 eBooks or audiobooks at a time, plus unlimited magazines.
• PressReader (newspapers and magazines from around the world): available through St. Charles and Batavia.

St. Charles also offers Freegal, which streams the Sony Music catalog and lets you download up to five DRM-free songs a week. Batavia adds AudioBookCloud, with unlimited streaming of its whole audiobook collection.

Library of Things

This is where the savings get practical.

Batavia lends board games, bocce sets, ukuleles, a digital keyboard, a Bluetooth speaker, a metal detector, a ring light, a digital projector and screen, and even umbrellas. Cake pans check out for 21 days and can be borrowed with any Illinois public library card, though only Batavia cardholders can place holds.

Geneva keeps a growing Library of Things on its second floor, including tools for digitizing old photos and media, craft gear and games. Items check out for three weeks with up to two renewals. Puzzles and board games on the open shelves can go home with any patron. Items kept in locked storage are for Geneva cardholders, and only Geneva cardholders can place holds.

St. Charles lends tech and equipment for two weeks: laptops, Kindle eReaders, a Wi-Fi hotspot (one per household), an engine code reader, and a full set of digitizing gear. That includes a VHS to DVD converter, a vinyl to MP3 turntable, cassette and CD to USB, and film and slide scanners for 35mm, 8mm and Super 8. Digital projectors can be borrowed for up to one week by calling Adult Services at 630-584-0076, ext. 1.

Free programs coming up

The libraries' free programs change every week, and many ask you to register. A few dates on the calendar now:

• Geneva Public Library: Fall Author Fest continues with the Local Author Fest on Saturday, Nov. 14, from 1 to 3 p.m. at 227 S. Seventh St. Details
• St. Charles Public Library: The Sunday Concert Series, which the library has run since 1979, brings the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra's Hanson String Quartet to the Carnegie Community Room on Dec. 13. The series is drop-in. Details
• Batavia Public Library: Some programs are meeting offsite during the renovation, so check the location on each event page.

All three libraries also deliver books to residents who can't get to the building. Call St. Charles at 630-584-0076, Geneva at 630-232-0780, ext. 361, or Batavia at 630-879-1393 to ask about home delivery.

Getting a card

If you live in the St. Charles Public Library District, a resident card is free. You can register online for a digital card and get a card number by email, or apply in person with two forms of ID, one showing your current address. St. Charles is part of the SWAN library network, so the card also works at other SWAN libraries.

Geneva and Batavia residents can get cards through their own libraries. Check each library's website for what to bring.

Batavia renovation heads-up

Batavia Public Library is starting a 12-month renovation this month. The library says it plans to stay open throughout, and some programs will move offsite. Our renovation story has what changes for patrons.