Announcements
Announcements
SGPL now offers Playaways!
The Sugar Grove Public Library recently added Playaway audiobooks to its collection. Playaways are small devices loaded with a single audiobook file. When you check out a Playaway, you can ask for a set of earbuds and an AAA battery at the Circulation Desk or use your own. To search for Playaways in the Adult and Teen collections, search for the Pre-loaded Audio format. To search in the Juvenile collection, search for Wonderbooks and Playaway Bookpack or Playaway Launchpad.
More resources for Local History and Local Authors
We know Sugar Grove Public Library patrons enjoy looking at books by local authors, but did you know there are even more resources online? Visit this link to see eBooks by local authors as well as local history collections from area libraries. Local authors can submit their novels to the Soon To Be Famous Illinois Author competition as well as poetry to the Emerging Authors Competition.
Financial Literacy For All Ages
The Illinois State Treasurer offers financial literacy tutorials and information through its website. These resources include information about financial literacy for all grade levels, FAFSA, scholarships, retirement, mortgages, and much more. Visit this link (https://illinoistreasurer.gov/Financial_Education/Financial_Literacy_Re…) to find out more.
SGPL is now a Fine-Free Library!
The Sugar Grove Public Library Trustees approved a fine-free model in December 2024, so we are a Fine-Free Library as of Jan. 31. Going fine-free will make our policies more consistent with neighboring libraries, free up time for Circulation staff to focus on other projects, and, hopefully, help our patrons to feel welcome at our library by reducing concerns over fines.
Which items will be considered fine-free?
Any item checked out at Sugar Grove Public Library will not accrue fines, regardless of where the item is returned. Overdue fines from before Jan. 31 will be deleted from patron records.
How does the library ensure items are returned?
Other libraries that have gone fine-free have noticed that there is no significant change for when/if patrons return their materials. However, if one or more items are 21 days overdue, a block will be placed on your card, so you will not be able to check out items in person or online until the items are returned.
Is there any circumstance where I can be billed for an item checked out at SGPL?
- If an item is 42 days overdue, the item will be assumed lost and billed to your account.
- An item can also still be billed to a patron if it is damaged while checked out to a patron, or if there are pieces missing.
- Our $20 fine blocking limit will remain the same.
If you have any questions about the new fine-free policy, please contact Anna Hayman, Circulation Manager, at anna@sgpl.org.
LICENSE PLATE STICKER RENEWALS
You can now renew your Illinois license plate at Sugar Grove Public Library! Stop by the Circulation Desk to purchase your vehicle sticker in just minutes. This service is available seven days a week, from opening until 30 minutes before closing. If your vehicle is due for an emissions test or you do not have a valid driver’s license, we will not be able to process your renewal. We cannot make stickers for previous years.
What to Bring
- Your Illinois vehicle registration renewal notice sent by the Secretary of State, current registration card or Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
- Your current driver’s license or state ID
Service Fee
Generally, the cost is $151 per sticker, but the sticker cost depends on the type of license plate you are renewing, plus a $9.50 service fee for each sticker.
Accepted form of payment: Cash only. We do not currently accept credit cards for license plate sticker renewals. We will not accept checks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I purchase a license plate sticker for a family member?
A family member can only purchase a sticker if the address listed on their ID is the same as what is listed on the vehicle’s registration.
Can I change the address on my registration?
Yes, you can only change the address on your registration to match the address listed on your driver’s license. If the address on your driver’s license is incorrect, we cannot change the address on your registration, but we can still issue the sticker..
NOTARY SERVICE AVAILABLE
Sugar Grove Public Library now offers notary public service at the Adult Reference Desk for simple documents requiring signature verification.
Please bring a current photo ID with you so we can verify your identity. There is no charge for the Library's notary service.
We recommend calling ahead to make sure a notary will be available and to check whether we can notarize your document.
Sugar Grove Public Library notaries will not notarize:
- I-9 forms
- Mortgages, deeds, or real estate closing documents
- Wills, trusts, estates, or powers of attorney
- True copies of passports, driver’s licenses, birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, etc.
- Certified copies of any document. Patrons requesting certified copies will be referred to the official who has custody of the original document or to the office where the document has been officially filed.
The Library's notaries cannot provide legal advice or counseling regarding any documents. The Library will not provide witnesses, and witnesses may not be solicited from staff or patrons using the Library. Here is a link to the Library's notary policy.
For a list of notaries in Illinois, visit https://www.illinoisnotary.com/find-a-notary.
Homebound Delivery Service
Homebound Delivery is available to Prairie Pointe Assisted Living and Memory Care Facility on first Fridays and to Sugar Grove Senior Living on second Wednesdays of the month.
Homebound delivery services are also available on a bi-weekly or monthly schedule to other Sugar Grove Public Library card holders who live in our District but who are unable to come to the Library. To find out more or to sign up, fill out this online form, call (630) 466-4686, email Outreach Services Librarian Sarah Williams at sarahw@sgpl.org, or stop by the Adult Reference Desk.
NEW BRAINFUSE DATABASES AVAILABLE
Sugar Grove Public Library has subscribed to four new databases that offer live online tutoring, live job help, live assistance for veterans, and language lessons. Sign in with your Sugar Grove Public Library card, set up an online account, and give these databases a try!
HelpNow is an award-winning online tutoring and study suite for grades K-12 as well as adult learners. HelpNow is backed by an industry-leading academic team and over 4,000 Brainfuse-certified tutors nationwide and includes learning modules, skills-building videos, lessons, practice tests (including the GED, TEAS, and GRE), Writing Lab, and Resume Lab. Access to live HelpNow tutors is available 2pm-11pm CST 7 days per week.
Learn more about HelpNow for grades K-12 here.
Learn more about Live Tutoring here.
JobNow supports job seekers with access to expert Job Coaches, Resume Coaches, Interview Coaches, and Unemployment Benefits Navigators. Other resources include occupational practice tests (such as nursing found under the JobNow SkillSurfer), career enhancers like eParachute, FlashBulb cards for various topics, and the MEET/Brainwave functions. Access to live JobNow coaches is available 2pm-11pm CST 7 days per week.
VetNow supports Veterans and their families. Access VA Benefits Navigators for help navigating the various benefits available to veterans of the U.S. Military, plus college-level tutoring, and career transition support. Access to live VetNow assistance is available 2pm-11pm CST 7 days per week.
Pronunciator offers tailored language learning based on
your interests and goals, be it business fluency, travel conversation, or mastering a new dialect. Learn any of Pronunciator's 315 languages, each with detailed grammar explanations, at your own pace.
VINYL COLLECTION AND TURNTABLE
Sugar Grove Public Library seeks vinyl music donations for our upcoming collection!
Please bring your new and gently used vinyl record donations to the Circulation Desk.
The Library has just added a portable vinyl record turntable to its Library of Wonderful Things collection. The Victrola Journey (pictured) has a three-speed, belt-driven turntable for all your (33 1/3, 45, 78 RPM) vinyl records, plus wireless Bluetooth connectivity. It also features RCA jacks and a headphone jack.
The Library also owns a vinyl record turntable which can be used to transfer vinyl record recordings to digital files. This turntable is in the Janice Katherine Rich Technology Learning Center in the Transfer Station area by the VHS to DVD machine.
AtoZDatabases webinars available
AtoZDatabases is a tremendous resource for creating a mailing list, locating health care providers, searching for a job, and finding people and businesses. To find it on the Library's website, visit www.sgpl.org/research-center.
Want to learn more about this database? AtoZDatabases offers free, live webinars Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 10:30 am or 2:30pm CST.
Register at https://www.atozdatabases.com/atozu.
Small Change Fund
Consider donating to our Small Change Fund! The funds from this program go directly to our patrons to pay off damage/loss charges. Donations are anonymous and used solely to offer support. Using the fund is discreet. Ask at the Circulation desk!
Winter Market - Sugar Grove's Indoor Farmer's Market (Historical Info)
This market series has been cancelled.
The Sugar Grove Library Foundation-sponsored Winter Market will be cancelled for the previously scheduled 3/9/2024 and 4/13/2024 dates. The Library can no longer continue to offer the Winter Market at this time without the help of dedicated volunteers.
Prior to the 2023-2024 season, this Winter Market was managed and produced by volunteers from the Sugar Grove Farmer’s Market. The Farmers' Market has since closed down, and the volunteers were unable to host Winter Market this year.
The Sugar Grove Library Foundation tried offering this series in October, November, December 2023, and February 2024. However, administration of this event has proved to be more time-intensive than predicted. In addition, the Library’s Facebook event was replicated by scammers who were able to scam three vendors with a fake application and charge them fees. Vendors also see mixed results with attendance.
We encourage our library patrons to visit other local markets, including two Artisan Markets hosted by Rosewood Farms in Sugar Grove, scheduled for Sunday May 5, 2024 and Sunday September 8, 2024.
NOW Space
The renovation of front areas of the Library has been completed, and we held our Grand Opening Celebration during the Summer Reading kickoff June 4, 2022.
Our new NOW Space offers a program room for library events, meetings, and creative space, as well as updates for better American Disabilities Act accessibility, including bathroom door assists and adaptable furniture. Funding for the NOW Space was provided by the Illinois State Library through the On the Road to Recovery: Transforming Library Spaces Grant Program.
Check out the NOW Space the next time you visit the library:
- Check out one of our new craft kits from a reference desk and create a craft in the NOW Space.
- Reserve the NOW Space for a meeting and use the dry erase boards, podium, and monitor.
- Use the new podcasting suite to record and edit audio and video content.
Press Releases
11/3/21 Renovation Plan for Sugar Grove Library
10/27/21: Live and Learn Construction Grant - Images of Now Space (click to view image rendering)
Completed: Bids
Bids for the project are being managed by Cordogan and Clark in order to ensure the project meets specifications for work performed, as well as legal requirements for bid acceptance and awards.
You may view the Public Job information page from Cordogan and Clark HERE
You may view the publication notification posted HERE
Bid Award Information
The Board of Trustees voted on 11/17 to accept the recommendation from Cordogan and Clark to utilize the services of Lite Construction, Inc.
The Bid Tabulation Sheet may be reviewed HERE.
The Bidder Recommendation discussion document may be reviewed HERE.
Bid Schedule
1) Thursday, November 4 at 10 a.m. - Pre-Bid meeting for interested parties on site at the Library.
A pre-bid meeting and walk through is available with Cordogan and Clark on site to see the facility and answer questions.
2) If you are unable to attend the opportunity on 11/4, you may schedule a walk-through with the Library Director by calling the Library at (630) 466-4686 or emailing shannon@sgpl.org Please note that the Library is closed on Fridays.
3) Bid acceptance - Bids are accepted in a sealed and conspicuously marked envelope to Cordogan and Clark located at 960 Ridgeway Avenue, Third Floor, Aurora 60506. from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on November 12, 2021. (See publication notice above for specifics)
4) The Library Board of Trustees will be evaluating bids at a decision making meeting on Wednesday, November 17th at 6:30 p.m. This meeting is an Open Meeting and will be held on site at the Library at 125 S. Municipal Drive.
5) The bid from Lite Construction from Montgomery, Illinois was selected. You may review the bid tabulation sheet and recommendation discussion document under the bid award information section.
Property Sale
The Library must sell or donate the existing equipment in the most efficient manner possible. You may review the equipment available below, and see the bid sheet attached to each item in the previous Cafe Space. If you are a local organization, non-profit or a Library and are interested in the equipment, please contact the Library Director
All equipment is 12 years old and in functioning shape. It must be removed and transported without the Library's assistance.
You can see the .pdf of equipment available DOWNLOAD HERE. Update 1/18 - All equipment has been claimed.
Library Board of Trustees Meetings
Board meetings are normally held on the fourth Wednesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. in the Board Room; holidays or other events necessitating a date or room change are noted. The December meeting will be Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024.
Agendas and other information is available on the www.sgpl.orgweb site or posted at the Civic Information section by the copier and by the Adult and Teen Services program information.
The public is cordially invited to attend, and public comment opportunities are available at every meeting. For more information, visit https://sgpl.org/board-trustees.