The Aurora Public Library District is joining 13 other west suburban libraries in a collaboration designed to get digital resources into the hands of Metra commuters.
Through the new collaboration, ads are now greeting riders on BNSF Line train cars to highlight ways a library card can help them save money and enjoy their time onboard, according to a news release from the Aurora Public Library District.
The ads focus on downloadable books and audiobooks, streaming media platforms and more, district officials said.
Staff at the 14 suburban libraries are aiming to spread the word about these services to riders, the news release said. In addition to the ad campaign, signage and events are also planned at train stations throughout September, which is National Library Card Signup Month.
In particular, the onboard advertisements highlight digital resources such as eBooks and eAudiobooks on apps like Libby and Hoopla; music, movies and TV shows; newspaper and magazine access; language learning apps as well as passes to Brookfield Zoo and other Chicago area museums, which are all available at the Aurora Public Library District and most other libraries, according to the news release.
Aurora library cards can also be obtained online, so people can sign up without leaving the train, the news release said. For more information, go to bnsflibraries.com or aurorapubliclibrary.org/Commuters.
In addition to the Aurora Public Library District, the other participating libraries include the Berwyn Public Library, Cicero Public Library, Clarendon Hills Public Library, Downers Grove Public Library, Hinsdale Public Library, La Grange Public Library, La Grange Park Public Library, Linda Sokol Francis Brookfield Public Library, Lisle Library District, Naperville Public Library, Riverside Public Library, Thomas Ford Memorial Library (Western Springs) and Westmont Public Library, according to the news release.
The ad campaign, funded by a grant from the RAILS library system, is unusual for west suburban libraries since they generally confine their operations within the communities they serve, officials said in the release.
“Metra riders are kind of a moving target, moving through all these different villages each day, but they’re the ideal library users,” Jay Hines-Shah, a Hinsdale Public Library trustee and weekly Metra passenger, said in the news release. “They have some time to read and relax onboard, they are value-conscious and they understand the value of shared, public spaces and resources.”
