Law Library Cards

Service Information

Library Card Eligibility

Library cards are available to patrons who qualify under one of the following categories:

  • Attorneys who reside in or who have offices in Cook County.
  • Employees of attorney card holders, to a maximum of two employee cards per attorney card.
  • Elected or appointed federal, state, county or local government officials with offices in Cook County and their subordinates who do work of a legal nature as part of their official duties.
  • Residents of Cook County 18 years of age or older who pay a refundable $100 cash deposit.

Library card applications are available at the Daley Center Main Library Access Services desk.

Attorneys must present a copy of a current Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission (ARDC) card and current Illinois driver's license, state ID or Cook County Sheriff Attorney ID card with their application for an attorney card. Application for employee cards also require a copy of the attorney's ARDC card. Government officials must submit a current photo ID issued by their employer. Resident borrowers must present a current Illinois driver's license, state ID or Matricula Consular showing a Cook County address.

There is a $12 charge for replacing a lost library card.

Library resources are available to all visitors for on-site use. Borrowing privileges are subject to the Law Library Borrowing Rules as laid out in the Cook County Code of Ordinances.

Borrowing Rules

  • Resident borrowers may have up to two print items checked out at a time. Other borrowers may check out a maximum of five print items.
  • Circulating reference materials and current state statutes may be checked out for one day; most other items may be checked out for four days.
  • Overdue books and materials accrue fines at a rate of $3.00 per day, per item for reference materials and $2.00 per day, per item for other materials.
    • Fines do not accrue on Saturdays, Sundays or holidays.
    • After an item is 30 days overdue it will be deemed lost.
  • Patrons will be charged for lost materials at replacement cost plus a $50 non-refundable processing charge.
  • Borrowing privileges will be suspended for any patron with outstanding fines or charges totaling $30 or more.