HWLC YOUmedia

Teens use screen printing equipment to make a T-shirt

High school students, come explore, create, collaborate, check out books, develop new skills and lead with us at YOUmedia, on the 1st floor of the Harold Washington Library Center.

Contact Us

Hours

  • Monday to Thursday: 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Friday to Sunday: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

What We Do

We focus on art, digital media, making and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) projects. Check out our regularly scheduled workshops.

You can borrow laptops and play videogames while in YOUmedia. You also can be certified to use cameras, an in-house production studio, drawing tablets, lighting equipment and 3D printers under staff supervision.

YOUmedia equipment is available for free to teens in high school. First-timers need to sign up and show a high school ID. Returning students just need to sign in.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

Learn more about YOUmedia's history, philosophy and partnerships. Librarians, educators and nonprofit learning organizers can arrange a tour of YOUmedia.

YOUmedia FAQs

  • Due to demand, we’re unable to increase the limits on checkouts and holds. Checkout and holds limits are:

    OverDrive

    • 15 checkouts
    • 12 holds

    hoopla

    • 8 checkouts per month

  • You can hang out, mess around and geek out. All YOUmedia locations have laptops, cameras, music and gaming equipment, and some YOUmedia locations have 3D printers, vinyl cutters and more. It's an open environment where you choose what you want to do and skilled library staff provide coaching and assistance. And of course there are books, too!

  • Physical Materials
    You may have up to 12 "not ready" or "paused" holds on physical materials. This does not include hold requests that are "in transit" or "ready for pickup."

    Digital Materials
    You may have up to 12 holds on OverDrive titles in addition to any holds you have on physical materials.

  • City of Chicago EZ Pay Stations are available at several CPL locations during regular library hours. View the EZ Pay Stations map.

    You can pay the following at EZ Pay Stations:

    • Administration Notice of Ordinance Violations
    • Parking/Speed/Red-Light Tickets
    • Permits and Taxes
    • Utility Bill

    The pay stations accept cash, credit cards, debit cards and personal checks. EZ Pay Stations do not give change for cash transactions.

  • You may choose notification by email or by phone (local numbers only).

    Email Notifications

    We’ll email you when you have physical items ready to pick up or overdue.

    We’ll also send a reminder two days before your physical items are due. If possible, we’ll renew these items for you for a full lending period plus two additional days.

    Please add notices@chicagopubliclibrary.org to your email address book to assist delivery of notifications.

    Phone Notifications

    We’ll call you when you have physical items ready to pick up or overdue.

    Due date reminders are not available by phone, but you can opt to have these sent by email and still receive other notifications by phone. To opt in, add an email address to your account.

    We can only call local numbers. Accepted local area codes are 217, 224, 309, 312, 331, 464, 618, 630, 708, 773, 779, 815, 847 and 872.

  • If you’re a CPL cardholder and an adult resident of Chicago, you may check out a Kids Museum Passport at any CPL location. Each CPL location has a limited number of Kids Museum Passports for each museum.

    Unless otherwise noted, a group must include at least one child under 18 for the Kids Museum Passport to be valid, and a maximum of two adults are admitted with each pass.

  • Yes, please see our events calendar.

    Please call or email your preferred CPL location for information on any additional events.

  • Thank you for considering a gift to the Chicago Public Library. As always, you may make donations through the Chicago Public Library Foundation. The foundation’s mission is to support collection development, program and technology initiatives that connect library users to their community and to the world and ensure that all Chicagoans have the freedom to read, to learn and to discover at the Chicago Public Library.

  • Masks are strongly encouraged at all CPL locations. Thank you for following library guidelines when you visit.

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