A parent or guardian must be present when getting a card for children under 18. Parents and guardians must choose one of the following borrowing levels for children under 17:

• Full-Service Card: All library items and services are available to the child.
• Under 17 Card: All items and services, except for R-rated or unrated DVDs and M-rated video games, are available to the child. This restricted option expires the month following their 17th birthday.
• Under 12 Card: Borrowing privileges are limited to the Kids' World collection. This restricted option expires the month following their 12th birthday. 

Based on vendors’ abilities to accommodate, access to some eBook & streaming services may also be restricted according to borrowing level. Access to online resources is not restricted by borrowing level.

Under the Illinois Cards for Kids Act, minors under 18 years of age who reside in an unincorporated area of Arlington Heights or an unincorporated area where Arlington Heights is their closest library, qualify for a full-service library card valid for one year at no cost.

Businesses and nonprofit organizations in Arlington Heights library district are eligible for a business library card.

Complete an application at the Checkout Desk and submit a business card or other document to confirm an Arlington Heights address. The business owner or primary managing agent is required to sign the application. Two additional employees can be added to the account.

Business library cards are valid for one year and must be renewed annually in-person or online below. All overdue items must be returned and all outstanding fees must be paid before renewal. 

Renew a Business Library Card

The library has intergovernmental agreements with local schools for access to an Arlington Heights Memorial Library educator card. Check with your school to see if you qualify. 

The library offers a special library card for any active-duty military or Veteran resident of Arlington Heights. In addition to offering the same benefits as a standard library card, this card will also allow the cardholder to print up to the cost equivalent of 100 black and white letter pages (5¢ per page) per week at no charge.

If you would like to replace your current library card with a new Veteran and Armed Forces card, present one of the following approved forms of ID at the Checkout Desk:

• Veteran designation on Illinois Driver’s License
• Active military ID cards
• DD214, DD256 or NGB Form 22

If you do not already have a library card, please visit the Checkout Desk and provide an ID with your current address, along with one of the above-approved forms of ID to receive a new Veteran and Armed Forces library card. 

Register a library card from another Illinois library by bringing your valid home library card and current identification to the Checkout Desk. Registered library cards expire after three years. Borrowers from other libraries can check out up to 40 items at a time. Some items and services are limited to Arlington Heights cardholders. 

You can purchase a full-service Arlington Heights Memorial Library card that is valid for one year for $470 or two six-month increments of $235. The fee for 2026 is calculated using a general mathematical formula as indicated in Public Act 92-0166. Contact the library for additional information.