Support Us
There are several ways to get involved at the library. The first thing to ask yourself is if you want to get involved by volunteering your time, by donating money, or both. Also consider the level of “formality” you want in your involvement. For example, if you want to be very formal you could become a Trustee by running for a six year seat on the Library Board. If you want to keep it more low key, you can volunteer to help out with one of the Friends of the Library’s many efforts or simply make a donation. Either way, we welcome those who wish to give a little back to their library!
Volunteer at the Library
Volunteers assist with many important roles at the Crest Hill Branch, Lockport Branch, Romeoville Branch, and Outreach Department. These include Friends of the Library, Outreach Home Delivery, Adopt-a-Shelf, ESL Conversation Group Tutor, Citizenship Prep Class Volunteer, being a Library Concierge, and more. There are many ways that you can help make the library an incredible place to visit
In order to encourage community connections and the sharing of resources and talents, we’ve implemented an Adult Volunteer Program. This is made up of a select group of people interested in supporting the library district and community connections. Contact a Branch Manager to setup a time for an in-person information session. Crest Hill Branch | Lockport Branch | Romeoville Branch
Are you interested in volunteering on advocacy campaigns, such as general promotion of the District or referrendums? Contact the library Director for more information.
Run for a seat on the Library Board of Trustees (once elected, trustees serve on a voluntary basis). There are 7 seats on the Board, with elections every other year in April, in the odd numbered years. Elected terms are 6 years, with staggered openings, thus there are two or three seats open in any trustee election year.
The library will utilize appropriate volunteer candidates wherever possible, but we cannot promise that volunteer applicants will be offered an opportunity. Decisions to offer volunteer opportunities will be based on each library’s need and on the best interests of the District.
*We are not able to provide hours for court-ordered community service.
Friends of the Library
The Friends of the Library are currently recruiting new members! If you are interested in becoming a "Friend" of the library, membership forms are available at each of our library locations or the form may be downloaded here (Viewing this form requires the free Acrobat Reader).
If you would like to help out even further, you may consider volunteering for special committees, working at annual used book sales, etc. For more information, call or e-mail Director Scott Pointon at 815-552-4226
Join Us
We are the Friends of the White Oak Library District, a non-profit coalition of citizens dedicated to promoting, improving and assisting the library in expanding its services to our communities.
Serve with Us
Serve in the promotion of library services and facilities. Many Friends contribute their time serving as volunteers on a variety of committees designed to enhance library services to fellow patrons.
How to be a Friend
Please fill in the membership form, and return it to the Friends of the White Oak Library District. You can mail your membership application to the address provided on the form or give it to a librarian at the Adult Services Desk at any of our library branches. Your name will be added to our mailing list for notification of Friends meetings and activities.
Make a Donation
If you wish to make a donation that will help the library, check out these various options.
Cash Donations
Library District: Monetary donations to the library district are always welcome. If you wish to make a targeted donation, you may designate the donation as a sponsorship of one of our many programs or events (such as our annual Summer Reading Challenge). You may also make a more generalized donation to the library and let us use the funds where we need them most. Please note that as a unit of local government, we are not recognized as a typical "not-for-profit" agency by the State of Illinois or the IRS, and your gift will not be tax deductible.
Friends of the Library: The Friends of the White Oak Library District does have non-profit status in the State of Illinois so there could be tax benefits involved with such a donation (check with your accountant or the Illinois Department of Revenue). Make checks payable to Friends of the Library.
White Oak Library Foundation: The Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization whose primary purpose is to build an endowment for the library district. Ways to give include our donor recognition tree and naming rights to library spaces. These donations are tax deductible, as allowed by law. If you have questions about any of the above donations, please contact the Director.
Donate Books, DVDs, Music CDs, etc.
We are always looking for donations of high quality materials. If we can use them in the library’s collections we will, otherwise the Friends of the Library will use them in one of their book sales. In certain circumstances you may even gain a tax benefit from this type of donation (again check with your accountant or whoever prepares your tax return).
Some examples of donations we would like to have include:
- Materials in good-to-perfect condition.
- Hard cover “best-seller” books.
- DVDs of “blockbuster” movies.
- Music CDs of popular or award winning artists
- Children’s books - especially classics – but anything that is in good-to-perfect condition.
- Award-winning or highly reviewed materials (in good-to-perfect condition).
Some examples of materials we cannot accept include:
- Magazines (sorry, no National Geographic accepted).
- Dirty, worn, moldy, smelly, or otherwise damaged materials.
- Home made copies of commercially published works.
- Readers Digest books
- Videocassettes, music cassettes, vinyl records, 8-track tapes, and other defunct formats.
For more information about donating materials to the library, please contact the Director.