Powered by Amazon, this groundbreaking event connects 200 nonprofit professionals serving K-12 students across Chicago.
CHICAGO, March 5, 2025 – Chicago Public Library (CPL), The Chicago Public Library Foundation (CPLF), and Amazon hosted their first-ever convening for nonprofits serving K-12 students across the city. The event brought together 200 participants from different organizations like Brighton Park Neighborhood Council, Boys & Girls Club Chicago, Family Solutions, Hyde Park Neighborhood Club, and so many more dedicated to youth development and education in Chicago.
The 81 Club: Connecting Community with Library Resources
The convening aims to foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing among nonprofit organizations while highlighting how to leverage the Library’s footprint in every neighborhood and its extensive resources to serve Chicago’s young people through the innovative 81 Club, an initiative that provides every Chicago Public School student direct access to library cards.
The 81 Club card does more than allow students to check out books; it unlocks a wealth of resources available across CPL’s 81 locations. From safe spaces to donor-powered programs like YOUmedia digital media labs and free homework help from a Teacher in the Library, the 81 Club creates pathways for students to access tools that support their academic success, creative exploration, socioemotional growth, and goals for the future.
“Underlying Chicago Public Library’s work is the commitment to access to ensure that every Chicagoan in our neighborhoods can connect with information and opportunities. It’s a value that guided us to be the first big city library in the country to go fine free. It’s the same value that guided us in developing our 81 Club initiative, our student account that makes sure it’s easier than ever for students to connect with their branch and to digital resources in their classrooms,” said Chris Brown, CPL commissioner.
Expert Panel Shares Insights
A highlight of the event was a panel moderated by Sylvia Ewing with librarians Aldo Vasquez from the Little Village branch and Maria Bustamante from Back of the Yards branch, and Jim Dower, Co-Founder & Executive Director at Urban Initiatives that discussed the library and community organizations partnership in action. Whether it’s bringing families and students to the branches through immersive field trips and activities or bringing the libraries to the neighborhood through community and school outreach, connection and creativity are key in engaging youth across the city.
“Libraries are gateways – to exploring the city, resources, and opportunities our young people might not have access to. And the more we build that connection within the neighborhood, the more we can uplift each other’s work,” said Vasquez.
Building a Network of Support
The event also represents an unprecedented opportunity for connecting organizations with shared missions. By bringing together stakeholders from across Chicago’s nonprofit landscape, Chicago Public Library is helping to create a more coordinated and effective support system for the city’s youth, allowing nonprofit organizations to extend their impact through strategic partnerships with the Library and one another.
The convening reflects the Library’s role as a community hub that connects educational resources with organizations that work directly with students in various neighborhoods and communities.
Amazon Supports Community Education
This important convening and other 81 Club programming have been made possible through a $100,000 donation from Amazon, demonstrating the company’s commitment to educational equity and community development in Chicago. Amazon’s support reflects a growing recognition of the central role that libraries play in providing equal access to information and resources for all students
“We are grateful to be a part of the 81 Club, which is making our Chicago community stronger,” said Sarah Glavin, Head of Community Affairs for Amazon. “We look forward to working with the Chicago Public Library to meet the needs of our children and teens so they feel supported and empowered to become leaders in whatever path they choose to pursue.”
Looking Toward the Future
This convening is only the beginning of what CPL hopes will become an ongoing collaboration between the Library and different communities that every student in Chicago can benefit from now and in the future.
For more information about the 81 Club, you can learn more at https://www.chipublib.org/the-81-club/
