Special veterans library card proposed in Arlington Heights

The Arlington Heights Memorial Library - its name intended to honor the memory of those who served in the armed forces - has proposed a special library card for veterans and active military.

The card would allow special privileges such as free printing services up to a certain limit and no fines for overdue materials.

The library board is expected to review the proposal one more time next Monday before taking a vote to approve the creation of the new library card Oct. 15. That would be in time for the program's formal launch around Veterans Day.

Library officials got the idea after talking with local veterans, including Greg Padovani, a village trustee and chairman of the Veterans Memorial Committee, as well as members of local chapters of the American Legion, VFW and Patriot Guard Riders.

"It came out of the fact our heritage is as a war memorial library," said Mary Hastings, the library's director of communications and marketing. "This is honoring those groups and our heritage."

To get the special library card, veterans would have to show identification displaying their current or former status in the military, along with current Arlington Heights residency. Officials estimate some 3,700 veterans and current members of the military reside in Arlington Heights.

Hastings said the free printing services could be especially helpful to veterans who have forms they must print, such as VA documents. The library normally charges 5 cents to print a black-and-white page and 50 cents per color copy. A "reasonable" daily printing limit will be set for the proposed veterans card, Hastings said.

And while the card would exempt veterans from any fines for late books and materials, fees for missing, lost or damaged items would still apply, she added.