The Library is currently closed to the public. Curbside pickup of materials and printing are available to Batavia Public Library cardholders.
Online Resources
Health and Safety
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention – Coronavirus information
- Center for Disease Control – How to care for someone sick with COVID-19 at home.
- Hand washing – How to wash your hands thoroughly
- Grocery Shopping – How to grocery shop safely during the coronavirus pandemic
- COVID-19 and Mental Health – NAMI on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/namicommunicate/
- Guided imagery video – To help you relax and ease anxiety
Your Virtual Library
- Online Events – Do you miss the programs at the Library? We’ve gathered some online events for you.
- Individualized reading suggestions – Fill out this survey online and our librarians will send you a list of 5 titles
Batavia Public Library card required to access the following databases:
- Antiques database (select Antiques) – Is great-aunt Lucy’s ceramic pitcher worth anything?
- Consumer Reports (select Consumer Information) – Making a large purchase? Get unbiased reviews and comparisons.
- eBooks, eAudiobooks, music, movies, TV shows, and more – download/stream with your Batavia Public Library card.
- Genealogy research – Research your ancestors online with our genealogy databases (Ancestry.com available from home while the library is closed)
- Get book suggestions ( select Reading Suggestions) – If you finished all those books on your shelf and are looking for some new suggestions.
- Online Training – Learners of all ages can access these online classes. Batavia Public Library card required.
Legal Resources
- Kane County Law Library – list of legal forms
- Illinois Legal Aid – Legal assistance
- Writing a Will – Nolo article on writing a will.
- Will Templates – from Nolo
- Power of attorney – Illinois forms
- Bankruptcy basics
Homeschooling
- The Homeschool Mom Blog – a veteran homeschooler of over 20 years, shares tips and insight into homeschooling.
- a2zhomeschooling.com – veteran homeschooling parents and for those who are temporarily homeschooling their kids can find articles, curriculum, and activities
- Homeschool Base has a blog, many printable resources, and a large database of information categorized by subject and grade level.
Virtual Tours
- Arts and Culture with Google – explore the splendors of five national parks–not just the visual aspects but the audio ones as well. Watch and listen with headphones to get the best adventure experience.
- Monterey Bay Aquarium lets you watch live webcams of their animals.
Atlanta’s Georgia Aquarium– the Ocean Voyager gallery is home to four whale sharks, four manta rays and thousands of other fascinating fish.
- Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum – See famous and not-so-famous artworks up close.
- Vatican Museum – take seven different virtual tours.
- The Digital Library of Landscape Architecture History has many virtual tours available such as:
- Parc Güell in Barcelona
- Heidelberg Castle in Germany
- House Beautiful has quick virtual tours of some famous gardens, including our own Chicago Botanical Garden.
- Great Trossachs Forest – to see it in different seasons, use icons on top left.
- Jaguar Heritage Museum – for car fans.
Unemployment / Insurance
- Illinois Department of Insurance – assists insurance consumers in Illinois; answers questions about health, business and travel insurance, and coronavirus (COVID-19); and handles insurance-related consumer complaints.
- Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) – File for unemployment. Note special hours to access the unemployment application and helpline based on your last name.
- Covid-19 and Unemployment Benefits – unemployment benefits may be available to some individuals whose unemployment is attributable to COVID-19.
- CARES Act Unemployment Benefits Expansion Package– Contractors, self-proprietors, and workers not typically eligible for unemployment benefits may be eligible for federal stimulus assistance.
Job Searching
- These job sites and boards connect employers with potential employees. Most of these websites allow you to upload a resume, register, and get email alerts when jobs are listed that match your saved job searches:
- Indeed.com – How to Use Indeed.com to Job Search During COVID-19
- Work from home – websites to find work from home jobs hiring during the COVID-19 crisis
- Find a job during the Covid-19 crisis – Get creative, enhance your resume, and get prepared to interview virtually
Social Services
Food pantries in the area
- Batavia Food Pantry (630) 879-3784
- Additional area food pantries
Homeless shelters
- Hesed House – Aurora, IL
- Lazarus House – St. Charles, IL
Assistance programs
- Dial 2-1-1 – Kane County residents can now dial 2-1-1 and get connected with a live specialist who will assist them with their human service and government resource needs.
- Kane County community resources
- Kane County assistance programs – for those in need
- IHEAP assistance – help with paying utility bills.
- Dupage CRIS – a clearinghouse of info set up by DuPage County.
Free Entertainment- Kanopy – get free access to thousands of movies with your Batavia Public Library card.
- hoopla – lets you borrow movies, music, audiobooks, eBooks, comics and TV shows to enjoy on your computer, tablet, or phone – and even your TV. Batavia Public Library card required.
- Netflix – try 30 days for free. Netflix streaming service offers a wide variety of award-winning TV shows, movies, anime, documentaries, and more on thousands of internet-connected devices.
- The Show Must Go On – Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber is calling all musical lovers. He’ll be releasing a full-length, smash-hit musical once a week for you to watch for free. It will be available for 48 hours, so you can tune in whenever you like over the weekend.