Reference

Our staff of friendly, professional librarians are here to meet your information needs. You may contact us:

In Person: Visit the Adult Services Desk on the 2nd Floor when the library is open

By Telephone: Call the Adult Services Desk at 708-366-5205 x 316.

Via Email: reference(@)rflib.org
Questions will be answered within 48 hours.

Text a Librarian at 708-689-9005

On the go and need to know? Text a Librarian!
RFPL offers text message reference services.
Text an RFPL librarian at 708-689-9005, and we will respond during business hours.
Save our number in your phone for all of your “need to know now” questions!

Chat with a Librarian!

Type directly into the chat box to send a message to library staff.

Premium Resources

In addition to the print resources available in the library, River Forest cardholders have access to the library’s collection of premium online resources. Have your River Forest library card ready; you will need your card number to login. Click here to access the full list of Premium Resources.

Yearbooks, Microfilm and Obituary Services

We have online access to the full text of the local paper, Forest Leaves, going back to October, 1995.
Our collection of the Forest Leaves (the current Pioneer Press paper) on microfilm begins with 1941 and continues to present editions. We also have microfilm for the Oak Leaves, a local Pioneer Press newspaper, from 1903-1909, 1921, and 1940-1941; and bound versions of the Oak Leaves from 1910-1919 and 1926-1939.

If you are looking for a particular article or an obituary, we can help! You are welcome to come in and use the microfilm without an appointment. You can read, print, or save documents to a disk drive.
Out of town? If you know the date an article or obit appeared, we can email you a PDF version, usually within a 48 hour turnaround. If you are not sure, staff will look through one month’s worth of papers. As the microfilm is not electronically searchable, we must limit our searching to one month’s worth of film. Please call the Adult Reference Desk for more details!

Yearbooks:
Did you know that the library has a collection of Oak Park River Forest High School yearbooks? Call the library to check on available dates.