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FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
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Here you'll find the answers to a few frequently-asked questions
from members of the two communities.
Q:
I need a particular tax form -- and quickly!
A:
The Tinley Park Public Library distributes commonly-requested
federal and Illinois tax forms. We also have selected federal
and state reproducible forms, from which you can make copies
using our photocopy machines. For people in a hurry, though, both
Illinois and federal tax forms and publications are available on the
Web. In order to display and print the forms from home, you will first
need to download and install a free program called
Adobe
Acrobat Reader.
To find federal tax forms (or publications), visit
http://www.irs.gov/,
and click on the "More Forms and Publications" button in the upper
left-hand corner.
To locate Illinois tax forms, visit
http://www.tax.illinois.gov/taxforms/index.htm.
Q: Where would I go
to file for unemployment benefits?
A: The Illinois Department of Employment Security
operates a number of offices, called "Illinois
workNet
Centers," where one can apply for unemployment benefits. The
IWC Center
nearest to Tinley Park and Orland Hills is located in Harvey, Illinois,
at the following address:
16845 S. Halsted
Harvey, IL 60426
(708) 596-2325
For more information about services provided, visit the following
website:
http://www.ides.state.il.us/
Q: Where can I attend classes to help
me earn a General Education Development (GED) or High School
Equivalency (HSE) credential?
A: Classes are held locally at Moraine Valley Community
College and South Suburban Community College. Call Moraine at (708)
974-5340, or South Suburban at (708) 596-2000, ext. 2385, for detailed
information. To find other locations in the Chicago area, call the Adult
Learning Hotline at (800) 321-9511.
Q: I know someone who
was evicted from their apartment. Where can the homeless find
temporary shelter?
A: There are several shelters in the area, but some are
open only during the winter months (typically, mid-October to
mid-April). Also, some shelters are only available to victims of
domestic violence. Contact the following agencies for details:
Catholic Charities
7000 W. 111th Street, Worth, Illinois 60482
(708) 430-0428
CEDA Center for Community Action
53 E. 154th Street, Harvey, Illinois 60426
(708) 339-3610
Crisis Center for South Suburbia
(domestic violence victims only)
PO Box 39, Tinley Park, Illinois 60477
(708) 429-7233 or 429-7255
Morning Star Mission
350 E. Washington St. Joliet, IL 60433
(815) 722-5780
Respond Now
1439 Emerald Ave, Chicago Heights, Illinois 60411
(708) 755-4357
(referrals to other shelters)
South Suburban PADS
414 W. Lincoln Highway, Chicago Heights, IL 60411
(708) 754-4357
Description:
An inter-faith program providing shelter and supportive services to
homeless persons.
South Suburban Family Shelter, Inc.
(domestic violence victims only)
P.O. Box 937, Homewood, Illinois 60430
(708) 335-3028
Q: I know someone who has trouble
with reading, writing, and mathematics. Where can they find a tutor?
A: If your friend is still attending elementary or high
school, check with the school's guidance counselor for suggestions.
Alternatively, the local yellow pages has a list of possibilities under
the heading for "Tutors." Some tutors meet with students regularly at
the Tinley Park Public Library .
If your friend is an adult, there are a number of options. Programs
to improve adult literacy, as well as Adult Basic Education (ABE)
programs, are available at many academic institutions in our area,
including
Moraine Valley Community College,
Prairie State
College, and
South
Suburban College. Typically, your friend will be asked to make an
appointment for a placement test to determine the level of help needed.
Afterward, depending on the situation, the individual may meet with a
tutor at a mutually agreeable location, or they might attend group
classes at the community college.
Moraine
Valley Community College
9000 College Parkway
Palos Hills, IL 60465
(708) 974-5331
Prairie State
College
Corner of Halsted and Vollmer Road
Chicago Heights, IL 60411
(708) 709-3500
South
Suburban College
15800 S. State Street
South Holland, IL 60473
(708) 596-2000
Another literacy program that offers assistance in our region is
ProLiteracy Worldwide
(formed by the merger of Laubach Literacy and Literacy Volunteers
of America), as well as the following:
South Area Literacy Council
14037 Lincoln Avenue
Dolton, IL 60419
(708) 849-0300
ProLiteracy Worldwide also sponsors a hotline (888-528-2224) to help
you to find additional tutors in the area.
Q: I have recently immigrated to the
country, and speak very little English. Who can help me?
A: The community colleges listed above all have ESL (
English as a Second Language) programs (as well as the literacy, ABE,
and GED assistance programs described above). Contact them for more
information.
Q: How do I apply
for welfare (public aid) and food stamps?
A: Both the "Temporary
Assistance for Needy Families" and
Food Stamp
("SNAP") programs are provided
by the Illinois
Department of Human Services. The following DHS field office is
nearest to Orland Hills and Tinley Park. Contact them for further
information:
Family Community Resource Center
3301 Wireton Road, Blue Island, IL 60406
(708) 293-4700
Q: Where can I attend a "55
Alive" class?
A: The "55 Alive" program is sponsored by AARP
(formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons).
Officially known as the "AARP Driver Safety Program," 55 Alive
is an eight-hour course taught in two 2-hour sessions spanning two days,
and costs $10.00. Motorists aged 50 or over may take the course (AARP
membership is not required), and those who complete the course may be
eligible to receive a multi-year discount on their auto insurance
premiums. Visit the following AARP webpage to locate the class time and
place most convenient for you:
http://www.aarp.org/families/driver_safety/
Q: I'm visiting from out of
town, and brought along my laptop computer. Where can I connect to
the Internet?
A: Tinley Park Public Library has a free wireless
network suitable for laptops and other mobile electronic devices.
Tinley Park PL also has public Internet access through desktop computers
at the library. Residents of Tinley Park or Orland Hills may use our
public Internet workstations at no charge; the non-resident fee is
$4.00. The library does not provide open telephone lines for connecting
laptops via modems, but it is possible to connect to the Internet if you
have a network cable.
Three nearby businesses also provide wireless Internet access for the
public. Panera Bread, Staples, and Starbucks Coffee all have
retail stores in the area. To find the most convenient location (as well
as information about cost, printing availability, etc.), click on these
links:
Panera Bread
Staples
Starbucks Coffee
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Q: I have a relative who
can no longer read books, newspapers, and magazines because the print is
too small. What are her options?
A: Depending on the person's degree of sight
impairment, there are several options to consider. For those who can
still read regular books but with increasing difficulty, we have a
substantial Large Print collection at the Tinley Park Public Library,
including many current popular fiction authors (and a small number of
non-fiction works). The text in these books is roughly twice the size of
text in a standard paperback.
When even "large type" is a challenge, we have a collection of "Books
on Tape." In this format, professional readers are recorded as they read
aloud popular works, and the sound of their voices is stored on cassette
tapes or compact disks. Both abridged (summarized) and unabridged
(complete text) versions of your favorite books may be available.
More comprehensive programs are also available. The local
Voices of
Vision Talking Book Center, based in Geneva, Illinois, provides
audible reading materials for all ages in conjunction with the "Library
of Congress National Library Service for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped." Their service includes access to over 50,000 books and 70
popular magazines, using various types of cassette players to listen to
the tapes. (Note that the tapes are not standard cassette
tapes; they require a special player to use them.) Although this service
is free, the applicant must be certified to have a valid sight
impairment by a doctor, nurse, social worker, librarian, or other
"competent authority." Our staff would be glad to help you apply for
this program; afterward, the patron deals directly with "Voices of
Vision" staff.
Similar service is provided by
Recording for the Blind
and Dyslexic. This national group, based in Princeton, NJ,
specializes in educational materials. Membership with RFB&D costs $25.00
per year, with a one-time registration fee of $50.00.
There are other services that provide specialized reading materials,
as well as video reading machines that can magnify the image
of any print source (Tinley Park PL owns one of these machines for use
in the library). Ask one of our reference librarians for more
information about these possibilities.
Q:
How do new residents of Tinley Park and Orland
Hills register to vote?
A:
You can register to vote at either the
Tinley Park or
Orland Hills Village Hall.
Bring two forms of identification, with at least one showing your
current address. (Note that you must be a resident of a precinct for at
least 30 days before applying for voter's registration.) You may also
register to vote at any other city or village main offices, at township
offices, and at driver's license facilities when applying for other
services. You can register to vote year round except for 27 days
just prior to an election and the two days immediately following an
election.
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Q: I have an
old computer that I'd like to donate to a worthwhile cause. Where can I
bring my PC?A: The Assistive Technology Exchange
Network (ATEN) recycles computers and other technology donated by
corporations and individuals to benefit learners with disabilities.
Affiliated with
Infinitec, Inc., the program has
distributed nearly 20,000 complete computer systems, free of charge, to
disabled students in public schools throughout the state of Illinois.
They are happy to accept older equipment as long as it is still in
working condition. The Infinitec Southwest office is located at 7550 W.
183rd Street in Tinley Park (the Arthur and Mary Rubloff building).
Their phone number is (708) 444-2836, ext. 231, and they accept
donations from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Q: I would like to apply for Section 8 (HUD) housing.
How can I do so?
A: The "Housing Choice Voucher Program," more commonly
known as Section 8 housing, provides financial assistance to low income
renters and homeowners. The assistance is in the form of a rental
subsidy, which limits the monthly rent payment of the recipient. This
federal program is operated nationally by the Department of Housing and
Urban Development (HUD), but administered locally.
In our region, the Section 8 program is administered by the
Chicago Housing Authority (CHA). Applicants are added to a list, and
recipients are chosen by lottery. For more information, call the CHA at (312)
935-2600, or visit their website at www.thecha.org.
Q: I own several old books that
are falling apart. Some need basic repairs, and some need to have a new
binding. Where can I have this done?
A: Many book binderies will only deal with large institutions
like libraries, but the
Houchen Bindery will also restore books for
individuals. The service is not inexpensive, however; prices range from
$125.00 to more than $500.00 for the restoration of a single item like a
family Bible. Their general office, located in Utica, NE, can be reached
at (800) 869-0420; however, note that materials must be evaluated before
they can quote a price, so you must ship the item to them. The cost is a
minimum of $25.00 plus shipping and handling.
The A &
H Bindery in Broadview (708.344.3300) binds bibles, dissertations,
journals, and miscellaneous religious documents. Cost is $48 and up. A
complete price list is available at
http://www.ahbindery.com/menu.pdf.
If you'd like to try your hand
at bookbinding, instructions for do-it-yourselfers are available at
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-bind-your-own-Hardback-Book/.
Archival supplies for do-it-yourselfers are sold by Gaylord (http://www.gaylord.com;
800.962.9580).
Q:
I lost my Social Security Card and need to get a
replacement. Can I request one online? Where is the nearest office?
A:
You can request a replacement card, apply for
benefits, find documents and forms, and obtain other services online at
the following URL: http://www.ssa.gov.
You may also call the following toll-free number to obtain the same
services plus a few additional ones: (800) 772-1213.
There are two offices serving the south suburbs of Chicago. Before you
visit, please call the number given above to make an appointment.
104 S. Halsted Street
Chicago Heights, IL 60411
OR
10718 S. Roberts Road
Palos Hills, IL 60465
Q: I changed cellular providers, leaving me with an old
cell phone I can no longer use. Where can I donate or recycle this
phone?
A: South Suburban Family Shelter continues to collect used cell
phones as a fundraising venture. They have collected over 3,000 cell
phones which are shipped to a company in Florida that recycles and
refurbishes the phones. Phones which offer the most value are those
under 5 years old, with smaller digital handsets, not older analog
phones.
There is one collection box in Tinley Park (DeVry University, 18624 West
Creek Dr.), but there are many others throughout the south suburbs.
For
a longer list, click here.
Q: I need to have
some papers notarized. Where can I find a Notary Public?
A:
Notary service at the Tinley Park Village Hall (16250 S. Oak Park Ave.)
is free of charge for residents and non-residents, but you
must have a photo ID. Also, most banks offer free notary service
for their own customers, but non-customers sometimes pay a fee.
Q:
Are there any RV or tenting campgrounds in the area?
A: The only campground in Tinley Park (Windy City)
closed in 2008, but here is a list of others in the region:
Enchanted Shores (Public Campground)
11018 W Wilmington-Peotone Rd, Peotone, IL 60468
708-258-6040
Goodenow Grove Nature Preserve (Will County Campground)
27064 Dutton Road, Beecher, IL 60401
708-946-2216
Emerald Trails (Private Campground)
3132 E Goodenow Rd, Crete, Illinois 60417-5018
800-870-8357
Martin Campground Inc
(Private Campground)
725 Cherry Hill Rd, Joliet, Illinois 60433-9739
815-726-3173
Q:
Where can I sell my old books?
A:
Here
are two used book dealers in the south suburbs. (Note: neither of these
businesses do formal appraisals of book -- only informal estimates of
value. Note also that Half Price Books buys CDs, DVDs, and other items
in addition to books.)
Half Price Books
31 Orland Square Drive
Orland Park, IL 60462
(708) 403-4589
Paperbrack [sic] Trading Co.
8825 Ridgeland Ave
Oak Lawn, IL 60453
(708) 598-8442
Q: I have some old books. Is there someone who can appraise their
value?
A:There are some appraisers in the Chicago area who will
determine the value of your books, but there is a charge for the
appraisals -- and most appraisers will not purchase books that they have
appraised (to avoid a conflict of interest).
Chicago Rare Book Center
703 Washington Street
Evanston, IL 60202
847-328-2132
Printers Row Fine and Rare Books
715 S. Dearborn Street
Chicago, IL 60605
(312) 583-1800
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