The Crete Public Library has two new services at the library as a result of the passage of the referendum in 2006 and the support of the Friends of the Crete Public Library.

The library now subscribes to a database that allows users to look up foreclosures and auctions, bankruptcies, new homeowners, and new businesses in many counties in Illinois. The library also has a new audiovisual cart available for use in the library.

The Illinois Public Records database is a service of Record Information Services, a company that has been providing a variety of public and marketing-oriented data for the Chicago area for 13 years.

Users can search for new homeowners by address, name, date, city, zip code, or several other variables. The same goes for the other options such as foreclosures, auctions, new businesses and bankruptcies.

It can be especially useful for those interested in real estate for investment purposes.

The Illinois Public Records database is currently only available for use in the library. Those interested can find an icon on the library's public Internet stations or they can ask at the Reference Desk for information on how to access the database. Records found on the database can be printed or e-mailed. The database is updated at least weekly, some segments daily.

The audiovisual cart, which was purchased with a donation from the Friends of the Crete Public Library, includes a television, DVD/CD player, and headphones for multiple people. This can accommodate patrons who do not have a DVD or CD player. Patrons can ask at the Reference Desk to use the cart.

For more information, call the library at (708) 672-8017. The Crete Public Library is at 1177 N. Main St., Crete.

Visit the library's Web site at www.cretelibrary.org.

- THE TIMES