Chicago Public Library cardholders can now read The New York Times for free, and not just a handful of paywalled stories. The system has rolled out full All Access privileges, which means Chicagoans with a library card can dive into the paper’s archives back to 1851, plus Games, Cooking, Wirecutter and The Athletic, all without a personal subscription.
The library announced the perk in a May 27 news post, noting that “patrons now receive full unlimited digital access to New York Times News (including all journalism back to 1851).” According to Chicago Public Library, the package covers the Times’ news coverage along with its puzzle, food and lifestyle offerings.
The timing lines up with a surge in library use. In its 2024 annual report, the system logged more than 5.5 million visits across the city and roughly 167,492 new library cards issued last year. Those figures, detailed by Chicago Public Library, hint at how widely the Times access could spread, from Loop reading rooms to neighborhood branches in every direction.
How To Access The New York Times Through CPL
At any CPL branch, the setup is straightforward. On a public computer, or on your own device using branch Wi‑Fi, you head to nytimes.com, sign into an existing New York Times account or create a new one, and you are in.
Getting full access from home takes one extra step. Cardholders redeem a 24-hour remote access code by entering their library card number and PIN, then logging into NYTimes.com. After the 24 hours are up, you can request a fresh code and start the clock again. Block Club Chicago breaks down those redemption steps, and systems elsewhere use the same daily-code model. The same 24-hour process is outlined by Richmond Public Library.
What It Saves You
An individual NYT All Access subscription usually runs about $25 a month. The New York Times app currently lists “All Access - Monthly” at US$24.99, with the tier and price shown in the in-app listing on the App Store. Regular readers who are willing to go through the library instead could skip that bill entirely.
If you do not yet have a CPL card, you can sign up for one free at any branch, and staff can help with everything from redeeming the codes to setting up a New York Times account, as reported by Block Club Chicago. For Chicagoans already camping out on public computers or branch Wi‑Fi, the new benefit means one extra login now unlocks the Times’ archive and digital extras.
