September is Library Card Sign-up Month, a time when the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries nationwide join together to remind parents, caregivers and students that signing up for a library card is the first step towards academic achievement and lifelong learning. It’s the perfect time to visit a St. Lawrence County library and obtain a library card if you don’t have one!
Families, students, and people of all ages who have a library card have access to fun and informative resources that help people pursue their passions and succeed. Be sure to visit your local public library and check out what we have to offer. Throughout the school year, library staff offer programs to promote literacy and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) programs and activities. All of our libraries offer computers, printers, and internet access for students needing those resources to complete school projects. Since library cards are free, a library card is the most cost-effective school supply item!
If you already have a library card from a public library in St. Lawrence, Jefferson, Oswego, or Lewis Counties, your card may be used at any of the sixty-five libraries in the North Country Library System. In addition to using your card within the library, your card provides you with access to manage your library account online via a computer or using our downloadable app for your mobile device. Users interested in digital books may use their library card to access our Overdrive collection of ebooks. In addition to traditional books and digital media, your library card can be used to borrow discount museum passes for The Wild Center and The Adirondack Experience.
If you don’t have a library card, stop in and ask for one. The whole process takes about five minutes! Adults must present a form of photo identification and provide their full name, birthdate, and contact information. Children need permission from a parent or other caregiver. The minimum age to obtain a library card varies from library to library, with some libraries issuing cards to children as young as three, while others prefer children be at least five years old, entering kindergarten, or able to print their first and last names on the back of their new library card.
Whether you get a new library card this month, or you already have one, tell us why your library is incredible by sharing your answer using text, photos, or a short video on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #MyLibraryIsIncredible. Follow I Love Libraries on Facebook and Twitter and the hashtag #LibraryCardSignUp to join the nationwide celebration on social media.
If you haven’t been to the library in a while, stop in and check us out!