Library Card Sign-up Month 2025 is coming to a close, and we saw libraries across the country all over television news programs touting the incredible worlds of wonder and learning that can be opened with just a library card.
Idina Menzel starred as the green-hued witch Elphaba in the original Broadway production of the musical, “Wicked,” which is now a smash film. Along with her sister, author and educator Cara Mentzel, she served as honorary chair of Library Card Sign-up Month in 2022. “Let your imagination sing at the library,” said Idina.
More and more libraries are using library cards to gain even further community engagement by holding library card design contests and by partnering with local organizations, sports teams, and national brands to create designs.
Here are some of our favorites that have been unveiled this Library Card Sign-up Month.
My sister recently texted me, “The local library near the park just reserved a room with internet connection for me even though I’m not a resident. LIBRARIES ARE AMAZING!”
She had been arranging a road trip to introduce her first grandson to members of the family, which included stops in multiple cities across the Midwest. Breaking the long car ride up with a stop at a national park seemed like a solid approach for keeping everyone, but most importantly, a 3-year-old in good spirits. But how to accommodate the daughter-in-law’s scheduled online class? Local library to the rescue.
Now, the fact that libraries are amazing is a commonly held belief in my family. We are all lifelong prolific library users. But my sister was genuinely surprised that a small-town library was so accommodating to someone who wasn’t even a local resident.
When you think of a library, the first thing that likely comes to mind is rows upon rows of books, waiting to be explored. And while libraries are indeed sanctuaries for book lovers, offering everything from the latest bestsellers to timeless classics, they have evolved far beyond their traditional role as mere repositories of literature. Today’s libraries are dynamic community hubs, brimming with resources, services, and opportunities that cater to the diverse needs of everyone in the community. If you haven’t visited your local library lately, you’re missing out on a treasure trove of offerings that extend far beyond the printed page.
During Library Card Sign-up Month, we’ve been asking people to try something new at their library and tell us about it. Here are some of the responses we’ve received so far.
“I checked out a pickleball kit with my library card. My daughter and I played pickleball for the first time and loved it! I love my library!”
Beth from North Carolina
“Our Library started an a.maz.ing collection called “But wait there’s more!” that includes power tools, games, musical instruments, household and tech items and more! I checked out a cricut machine and got a tutorial from one of our crafty librarians and used it to create labels for glassware. So proud of myself! Def will not quit my day job to become a crafter but thrilled I could see what all the fuss is about. YAY Libraries!”
Elizabeth from New Jersey
“…we went traveling utilizing VR glasses. What a trip…visited Florence, London and New York. A library is more than just books to this lifelong learner and my Library Card is my most valuable possession.”
Sandra from Wisconsin
“I took my first knitting class, it was so fun!”
Tina from Massachusetts
“I tried something new- checking out seeds to plant! I got some lavender and some vegetables. If planting/harvesting go well, the library only asks that we dry some seeds and take those to the library. So neat!”
Katelyn from California
Some library lovers told us that they checked out an audiobook for the first time, streamed music, tried chair yoga, and attended Zumba sessions. Others took classes in coding, Portuguese, how to use the library’s 3D printer, and more. We don’t know what your local library offers, but we think it’s worth exploring. Libraries today have programs, services, and some seriously cool stuff – all designed to make your life better in so many ways.
Have you tried something new at your library? Tell us about it during September for the chance to win!
Photo credits:
1. Pickleball Courts 2021 by Marilyn Stone. for Montgomery Parks, MNCPPC. Used under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
2. Cricut machine by factorf2, used under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license (CC BY-SA 2.0)
3. Florence, Italy. Photo from Jonathan Körner jonko, CC0, Wikimedia Commons, posted under Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
4. Learning to Knit. Photo courtesy of Tina from Massachusetts.
5. Seed library at Baraboo (WI) Library by Jessamyn West. Used under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic ( CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 )
“Libraries are pretty dope places, especially because you can read comics for free,” said Eisner Award-nominated comic artist Jorge Corona (Transformers, No. 1 With A Bullet, Big Trouble in Little China) in a special message recorded for us to celebrate Library Card Sign-up Month.
It’s Library Card Sign-Up Month! This year, we’ve teamed up with the TRANSFORMERS to encourage people everywhere to roll out to their library and sign up for a library card. Here are a few ways you can participate.
New York Times-bestselling author Brad Meltzer credits a librarian with unlocking a word of wonder in him as a child and changing his life forever. He shared his story on social media this Library Card Sign-up Month (using the #HowILibrary hashtag) and has allowed us to share it here. It’s a wonderful memory.
Throughout the month of September, we invited authors and library lovers to share a cherished library moment or tell us what they value most about their library using the hashtag #HowILibrary. Thank you to everyone who participated. There have been some wonderful responses: Mo Willems, Lily Williams, Kelly Yang, and Meg Medina, to name a few.
This story really touched our hearts, so we’re reprinting it with the kind consent of author Jenna Lee-Yun.
A woman in Mesa, Arizona, has saved more than $23,000 by borrowing books from her local library. Use our Library Value Calculator to learn how much you can save!
This Library Card-Sign-up Month, we’re celebrating the value of libraries! Do you love the library’s summer reading program, storytime, or book club? Checking out DVDs, magazines, or cake pans? Do you simply enjoy getting lost in the magic of a good book? We want to know how YOU library! Tell us for a chance to win some really awesome prizes.
Proud Sponsor of the ALA Public Supporter Program
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