The Worcester Public Library celebrates Library Card Sign-Up Month during the month of September. Stop by and get your free library card and see all the things it can do for you. This month, with every new library card sign-up, you will receive a fun gift. For one month only, the library will also be giving out free replacement library cards. If you have misplaced your library card and would like a new one just visit any library location during the month of September, and we will replace it free of charge.
The library will continue to host a monthly help-desk on the second Tuesday of the month. This month the help-desk will be open on Tuesday, September 11 from 2 to 4 p.m. in the lobby of the Main Library. The help-desk staff can help you renew your library card, sign-up for a new library card, update contact information, access your account online, and discuss anything pertaining to your account including lost items. Feedback and suggestions are also welcome.
Today’s libraries are about more than books. They are creative educational spaces for learners from birth to high school, and for college students and adults. This annual observance occurs at the start of the school year to attract students, but is important for people of all ages.
Resources at the Worcester Public Library are available to anyone who has a library card. Students can turn to the library for materials, programs and knowledgeable library staff that support academic achievement, including book clubs, STEM related programs, and summer reading activities. During the 2017-18 school year, the Burncoat, Goddard, Roosevelt, and Tatnuck Magnet Branches held 2,027 class visits through its partnership with the Worcester Public Schools. These visits helped students access the library and the educational materials available right in their own schools.
Older students can access high-speed Internet, digital tools, and the opportunity to work with trained professionals on how to use them. Librarians provide guided training in digital media and help to grow digital literacy skills. Libraries also provide equity of access to digital tools and media, which has become increasingly important in high-poverty areas where patrons are less likely to have a computer or internet access in the home. Libraries are also a training ground for people of all ages to expand their knowledge and explore creative pursuits.
"Our library provides access and programs for people of all ages," said Geoffrey Dickinson, Head Librarian. "For preschool age children we offer early literacy and storytimes to encourage school readiness, for older children and teens we supplement education with hands-on programs and fun activities, and for all our patrons we offer language and citizenship resources, resume help, and so much more. There’s really something for everyone, and it’s all free with a library card."
This year, Disney’s "The Incredibles" are Library Card Sign-up Month honorary chairs, helping to promote the value of a library card and bring attention to the many ways libraries and librarians transform lives and communities through education.
Throughout the course of the month, the library will host a number of activities, including Hispanic Heritage Month activities, author visits, a volunteer fair, a voter registration drive, cultural performances and much more.
Since 1987, Library Card Sign-up Month has been held each September to mark the beginning of the school year. During the month, the American Library Association and libraries across the country unite in a national effort to ensure every child signs up for their own library card. For more information on how to sign up for a library card, visit the Worcester Public Library in person or online at www.mywpl.org/get-library-card.
For more information on Library Card Sign-Up Month please contact Linnea Sheldon, Community Relations and Communications Manager at 508-799-1654 or lsheldon@mywpl.org
Worcester Public Library, A department of the City of Worcester
