Westerly Sun Column | Small Card, Big World

At the start of the school year in 1987, the Department of Education issued a challenge: for every child to obtain a library card – and to use it. With this, Library Card Sign-Up Month was born! Since September typically corresponds with the beginning of the school year, libraries take this time to highlight the many resources and services they provide to combat illiteracy and encourage lifelong learning.

When you think about it, it is pretty remarkable that this slim, lightweight, and free-of-cost card can open up a whole world of information and opportunities! Obviously, you can use it to check out books: picture books to reads to your children or grandchildren, phonics kits to encourage early readers, novels to relax at the end of the day with, and even cost-prohibitive textbooks to support those who are working towards their degree. In addition to print books, we also have Wipe Clean Workbooks (using dry-erase markers to practice early literacy skills), audiobooks and playaways, educational magazines and videos, and a huge collection of electronic materials though Overdrive or Hoopla. With so many options, you can read and learn no matter where you happen to be.

This isn’t all that a library card provides access to. For the last couple of years we have been expanding our Library of Things, a collection of non-traditional items for loan, to include everything from a bird-watching kit to a knife sharpener. We even have a special Kids Library of Things, with items focused towards parents and children, such as a white-noise machine and a digital microscope. These can be checked out with your library card, and are a great cost-saving option for items that you only need once and don’t want to purchase, or to test them out before committing to purchasing them.

In addition to the physical items we offer for check out, the library also provides a ton of recreational opportunities. With your library card, you can check out passes that give you free or discounted admission to many area museums, like the Niantic Children’s Museum and Mashantucket Pequot Museum. It’s a great opportunity to escape the house for a fun and educational “field trip” with the family! On any given day at the library, you will find programs and meetups for all ages that are free and open to the public. Whether you are a homeschool parent looking for support, a crafter who wants to create in the company of others, or simply someone interested in learning more about the world around you, there is a program at the library for you.

If you don’t already have your library card, what are you waiting for? You can apply online at catalog.oslri.net/application, or come and sign up in person any time the library is open. So, as you’re gathering school supplies together and working out your fall calendars, add “sign up for a library card” to your list…it may just be the most meaningful and versatile item in your wallet (or your child’s backpack) this year.

by Cassie Skobrak, Adult Services Librarian