Get Your Free Library Card and Get Going on Hoopla 

September is Library Card Sign-Up Month! Grab a library card and see everything your library has to offer. A library card isn’t just a piece of plastic; it’s a key that unlocks free books, streaming, career tools, kids’ programs, and community connection, all without costing you a dime (yes, really, not even a “processing fee” hiding in the fine print).  

The best thing about having a library card, in our opinion, is that once you have a card from a partner library, you can use it on Hoopla! With Hoopla you can instantly borrow eBooks, audiobooks, movies, music, comics, TV shows, and more, with no waiting and no late fees. No reason to avoid eye contact with the librarian because you kept a book three weeks too long. 

Your library is packed with resources for nearly every problem life throws at you. Here’s a closer look at what’s waiting behind that little card. It’s so much more than books. 

Stretch Your Budget Further 

Money’s tight for a lot of us right now, but you can save money by using your library. With your library card, you can borrow free physical books, DVDs, CDs, and other reading material. You get free Wi-Fi and internet access for browsing, job applications, or streaming your favorite shows. And with your library and Hoopla you get digital books, audiobooks, and no-cost streaming to take with you anywhere. There’s no subscription fee and no hidden cost, so you can finally cancel that streaming service you’re paying too much for. (You know the one.) With Hoopla, you can host a movie night or an album listening party for free, at home. 

Your Free Career Resource Center 

Job hunting is stressful enough without added expenses. Libraries offer resume help, access to career and business reference databases, notary services, and printing, faxing, and scanning, often for free or at a low cost. Many branches even have private rooms you can reserve for interview prep or video calls, so you can practice your firm handshake and confident smile without your roommate judging you through the wall. It’s a full career center hiding inside your neighborhood library. 

Support for Busy Families 

Raising kids comes with its own set of daily puzzles, and libraries are built to help solve them. Storytime programs give little ones an early love of books, summer reading programs keep skills sharp during the break, and homework help sessions take the pressure off busy evenings (and save you from relearning fifth-grade fractions). Add in free or low-cost kids’ events and toy and puzzle lending, and you’ve got a one-stop shop for family fun that won’t strain your wallet and is open year ’round. You’ll be amazed how easily kids make friends over shared love of a book. 

Find Your People 

Loneliness is a real problem, and libraries are (quietly) some of the best community hubs around, minus the awkward small talk you’d get at a networking mixer. Book clubs, maker groups, teen programs, and senior programs give people of every age a reason to connect. These spaces are welcoming, low-pressure, and open to anyone, so you can show up in sweatpants and still feel like you belong. Because you do. 

How to Get Your Free Library Card 

Getting a library card is simpler than you might think, and there’s no secret handshake involved. Just stop in at your local public library and ask at the desk. Bonus: you can meet the friendly librarians and look around at everything you’re about to get full access to. Many libraries also let you get a library card online (a free eCard) in just a few minutes, so you can skip the trip to the branch entirely if you’d like (and skip putting on real pants). Once approved, your card connects you to a huge range of free and digital resources, including Hoopla. 

Are library cards free? Yes. There’s no fee to sign up, and no fee to use Hoopla once you’re a member. 

Do library cards expire? Most do need to be renewed periodically (get it?), but renewal is usually quick and just as easy as signing up the first time. 

Put Your Card to Work on Hoopla 

Once you’ve got your card, head over to Hoopla and start borrowing. Audiobook, eBooks, movies, comics, music, and TV shows are all available instantly, with no waiting lists and no late fees. It’s the easiest way to turn a free library card into hours of entertainment and learning, and possibly the only “membership” you’ll ever be genuinely excited about renewing, all without paying a penny. 

This Library Card Sign-Up Month, take a closer look at everything your library has to offer. Make Hoopla the first stop on your list.  

Happy Library Card Sign-Up Month! 

More Resources:
Benefits of Having a Library Card
Your Library Has More Than Books
Free eBook Library