September is Library Card Sign-Up Month!
This September, DC’s Wonder Woman is embarking on a new mission to champion the power of a library card as Library Card Sign-up Month Honorary Chair. A founding member of the Justice League, Wonder Woman is known for strength, compassion and truth. Armed with the Lasso of Truth, Wonder Woman makes a perfect ambassador to support the value of learning and the role libraries play in transforming lives and strengthening communities through education.
You can celebrate Library Card Sign-Up Month with these 5 ways:
1. Visit your library online.
Visit your library online to see what's new and take part in the celebration. Libraries across the country are participating. Do you have friends who don't have library cards? Invite them to sign up during September. Visit Athens Clarke County Library online here.
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2. Show us your library superhero pose for a chance to win $100.
Having a library card makes you feel like a superhero with all the amazing things it gives you access to, including technology, media resources and educational programs. This Library Card Sign-up Month, show your best superhero pose for a chance to win $100. Help spread the word by striking a library superhero stance and posting it to Instagram and Twitter using the hashtag #LibraryCardHero. You’ll be automatically entered to win a $100 Visa gift card. Entries can also be submitted by posting as a comment or wall post on the I Love Libraries Facebook page. Don't forget to cover up any personally identifiable information on your library card, and please tag your library!
The promotion begins Tuesday, September 1, at noon CT and ends Tuesday, September 22, at noon CT. All librarians and library lovers are encouraged to participate.
The #LibraryCardHero promotion is open to residents of the United States, Washington, D.C., and U.S. Territories. Employees of the American Library Association are not eligible to participate.
3. Help spread the word.
Follow I Love Libraries on Facebook and Twitter and the hashtag #LibraryCardSignUpMonth to join the celebration on social media.
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4. Play Library Card Sign-up Month Bingo!
Check out a special library-themed bingo card for Library Card Sign-up Month this September. Mark off all activities you do throughout the month and once you get bingo, tag @ALAlibrary on Twitter, @americanlibraryassociation on Instagram, and share your board online using the hashtag #LibraryCardSignUpMonth.
Library Card Sign-up Month Printable Bingo Card (PDF)
Library Card Sign-up Month Printable Bingo Card with Instructions (PDF)
Library Card Sign-up Month Bingo Graphic for Instagram
4. Display a window or yard sign to show your library love.
During political campaigns, yard signs abound. They're a great way for citizens to proclaim their support for a candidate or issue. Why not display a window or yard sign that proclaims your support for libraries. Use our templates or get creative and make your own.
18" x 24" Yard Sign Template: Library card holders live here (PDF)
In this house, we support libraries 8.5" x 11" (PDF)
In this house, we love and appreciate libraries 8.5" x 11" (PDF)
http://www.ala.org/conferencesevents/celebrationweeks/card
| Are you on the fence about getting your child their own card? Here are five reasons you should let them proudly carry their own library card: |
1. A library expands your child’s horizons.
Visiting a library is a risk-free way to explore the world through books, movies, music, and more. Getting your child a library card allows children to choose their own materials, which helps them find series and topics that interest them. Plus a library offers something you can’t find anywhere else -- a librarian! Librarians are valuable resources when it comes to finding the perfect book -- they can suggest a new release or a classic that perhaps you wouldn’t have thought of without their assistance. Utilize their expertise!
2. A library card teaches self-discipline.
Libraries offer a plethora of options for the avid reader. Since most libraries have a limit on how many books you can check out at one time, your child will have have to decide which books he or she wants to check out at any given time -- a great way to learn self-discipline! And if the book they want isn’t available? That’s OK! They will learn how to wait for the book they want (delayed gratification can be a difficult concept for any of us to grasp these days!)
3. A library card saves money.
I’m a big fan of books and think it’s important to have your own books at home, but the cost of books adds up fast! A library card offers children the opportunity to try out new titles and branch out with new topics and ideas without you spending a dime ... as long as you return them on time!
4. Visiting the library encourages community building.
Libraries are often a center of the community, with a wide range of events and classes open to people of all ages and backgrounds. Our local library's recent events included a lineup of storytimes, magic shows, informational classes, and more! Attending events and classes can open up a whole new community to a child.
5. A library card teaches responsibility.
Getting your child a library card holds them accountable by making them responsible for keeping track of the books they borrow and for making sure they are returned on time. Children take pride in knowing they are in charge of their card and their books. They'll also learn that with responsibility comes consequences ... especially if they lose a book or return it late!
