September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month and libraries from across the county are celebrating by showcasing the remarkable ways our communities have been using their local libraries. More than 1 million people have a library card and have borrowed 27.2 million physical and digital items over the last fiscal year.
Today’s libraries are innovative and vibrant community centers that foster learning, connection, and creativity. At library branches across the county, residents can find diverse programs for all ages, workforce development assistance, homework help and online tutoring, language learning resources, makerspaces, and more.
Not only are shelves packed with books, movies, and music, many county libraries also provide an extensive digital library of eBooks, audiobooks, and streaming music, movies, and TV shows, all accessible from personal devices. Many libraries also offer non-traditional items to check out like tickets to local arts institutions, seeds for gardens, Chromebooks and wi-fi hotspots, Citizen Science Kits, and more.
“At their core, libraries are about access, ensuring that everyone, regardless of their circumstances, can benefit from resources and programs that enhance their individual lives. I am proud to stand alongside and partner with all of the wonderful library systems serving our great county,” said Jeremy Reeder, Maricopa County Library District Director and County Librarian.
Any Maricopa County resident or property owner is eligible for a library card at all 16 public library systems across the county, giving our community an incredible amount of access to the resources available at all 65 library branches.
Library Card Sign-Up Month is a national campaign led by the American Library Association (ALA). The campaign first started in 1987 as a response to then Secretary of Education, William Bennett, who said, “Let’s have a campaign … Every child should obtain a library card and use it.” The ALA took Secretary Bennett’s words seriously and teamed up with the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS) to start the campaign.
Since then, libraries from across the country have joined each September in this celebration, inviting everyone to discover the incredible resources and opportunities available at your local library by signing up for a library card.
Find information on the Queen Creek Library here.
