September is Library Card Sign-Up Month! Started in 1987 by then Secretary of Education William Bennett, Library Card Sign-Up Month is a time to learn more about all the things you can do at your local library and to sign your kids or yourself up for a card. Celebrate with us by getting or renewing your Madison Public Library card. If you sign up in September you can take a picture with one of our BIG library cards at any location.
Already have a library card? We've compiled a list of 30 Things You Can Do With Your Library Card at Madison Public Library below - one for every day of Library Card Sign-Up Month!
Discover some of the lesser-known services your library card gives you access to, check out all of the fun items that are part of our Library of Things, or try the Library Value Calculator to see how much you save when you use the library.
30 Things You Can Do With Your Library Card:
- Check out books
- Check out DVDs and Blu-Rays of popular movies and TV shows
- Use public computers
- Check out a laptop (in the library)
- Check out ebooks + audiobooks from home using Wisconsin’s Digital Library
- Find the right play for you in our many play spaces using our open-ended play materials
- Borrow vinyl records and a record player
- Check out magazines
- Check out video games
- Access business plans, market research and more with our online Business Resources hub
- Check out Disc Golf Kits
- Check out a Birding Backpack
- Start a book club with a book club kit
- Check out DVD players
- Get 1-on-1 writing help on resumes, cover letters, applications, creative projects, and more from Madison Writing Assistance
- Get a BCycle community pass + helmet
- Visit other libraries in South Central Wisconsin to check out and return books
- Students can check out a graphing calculator
- Check out adaptive toys
- Educators can check out Maker Kits
- Educators can check out Early Childhood Stem Kits
- Read comics on ComicsPlus
- Reserve a meeting or study room in advance. Walk-ins don't require a library card for study rooms!
- Check out portable energy meters
- Watch over 30,000 movies, TV shows and documentaries through the Kanopy video streaming platform
- Read books in Spanish
- Visit a Dream Bus stop to check out books and movies
- Access our special collections such as World Languages, Art of the Picture Book Collection, and more!
- Learn another language using Transparent Language
- Study for tests like the ACT, SAT, LSAT, MCAT and U.S. Citizenship Test