As everyone in library land knows, September is Library Card Sign-Up Month. It's the time of year when librarians everywhere try to convince people who have somehow managed to survive without a library card to sign up for one.
It must be noted here that you do not need a library card to use any Harris County Public Library. You can just come on in, use our free WiFi, attend our programs and special events, get reference help, find a quiet corner and a comfy chair to sit and read in, and a lot more. You just won't be able to check out books or DVDs.
Would we encourage you to get a library card? Of course! They cost nothing--not even late fees--and not only can you check out the latest bestsellers, but you can also access our research and learning tools, like LinkedIn Learning, MedlinePlus, and Value Line, wherever you have an internet connection.
But we as librarians seldom stop to ask ourselves whether a library card is the wholly good, cure-all, nearly mythical, magical thing we sometimes make it out to be. The truth is that some people can't handle the power of a library card. It changes them. They begin checking out more books than they can possibly finish; their TBR list, once jotted on the back of an envelope, becomes a multi-tab, color-coded, password-protected spreadsheet; they develop strong opinions about holds queue etiquette, and begin referring to the library as "my happy place."
We're not saying a library card is dangerous. We just recommend you take the following assessment before your friends decide to stage an intervention.
The results are in, and frankly, we're not qualified to interpret them. What we can tell you is that a library card is free, packed with possibilities, and now is as good a time as any to get one.
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