If you are a community supporter then getting a library card and keeping it current is important! And for those of us who pay attention to saving money, some call it frugal, the local library should be near the top of our list of money-saving resources. Nearly anyone can get a library card! You’ll need a current ID, your address and contact information and that’s about it! Fill out the application, review the borrowing and overdue policies, pay any fees (if applicable) and you can start using your card right away!
Want to see the value of your Library membership… visit this calculator What’s Your Library Worth? you might be surprised how quickly library benefits add up!
Here are ten advantages you can enjoy if you join the close to 40% of the Mackenzie County’s population who are library patrons (as long as you return things on time, of course!):
- Books. If you are like many of us and enjoy turning real pages, reading until you get a cramp in your fingers or the book falls from your hand, then the library is definitely for you! Once you have your valid library card you can browse the shelves or online catalog and borrow 100’s of books a year… you can request books from any of our libraries and they are delivered to your home library at no cost to you! If one of our libraries doesn’t have what you are looking for then put it on the ‘wish list’ and we will do our best to order it in!
- DVDs. No matter what you pay to rent movies (if that is even still available in your community), it costs more than borrowing them from the library. It’s not as as convenient as Netflix or Crave, but it’s still cheaper and you don’t have to deal with internet issues! Break out the popcorn because binge watching just got easier! Our Libraries have literally 1000’s of Movie and TV titles for you to choose from (the Zama collection is the largest with over 8,000 titles, remember you can Inter-library loan to your home library).
- 15 Million Songs. FREEGAL Music is available to all our patrons… adds up to over $300 worth of downloadable music each year for FREE! Each cardholder can access 3 hours of music streaming per day and 5 free downloads a week! Start building your playlists!
- e-Books. Through Freading over 100,000 titles are available to download on your device while wearing your PJ’s and laying on your couch! How easy is that?
- Spanish? French?. Going on a trip…want to impress that girl or guy… learn sign language… all for FREE from home! All you need is your Library Card! Login and start with the lessons 14 languages to choose from! That’s more than $1500 value of language instruction… FREE!!
- Programs and In-Library resources. All our libraries are a little different. In Zama City you can enjoy a session in the massage chair within the wellness room. In La Crete the seniors outreach program is a link between home-bound seniors, the lodge and the library. In Fort Vermilion the library shares space with FVSS and the programs and events planned allow for networking, learning new skills and some just plain fun. Libraries exist to encourage life-long learning, and we strive to be community hubs, watch for special events, classes from yoga to photography, special exhibits, art shows, children’s programming and lots more! Usually you don’t need a library card to attend these.
- Librarians. Our staff love what they do! They love that you are in the library and accessing the services that they work so hard to promote and have available! They know their libraries, they can offer suggestions, let you know what is available, help you find that book or inter-library loan that binge worthy TV Season. They are knowledgeable about what is happening in the community… so for new residents or visitors they are a true asset! Their support seems like a gift from above every time!
- Using the library supports local and helps library funding. Our libraries are operated by nonprofit societies with lots of volunteering and fundraising, so when it comes to measuring success, we can’t use profit or sales as evidence. What libraries can point to are numbers: the number of people who walk through the doors, the number of items checked out, and the number of people who sign up for a library card. These are the numbers that the MCLB and our local societies can present to donors and Provincial and County officials, and believe us when we say libraries need those numbers – not necessarily to advocate for a larger budget, but to keep our budgets from shrinking. It may not feel like signing up for a library card can do much on an individual level, but collectively, those individual statistics really do add up.
- Wi-Fi, Computers & Tech stuff. Wifi and computer use is absolutely free. Print, scan, fax and photocopy, some fees applicable for these services. Why buy that scanner for the few times a year you may need it… visit the Library!
- A Place to Kick Up Your Feet. Our libraries have spaces for you to unwind, relax and enjoy! Have you ever read a book in a real life Bank Vault?…in La Crete you can! Curl up in front of the fireplace in Zama or Fort Vermilion and watch a movie, download some music or read a little! Work ares, puzzle tables, teen areas, children’s nooks are all great places that are available in our libraries!
So really what are you waiting for! Visit your library and sign up or renew your library membership!
Mackenzie County Libraries 