September is Library Card Sign-Up Month – do YOU have a card? (If not, start here!)
Since 1987, Library Card Sign-Up Month has been held each September to mark the beginning of the school year. But it’s not just children who should sign up for a card – libraries are for everyone!
Why get a card, you ask? First of all, it’s free, so really, why not? But other than that, let us count the ways your library card can enhance your life.
You already know we have books (and audiobooks and DVDs and newspapers and magazines…). But what about video games? And Wonderbooks? Did you know about those? Maybe you’ve heard about our Library of Things: borrow a hotspot for wifi on the go, take home a Roku to stream the last season of Ted Lasso, or check out a pickleball set to see what the fuss is about.
Can’t make it to the library but need a good book? We have ebooks and audiobooks from Libby and Hoopla, or delivery of physical books right to your door if you’re homebound. Love movies but don’t want to pay for another streaming service? Hoopla has those too, and so does Kanopy.
Aside from things to borrow, what else can Beebe Library do for you? How long do you have? Let’s go alphabetically (though the list still won’t be complete):
Access to our archives for town reports, street lists, and yearbooks
Book groups like Books by the Lake, our longest running group, or Supper Sleuths for mystery lovers
Copy machine (and a scanner and fax too!)
Digital Media Lab for converting your old slides, photos, or VHS tapes to digital formats
First Thursday Book Club for third and fourth graders
Genealogy resources like Ancestry, American Ancestors, MyHeritage, HeritageQuest, and FamilySearch
Headspace access, to experience the benefits of meditation
Item, as in the Wakefield Daily Item. Visit our Digital Archives for issues going back to the late 1800s.
Join In Wakefield, a list of volunteer and community groups in Wakefield
KultureCity Sensory Inclusive venue
Librarians! They can help you with technology, suggest a book based on your likes and dislikes, or point you to reliable news or information sources.
Museum passes for checkout, to allow free or discounted admission to 22 different institutions
Newsletters to let you know what’s new and happening at the library
Open hours spanning 69 hours per week (that’s all seven days from mid-September to mid-June!)
Plaza Jazz concerts every Thursday in the summer
Quiet Study Room for silent work and study
Research! Learn a new language or craft, do a science project, get help with Microsoft Excel, assess the market for a new business idea, or look into financial investments.
Storytimes for ages birth to five with multiple sessions each week
Trivia on Tap games for families and adults
Unlimited wifi access both in and outside the building and a charging station for your phone too!
Virtual programming for adults including talks by bestselling authors
X marks the spot on our historical maps, viewable in the library or at home
Young adult programs like Dungeons & Dragons and Teen Creativity Cafe
Zero late fees!
Care to quantify the value you’re getting from your library? There’s a calculator for that! What you can’t quantify is the value of the connections Beebe Library fosters in the Wakefield community.
Want to read more? For recent library news and updates, visit our Summer Buzz page.
