September is Library Card Sign-up Month, a time when Whitman County Library joins with the American Library Association and other public libraries and schools nationwide to make sure that students of all ages have the most import school supply of all – a free library card.

The campaign first started in 1987 as a response to then Secretary of Education, William Bennett, who stated: “Let’s have a campaign … Every child should obtain a library card and use it.” Since then, thousands of public libraries and schools have participated every fall, stressing the importance of obtaining a library card.

Why should you and your child sign-up for a library card? Today’s libraries, though still offering many amazing books, are also offering so much more! They are creative educational spaces for learners from birth to high school and beyond. Resources at Whitman County Library are available to anyone who has a library card. Students can turn to the library for materials, programs and knowledgeable library staff who support academic achievement.

Our library provides access to eBooks, audiobooks, DVDs, newspapers, Discover Passes, and book club kits for kids, teens, and adults. You can take free classes through LinkedIn Learning and Mango Languages, stream videos using Kanopy, and explore local history with our Whitman Heritage Digital Collection. We have educational kits, access to online databases for homework help, and laptops and hotspots to support learners.

If none of that is compelling enough, consider what you could win! Here at the Whitman County Rural Library District, signing up for a library card (or even just using the one you have!) could win you or your loved one a $25 local gift card to the business of your choosing. That’s free money.