OT-Library cards-When does your town or citty

[kevschickee]

allow your child to get theirs? I am kind of bummed because at ours the child has to be able to sign their whole name. My oldest wants one of her own so bad.

oh jeeze it should be city but I can't change it

 

[Maggie'sMom]

I live in Columbus Ohio and my DD5 got one for the Columbus Metropolitan Library this summer. I didn't notice anything in the information provided about a minimum age. They had me sign her name on the back of the card.

 

[MichelleinMaine]

Our town, as soon as the child asks/parent agrees.

The town library I used to work for- when the child can legibly write their whole name. This caused a huge debate amongst staff/directors. (I argued what does writing a name have to do with responsibility or anything else? We did have children with learning problems who simply could not write their whole name in elementary school. I gave them cards anyway. (Shhhh! I was a rebellious librarian!

 

[NHdisneylover]

At the library I worked for in New Hampshire it was when they could write their entire names. A two year old (without underlying issues) who wants a card CAN learn to write their name--I saw it happen many times--and encouraged it; we all did. That was also the rule in Michigan when we lived their but the librarians seemed VERY upset when my 2 year old wrote his name for them. They hemmed and hawed and said the rule "really meant" school aged but he did get his card (it was nota friendly library system and we hardly ever went--we found much better libraries in a neighboring town).
In Wyoming ANYONE who lived in town could have a card and DD got her first library card at 4 months at the suggestion of the librarian Totally fits as she is an avid reader now. She was actually geeking out yesterday coutning up her 5 currently active library cards (local town, nearby bigger city, nearby German American institute, Old NH card which she can still use to download audiobooks--we still own our home in NH so it is legit, and one for where her grandparents live which she got for summer visits). I love having a 12 year old who thinks she is hot stuff becuse of all her library cards

 

[Cloud9]

We just got my daughter her own card about a month ago. She has not learned to write or read cursive yet so the librarian had me sign that card, but the card is in her own name. She is very proud of her card.

 

[patchchild]

Around here it is as soon as you can write your name, but I think first name is enough.

 

[dougsmom98]

In my town it is 5 years old. It's kind of a pain because essentially my DD, who is four, uses my card like it is her very own anyway, so why not give her one of her own?

 

[laughinplace199]

In Boston, or at least in my branch of the BPL, kids have to be able to write their first name to get their own library card. My kids were about 4 when they got their cards.

 

[ShellyShellfish]

For us here in NY, it's kindergarten. Nothing about knowing how to write your name, they're more concerned about the grade level apparently.

 

[RMulieri]

Any age in my town, but the PARENT is the responsible party

 

[PollyannaMom]

Also writing your whole name here (does not have to be in cursive, can be printed.)

 

[la79al]

A few years ago it was 5 around here. They changed it and I got DDs at the beginning of summer. It may have been a few weeks before she turned 1. Her sister wanted her to sign up for the reading program and she needed her own card for that.

 

[pilesoflaundry]

In Boston, or at least in my branch of the BPL, kids have to be able to write their first name to get their own library card. My kids were about 4 when they got their cards.

I still have my very first Boston Public library card from when I was 4. It has just my first name on it That sucker is old

My kids miss having a library card, we usually use the one on base and that is just tied to your ID.

 

[annagirl]

Kids of any age can have a card here, so long as the parent fills out the form and signs for responsibility of materials. Daughter has had her own card since she was about 6.

 

[bumbershoot]

I don't even think our library cards have our names on them...we just use the keychain sized ones and there's not even room for a signature. So I don't even know when a kid can have it, b/c I'm always there with him, and it doesn't matter one little bit whose card it is.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

I never really saw the point of my kids having their own library card since they can't go the library alone anyway, but my DD is 13 now and sometimes I take her separate from the other kids for various reasons so she asked for her own card. The librarian said she normally doesn't issue them unless they're 16 or older (old enough to drive themself to the library), but since we're in there all the time she went ahead and gave her one.

 

[Colleen27]

As soon as they can write, and they don't require full names (thankfully - my DD7 was reading before she could legibly write our very long Polish last name!). DS got his at 5. DD was 3, because of the usual younger sibling drive to be just like her big brother.

 

[pixiewings71]

As soon as they can write, but the parents are responsible for any charges until they are 18. I just used my card to get the girls stuff, until last year when DD9 went on a class field trip to the library and they all got library cards. Now both girls have their own and they use them very well, we try to go to the library every couple of weeks. We all read a lot.

 

[LadyShea]

Our library allowed my 3yo to get his own card, I had to sign for him and accept responsibility of course. They seemed very pleased to start teaching him about the library so young, and are always super sweet and helpful to him. He has learned to check his own books out and back in, and ask the librarian for help (if she's not busy).

I viewed it as a learning experience, knowing it made no real practical difference.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I never really saw the point of my kids having their own library card since they can't go the library alone anyway, but my DD is 13 now and sometimes I take her separate from the other kids for various reasons so she asked for her own card. The librarian said she normally doesn't issue them unless they're 16 or older (old enough to drive themself to the library), but since we're in there all the time she went ahead and gave her one.

My kids are 10 and 12 and go to the library without me all the time (local branch on bikes and main city library on the tram). When I worked as a librarian in New Hampshire we were located next door to an elementary school. Kids as young as kindergarten walked over after school to wait for a parent to pick them up and often wanted to check things out while they waited. We also used to have kids come in with their friends (friends' parents driving) and want to check things out. In Michigan I babysat a friends' son 3 days a week. We went to the library story hour in his town on Wednesdays (my son was the same age) and his mom always sent his card so he could check out a book and I would not have to be responsible for it on my card. There are plenty of reasons for younger kids to have their own cards. My favourite reason though is that they tend to be very proud of that card and want to use it and then want to read what they borrow