By Craig Scott
There’s something wonderfully timeless about holding a library card in your hand. It’s small, simple, and made of plastic — but it represents an enormous world of possibility.
Whether you’re a child discovering stories for the first time, a teen exploring new interests or an adult seeking lifelong learning, a library card is your personal key to knowledge, imagination and opportunity.
At the Gadsden Public Library, we believe that a library card is more than just a pass to borrow books. It’s an invitation: to explore, to learn, to grow, and to connect with your community. And best of all, there’s a perfect library card for every age.
For Children: A First Step Into a Big World
A Children’s Library Card is often the very first card a child ever receives — and the pride on their faces says it all. With this card, kids can check out materials from the Children’s Library, giving them access to picture books, early readers, chapter books, audiobooks and more. It’s the perfect starting point for building literacy skills, feeding curiosity and nurturing a lifelong love of stories. Parents or guardians simply need to sign the application — and then the adventure begins.
For Teens: Freedom to Explore
A Teen Library Card opens even more doors. Available to young people ages 13 to 17, it grants access to both the Children’s and Teen Library collections. That means more choices, more voices and more chances for teens to find books that speak to their growing independence. Graphic novels, homework resources, young adult fiction and materials that support personal interests — all become available with one card. Parents still provide the signature, but teens get the empowerment of choosing what interests them most.
For Adults: The “All Access” Pass
An Adult Library Card is the full experience. With it, patrons can check out materials from every area of the library. Books, DVDs, audiobooks, research resources, local history materials — you name it, it’s yours to explore. For adults, a library card is a tool for learning new skills, staying informed, or simply enjoying a good story at the end of a long day.
Why It Matters
In a world filled with screens, subscriptions, and rising costs, a library card stands out as one of the rare treasures that offers unlimited value — for free. It opens pathways to better reading habits, stronger academic skills and a deeper sense of community. It encourages curiosity at every age. And perhaps most importantly, it gives every person — child, teen, or adult — the sense that the world of ideas belongs to them.
So, if you haven’t signed up for a library card yet — or if someone in your household is ready for their first — there’s never been a better time. Come visit us at the Gadsden Public Library. Your next great story begins with a card no bigger than your hand… but with the power to open worlds.
Craig Scott is the library director of the Gadsden Public Library and a past president of the Alabama Library Association (ALLA). Visit Gadsden Public Library at 254 South College Street in downtown Gadsden next to the U.S. Post Office or Gadsden Public Library Genealogy Branch at 2700 West Meighan Boulevard in Alabama City on the corner of Meighan and Wall Street. Call the College Street branch at 256-549-4699 or call the Genealogy branch 256-549-4688. For more information visit www.gadsdenlibrary.org.
