09/09/2026
In 1902, a small brick building went up in downtown Bozeman, paid for in part by a grant from Andrew Carnegie, one of over 2,500 libraries he funded across the country. The idea behind those grants was almost radical for its time: that a person’s access to books and ideas shouldn’t depend on their income. You didn’t need money. You needed a library card.
Every September, libraries nationwide mark Library Card Sign-Up Month, and while the name suggests it’s about getting a card, it’s really a good moment to notice everything that card has been quietly doing for you all along.
You probably already use your card for books. But it also gets you audiobooks, movies, and shows, plus streaming from home, wifi and computers, and research databases you’d otherwise pay for. There are story times and summer programs for kids, and book clubs, cooking and nutrition classes, and technology classes for adults. If it’s been a while since you’ve looked at the Program Guide, pick one up at any library service desk.
If you’ve got a card, chances are someone in your life doesn’t: a neighbor, a new coworker, a college kid new to town. September’s an easy excuse to mention it to them! It costs nothing to pass along, and it might be exactly what they didn’t know they needed.
