I’m aware that this community is not usually happy with the content that’s available above-board for-free under-restriction. For instance, free with subscription, or free with ads.
But I have found myself obsessed with library cards recently.
Libraries grant access to pretty expansive collections even online: movies, tv, music, and ebooks are just the beginning. Genealogical resources, vehicle repair manuals, business contact databases, academic journals, and periodicals. One of my libraries granted me access to Udemy Business through Gale. I honestly can’t detail every database/collection/resource i’ve found available through the 4 libraries who have granted me useful access.
But I seem to have hit a wall. The New York Public Library says “visitors” may get a “temporary” card, but the number they gave me expired after 2 weeks and didnt get me access to any of their online offerings anyway.
Paris says they’ll happily issue me a card. All I need to do is fill out the form (in french?!) and show up in person with photo ID. /s
Surely, I’m not the only one who has decided to try to collect library cards like pokemon cards. I imagine there are philanthropic libraries or national libraries or something that I just don’t know how to look up. I’m looking for any library that will issue me a card regardless of residency, but for reference I am in the US if that’s the only residency requirement. Anyone got tips?
I use libby and have three cards. My county library, my city and a city I used to live in. Between those three I almost constantly have new books to read. I’ve read 19 book so far this year. All of them new release literary fiction and 16 of them through libby. With the right card it is really good. I went from dling 10 books a month to 1 a month so far this year.
ok well here’s a tip: Libby by Overdrive has different availability of resources depending on your institution, but the app allows you to load all the cards they know about. And they have some kind of affiliation with Kanopy (for movies and tv), who seems to have a universal collection, but limits access to some of their holdings using a ticketing system like carnival rides. More library cards means more tickets-per-month. And Hoopla is sort of a hybrid: it has ebooks, audiobooks, tv, movies AND MUSIC, but your library pays for so many items-per-day across all of its patrons, so if one of your libraries has hit its daily limit, just… switch cards.
We actually paid for a library card at the neighboring city because the have a much better collection, better online access (hoopla and Libby and Kanooy with less restrictions, our local town library is fully used up by morning most nights).
They also have a much better reciprocal museum pass selection, so we get big discounts on increasingly expensive museum tickets nearby.
You might have trouble getting free unrestricted library cards if you don’t live in the area that the library serves. They are usually paid for with taxes and aren’t there to serve people outside their community.
If you’re willing to pay for it, I know that the Ottawa Public Library in Canada offers membership for $90/year to people living outside Ottawa. You may find something similar at other libraries.
The Libraries and Archives of Canada will issue a card too, but you have to visit the archives in person and have a reason you are using the archives and not another library.
You might have trouble getting free unrestricted library cards if you don’t live in the area that the library serves. They are usually paid for with taxes and aren’t there to serve people outside their community.
yea. i realize this. but as i said, my inclination is that there is some philanthropic and national libraries that i just don’t know about that fit the bill.
edit:
i also got cards from my local library system, and the two major cities in my state. there’s a minor city, too that gave me one. so i have a pretty good stack, but they are all from my state.
Sorry to hear that. I live in the road and have had smaller libraries offer cards to me after getting several temporary passes. I think they like inflating their usage stats to help with funding so maybe they sometimes bend the rules. I might try and push the limits. It sounds like a fun quest.
i have to say, as i look around for libraries/library systems that offer what i want and i think about, for instance, the netflix or disney+ or whatever fees… libraries are dirt cheap even if i end up shelling out a couple bucks. netflix is what, 25 bucks a month now? that’s $300/year. i could get access to some pretty awesome libraries for that.
There is always the pirate life for those too. I have seen some small libraries with 3d printers and vr setups that seem to go somewhat unused. Those interest me.
I really love the idea of collecting library cards. I was collecting casino cards for a while but this sounds much more fun.
yo! great find! while the only one on the list that will issue a free card to non residents is in wisconsin, someone in the comments pointed us to sunnyvale california! woot. add another card to my libby stack.
Yes! I have 6 library cards myself and love them for the online access you can get these days. I have National Library of Australia and State Library of Victoria cards, as well as a few regional and metro library systems.
You could give the NLA a go. It has a resident or visitor to Aus requirement, but you don’t need ID. If you figured out an Aussie address and postcode you should be good to go.
i mean… i see how the us treats julian assange and kimdotcom… i’d hate to get caught infiltrating the australian government’s computer systems under false pretenses. if i ever get over the equator tho, i’ll be sure to check it out in person.
Careful with this. My buddy started collecting library cards. He had cards for all the neighboring towns, local universities, some out-of-state universities, etc… After he collected like 30 or 40, Libby banned him.
Personally I have three cards; My local public library, the public library from the largest city in the area, and the library from my hometown. Between those three, I can usually find anything I want.
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I use libby and have three cards. My county library, my city and a city I used to live in. Between those three I almost constantly have new books to read. I’ve read 19 book so far this year. All of them new release literary fiction and 16 of them through libby. With the right card it is really good. I went from dling 10 books a month to 1 a month so far this year.
Library punk is cool as hell.
Libraries are what i want anyway.
A library enjoying guide absolutely belongs here.
ok well here’s a tip: Libby by Overdrive has different availability of resources depending on your institution, but the app allows you to load all the cards they know about. And they have some kind of affiliation with Kanopy (for movies and tv), who seems to have a universal collection, but limits access to some of their holdings using a ticketing system like carnival rides. More library cards means more tickets-per-month. And Hoopla is sort of a hybrid: it has ebooks, audiobooks, tv, movies AND MUSIC, but your library pays for so many items-per-day across all of its patrons, so if one of your libraries has hit its daily limit, just… switch cards.
We actually paid for a library card at the neighboring city because the have a much better collection, better online access (hoopla and Libby and Kanooy with less restrictions, our local town library is fully used up by morning most nights).
They also have a much better reciprocal museum pass selection, so we get big discounts on increasingly expensive museum tickets nearby.
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MEK appears only to be available in hungarian, with some english, but i don’t know hungarian at all. maybe someone else will find this useful tho.
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most institutions will issue a physical card, but i don’t care if i get one as long as i get an account that grants me access.
I’ll check out mek
You might have trouble getting free unrestricted library cards if you don’t live in the area that the library serves. They are usually paid for with taxes and aren’t there to serve people outside their community.
If you’re willing to pay for it, I know that the Ottawa Public Library in Canada offers membership for $90/year to people living outside Ottawa. You may find something similar at other libraries.
The Libraries and Archives of Canada will issue a card too, but you have to visit the archives in person and have a reason you are using the archives and not another library.
yea. i realize this. but as i said, my inclination is that there is some philanthropic and national libraries that i just don’t know about that fit the bill.
edit:
i also got cards from my local library system, and the two major cities in my state. there’s a minor city, too that gave me one. so i have a pretty good stack, but they are all from my state.
You said you have found 4 useful ones. Which ones?
they are all in my state. I’d rather not say
We require a geoguessr player here /s
OP’s state is Depression.
stahp
Have you dug into the library of congress?
cursorily
I got one online from the Houston Library some time ago.
thanks! looks like they charge $40/y for nonresidents now
Sorry to hear that. I live in the road and have had smaller libraries offer cards to me after getting several temporary passes. I think they like inflating their usage stats to help with funding so maybe they sometimes bend the rules. I might try and push the limits. It sounds like a fun quest.
i have to say, as i look around for libraries/library systems that offer what i want and i think about, for instance, the netflix or disney+ or whatever fees… libraries are dirt cheap even if i end up shelling out a couple bucks. netflix is what, 25 bucks a month now? that’s $300/year. i could get access to some pretty awesome libraries for that.
There is always the pirate life for those too. I have seen some small libraries with 3d printers and vr setups that seem to go somewhat unused. Those interest me.
I really love the idea of collecting library cards. I was collecting casino cards for a while but this sounds much more fun.
I just found this article:
https://everyday-reading.com/where-you-can-get-a-non-resident-library-card/
yo! great find! while the only one on the list that will issue a free card to non residents is in wisconsin, someone in the comments pointed us to sunnyvale california! woot. add another card to my libby stack.
Anaheim has a free teir.
https://ana.ent.sirsi.net/client/en_US/virtual/search/registration/c/HZWS/true?
Sad face
I will get downvoted for that
you’re not wrong
😅😅😅 I was wrong about down votes
Yes! I have 6 library cards myself and love them for the online access you can get these days. I have National Library of Australia and State Library of Victoria cards, as well as a few regional and metro library systems.
You could give the NLA a go. It has a resident or visitor to Aus requirement, but you don’t need ID. If you figured out an Aussie address and postcode you should be good to go.
https://www.nla.gov.au/getting-started/join-us
i mean… i see how the us treats julian assange and kimdotcom… i’d hate to get caught infiltrating the australian government’s computer systems under false pretenses. if i ever get over the equator tho, i’ll be sure to check it out in person.
Yeah, you really should worry about Five Eyes. There’s a huge CIA installation in the Aussie outback called Pine Gap.
…But I don’t think they’ll abduct you to a black site over a fake library card.
Lismore, NSW, Australia will do it for free I believe. And BCLS in the US too.
thank you
Not a problem!
Careful with this. My buddy started collecting library cards. He had cards for all the neighboring towns, local universities, some out-of-state universities, etc… After he collected like 30 or 40, Libby banned him.
Personally I have three cards; My local public library, the public library from the largest city in the area, and the library from my hometown. Between those three, I can usually find anything I want.
good tip