Tell us about your first library card

When I was in 7th grade, we lived in Navy housing in Hawaii. The library was down the street so that summer, I visited several times a week, checking out all the Nancy Drew, Cherry Ames and Sue Barton (both were nurses) books I could get my hands on. My mom begged me to go outside and play but all I wanted to do was read. Finally a girl my age moved in by us and I spent the rest of the summer outside riding bikes and climbing trees. Sweet memories.

When I was in first grade, we took a school field-trip to our local library, and all of the students received their own library card. I still have that card, complete with my first grade signature on it!

I'm sure I had a library card by kindergarten. we went there every week.. we owned few books but always got a lot from the library. then in first grade, we were allowed to get books out from school library. I usually had 10-30 books out between both of those. and read an average of 15 books a week through elementary school. in 6th grade, my best friend and I would take the bus downtown, and go to the main library.. I would get 4-5 books cause I had to haul them home and we did not use backpacks in those days.

I was a very early reader and a very fast reader. learned from my brothers' dick and jane books, so entered kindergarten as a reader. we rarely watched tv. and never in the evenings. I still remember reading wizard of oz in first grade.

We used to go to the little local library every other week. My parents would get home from work, we would have a quick dinner, and then go to the library. Love those memories and I can still picture the layout of the children’s area. I don’t know if the card was in my name or my parents, and I can’t remember when I got one in my name.

I don't remember my first library card, but I do remember visiting the bookmobile in the summer! Also remember looking through card catalog just because

I remember going to the library with my mom and brother when I was preschool age, but we borrowed books on her card. My first library card was at my aunt and uncle's local library in "upstate" NY (NYC suburbs) that I got when visiting them one summer for a week. It had to have been rhe summer before Kindergarten because I remember practicing to write my name so that I could get my own card.

I think I got my Brooklyn Public Library card when I was around 10 or 11 and old enough to walk there with my teenage aunt.

I always had a book in my hands when I was young. Strangest thing is that I really can't remember actually going to the store and buying any. I know that I used the school library and bought tons from scholastic book club, but I can't remember what store we would have bought books at- maybe National 5&10? In hs, I got a lot of books from my aunt and the library.

I was born in Nova Scotia but don't remember going to a library until we moved to Montreal when I was 7. I have vague memories of what the library looked like. The one series I remember reading from it was the Mary Poppins series.

Then when I was 10, we moved to Florida for 3 years and there was a Bookmobile that came to our area and we always went down to get some books out. We also went to the bigger library in town. I also got books out of the school library. At this time, I was into Trixie Beldon Mysteries, horse stories and historical fiction.

We moved back to Canada, north of Toronto, when I was 13 and then I could walk to the library. I spent a lot of time there. This is the first library, where I know for sure I had a card. I could also use this card at 2 other libraries in the region and I would take a bus there and bring home tons of books. I was always reading 3 or 4 books at the same time.

Now I have 3 library cards, for my town and the 2 towns closest to me. They each have a reciprocal agreement that we can get free cards. Other libraries I would need to pay an annual fee, but there are also at least 4 more libraries I could get a free card from. I read a lot, but more in the summer on our boat.

I have a lot of fond memories of libraries and book stores. I love book stores.

We lived in Chicago, not the actual city but a neighborhood outside of the city. I got my card when I was in Elementary school. We (my mom, brothers, and sister) always went to the library. We walked there. I was always in their summer reading program.

Such fond memories!

I was an adult when I got my first one. I grew up in small towns and they just checked me out and told me when they were due. The Bookmobile lady used to have me count how many books I was taking so she could make sure I got them all back to her. I was allowed to take 15 books from the bookmobile, whereas everyone else got 2. Bookmobile lady really liked me. 😁

Ds got his library card when he was three. It has his picture on it, and his smile is huge because he was so excited to have his own card. It's still his same library card, he turns 21 tomorrow.

Oh great, now I just burst into tears writing that. Damn it how can be possibly be 21? I want to go back and do it all again with him. 😢😢

I don't remember how old I was when I got my first library card. From as far back as I can remember we went to the library as a family pretty often. So did I have my own card or were we just using one family card I have no idea.

I do however remember a very contentious interaction with a librarian there when I was 6. I had checked out a book called The Shy Stegosaurus of Cricket Creek (Yep, 30 years later I remember the title). I read it, returned it on time. Something happened, who knows what, but the library had no record of me returning it. I got late fees piling up my parents refused to pay. They were there when I returned the book so they knew I wasn't lying about returning it. Eventually the library wouldn't let us check out any more books and there were some strong words thrown around between the librarian and my mom. All over something like $5 in fines. After that I have always been a tad afraid of libraries.

Our elementary school was a short walk from our small town library, which was located in the basement of our town hall.
Even though it was 60 years ago, I remember our class walking down to the library every week. I vividly remember the special cards the librarian made for us--they were light blue with a bird sticker on the top. When you filled up the card you got a new one with a different bird on top. It still makes me happy to think about how she instilled a love of books in the town's students.

I remember when the book mobile would drive through our neighborhood. I don't think we ever had a card for that. My first card was at the county library. I loved the smell of the library and all is books. I used to love watching the librarian stamp the library card with the due date. 

I have no idea how old I was when I got my first library card. I remember it was on a very heavy piece of paper. When you checked out books at the library, the librarian took a little card out of each book and filed those cards under your name so she would know who had checked out which books. She stamped the inside cover of each book with the date the book was due. Then she took your card, and wrote on the card the number of books you checked out and stamped the due date on the card. She then placed the card in a little envelope on the inside cover of one of the books you checked out.

I always thought it would be wonderful to be a librarian and stamp all those cards and books. I used to play library at home and I would air stamp all the library books and then hand them to my pretend library patron,