September is Library Card Sign-up Month!

September is Library Card Sign-up Month!

By Last Updated

Libraries have long served as centers of community and knowledge worldwide, and our patrons can take full advantage of our extensive facilities and materials.

Hillsborough County residents can unlock a world of entertaining and valuable knowledge and resources by signing up for a library card, including access to thousands of print and electronic books and databases.

For younger residents, we also offer plenty of resources they can explore to assist with school or discover personal interests. Please enjoy this selection of picture books and biographies that show children the history and fun of libraries.

A Big Surprise for Little Card by Charise Mericle Harper

Having been training to become a birthday card, Little Card is disappointed when he’s told there’s been a mix-up and he’s actually supposed to be a library card. Will his joyous personality clash with the rules of the library?

The Man Who Loved Libraries: The Story of Andrew Carnegie by Andrew Larsen

This stylized biography of philanthropist Andrew Carnegie discusses his life and how he helped fund the construction of over 2,500 public libraries worldwide.

Never Give a Baby a Library Card by Erin Sandberg

A fun-hating “shouty man” espouses the dangers of giving babies a library card, warning of all the knowledge they could gain and all the new things they could learn to do.

A Library by Nikki Giovanni

Poet Nikki Giovanni pens a charming ode to public libraries through the eyes of a girl returning library books, showing how she uses books to escape into a world of imagination and ideas.

Our Incredible Library Book by Caroline Crowe

This charming book follows a library book as it circulates through a community. While the book sustains some damage, it serves as a reminder of how much the book is enjoyed by those who read it.

Unstoppable John: How John Lewis Got His Library Card — and Helped Change History by Pat Zietlow Miller

This biography tells the story of John Lewis, who, after being denied a library card, became a prominent civil rights advocate against segregation in public spaces.

Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen

In this story of the importance of following rules, a friendly lion starts frequenting his local library and becomes the assistant of the librarian Miss Merriweather, making sure to always follow the rules of the building. When she gets into trouble, however, the lion must decide whether to break the rules of the place that has accepted him in order to help his friend.

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Originally published in the September 2026 issue of Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine.