How to Get a Library Card in Any U.S. State
How to Get a Library Card in Any U.S. State
A public library card is free for residents in every U.S. state — and it unlocks far more than books. Here’s exactly how to get one, online or in person.
By Megan Carter, Library Resources Editor · Updated August 7, 2026
In this guide
What you need to get a library card
Almost anyone who lives, works, attends school, or owns property in a library’s service area can get a free card. To sign up you’ll usually need two things: proof of identity (a photo ID such as a driver’s license or state ID) and proof of address (the ID itself, a piece of mail, a lease, or a utility bill). Requirements are set by each library system, so a nearby branch is the final word — but this combination works almost everywhere.
How to get a library card, step by step
1. Find your library. Look up the public library that serves your town or county (you can browse by state and city in our library directory).
2. Apply online through the library’s website or in person at any branch.
3. Verify your identity and address.
4. Get your card — a physical card at the desk, or a card number instantly online.
5. Start borrowing books, e-books, and more, in person and through apps like Libby.
Get a digital library card in minutes
Many library systems now issue an instant digital card. You register on the library’s website (or right inside the Libby app), confirm you live in the service area, and immediately get a card number you can use to borrow e-books and audiobooks and to sign in to your state’s online resources. A physical card can follow later if you want one for in-branch use.
Is a library card free? What it can cost
For residents, a public library card is free — that’s the whole point of a public library. Some systems sell an optional non-resident card (an annual fee) to people who live outside the service area but want borrowing privileges. Late fees are also increasingly a thing of the past: many U.S. libraries have gone fine-free for overdue items.
One card, many libraries: reciprocity and consortia
In much of the country your single card reaches far beyond one building. Regional consortia let you borrow across dozens of libraries with one card — for example the Jefferson County Library Cooperative around Birmingham, the Allegheny County Library Association around Pittsburgh, and Ocean State Libraries across Rhode Island. Ask your library whether it belongs to a shared network.
What your library card unlocks in every state
Beyond books, your free card signs you in to your state’s free online library — research databases, magazines and newspapers, learning tools, and e-books. Here’s the statewide resource in each state; for the full breakdown see our guide to free online library resources by state.
| State | Free statewide resource your card unlocks |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Alabama Virtual Library (AVL) |
| Alaska | SLED: Statewide Library Electronic Doorway |
| Arizona | Reading Arizona & the Digital Arizona Library (DAZL) |
| Arkansas | Traveler |
| California | SFPL Digital Collection (Libby, Kanopy & Discover & Go) |
| Colorado | Colorado State Library digital resources (via CLiC — Across Colorado Digital Consortium & AspenCat) |
| Connecticut | researchIT CT |
| Delaware | Delaware Libraries digital collection (Libby / Delaware Library Catalog) |
| District of Columbia | DC Public Library digital resources |
| Florida | Florida Electronic Library (FEL) |
| Georgia | GALILEO & PINES (Georgia Public Library Service) |
| Hawaii | HSPLS Digital Collections & Databases |
| Idaho | LiLI (Libraries Linking Idaho) |
| Illinois | Illinois Reliable Information Sources (IRIS) |
| Indiana | INSPIRE |
| Iowa | Bridges eLibrary |
| Kansas | State Library of Kansas eCard |
| Kentucky | Kentucky Libraries Unbound |
| Louisiana | Louisiana Library Connection |
| Maine | Digital Maine Library (formerly MARVEL! — Maine State Library / Maine InfoNet) |
| Maryland | Sailor / Maryland's Digital Library |
| Massachusetts | Boston Public Library eCard (Library for the Commonwealth) — with Commonwealth eBook Collections via the Massachusetts Library System |
| Michigan | Michigan eLibrary (MeL) |
| Minnesota | ELM (Electronic Library for Minnesota) |
| Mississippi | MAGNOLIA (Mississippi Library Commission) |
| Missouri | Missouri Libraries 2 Go (MOLIB2GO) |
| Montana | MontanaLibrary2Go (Montana State Library, on OverDrive) |
| Nebraska | NebraskAccess |
| Nevada | Nevada State Library statewide databases + Nevada State Library OverDrive collection (Nevada State Library, Archives and Public Records) |
| New Hampshire | New Hampshire Downloadable Books (Libby / OverDrive) |
| New Jersey | JerseyClicks (New Jersey State Library) |
| New Mexico | El Portal (New Mexico State Library) |
| New York | NOVELny (New York Online Virtual Electronic Library) |
| North Carolina | NC LIVE |
| North Dakota | North Dakota State Library Online Library Resources |
| Ohio | Ohio Web Library |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma Virtual Library |
| Oregon | Answerland |
| Pennsylvania | POWER Library |
| Rhode Island | AskRI.org |
| South Carolina | DISCUS – South Carolina's Virtual Library |
| South Dakota | South Dakota Titles To Go |
| Tennessee | Tennessee Electronic Library (TEL) |
| Texas | TexShare Databases |
| Utah | Utah's Online Public Library |
| Vermont | Vermont Online Library (VOL) & the Palace Project |
| Virginia | Find It Virginia |
| Washington | SPL Digital Collection (Libby / OverDrive, Kanopy & hoopla) |
| West Virginia | WVInfoDepot |
| Wisconsin | BadgerLink |
| Wyoming | GoWYLD.net |
Related guides
Free Online Library Resources by State →Borrow eBooks Free with Libby, hoopla & Kanopy →
Frequently Asked Questions
Megan Carter
Megan Carter is the Library Resources Editor at Public-Libraries.com, where she researches and explains how to get the most out of America’s public libraries — from library cards to free digital resources.
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