September is Library Card Sign-up Month — a time when libraries across the country, together with the American Library Association, remind parents that a library card is the most important school supply of all.

The North Olympic Library System believes that a library card is a key to success in life, so we make it easy for kids of all ages (and adults too, of course) to sign up.

To get started, just visit your local NOLS library with a photo ID. Youths younger than 15 who don’t have a photo ID can instead bring a parent or guardian and their ID.

A Limited Service Card, available to anyone with ID, allows you to borrow five items at a time. A Full Service Card allows unlimited borrowing, but requires proof of a current, Clallam County address.

Do you live in Jefferson County? Residents of other Washington counties are eligible for a Full Service NOLS card with photo ID, proof of current address and a library card from that community’s library.

There are other types of library cards as well. Educator Cards provide support for teachers to borrow library materials for classroom use under borrowing rules that better match classroom needs.

Educator Cards can be issued to those with a current NOLS card, photo ID and proof of educator or homeschool provider status.

Your library card opens your door to the NOLS collection, which includes books and magazines for all ages and interests, plus movies, music and audio books, available in both “hard” and downloadable e-formats.

But wait, there’s more!

The NOLS collection also includes “NOLS Gear,” cool, non-traditional items such as telescopes, rhythm kits, pedometers, geocaching kits, birding kits, walkie-talkies, iPads, book discussion kits, Kill-A-Watt Detectors (electricity usage monitors), Explore Olympic Daypacks (including day passes to Olympic National Park), outdoor games and seeds.

Finally, your library card also is your ticket to explore an array of useful, informative and life-changing online resources. NOLS subscribes to numerous resources to meet community needs, such as:

• Student, career and job resources

• Language-learning

• Microsoft online courses

• Consumer Reports and consumer research

• Medical and information

And many more! Online resources are available for free to library customers and most can be used from home.

This September, why not give the child in your life a back-to-school gift that they’ll never outgrow — get them a library card!

For more

For additional resources, stop in and visit the Sequim Library at 630 N. Sequim Ave., or get in touch with your friendly library staff by calling 360-683-1161 or sending an email to Discover@nols.org. The library always is open at www.nols.org.

Mary Coté is a customer service specialist with the North Olympic Library System.