Everything you can do with your San Antonio Public Library card
The San Antonio Public Library offers a variety of free benefits. Here’s everything you can do with your library card.
Growing up, I used to watch the PBS show “Arthur” on a near-constant loop. While many of the episodes have become hazy in my memory over the two decades that have passed since then, one has continued to stick with me: “D.W.’s Library Card.” For those unfamiliar with the world of “Arthur,” the show centers on Arthur and his family and friends as they navigate everyday life. For the context of this episode, D.W. is Arthur’s little sister, and you follow along with the two of them as D.W. gets her first library card, learns how to read and write, and falls in love with a book, “Hopalong the Frog.” It’s a simple premise, but it shows how libraries give you an opportunity to learn while also finding a sense of joy and community. It also provided an iconic meme that I think about every time I go to the library myself (which is about once a week). In the meme—which is taken directly from a scene in the episode—D.W. is holding up her brand new library card and says, “And now I can take out any book I want! Now I know what true power feels like.”
That, more than anything, captures what having a free library card means to me. With it, I gain access to thousands of worlds, countless services, and a wealth of information I would miss out on otherwise. A library is more than just a home for books, magazines, and newspapers—it’s an essential part of every community and provides people with access to computers, Wi-Fi, literacy assistance, digital collections, printing services, and so much more. If you have a library card with the San Antonio Public Library, you get all of those things plus genealogy resources, art gallery admittance, and a variety of educational programs for members of all ages.
Signing up for a free library card is easy, and it’s one of the most rewarding, powerful things you can do for yourself and your family. Below, I’m going to walk you through how to get your card online and in-person before detailing everything you can do once you have it. And then maybe, just maybe, you’ll feel like D.W. too the next time you go to the library to check out a new book, print out your resume, or attend a community event.
Here’s how you can get your free library card
At the San Antonio Public Library, you can sign up for a temporary digital library card that’s good for 90 days, or a permanent card that lasts as long as your residency in the area. Let’s go over both options.
Temporary digital card
Temporary digital library cards are available for free through the San Antonio Public Library. The 90-day SAPL eCard only grants access to digital books, magazines, and databases. If you want to check out a physical book, you’ll need to complete the full library card application, which we’ll talk about in the next section. Friendly reminder that to be eligible for a library card, digital or otherwise, you must live in Texas and provide a Texas address.
The SAPL eCard allows you to check out eBooks, eAudiobooks, and eMagazines from Libby, which is a free digital library app. You’ll also be able to access online databases, and stream television shows and movies through Kanopy, free of charge.
To sign up for your temporary digital card, click this link, then scroll down until you see the purple button labeled “Register for 90 Day eCard.” (Note: Instructions are available in both English and Spanish.) After you click that purple button, a new page will pop up titled “Online Registration.” You’ll need to fill out the form accordingly by providing your name, birthdate, address, phone number, and email address. The form requires you to create a password on this page, as you’ll need that password, along with your email address, to access your digital library card.
Once the form is complete, just hit the purple “Register” button at the bottom of the page, and you’ll be good to go!
In-person registration
Signing up for a physical library card is a slightly longer process, but it’s still easy to do. Your physical card is permanent and will last as long as you’re a San Antonio resident. If you move to a different city or state, you’d simply repeat this process in a new location, as library cards are dependent upon your residency.
First, click this link to find the closest San Antonio Public Library location to you. There are 31 branches to choose from. Before you go, make sure you have proof of address and a valid photo ID ready to verify your identity and residency. A complete list of acceptable forms of ID and proof of address can be found here, but I’ll go over a few options now so you have an idea of what you’ll need.
The following forms of ID are accepted for your library card application:
- State-issued driver’s license or ID
- Federal ID
- Membership ID (gym)
- Military ID
- Bank Card
- Club Card (like Costco)
- Bexar County Mug Shot
The following documents are accepted as proof of address:
- Bank account statement
- Court order
- Lease agreement
- Medical bill
- Pre-printed checks
- Rent receipt
- Cell phone or utility bill
If you want to sign up for a library card and you’re under the age of 18, you may do so by presenting these same documents, or by visiting the library with a parent or legal guardian who can assist you in filling out the forms and verifying your identity. More information on juvenile library cards can be found here.
Children and early childhood services
Once you have your library card, the world is your oyster! Several programs exist for residents of all ages, including children. Kanopy, the digital streaming service we talked about earlier, has an entire kids’ section where you can watch shows like “The Wiggles,” “Blippi,” “Cocomelon,” and “Lyla In The Loop” for free. Given the rising costs of streaming services, it’s nice to have this option.
There’s also a full Events Calendar you can browse by clicking this link. There’s Spanish, Toddler, and Baby storytimes, as well as a LEGO lounge, outdoor activities, and even scheduled times where you and your family can read to a dog. Which is, quite frankly, the most adorable thing I’ve ever heard in my life.
In terms of early childhood services, the San Antonio Public Library runs the LITTLE RED WAGON program, which helps young children learn how to read and develop a lifelong love of books and learning. (Insert that D.W. meme from earlier here). You can learn more about that program and additional offerings at the following link.
For a complete list of what you gain access to for your kids when you sign up for a library card, including reading lists, click here.
Teen services
The library has been a haven for me for my entire life. As a teenager, I knew if my mom was working late and my friends were busy, I could always head to the library to chat with the librarians, get my homework done, and pick up a new book to read. I spent almost every single free study period at my school’s library, and I’ve been fond of that experience ever since. For teens in San Antonio, the Public Library is hoping to foster that same feeling.
Programs like “Lock in for Finals” give teens the ability to study for their tests in a quiet, welcoming environment. The library provides silent activities to do in between cramming for an exam, and they supply free coffee as well for students who need a boost to get them through. Other activities, like “Teen Music Monday” and “Tobin Teen Hangout,” are designed to encourage teens to spend time together and learn something new.
Holiday movie marathons, Dungeons & Dragons tournaments, and other events are held throughout the year. Here are all the teen services offered through the San Antonio Public Library system.
Adult and senior services
Don’t worry, kids and teens aren’t the only ones who can have fun with a brand new library card. Adult and senior services are also available and include things like the adult education program, which teaches computer skills through seven designated labs. This program helps people prep for the job market and operates on walk-in hours, so you can attend whenever you have the time to do so. This link will give you more information on the education program.
Special events are held throughout the year for adults and seniors, just like they are for kids and teens. There’s Tai Chi, a Breast Cancer Support Group, creative art classes, table tennis, mahjong, a Spanish conversation club, and more. You can browse the full events calendar here, and additional adult services here.
Older adults and seniors who are looking for resources, assistance, events, and other offerings can follow this link or speak with a librarian in person to go over the options together that way.
Other offerings
Additional offerings, like browsing the San Antonio Public Library’s art gallery, printing and copying documents, using the library’s computers, and accessing art resources, along with several other exciting things, can be found here.
I hope that getting your library card gives you the same feeling that it has given me and D.W., and that you discover something new every single time you walk through those library doors.
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