National Library Card Sign Up Month
A library card provides access to vast resources. Amber McNamara, Community Relations Manager of Cedar Rapids Public Library, discusses the benefits of having a library card.
Featuring:
Amber McNamara
Amber McNamara is the Community Relations Manager for the Cedar Rapids Public Library. She spends her days scheming new ways to draw the community into the library and the library into the community. She spent her career before libraries in nonprofit marketing, branding and communications. She has worked at the Cedar Rapids Public Library since 2009 and was highly involved in the redesign of the award-winning Library following a natural disaster. She has a BA in English from Cornell College. Transcription:
Amber McNamara (Guest): I think a library is a great representation of how a community feels about itself. It demonstrates its community pride and I also think that because the library is sort of the great equalizer, it’s an open door to everyone in the community, it’s really important that we invest in our library.
Bill Klaproth (Host): Meet Amber McNamara, Community Relations Manager Cedar Rapids Public Library.
Amber: The library is for everyone and we want everyone to explore it and find something in it that suits them and meets their needs.
Host: I’m Bill Klaproth. And this is Inside Cedar Rapids, a monthly podcast that introduces you to the people, projects and programs of your local government. And on this episode, we talk about National Library Card sign up month with Amber McNamara. Amber, welcome and thank you for your time. So, what does a library card offer to a citizen of Cedar Rapids?
Amber: Well a library card is actually kind of like a wonderful key. It’s going to give you access to a whole world of information right at your fingertips. The library has a vast collection of books; so thousands of titles to choose from. So, if you are a reader or looking for something good to read or if you are doing research perhaps, maybe you are a small business owner and you’re looking for some education; we’ve got those kinds of books. You can even put books on hold which is wonderful so your library card allows you to do that, which means that you basically go onto our website and you pick out what you want, and you put a hold on it and then you can go pick it up at the library when it’s convenient for you. Which is kind of amazing.
We also share our collection of materials with the libraries in Marion and Hiawatha, so we pass things back and forth which means you have access to even more books than the library in Cedar Rapids has ourselves. We also get access to movies; so you can check out DVDs. You can check out video games. You can even stream movies. So, we have a couple of different services where you can use your library card and PIN number that you set up just to download a movie directly to your Smart TV or to your phone if that’s how you want to watch it. You can also get access to a wide library of audiobooks and E-books. And we’re seeing more and more people accessing things like audiobooks so that they can listen to them while they are driving or when they are on their commute or if you’re like me, I like to listen to an audiobook when I’m at the gym. It helps the time go faster. And so, lots of materials and things that you can get just using your library card.
Host: What a great resource and a great way to save money and so many options available. So, you mentioned a library card. How does someone apply for a library card?
Amber: Yeah so you can actually start the application process by visiting our website at www.crlibrary.org or you can stop into one of our library locations at any point that we are open and stop at a desk and someone will get you signed up. And library cards are there for everyone who is a citizen of Cedar Rapids. You pay for that with your taxes. We want you to come in and use the services. And actually, anybody from Cedar Rapids, Hiawatha or Marion gets access to the same library card because again, we sort of share our collection of materials so your library card will work at any of those locations. And actually, it goes beyond that as well which is kind of cool. So, we contract with some neighboring cities likes Robins and Alburnett and all of rural unincorporated Linn County. So, if you live in any of those areas, you can come into the Cedar Rapids public library and get yourself a library card too.
And beyond that, we do something called open access. Which basically means if you live in the state of Iowa, in a community that has an accredited public library; you can get a library card in any other accredited library in the state. So, if you live in Des Moines and you want to get a Cedar Rapids public library card; we’ll help you out with that as well. And we try to make it as easy as possible. So, all you really need is a photo ID and if that ID has your current address on it, then that’s all you need to get signed up for a library card. Otherwise, we ask you to bring in a piece of mail that maybe has your address on it so that we can make sure we know where you live, and we’ll get you all signed up easy peasy when you come in.
Host: I love that. Easy peasy. So, it sounds like anyone can apply. There are no specific requirements or are there?
Amber: Right so, anybody can apply for a library card. We try to make it as easy as possible like I said. so, we actually have three different versions of library cards. You can get a metro library card which is a full library card that gets you unlimited check outs, you can put 50 different items on hold, and it gets you access to just the full array of services at the library. But if you are interested in a card that maybe doesn’t have quite a big limit so that you don’t maybe accidentally rack up too many fines for example, there’s a metro light library card and this is great for somebody who is worried maybe in the past they’ve struggled to keep those fines in check and they just don’t want to get themselves into trouble. That’s a great card for them. So, it gives them a ten item maximum checkout. So, they are not going to be checking out 50 different things and then not bring them back.
And the great thing about that is both of those all you need is your photo ID and like I said, something with proof of address. But say you are not in a situation where you have stable housing or you’re struggling a little bit, you don’t have proof of address; that’s okay too. We have something we call the Quick library card and you can come in; you can get it with just your name. We are just going to ask you your name and you can get access to a card that gets you three checkouts per visit and you can even put five things on hold and you wont be able to rack up those fines. And that just makes it easy for anybody in the community to get a card.
Host: And you had mentioned earlier online resources. There are several of them available that are really interesting. Can you tell us a little bit more about that and how someone would access them?
Amber: Yeah and this is a great resource that I think people just don’t know about. So, through the library’s website, which again is www.crlibrary.org, you can access things like Consumer Reports. So, say you are looking to purchase a new washing machine and you want to find out what the reports are and what the reviews are. Consumer Reports is a great resource for things like that. And you can get free access through the website.
Another resource we have there is Linda.com, so if you are not familiar with that, that is a place where you can go online, it’s a whole database full of videos that will train you on everything from Photoshop to social media marketing to really just a wide array of things. you can even gain access to something we call Job Now which will help you if you are someone who is looking for resources on how to write a resume or doing a job search.
Some other fun things that you can get through the website; we have something new this year called Adventure Pass. And this allows you, any adult library card holder can borrow a pass to several different fun locations in the state of Iowa just with their library card. So, we can get you access to four passes to Blank Park Zoo for example or the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium. You just pick the day that you want to go and download the passes and it’s really easy. So, those are just a few of the things, but if you explore the library’s website, you are going to discover that there’s a lot of stuff there that is really easy for you to download to your device or to use right from the website.
Host: So, to access or to download these things all you need is your library card and a PIN, is that right?
Amber: Right so, your library card and your PIN. You’ll get a four digit PIN when you sign up for your library card. And that’s really how you access everything.
Host: Okay so it’s very easy then. So we actually have two library locations in Cedar Rapids. Can you tell us about each of those locations?
Amber: Sure so, we have two like you said. the downtown library is right in the center of Cedar Rapids. It’s located at 450 Fifth Avenue SE and it’s open seven days a week. This is our largest location. It’s 94,000 square feet and includes the largest collection of library materials in the metro area. And it also has some wonderful spaces if you are looking for a quiet place to sit and read or meeting rooms. We have a wonderful selection of meeting rooms, a lot of different types of them in our downtown library. So you can have anything from a business meeting to a birthday party or even a wedding in our library. And that space also offers a green roof which we keep open during the warm weather months. So, lots of variety of spaces to explore.
And then our lab library is located at 3750 Williams Blvd SW. It’s a smaller library. It’s got easy parking and access to another collection of materials. It also has a meeting room and a couple of study rooms, great spaces to sit and read or study. Patrons can also pick up holds there which is really great if that’s a convenient location for you. And it also offers programs and entertainment throughout the year for all ages.
Host: And Amber, let’s talk about the many programs the library offers. Is it for all ages or just youth?
Amber: Yeah so, we do offer programs for everyone. And these include everything from your traditional story time because of course we’re going to do that all the way to programs like computer classes where we are teaching you skills that might help you get a better job or just help you connect with your family. We also do things like we are just beginning a new program this fall called Growing Readers which is a prenatal reading program so we’re trying to teach parents how to build that habit of reading to their children even before they are born. But we also do programs for seniors for example we offer a program called The More We Get Together which pairs senior citizens with younger children, and it’s built around a theme and they do stories and crafts together and it helps build those intergenerational connections which is really beautiful. But again, we offer things for all ages. So, if you are just interested in coming say to a kitting group, we have that for you. Or playing Scrabble with other adults. We have that for you as well. So, something for everyone.
Host: I love that. So, Amber as we wrap up, can you share with us one final thought you’d like to leave someone listening?
Amber: Yeah, I guess I would just want everyone to know that the library is for everyone and we want everyone to explore it and find something in it that suits them and meets their needs. And so, go onto our website, www.crlibrary.org or just drop into the library today, see what it’s all about and get that library card and start accessing those services.
Host: That we will, and Amber thank you so much for your time. It’s been great talking with you.
Amber: Excellent. Thank you.
Host: And for more information please visit www.cityofcr.com/podcast or www.crlibrary.org. And if you liked what you’ve heard please share it on your social channels and be sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and you can check out the full library at www.cityofcr.com/podcast. This is Inside Cedar Rapids. I’m Bill Klaproth. Thanks for listening.
Amber McNamara (Guest): I think a library is a great representation of how a community feels about itself. It demonstrates its community pride and I also think that because the library is sort of the great equalizer, it’s an open door to everyone in the community, it’s really important that we invest in our library.
Bill Klaproth (Host): Meet Amber McNamara, Community Relations Manager Cedar Rapids Public Library.
Amber: The library is for everyone and we want everyone to explore it and find something in it that suits them and meets their needs.
Host: I’m Bill Klaproth. And this is Inside Cedar Rapids, a monthly podcast that introduces you to the people, projects and programs of your local government. And on this episode, we talk about National Library Card sign up month with Amber McNamara. Amber, welcome and thank you for your time. So, what does a library card offer to a citizen of Cedar Rapids?
Amber: Well a library card is actually kind of like a wonderful key. It’s going to give you access to a whole world of information right at your fingertips. The library has a vast collection of books; so thousands of titles to choose from. So, if you are a reader or looking for something good to read or if you are doing research perhaps, maybe you are a small business owner and you’re looking for some education; we’ve got those kinds of books. You can even put books on hold which is wonderful so your library card allows you to do that, which means that you basically go onto our website and you pick out what you want, and you put a hold on it and then you can go pick it up at the library when it’s convenient for you. Which is kind of amazing.
We also share our collection of materials with the libraries in Marion and Hiawatha, so we pass things back and forth which means you have access to even more books than the library in Cedar Rapids has ourselves. We also get access to movies; so you can check out DVDs. You can check out video games. You can even stream movies. So, we have a couple of different services where you can use your library card and PIN number that you set up just to download a movie directly to your Smart TV or to your phone if that’s how you want to watch it. You can also get access to a wide library of audiobooks and E-books. And we’re seeing more and more people accessing things like audiobooks so that they can listen to them while they are driving or when they are on their commute or if you’re like me, I like to listen to an audiobook when I’m at the gym. It helps the time go faster. And so, lots of materials and things that you can get just using your library card.
Host: What a great resource and a great way to save money and so many options available. So, you mentioned a library card. How does someone apply for a library card?
Amber: Yeah so you can actually start the application process by visiting our website at www.crlibrary.org or you can stop into one of our library locations at any point that we are open and stop at a desk and someone will get you signed up. And library cards are there for everyone who is a citizen of Cedar Rapids. You pay for that with your taxes. We want you to come in and use the services. And actually, anybody from Cedar Rapids, Hiawatha or Marion gets access to the same library card because again, we sort of share our collection of materials so your library card will work at any of those locations. And actually, it goes beyond that as well which is kind of cool. So, we contract with some neighboring cities likes Robins and Alburnett and all of rural unincorporated Linn County. So, if you live in any of those areas, you can come into the Cedar Rapids public library and get yourself a library card too.
And beyond that, we do something called open access. Which basically means if you live in the state of Iowa, in a community that has an accredited public library; you can get a library card in any other accredited library in the state. So, if you live in Des Moines and you want to get a Cedar Rapids public library card; we’ll help you out with that as well. And we try to make it as easy as possible. So, all you really need is a photo ID and if that ID has your current address on it, then that’s all you need to get signed up for a library card. Otherwise, we ask you to bring in a piece of mail that maybe has your address on it so that we can make sure we know where you live, and we’ll get you all signed up easy peasy when you come in.
Host: I love that. Easy peasy. So, it sounds like anyone can apply. There are no specific requirements or are there?
Amber: Right so, anybody can apply for a library card. We try to make it as easy as possible like I said. so, we actually have three different versions of library cards. You can get a metro library card which is a full library card that gets you unlimited check outs, you can put 50 different items on hold, and it gets you access to just the full array of services at the library. But if you are interested in a card that maybe doesn’t have quite a big limit so that you don’t maybe accidentally rack up too many fines for example, there’s a metro light library card and this is great for somebody who is worried maybe in the past they’ve struggled to keep those fines in check and they just don’t want to get themselves into trouble. That’s a great card for them. So, it gives them a ten item maximum checkout. So, they are not going to be checking out 50 different things and then not bring them back.
And the great thing about that is both of those all you need is your photo ID and like I said, something with proof of address. But say you are not in a situation where you have stable housing or you’re struggling a little bit, you don’t have proof of address; that’s okay too. We have something we call the Quick library card and you can come in; you can get it with just your name. We are just going to ask you your name and you can get access to a card that gets you three checkouts per visit and you can even put five things on hold and you wont be able to rack up those fines. And that just makes it easy for anybody in the community to get a card.
Host: And you had mentioned earlier online resources. There are several of them available that are really interesting. Can you tell us a little bit more about that and how someone would access them?
Amber: Yeah and this is a great resource that I think people just don’t know about. So, through the library’s website, which again is www.crlibrary.org, you can access things like Consumer Reports. So, say you are looking to purchase a new washing machine and you want to find out what the reports are and what the reviews are. Consumer Reports is a great resource for things like that. And you can get free access through the website.
Another resource we have there is Linda.com, so if you are not familiar with that, that is a place where you can go online, it’s a whole database full of videos that will train you on everything from Photoshop to social media marketing to really just a wide array of things. you can even gain access to something we call Job Now which will help you if you are someone who is looking for resources on how to write a resume or doing a job search.
Some other fun things that you can get through the website; we have something new this year called Adventure Pass. And this allows you, any adult library card holder can borrow a pass to several different fun locations in the state of Iowa just with their library card. So, we can get you access to four passes to Blank Park Zoo for example or the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium. You just pick the day that you want to go and download the passes and it’s really easy. So, those are just a few of the things, but if you explore the library’s website, you are going to discover that there’s a lot of stuff there that is really easy for you to download to your device or to use right from the website.
Host: So, to access or to download these things all you need is your library card and a PIN, is that right?
Amber: Right so, your library card and your PIN. You’ll get a four digit PIN when you sign up for your library card. And that’s really how you access everything.
Host: Okay so it’s very easy then. So we actually have two library locations in Cedar Rapids. Can you tell us about each of those locations?
Amber: Sure so, we have two like you said. the downtown library is right in the center of Cedar Rapids. It’s located at 450 Fifth Avenue SE and it’s open seven days a week. This is our largest location. It’s 94,000 square feet and includes the largest collection of library materials in the metro area. And it also has some wonderful spaces if you are looking for a quiet place to sit and read or meeting rooms. We have a wonderful selection of meeting rooms, a lot of different types of them in our downtown library. So you can have anything from a business meeting to a birthday party or even a wedding in our library. And that space also offers a green roof which we keep open during the warm weather months. So, lots of variety of spaces to explore.
And then our lab library is located at 3750 Williams Blvd SW. It’s a smaller library. It’s got easy parking and access to another collection of materials. It also has a meeting room and a couple of study rooms, great spaces to sit and read or study. Patrons can also pick up holds there which is really great if that’s a convenient location for you. And it also offers programs and entertainment throughout the year for all ages.
Host: And Amber, let’s talk about the many programs the library offers. Is it for all ages or just youth?
Amber: Yeah so, we do offer programs for everyone. And these include everything from your traditional story time because of course we’re going to do that all the way to programs like computer classes where we are teaching you skills that might help you get a better job or just help you connect with your family. We also do things like we are just beginning a new program this fall called Growing Readers which is a prenatal reading program so we’re trying to teach parents how to build that habit of reading to their children even before they are born. But we also do programs for seniors for example we offer a program called The More We Get Together which pairs senior citizens with younger children, and it’s built around a theme and they do stories and crafts together and it helps build those intergenerational connections which is really beautiful. But again, we offer things for all ages. So, if you are just interested in coming say to a kitting group, we have that for you. Or playing Scrabble with other adults. We have that for you as well. So, something for everyone.
Host: I love that. So, Amber as we wrap up, can you share with us one final thought you’d like to leave someone listening?
Amber: Yeah, I guess I would just want everyone to know that the library is for everyone and we want everyone to explore it and find something in it that suits them and meets their needs. And so, go onto our website, www.crlibrary.org or just drop into the library today, see what it’s all about and get that library card and start accessing those services.
Host: That we will, and Amber thank you so much for your time. It’s been great talking with you.
Amber: Excellent. Thank you.
Host: And for more information please visit www.cityofcr.com/podcast or www.crlibrary.org. And if you liked what you’ve heard please share it on your social channels and be sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and you can check out the full library at www.cityofcr.com/podcast. This is Inside Cedar Rapids. I’m Bill Klaproth. Thanks for listening.