Nogales library promotes free cards, cultural passes for National Library Card Month

Karina Martinez, library supervisor for the Nogales Public Library, told the Board of Trustees that September is National Library Card Sign-up Month, an American Library Association observance, and encouraged residents to register for free cards to access library services.

Martinez said the campaign highlights that library cards “go beyond just books and movies,” offering online resources, cultural passes and access to programs and activities. She described branch-level events such as raffles, refreshments and a large poster of the new library-card design by a local artist that patrons can use for photos. “If you are renewing your library card or getting a new library card, you will be getting the new design that we are promoting,” Martinez said.

Martinez walked trustees through online registration: the City of Nogales website has a department page linking to a library-card form; once submitted, staff call patrons with their card numbers or to arrange pickup. She also noted the online catalog is updated monthly with recommendations and event calendars and that links from the catalog point back to the card form.

Trustees asked whether cultural passes are free; Martinez answered that with a library card the passes give two entries to partner sites including museums and zoos in the region. Board members confirmed that residency or citizenship is not required to obtain a card; Martinez said anyone may register if the library has contact information (name, phone number, email), including cross-border patrons.

A trustee asked whether the library will track sign-ups for September; Martinez said card-issue counts are kept in monthly statistics and she will share September numbers with the board next month.

The trustees did not take a formal vote on the presentation; Martinez’s presentation will be included in next month’s materials along with the reported statistics.