Library Card Sign-up Month

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Autobots, roll out…to the library!

Whether you’re upgrading your skills, scouting for knowledge and information, or connecting with other heroic readers, a library card is your key to an arsenal of resources. Spark your creativity as a builder or programmer by tinkering in your library’s makerspace; mine the library’s stacks and databases for new stories and adventures; kickstart your critical thinking skills to defeat the Decepticons of misinformation lurking online. Hitting the road? Use your library card to fuel your mind with books, e-books, audiobooks, and museum passes.

ALA is teaming up with multiplatform entertainment company Skybound Entertainment and leading toy and game company Hasbro to encourage people to roll out to their libraries with the TRANSFORMERS franchise, featuring Optimus Prime, as part of Library Card Sign-Up Month in September. Read the full announcement.

Ways to Celebrate

1. Visit your library.

Visit your library to see what's new and take part in the celebration. Libraries across the country are participating. Do you have friends who don't have a library card? Invite them to sign up during September.

Try Something New at Your Library and Tell Us About it for a Chance To Win! September is Library Card Sign-up Month! ILovelibraries.org

2. Try something new at your library during September for a chance to win.

I Love Libraries is challenging everyone to try something new at their library during September and share their experience. Whether it’s exploring a new service, picking up a fresh skill, or even getting your very first library card, they want to hear about it. Everyone who participates will be entered in a random drawing for a chance to win some great prizes. Help spread the word in your community with these social media graphics:

Facebook Share | Instagram Share | Instagram Story Share | X (Twitter Share)

3. Help Spread the Word

Follow I Love Libraries, the American Library Association, and your library on social media, and share the social media graphics below to join the celebration.
#LibraryCardSignUpMonth

I Love Libraries: X (Twitter) @ILoveLibraries | Facebook @ILoveLibraries
American Library Association: X (Twitter) @ALALibrary | Facebook @AmericanLibraryAssociation | Instagram @americanlibraryassociation | Threads @americanlibraryassociation


Free Tools

Mini Posters

Mini-poster: Transformer Optimus Prime holds a large library card from Cybertron Public Library saying" Libraries, more than meets the eye...roll out with a library card." September is Library Card Sign-up Month.

Optimus Prime:

  • 8.5" x 11" mini poster (JPG) (PDF)
  • 8.5" x 11" mini poster with room to customize (JPG) (PDF)
  • 11" x 17" mini poster with room to customize (JPG) (PDF)

In Spanish:

  • 8.5" x 11" mini poster (JPG) (PDF)
  • 8.5" x 11" mini poster with room to customize (JPG) (PDF)
  • 11" x 17" mini poster with room to customize (JPG) (PDF)
Discover a universe of possibilities with a library card. September is Library Card Sign-up Month. Characters from the Transformers Beachcomber series sit atop a van and look up at the night sky.

Discover a Universe of Possibilities:

  • 8.5" x 11" mini poster (JPG)
  • 8.5" x 11" mini poster with room to customize (JPG)
  • 11" x 17" mini poster with room to customize (JPG)

Leap into your next adventure with a library card. September is Library Card Sign-up Month. A character from the Transformer series carries a boy on its arm.

Leap Into Your Next Adventure:

  • 8.5" x 11" mini poster (JPG)
  • 8.5" x 11" mini poster with room to customize (JPG)
  • 11" x 17" mini poster with room to customize (JPG)

Canva Templates

Showcase your library's collections and programs with these customizable Canva templates. You'll need to create an account to use the templates, but a free version is available. Not familiar with Canva? Check out these tutorials. Have an idea for a different Canva template? Let us know (campaign@ala.org).

"LIBRARIES: MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE!" Comic book-stylea template with areas to add your library's logo, photos, or text. Bottom text reads "September is Library Card Sign-up Month!"

"Libraries: More than meets the eye!" template with bookshelves background: Square social share | 8.5"x11" vertical | 8.5"x11" horizontal

This design in Spanish: Square social share | 8.5"x11" vertical | 8.5"x11" horizontal

Comic book-themed graphic promoting libraries and Library Card Sign-Up Month.

"Libraries: More than meets the eye!" template with red background: Square social share | 8.5"x11" vertical | 8.5"x11" horizontal

This design in Spanish: Square social share | 8.5"x11" vertical | 8.5"x11" horizontal

Assemble Your Library's Fandom!

It’s no secret that comics and graphic novels open a gateway to reading for many. In fact, libraries have been bolstering their comic collections for years, from popular new series to rare early editions. But did you know that when it comes to creating comics there is…more than meets the eye? From writing a compelling story, to drawing and coloring, to designing a layout that guides readers through the plot, visual storytelling takes real skills that anyone can learn. Every creator’s journey starts somewhere – your library can be part of that origin story.

A new library adventure is waiting to be told, and we have the tools to help! Creators can design their own comic book covers from scratch with exciting library-themed or blank templates, or practice and hone the fundamentals of coloring with free TRANSFORMERS cover art pages, originally drawn by TRANSFORMERS comic creator Daniel Warren Johnson and shared courtesy of Hasbro and Skybound Entertainment. Print them out for use in your library’s programming, share them digitally for creators to tinker with in their favorite design software, or even create your own library promotions using the cover templates alongside our other free tools.

Looking for comic panel pages? Check out these free templates from dadsworksheets.com.

Series
Side-by-side

Art created by Daniel Warren Johnson, courtesy of Hasbro and Skybound Entertainment

AUTOBOTS COLORING SHEETS

Download: PDF | JPG

DECEPTICONS COLORING SHEETS

Download: PDF | JPG


Merchandise

Full size TRANSFORMERS poster and bookmarks are available in the ALA Store!

Poster:

Poster and Bookmark Art by Marz Jr.

Artwork for library cards featuring Teansformers' Optimus Prime holding a book titled "Cybertron's Coolest Bots" and saying Roll out...and read.

Artwork for library cards featuring the Transformers' Optimus Prime is now available.

Learn more

Check Out Your Library

Check Out Fishing Rods (customizable social graphic for libraries)

Library Card Sign-up Month sponsor OverDrive has an exciting new initiative, Check Out Your Library (COYL)! This multi-year program is designed to help libraries attract new and returning patrons by showcasing the incredible resources your library offers.

COYL has free resources to highlight your library's offerings and drive community engagement, including social images you can customize right in Canva, printable posters and fliers, a logo kit, programming guide, and more!

Plus, COYL will feature dozens of in-person events that shine a spotlight on the amazing resources available at libraries. OverDrive's Digital Bookmobile has been rebranded as The Library Vehicle (LV) and recently hit the road outfitted with book and film content designed to bring people on board, engage them, and ultimately sign up for a library card if they don’t already have one. Check out the LV's Fiction and Film Tour schedule.

Library Card Sign-up Month History

The campaign started in 1987 as a response to then Secretary of Education William Bennett, who stated, “Let’s have a campaign … Every child should obtain a library card and use it.” Read a detailed account in this 2015 blog post at the American Library Association Archives, A Library Card for Every Child: Library Card Sign-Up Month, by Cara Bertram.


Contact Us:

We'd like to hear what your library has planned for Library Card Sign-up Month or answer your questions. Contact us at campaign@ala.org.


Library Card Sign-up Month is made possible with support from:

Transformers comic book cover featuring Optimus Prime

Thank you to Skybound Entertainment and Hasbro for allowing TRANSFORMERS character Optimus Prime to help spread the word about the value of a library card during Library Card Sign-up Month 2024.

The historic collaboration between Hasbro and Skybound, with TRANSFORMERS and G.I. JOE comics finding a new home with the publisher, kicked off last summer with the launch of an all-new shared universe and a reimagining of Hasbro’s Robots in Disguise for a brand-new generation. The Energon Universe has delivered a fresh new start for these franchises in Void Rivals by creator/writer Robert Kirkman (Invincible, The Walking Dead) and creator/artist Lorenzo De Felici (Oblivion Song), TRANSFORMERS by writer/artist Daniel Warren Johnson (Extremity, Do a Powerbomb) and artist Jorge Corona (Middlewest), Duke by writer Joshua Williamson (DC’s Superman, Dark Ride) and artist Tom Reilly (The Thing), and Cobra Commander by writer Joshua Williamson and artist Andrea Milana (Impact Winter: Rook), with new limited series Scarlett, from writer Kelly Thompson (Black Widow, Birds of Prey) and artist Marco Ferrari (Frontiersman)and Destro, from writer Dan Watters (Loki, Universal Monsters: Creature from the Black Lagoon Lives!) and artist Andrei Bressan (Dark Ride, Birthright) launching in June. Energon Universe graphic novels are available at libraries nationwide, with new releases to come throughout the year.

OverDrive logo

For 25 years OverDrive has been on a mission to provide access to compelling, easy-to-use digital materials that reach, engage, and satisfy readers. Since 2002 we have worked with ALA member libraries to invest how libraries lend eBooks and digital audiobooks. Visit Overdrive.com to learn more.

Sora: The student reading app

Sora, the student reading app, is the easiest way for schools to provide ebooks and audiobooks to students. Developed by OverDrive Education, this app supports school libraries and classroom reading as well as free access to the local public library using school credentials. Available for iOS, Android and Chromebook.

Libby. (logo)

OverDrive's free Libby app is the easiest way to get started with digital books, audiobooks, and magazines from your public library. Libby is available for Android, iOS, Windows 10, and some Chromebooks.

American Library Association Library Champions, investing in America's Libraries

ALA Library Champions support ALA’s efforts in raising public awareness about the value of libraries and librarians.