#ygkChallenge: Get a Library Card
Welcome to Kingstonist’s weekly challenge, dare, resolution or whatever you prefer to call it. Each week we establish a new and ambitious community goal, encouraging our readers, followers, friends and families to step out of their comfort zones and do something great, and hopefully a little out of the ordinary. Consider this your official and personal invitation to join us in completing a small but meaningful achievement. By taking part in this community-wide initiative, we hope to make Kingston a slightly better place to live, work and play. And of course, we also hope that you will feel proud of your contribution and achievement.
This week’s challenge encourages you to:
Give yourself the gift of knowledge. Like all school kids, I made a trip to the public library to get my first card when I was in kindergarten. My love of reading grew from there and I would find myself polishing off a book a week for many years. As I got older and school work began demanding more of my attention, my reading slowed slightly, and when I got to University it was reserved almost entirely for textbooks. I’ve long since graduated and have managed to find the time for my long lost love: the book, however, my library card was from my hometown. I’m embarrassed to admit that it was only recently that I finally went out and acquired a Kingston Frontenac Public Library card and just by having it, I’ve found myself reading more. Our library system is excellent and we should all be taking advantage of the free books, DVDs, CDs and various other resources at our disposal. So go out and get yourself a library card! It’s free, it’s easy and it will open up a whole new world of possibilities.
Sign up and commit to completing this week’s challenge by commenting below with an “I’m in“, “challenge accepted“, “en garde” or something along those lines. Further, help us spread the word via Twitter and Facebook by sharing the link and encouraging the participation of your friends and family. By joining together in our weekly challenge, we hope to accomplish big and positive things for our community.
Or if you already have a library card, maybe take a trip to a branch you have never visited before. Kingston Transit can get you there: .
P.S. I'm in! Proud library card holder since 1999 and KFPL employee since 2006.
Here is an idea that promotes both the library and public transport. Through a summer collaboration, young holders of library cards are entitled to free rides on the bus network for the months of July and August. Those children 10 and younger must have an adult accompanying them. Children 11 to 13 can take buses anywhere by themselves.
Where this initiative has been taken in Ontario municipalities, the result has been increased numbers of young readers and of transit riders during a quiet time. For some adults, accompanying younger children, it’s a new experience!
That's terrific! Thanks for sharing!
Love this challenge!
I acquired KFPL library card when I first moved to Kingston. I also made use of the free internet in the week before the cable company hooked up my internet. I like the little tag you can put on your key ring. Once I tried using Ricki's tag to sign out a book at the self-check out by mistake:)
Just recently, I received an email from the library saying my card is expiring and that I need to bring proof of address to renew the card. Does anybody know why they introduced this feature? I've never seen it in any other city libraries that I've used in the past.
Hi Natalia,
Once a year we ask that people update their information. The email reminder part is new, but the We also need to ensure that our users are still living within Kingston or Frontenac County as the majority of our funding is municipal.
This is a fairly common practice as far as I know.
Feel free to email us at askalibrarian @ kfpl.ca if you have any other questions.