Your Connection To Everything: Get A Library Card

A library card is your connection to everything. But what exactly does that mean? Read on, friend.
Posted on 16 September 2020 by Gillian.

We think everyone in Medicine Hat should have a library card. It just makes good sense! Whether you want to expand your intellectual capacity and become as wise as Mayor Linnsie Clark (pictured above), or you just want to keep abreast of the daily news coming from around the world - a library card is your connection to everything. And right now they're FREE! 

If you're not sure what exactly your library card gives you access to, take a look at our quick guide below. 


What can I do with my library card?

Borrow physical materials like books, cookbooks, graphic novels, movies (remember Blockbuster?; we can be your Blockbuster!), music, video games, audiobooks, and more. To search our catalogue of materials, visit mhpl.bibliocommons.com


Access a BUNCH of great online resources, like:

  • Overdrive - download eBooks, eAudiobooks, and magazines. Get the Libby app on your smartphone or tablet to make downloading a breeze! We also have Overdrive access for Kids & Teens
  • PressReader - digital newspapers from around the world and at home (yes, the digital edition of the Medicine Hat News is free to read with your library card - but you have to be inside the Library). 
  • Gale Courses - 350+ online, instructor-led learning classes
  • Solaro - homework help for students in grades 3 - 12. (yay!)
  • Pronunciator - language learning tool, over 150 languages to choose from!
  • Consumer Reports - become a savvy consumer by checking review data on Consumer Reports before making your next big purchase. Your wallet will thank you.
  • Ancestry - research your family tree with this popular genealogical database (available inside the Library only). 
  • TumbleBooks - an online collection of animated, talking picture books which teach young children the joys of reading.

This just scratches the surface of all the things that you can do with your library card. Browse through our page of All Online Resources. For a more comprehensive list, take a look at the blog post we published for our 103rd Anniversary (we're turning 105 this year!): 103 Reasons to Have a Library Card


Sold! How do I get a card?

Bring a piece of photo ID to the Library and we'll get you all signed up. If you can't get here right away, start a 90-Day Free Trial to access our online resources. If you've had a card before and it just needs to be renewed, complete our online renewal form.

Now, go forth and tell your friends all about what you've learned here. :)

Featured Article:

New Library Card Sponsor: Elizabeth McNally Real Estate Collective

Buying or selling a home can be stressful for everyone involved in the process. Selling one of the city’s premier real estate agencies on sponsoring library cards was the complete opposite.“As one of the initial sponsors, we were drawn to the program's commitment to literacy—a cause we wholeheartedly support,” says Elizabeth McNally, team lead of Real Estate Collective (REC). “Literacy, to us, is not merely a pursuit but a cornerstone of empowerment. We are enthusiastic about the opportunity to contribute to such…...read more
Apr. 9, '24