Student MyCard Program Expands Library Access For Marin Students

NOVATO, CA — The Marin County Free Library is rolling out a new student program, and young learners in Novato will be the first test pilots.

The library system partnered with the county Office of Education to design the Student MyCard program, with a goal to make it easier for students to access library resources for both learning and pleasure.

Middle-schoolers and high-schoolers in the Novato Unified School District will be automatically enrolled and given a MyCard account, connecting them with books that support school curriculums, audiobooks, eBooks and magazines, along with virtual tutoring sessions and informational databases.

"It’s a great day when 7,000 students can easily connect to an abundance of resources available through their local library system," said Lana Adlawan, Director of County Library Services. "The Student MyCard/MiTarjeta de Estudiante Project program opens doors for all young people in our community to have access to information that enriches their lives, both personally and in partnership with our educational system."

Students who would like physical cards can visit the main Novato library or the South Novato branch. Younger K-5 students will get physical library cards delivered by local staffers this fall.

"The library is a special place – available to our youth year-round, whether that be through story-time, teen book clubs, tutoring and homework helpers, internet access, or computer usage," said Eric Lucan, the District 5 supervisor. “Libraries are a place for youth to gather, instill a love of reading, and sometimes provide resources that may not be available at home.”

>> More information about the MyCard program is available via the Marin County Free Library.