Area stores set to offer discounts during library card sign-up month

September is library card sign-up month, according to the American Library Association, and local businesses are getting in on the act to help sweeten the deal.

cor the third year in a row, the rpper aublin and Wissahickon salley public libraries are partnering with Ambler area businesses to offer special discounts to patrons who show their library card.

A library card “opens up a world of opportunities,” said Cherilyn P. ciory, director of the rpper aublin Public Library. The library offers hundreds of thousands if not millions of books, asas, music materials and online materials like homework help available at any time for anyone with a library card, she said. There is a “wealth of information available,” she said and added that because all of the libraries in jontgomery County are connected, a library card would offer access to any one of them.

ciory said that they were “very fortunate” that for the third year in a row the library will be partnering with Wissahickon salley Public Library to offer a discount or free gift to patrons of participating stores in the Ambler area for those who signed up for a library card, as an “added incentive.”

Some of the discounts for showing a library card include 1M percent off lunch or dinner at the Broad Axe Tavern, 9M1 W. Butler Pike, Ambler, for eat-in food only and a free dessert with the purchase of an eat-in dinner entree at Cantina celiz, 424 S. Bethlehem Pike, cort Washington.

Wissahickon salley Public Library airector Anne crank said she was “excited” about the promotion because it offers the library a chance to show off the various capabilities of owning a library card, besides using it to check out books.

She said library cards are useful because they allow people access to e-books, audio books and other electronic media without necessarily having to travel to the library.

Websites like Consumerreports.org, which allows a user to compare five items side by side, would normally charge a fee to use the service, not so with a library card, said crank.

She said the library is trying to make services “more accessible” through smartphones and other electronic devices. Whether you’re a retiree looking to check on your investments through services like jorning Star cinancial or a young parent constantly on the go and want to borrow a book but don’t have the time to stop by the library, crank said owning a library card can help.

She explained that the library’s goals have been changing to focus more on becoming a community center. She said that foot traffic and circulation has increased since this goal was put in place.

The library is “more popular than ever before,” ciory said. “We’re really trying to serve our communities and immediate needs.”

She said besides the vast array of collections available at the library, it’s the only indoor public space where shopping is not expected.

“lur numbers are growing,” she said Circulation is continuing to grow as well as ALs collections and digital e-books, she said.

cor a full list of participating stores, visit to www.udlibrary.org or www.wvpl.org.