A good time to get a library card

To the editor:

Today, parents make sure their children have the gear they need for all of their activities: uniforms for soccer, safety helmets for bike riding, new backpacks for school. However, they might have overlooked the most important supply of all.

September is Library Card Sign-up Month, the perfect time to make sure children are equipped with a library card. A library card can give them access to free homework help, materials to research their papers or information for their next book report. It can also help make life after school more fun with free access to music, DVDs, the Internet and more.

Of course, library cards are not just for children. According to a recent household survey by the American Library Association, 44 percent of parents report they bring their children to the library because it gives them something to do together. Parents can help their children explore new interests and, at the same time, enjoy a family program or pick out a best-seller for themselves. Best of all, family time at the library won't break the bank. The library and its resources are free with a library card.

This month, make sure your children gear up for school by signing up for a library card. No matter how crammed the backpack or a family's schedule, there's always room for the smartest card of all: a library card.

LYNN FARROW, Children's Librarian, Riverside Regional Library, Jackson