The Best Birthday Gift Ever: A Library Card!

You don’t have to wait until your child is old enough to read to get them a library card.

As a new parent, you’re probably looking for gifts to welcome your little one into the world, but what exactly can you get for a newborn? They haven’t developed many cognitive or motor skills necessary for enjoying most birthday gifts you’d think of, after all. Though it may sound a bit strange, we believe that a library card is the gift that keeps on giving, especially for newborns. Here’s why.

A Wealth of Books

Even though your baby won’t be able to read on their own for a few more years, you can and should start reading to them from day one. Exposure to language is developmentally important for children, so reading to your newborn will help them throughout their childhood. Regularly reading to your child has, for example, been linked to improved cognitive development, high vocabulary growth rates, and a stronger parent-child bond.

To read to your child daily, you need to have a variety of books. That’s where your local library comes in. With a library card, you can borrow new books whenever you need something to pique your child’s interest. There are books available for children of all ages, reading levels, and attention spans, so with enough searching, you’re more or less guaranteed to find something they’ll be excited to listen to.

Once they’re old enough to read on their own, you can start taking them to the library to pick out their own books, allowing them to really come into their own as a reader. 

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Library Storytimes

If you want to combine this language exposure with opportunities to acclimate your child to social situations, library storytimes are one of your best options. These storytime events are tailored to children's needs, encouraging kids to engage without overwhelming or overstimulating them.

These programs are open to kids of all ages, so we encourage you to bring your little one to library storytimes throughout their childhood. They’re the perfect place to spend quality time with kids their age, make new friends, and appreciate a good book in good company.

Resources for New Parents

When you become a first-time parent, you’re thrust headfirst into a lot of new territories. While the experience certainly is a beautiful one, it’s not without its rough edges. Though we often don’t talk about it, suddenly being responsible for a newborn can be stressful and confusing at times. In the moments when you’re feeling lost, you need a place to find answers. 

Aside from having plenty of books on the ins and outs of new parenthood, your local library offers something even more valuable: community. The library is a place where you, your partner, and your baby can go to find like-minded people who can guide you, advise you, and help you adjust to your new life as a family. It’s a simple, calm, and supportive environment, something which there are far too few of nowadays, and we feel it’s important to seek out and use those that remain.

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When Can My Child Get a Library Card?

Of course, you’re probably wondering whether you can get a library card for a newborn to begin with. Generally, the answer is yes, but it varies from state to state. Many states allow you to sign up your child from birth, while others have a minimum age requirement. (For example, Texas requires children to be at least five years old before they can sign up for a library card.) However, the age requirement is always low, so be sure to figure out the policy in your area, and apply for a library card for your child as soon as possible!

If you’d like to learn more about how libraries help parents of babies and small children, check out our stories for new parents today!

Visit www.everylibrary.org to learn more about our work on behalf of libraries.

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This work by EveryLibrary is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0