September is National Library Card Sign Up Month — a time when the American Library Association and the Newton County Library System want to make sure that all children, teens and adults in Newton County have the smartest card of all — a library card.

Your library card gives you free access to music, DVDs, the Internet, books, audiobooks, music CDs, magazines, a host of electronic resources for everything from homework help to genealogy research and more.

The lives of students can be changed forever by public library programming and books. When school age children are provided with engaging programs and amazing collections, students from all backgrounds become excited and enthusiastic readers.

“Today’s libraries are thriving hubs of technology that many rely on as their first or only choice for computer and Internet access.  By providing this technology, our library provides the tools to be not only literate, but information literate as well,” said Greg Heid, director. “There’s a lot going in Newton County, and the best part for parents and children — especially in these hard economic times — is that it’s all free with a library card.”

Adult library card holders are using the library in greater numbers as well for a variety of reasons.  They could be researching job opportunities and preparing resumes, accessing the Internet, using the free tax services, attending programs where they can meet local authors, joining book clubs, or looking up ancestors in the Heritage Room.