Cards & accounts
Get a library card
If you live in, or own property in, the Fox, Northwest, or Windsor school district boundaries, a Jefferson County Library card is free. Once you have one, borrowing is fine-free at every location.
Who qualifies
A resident card costs nothing if you live in, or own property in, the boundaries of JCL's active subdistricts, which currently match the Fox, Northwest, and Windsor school districts. Anyone under eighteen needs a parent or guardian's signature on the application, and that adult takes responsibility for the account.
Don't live in the district? You still have options:
- Non-resident card: $20 a quarter, $40 for six months, or $80 a year, covering everyone in your household.
- Educator's card: the non-resident fee is waived for teachers at Jefferson College or a K–12 school inside the district, with written proof of employment, renewed every September 1.
- Reciprocal card: free with photo ID and proof of residency if you live in the St. Louis County Library service area, or if you already carry a card from a Missouri Evergreen library such as Kirkwood or Webster Groves. Reciprocal cards can't check out Hoopla titles or WiFi hotspots.
- eCard: free, online-resources-only access for anyone eighteen or older in the district. Upgrade to a full resident card at any branch with photo ID.
What to bring
- Photo ID: a driver's license, state ID, passport, military ID, or, for students, a current school ID.
- For a free resident card, proof of your current address within the district: a utility bill, lease, tax receipt, or similar.
- If you're under eighteen, a parent or guardian to sign the application with you.
What your card unlocks
Once you have a card, it works the same at every JCL location. Place holds online or by phone, borrow from the Library of Things, including telescopes and WiFi hotspots, reserve a branch meeting room, and read or listen for free through Libby and Hoopla. Borrowing is fine-free: items still have due dates, but returning something late won't cost you (a few specialty items, like telescopes and hotspots, are the exception).
Sign up in four steps
- Bring photo ID: a driver's license, state ID, passport, military ID, or a current school ID if you're a student.
- For a free resident card, bring proof of your current address within the Fox, Northwest, or Windsor school district boundaries.
- Fill out and sign the application card at any branch. If you're under eighteen, a parent or guardian signs with you.
- Leave with a working card, ready the same day for holds, the Library of Things, meeting rooms, and Libby and Hoopla.
Once you're signed up
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BOOKS
Browse the shelf
New and recommended titles, book bundles, and how to request what we don't have.
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EVENTS
See this week's events
Storytimes, book clubs, and classes at every branch, filtered by location.
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LOT
Try the Library of Things
Telescopes, WiFi hotspots, and dozens of other things to borrow beyond books.