We all know that library cards act as unsung heroes for finding the best books, right? What you may not know is that they can do so much more. So for mamas who want to give their kids a great time and pay less, we’re going to tell you why you should make sure you’re signed up for a Multnomah County library card. For starters, you’ll have access to passes to local attractions, technology, and streaming apps. Sound good? Let’s get started!

Hoopla and Kanopy

Hoopla and Kanopy are both streaming apps you can access with a library card. Hoopla acts as an all-in-one platform. You can use it for movies, television shows, ebooks, music, and more. One tip to keep in mind, though, is that each library has a limited number of daily checkouts. So if it says you’ve run out or that you can try again, try the next morning. Be early so you can get what you need. Kanopy is more for movies, but it has rare collections and movies you might not be able to see anywhere else, including award winners. 

Language 

We all know that when your children get older, they’ll need to take language courses. Your library card makes that easy because it’s connected to the Mango app that will help you learn for free. The best part? You have a great number of languages to choose from, so you can get creative. 

Libby

Libby is a great library benefit. Does your library not have the book you want in stock? Check Libby. Chances are, you’ll find it there. Got a favorite author? You’ll find them too. They’ve got thousands of ebooks and audiobooks for readers, making it super easy to read twice as much as you do now. Side note: If you don’t want your kids exposed to things you don’t want them seeing, set parental controls. 

No Fines 

This will help if you want to get your kids reading this fall. We all love reading, but we also know that when things get busy, those books might be sitting on the shelf for a minute, and if that’s the case, the days of having to pay a $70 fine are over (kid you not, this happened to someone I know personally). Now, most people wouldn’t be paying that much anyway because that’s for when you lose the book and find it like a month or six later, but for those that find it annoying, having no fines means you can check out as many as you like, and if you miss the deadline by a day, you won’t have to pay up. 

The Discovery Pass

Moms and dads, you’re going to LOVE this one. The Discovery Pass has partnered with organizations to give families the chance to see what the local county has to offer. Instructions are available here, and they show what is available. Keep in mind you can reserve only two passes a month, but that is twelve a year, which is great! Currently, available passes include the Japanese American Museum of Oregon, the Northwest Children’s Theater and School, the Portland Art Museum, and the Portland Center Stage at the Armory. Still, there are about a dozen others to explore!

If you want to reserve these passes, they are limited, so book right away before they run out. They’ll include instructions on how to print the pass and what you need to do, making it easy to get the ones you want. Be sure to check back every month, as you may get more options. You can also book three months in advance, so jump on those tickets while they last!

Makerspace

If you have teens, this one is for them. You can use 3-D printers, laser cutters, and other machines, which makes the makerspace amazing for teens. It’s for grades six through twelve and can be a great experience for your teen to discover their creativity and have a lot of fun. 

Learning 

This one is for parents, but if your goal this fall is to learn a new skill, this will help a lot. Your library card will get you free access to LinkedIn Learning, which offers tons of business and coding classes to give you some new skills that can help make your resume stand out more than it does now. However, if coding and business aren’t your thing, don’t worry. They’ve got classes on graphic design, photography, and other creative outlets to explore, as well as about a half-dozen languages you can learn. 

Go Exploring!

One of the things that makes libraries so much fun in the fall is that you can have a great time with your kids learning new things through books like Pumpkin Soup by Helen Cooper, which comes with a recipe you can try, or books about kids solving mysteries and exploring the world around them. You can also explore your city and have a great time with the passes. Have fun using your card to the fullest and making fun memories this fall!