This September, St. John the Baptist Parish Library invites you to celebrate Library Card Sign-up Month and discover how a library card can hit all the right notes, no matter what your tastes are. With a library card, you can do more than check out books. From free classes and job resources to homework help, streaming media, and cultural events, today’s libraries connect communities to information, inspiration, and each other.
An initiative of the American Library Association, Library Card Sign-up Month has been held each September since 1987 to mark the beginning of the school year, combat illiteracy, and encourage communities everywhere to explore all the offerings that having a library card unlocks. This year’s theme, “A Library Card Hits All the Right Notes,” is a reminder that libraries offer something for everyone.
At St. John the Baptist Parish Library, you’ll find:
- Public computer and Wi-Fi access with copy/print/fax services.
- Books, DVDs, Playaways, E-books, and Audiobooks.
- Reservable meeting and study rooms of various sizes.
- Live, online K-12 tutoring and test preparation resources.
- Resume-building and career resources.
- A state-of-the-art MakerSpace, podcast room, teaching kitchen, and one button studio.
- Free, enriching programs for all ages, including but not limited to crafts, book discussions, STEM activities, holiday events, language classes, and horticulture workshops.
Check out these events planned for Library Card Sign-up Month:
Tune Into Your Library: Musical Showcase & Discovery Day – Live Music & Family Activities!
Saturday, September 12 from 12-4 PM (Live music from 1:30 – 3 PM) at the Reserve Branch
Join us for “Tune into Your Library,” a special family event celebrating Library Card Sign-Up Month! From 1:30-3 PM, enjoy live, outdoor musical performances by musicians from St. John Theatre, the East St. John High School Marching Wildcats, and the Black Magic Music Group Drumline. Seating is limited; please bring a chair!
From 12 to 4 PM, you can also grab your “backstage pass” and explore what St. John the Baptist Parish Library has to offer. You’ll find music-themed sensory play, crafts and STEM activities, hands-on games, light refreshments, giveaways, and information about community resources. Children’s story time will also be held at 12:30 PM and 3:30 PM.
Train Day at the Library – Featuring the Greater Baton Rouge Model Railroaders
Saturday, September 19 from 9 AM to 4 PM at the Reserve Branch
All aboard for a day of family fun! Join us at the Leroy D. Williams Memorial Library in Reserve for Train Day at the Library, a celebration for train lovers of all ages. Enjoy hands-on LEGO train tables, explore intricate model train layouts in a variety of scales including special appearances by Thomas & Friends as working model locomotives! Let little engineers play and create at activity stations designed just for them. Plus, enjoy photo ops, light refreshments, and plenty of surprises throughout the day. Whether you’re a lifelong rail fan or just along for the ride, this event is sure to be a hit!
Our Parish, Our Stories: Community Exhibition
All month long inside the Reserve Branch 1885 House
America’s history is a patchwork of countless local stories. This exhibition, comprised of photographs, keepsakes, and other memorabilia submitted by the community, helps tell the story of St. John the Baptist Parish and the families who reside here. Want to learn more about the memorabilia on display and reminisce with neighbors? A reception with light refreshments will be held on Tuesday, September 29 at 6 PM.
Learn more about other September events at the Library in the September 2026 edition of The Bookmark newsletter or by visiting stjohnlib.librarycalendar.com/events/month.
Getting a library card is free, easy, and empowering. For students, it’s a key to academic success. For adults, it’s a gateway to lifelong learning. For everyone, it’s a smart way to stay connected to your community.
This September, “B sharp” and sign up for a library card today! They are free to all who live, work, or attend school in St. John the Baptist Parish. Non-resident cards are also available for a $5 annual fee. Stop by any St. John the Baptist Parish Library branch to sign up or renew your library card today.