Get a Library Card

Children who are able to sign their first name up through age 15 who live at the same address as a Union Township resident may get a library card with parental/guardian signature and parental/guardian identification. The child and the parent must both be present when the card is issued. Consenting parents/guardians acknowledge responsibility for items borrowed, fees incurred, and their child’s selection of materials. 

Teens ages 16 through 17 may be issued a library card without parental signature by presenting their own photo identification and current proof of residency. 

Emancipated minors who have proof of their court-ordered emancipation may receive an adult library card without parental consent and by also presenting their own photo identification and current proof of residency.

In accordance with state law, any student who attends a public or private school located at least in part within the library’s taxing district – basically all public and private school students in Montgomery County – may also receive a free library card with us. Student residents of Coal Creek, Wayne, Ripley, and Walnut Townships will receive a resident Student Card. Student residents of Franklin, Madison, Brown, Sugar Creek, Scott, and Clark Townships will receive a special non-resident student card.

If you do not live in Union Township and only need a card to log on to our public computers, you may get a Computer Access Card at no cost. You may obtain this card at the Circulation Desk by showing a valid photo ID. Union Township residents with blocked cards, due to non-returned items or unpaid fees, may also sign up for a Computer Access Card. This card will not allow you to check out items from our physical or digital collections.

Children and teens ages 10-16 may get a Computer Access card only with parent/guardian signature and parent/guardian ID. Children younger than 10 are not eligible for a computer access card. 

All Montgomery County libraries have reciprocal borrowing agreements that allow patrons of each library to borrow materials from the other library. If you live in one of the following townships and have a current card in good standing with your local library, you may bring it in to get a Reciprocal Borrower Card at no charge from us.

• Madison Township: Linden Public Library
• Brown Township: Waveland Public Library
• Sugar Creek & Franklin Townships: Darlington Public Library
• Clark, Scott & Walnut Townships: Ladoga-Clark Public Library
  If you live outside Montgomery County, your local library may also have a reciprocal borrowing agreement with us. A full list of all the libraries in Indiana that participate in reciprocal borrowing is available to view at our Circulation desk.

If you live in a township that does not pay taxes toward library services (Coal Creek, Wayne, and Ripley Townships) and your circumstances do not apply for any of our Special Non-Resident Cards, you may still receive a library card from us by paying the current annual non-resident fee, which in 2024 is $72.00, to obtain a Non-Resident Card. This cost is equivalent to what Union Township residents pay on average in taxes annually for library services.

If you are temporarily visiting Union Township, you can pay the equivalent of the prorated non-resident fee to receive a library card for a shorter amount of time. The fee is non-refundable, and the fee depends on the length of use. There is a limit on how many items may be checked out at one time.

The cost of the card is $18 for 1-3 months; $48 for 4-8 months; or $72 for 9-12 months.

Special Non-Resident Cards are issued at no charge to non-resident patrons who live outside of the library’s taxing district of Union Township, in accordance with state law and under the following circumstances:

• Wabash Card: Issued to a Wabash College student who does not have a Union Township home address. The card expires according to the date on the student’s Wabash ID. 

• Ivy Tech Card: Issued to an Ivy Tech student who does not have a Union Township home address. The card expires according to the date on the student’s Ivy Tech ID.

• Taxpayer Card: Issued to a person who lives outside of Union Township who owns residential or commercial property in Union Township. The patron must show a current tax receipt.

• Teacher Card: Issued to educators who teach in a public school located either wholly or partially within the library’s taxing district. Proof of employment must be provided. This card may be used for educational work only. Personal items should be checked out on a personal card.
• Student Card: Issued to students, in accordance with state law, who attend a public or private school located at least in part within the library’s taxing district – basically all public and private school students in Montgomery County. Student residents of Coal Creek, Wayne, Ripley, and Walnut Townships will receive a resident Student Card. Student residents of Franklin, Madison, Brown, Sugar Creek, Scott, and Clark Townships will receive a special non-resident student card.

If you are already a CDPL patron with a library card in good standing, a Public Library Access Card (PLAC) is a statewide card that may be used to check out materials directly from any public library in Indiana. A PLAC card must be purchased at a person’s local library. The CDPL patron must have a current card in good standing at this library. The current charge is $65.00 per year, effective January 1 through December 31. This is an individual card for use only by the cardholder.

This card may be issued to nursery schools, private schools, and nursing homes located in Crawfordsville or Union Township with permission of the library director. The head of the institution must provide a letter on organization letterhead to the library director agreeing to pay for lost or damaged books and naming people authorized to use the card. Please visit or call our Circulation desk at 765-362-2242, ext. 1, for more information.

This card may be issued to the owner of a business in the library’s taxing district. The owner must provide a letter on business letterhead to the library director agreeing to pay for damaged or lost items checked out on the card. Employees of the business may use the card and must have the card to check out items. Please visit or call our Circulation desk at 765-362-2242, ext. 1, for more information.

If you are a resident of Union township and you are temporarily or permanently unable to visit the library to check out materials, you may be eligible for our homebound service. Call our Circulation desk at 765-362-2242, ext. 1, or visit our Homebound Services page to request this service.

New library accounts have limited borrowing privileges and therefore expire after three months. After this initial three-month period, please bring your card and proof of current address to the first floor Circulation desk to progress to full borrowing privileges.

Library cards are then valid for one year and must be renewed annually. If your card has expired, please bring the card and proof of your current address to the Circulation desk to renew your card.

If your library card is lost or stolen, please report it immediately to 765-362-2242, ext 1, or let us know at the first floor Circulation Desk. You are responsible for any items checked out or fees accrued on your card until it has been reported to the library as lost or stolen. 

You may replace a lost card for $1.00 at the Circulation Desk with proof of ID.