Library System To Offer Temporary Library Cards to All Beaufort County Residents During COVID-19 Clo

March 19, 2020

Library System To Offer Temporary Library Cards to All Beaufort County Residents During COVID-19 Closures

No library card? No problem.

In response to the COVID-19 closures, the Beaufort County Library system is offering all Beaufort County residents the opportunity to receive a 30-day temporary library card so that they can enjoy all of the digital resources available through the library system, such as downloadable audiobooks, eBooks, music, and popular digital magazines through services such as Hoopla Digital, the cloudLibrary, and Flipster. All content in Hoopla Digital is available instantly, with no wait lists. Flipster offers over 50 popular magazines including People, US Weekly, Southern Living, Time, and Reader's Digest.

Temporary cards are available to any current Beaufort County resident or property owner (ages 18+) who does not already have a card. When the libraries have resumed normal operations, temporary cardholders will need to visit the library locations to complete the application process and to receive their physical library card.

"I'd like to thank our community for their patience and understanding as we navigate these uncharted waters. Unprecedented times like these call for innovative solutions. Our library system is prepared to offer solutions to allow all Beaufort County residents to utilize the library's digital resources while our physical buildings are closed," states Library Director Ray McBride. "To customers who are in possession of borrowed library materials, please rest assured that we have extended loan periods while the library is closed. Library materials can be returned when our libraries have resumed normal operations."

To receive a temporary library card, residents should visit the Get a Library Card page on the library website and complete the online form. After submitting the form, the applicant will receive an email from the library to complete the process. Please note that it may take 48 hours (or longer) to process the application.

If a resident has an existing library card but it has become inactive, they are encouraged to contact the library by completing the Contact Us form on the library's website.

The Beaufort County Library is a department of Beaufort County Government.