If you want to take materials home with you, you need to have a library card issued from a public library in Westchester County.

To get your free card, bring proof of residence to the Circulation Desk. If you live in Pelham, you'll get a card on the spot. If you live elsewhere in Westchester, you'll need to get your card at your "home" library. If you live outside of Westchester and you go to school, work, or own property in Pelham, bring proof and we'll issue you a card. And, if none of the above applies, you can purchase an annual system-wide card from the Westchester Library System.

Examples of acceptable proof of residency are a driver's license, a bill that's been mailed to your home or imprinted checks. Proof of employment would be a company issued ID or a letter, on company letterhead, from your employer. Nannies need a letter from their "family". We encourage each person in your household to get their own card - this is one time in which sharing is frowned upon. It helps keep your account uncluttered if you are the only one to use your card.

The Pelham Library is happy to accommodate the nannies and au-pairs of residents of Pelham, whose permanent residence is outside of Westchester County. In order for your employee to obtain a library card you must first fill out the Nanny/Au-Pair Library card application. You may pick this up at the library at any time during library hours or download it here . The nanny/au-pair must bring the completed application, along with his or her ID card and a piece of the employer's business mail to the library in order to obtain a library card.

Children are eligible for their first library card when they are enrolled in kindergarten. To make this rite of passage totally memorable, every September we hold a big K-Day event for all those new patrons to sign up. They get cookies and juice, face painting, story telling, and a library goody-bag. And our fresh crop of library kids goes home with books, full tummies and a new sense of maturity. What fun! Download an application form here.

Of course, we all know that even mature library users lose their card from time to time, so we’ll provide a replacement card for $1.00. For the under 14 crowd, we will gladly keep their library cards here.