We're celebrating Library Card Sign-Up Month a little differently this September at Madison Public Library! In honor of our 150th Anniversary in 2025, we're releasing a special edition library card designed by local artist, Jaundy Brunswick, in two phases this fall:
September: New Library Card Holders
NEW library card holders can get the 150th Anniversary edition card when you sign up for a library card online or in-person.
- Renewals or replacements are not eligible to receive the special edition card in September
- If you sign up online, you will receive your library card through the mail in 1-2 weeks at the address entered into your application
October: Existing Library Card Holders
EXISTING library card holders can swap out their library cards for the 150th Anniversary edition card while supplies last.
Please note: Library staff will be unable to duplicate barcodes, which means that if you choose to get the new library card design, you will lose your existing library card number.
- You must exchange your library card in-person at one of our nine library locations (the Dream Bus will not be included in this promotion). If you are unable to come in person due to travel or accessibility, please reach out to our Borrower Services Manager at 608-266-6362.
- If you DO choose to swap your existing library card for the new design, and you use Libby or request Outerlibrary Loan items, you will need to ask library staff to add your new barcode to your account.
- We will also be handing out a limited supply of library card-shaped stickers with the 150th Anniversary special edition design on them for those who don't want to lose their current library card number, but would still like to have a memento from this initiative.
Behind the Special Edition Card: The Artist & Inspiration
"In celebration of Madison Public Library's 150 years of discovery, connection and community, I wanted to design a card that captures the enduring joy of reading and the countless stories that have passed through its doors. The swirling patterns crafted from vintage library due-date slips honor the library's rich history, while the vibrant modern palette reflects its ongoing commitment to imagination and innovation. To me, the library is and always will be the heart of any community."
-Jaundy Brunswick
The design was inspired by her own library memories, and combined with the memories of the masses in her special edition 150th Anniversary library card design. Her personal story of days spent reading at the library helped inform the front of the card, but she was able to morph the design into a universal reader engrossed in a book. On the back, Jaundy pulled together a recognizable symbol of library history in the date stamper, and paired it with a vibrant reminder of where the Madison Free Library got its start by showcasing the City Hall building out of which the library operating from just two rooms during the first years of operation.
Jaundy's Bio: Jaundy Brunswick is a self-taught digital artist based in Madison, Wisconsin, whose work explores the bold, the surreal, and the unrestrained. With over two decades of experience in collage, Jaundy began her artistic journey through analog mediums—using cut-and-paste as a meditative and expressive practice. Today, her digital compositions retain that tactile energy while embracing a vivid, chaotic aesthetic deeply inspired by her childhood imagination and a lifelong fascination with fashion and design magazines.
Jaundy's work resists conventional design structures, often unfolding within dreamlike landscapes that challenge form and expectation. As a community youth art instructor, she brings an inclusive and curious spirit to her creative process, inviting viewers into worlds where fantasy and memory collide. Her art stands as both personal expression and cultural commentary, unbound by rules and rooted in creative freedom.
Library Card Sign-Up Month
September is Library Card Sign-Up Month! Started in 1987 by then Secretary of Education William Bennett, Library Card Sign-Up Month is a time to learn more about all the things you can do at your local library and to sign your kids or yourself up for a card. Celebrate with us by getting or renewing your Madison Public Library card. If you sign up in September you can take a picture with one of our BIG library cards at any location.
Already have a library card? We've compiled a list of 30 Things You Can Do With Your Library Card at Madison Public Library below - one for every day of Library Card Sign-Up Month!
Discover some of the lesser-known services your library card gives you access to, check out all of the fun items that are part of our Library of Things, or try the Library Value Calculator to see how much you save when you use the library.
30 Things You Can Do With Your Library Card:
- Check out books
- Check out DVDs and Blu-Rays of popular movies and TV shows
- Use public computers
- Check out a laptop (in the library)
- Check out ebooks + audiobooks from home using Wisconsin’s Digital Library
- Find the right play for you in our many play spaces using our open-ended play materials
- Borrow vinyl records and a record player
- Check out magazines
- Check out video games
- Access business plans, market research and more with our online Business Resources hub
- Check out Disc Golf Kits
- Check out a Birding Backpack
- Start a book club with a book club kit
- Check out DVD players
- Get 1-on-1 writing help on resumes, cover letters, applications, creative projects, and more from Madison Writing Assistance
- Get a BCycle community pass + helmet
- Visit other libraries in South Central Wisconsin to check out and return books
- Students can check out a graphing calculator
- Check out adaptive toys
- Educators can check out Maker Kits
- Educators can check out Early Childhood Stem Kits
- Read comics on ComicsPlus
- Reserve a meeting or study room in advance. Walk-ins don't require a library card for study rooms!
- Check out portable energy meters
- Watch over 30,000 movies, TV shows and documentaries through the Kanopy video streaming platform
- Read books in Spanish
- Visit a Dream Bus stop to check out books and movies
- Access our special collections such as World Languages, Art of the Picture Book Collection, and more!
- Learn another language using Transparent Language
- Study for tests like the ACT, SAT, LSAT, MCAT and U.S. Citizenship Test