Answered By: Main Reference Library
Last Updated: Sep 18, 2024     Views: 15143

People of all ages are able to get library cards for free. You do not need to live in Albuquerque in order to get a library card, but you do have to apply in person.

Please apply in person at your local library branch. You can fill out a library card application either at home or at the branch. Bring your current photo ID and proof of address with you. Some examples of proof of address include utility bills, auto registration, a lease agreement or anything with your name on it that has been recently mailed to you.

We do offer services for patrons that are homebound and unable to come into the library to apply for or renew a library card. For homebound patrons, please call (505)768-5141 Monday-Friday between the hours of 10am and 4pm and ask for homebound services.

If you are a parent getting a library card for your child, we ask that your child comes with you to the library to receive the card.

Customers who do not have photo ID and/or proof of address, and children aged 8 and over who are at the library without a parent are welcome to apply for library cards with limited borrowing capabilities. Please visit our Library Card Guide for more information on the limits in place for these cards.

Children under the age of 8 must have a parent/guardian with them to get a library card.

Why do I have to go into a library to apply for a library card?

The Public Library is required legally to ensure that the patrons we serve live in the state of New Mexico. Our contracts with our electronic resource vendors, such as OverDrive/Libby and Hoopla, state that the services we pay for are intended for New Mexico state residents, whose tax dollars are used to pay for such services. As such, the Library's policy does require patrons to visit one of our 19 library branches and show their photo ID in order to apply for a library card, and to visit a branch at least once every three years with their photo ID to confirm that they still do live in New Mexico. 

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Comments (9)

  1. Nowhere does it say I have to live in Albuquerque to get a card. So I live in Los Lunas, can I get a library card?
    by greecer1 on Nov 24, 2020
  2. So what is the answer? I live in Rio Rancho.
    by dlef on Apr 30, 2022
  3. You do not need to live in Albuquerque to get a library card, but you do have to apply in person.
    by Nicole on May 02, 2022
  4. Again: please adjust this process. Make it possible to apply for a library card online! My students, and many other NM residents, WILL get library cards and enjoy the benefits of library membership just as soon as ABC-system libraries support online applications for cards. ABC Libraries can require digital proof of identity and residency to make online processing rigorous and secure (as countless financial, governmental, and business entities have all done!). Let's encourage library engagement and improve library access for everyone. Offer an option to apply for a library card online.
    by A CNM Professor Requests on Oct 02, 2022
  5. I wholeheartedly agree! Why is this process not online in this day and age? Everything else is online. Remove the barriers to library and literary access!
    by K on Oct 14, 2022
  6. COME UP INTO 2023 AND MAKE APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE TO FILL OUT ONLINE AND SUBMIT ONLINE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS ISN'T AVAILABLE?
    by CCINABQ on Jun 28, 2023
  7. Lived all over…never had to do this in person! What a barrier!!
    by Avery on Mar 07, 2024
  8. To commenters wondering why the library requires that you apply for and renew your library card in person: The Public Library is required legally to ensure that the patrons we serve live in the state of New Mexico. Our contracts with our electronic resource vendors, such as OverDrive/Libby and Hoopla, state that the services we pay for are intended for New Mexico state residents, whose tax dollars are used to pay for such services. As such, the Library's policy does require patrons to visit one of our 19 library branches and show their photo ID in order to apply for a library card, and to visit a branch at least once every three years with their photo ID to confirm that they still do live in New Mexico.
    by Digital Services Librarian on Mar 07, 2024
  9. I am 70 and live in Questa. I rarely make the 7+ hour round trip drive to Albuquerque anymore. I bank online. My bank is actually out of state - thankfully they don’t require me to fly there every 3 years to… I would be very grateful if you would find some way for senior citizens to acquire library cards online, over the phone or by mail. Thanks
    by Philip on Nov 04, 2024

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You can also call any open Albuquerque/Bernalillo County library location with your question.
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