A traditional library card takes time and energy from both patrons and staff member to process, and it can often turn into another item to lose, an account number to forget. Collaborating with schools then revolves around obtaining library cards rather than facilitating learning and discovery. Individual families within this urban core school district also often have transportation issues to travel to a library branch location to obtain library cards. Kansas City Public Library was determined to figure out a way to seamlessly provide a library card account for every student in KCPS without requiring face-to-face interaction.

KCPL worked with the school district to create a system wherein each student automatically receives a library account, and their account number mirrors their student ID (a number that all students memorize as early as kindergarten). Every student now has the opportunity to access library resources from within the classroom without having to scramble for an unfamiliar library card number. In addition, data from the school district automatically import into the Library’s ILS at the start of each school year and get updated weekly to ensure all patron information is seamlessly maintained.

By giving each KCPS student free, automatic access to resources and services, KCPL hopes to ensure that a new generation of children will grow up with the knowledge that the library is theirs to use and a safe place they can always count on. As a huge bonus, this new system frees up the large amount of school and library staff time typically spent issuing library cards for other activities focused on the care of students. Teachers, school librarians, and public librarians have become partners in the education of Kansas City students.