Amid a time in which claims of “fake news” run rampant, the NYPL wants to remind its millions of patrons that “Knowledge Is Power.”
Starting Monday, New Yorkers can get their hands on a limited, special-edition black New York Public Library card that has “Knowledge Is Power” emblazoned on its front.
“Public libraries have always been at the foundation of our democracy of informed citizens,” NYPL President Anthony W. Marx said in a statement. “We preserve and make accessible fact. We offer knowledge, education and opportunity to all. Everyone is welcome in our spaces. We are the great equalizers. Armed with knowledge, all of us have the power to do anything.
“As we all strive to be active, productive members of civic society, it is so important to remember that knowledge is indeed power, and that we must be informed,” Marx continued. “Libraries are the place to do just that: to learn, to grow and to strengthen ourselves and our communities. This special edition card shares that message and serves as a reminder to visit your local library, get a card and start your journey now.”
How to get the ‘Knowledge Is Power’ NYPL card
The exclusive NYPL card will be available as long as supplies last, but you better hurry. About 70,000 of the “Knowledge Is Power” cards will be up for grabs on a first-come, first-served basis at the system’s 92 branches in Manhattan, Staten Island and the Bronx. (Queens and Brooklyn have their own public library systems.)
If you’re not already a card-carrying member of the NYPL, you can start the application process at nypl.org/librarycard, but you’ll need to validate the application at a branch.
If you already have a New York Public Library card but want to get your hands on a limited “Knowledge Is Power” one, you can easily swap out your old one by paying the standard $1 replacement card fee that serves as a donation to the system.
New York Public Library card benefits
New York Public Library card benefits include access to millions of books, newspapers, databases and the NYPL’s distinguished research collections. It also provides free passes to streaming documentaries, online classes and free passes to more than 40 cultural institutions, from museums and historical societies to public gardens and more.
