In 2024, Eugene 4J students were given public library cards at school. This year, K-12 students in the Bethel School District will be added to the program.
Library director Angela Ocaña said while they don’t have metrics on the program’s impact in 4J, for privacy reasons, they do notice first-time kids bringing their families to the library.
“We do see an increase in the number of kids who can check out materials now on school visits, obviously, because they all have library cards.” Ocaña told KLCC, “It can be really hard in a classroom where, depending on where you live, some students can check out and some students can't, and that's an inequity that we really wanted to address.”
Ocaña said the program supplies roughly 4,800 Bethel students with a card, even those who live outside Eugene’s city limits. And, with the school-based delivery, families don’t need to visit the library to get the card. Student cards will be renewed, and issued to new students, each year.
With a library card, kids can check out books or items from the Library of Things. They can also use online resources, stream movies, and get live homework help.
The Bethel School District is contributing $2,000 a year to support the program.
