“Our community’s needs are always changing and we’re continually finding
EPL Director Sarah Lesko
new ways for a library card to meet those needs.”
A Library Card Can Open the Door to Far More Than a Good Book!
September is Library Card Sign-Up Month, and there has never been a better time to get—or renew—an Ellsworth Public Library card. An EPL card gives you access to books and more than 46,000 physical items, digital resources, cultural passes, the Library of Things and Tool Library, free programs, meeting spaces, computers, high-speed internet, and more.
And this September, there’s an extra reason to sign up: you could win a $50 gas card!
Enter to Win a $50 Gas Card
Get or renew your Ellsworth Public Library card during September and you’ll be entered into a drawing for one of three $50 gas cards.
The giveaway runs September 1–30, 2026, during Library Card Sign-Up Month.
How to Enter
- Sign up for an Ellsworth Public Library card during September.
- Renew your existing library card during September.
- Already have a current card? Refer a friend who signs up for or renews their card during September.
Already have a card? Refer a friend!
Already Have a Card? Refer A Friend!
You don’t have to be new to the library to participate.
If you already have an Ellsworth Public Library card, refer a friend to sign up for or renew their card during September. Your friend will be entered into the gas card drawing, and you’ll be entered, too.
It’s a simple way to share everything your library card can do.
Who Can Enter the $50 Gas Card Giveaway?
Only patrons who sign up for or renew their cards between Tuesday, September 1, and Wednesday, September 30, are eligible. The offer is also available to residents of other towns.
For online card registrations, any required payment must be made within the same period.
One Card, Many Possibilities
An Ellsworth Public Library card opens the door to much more than books.
Library of Things & Tool Library
EPL’s Library of Things allows community members to borrow items they may only need occasionally, including tools such as a sander, saw, drill, woodworking clamps, power washer, stud finder, and construction jack. The collection continues to grow in response to community interest: The library currently runs a survey (you can take it here) to learn more about the tool-related needs in the community.
Browse our Tool Library here and our complete Library of Things here.
Seasonal Culture Passes
EPL cardholders can also reserve seasonal cultural passes providing free admission to attractions, including the Farnsworth Art Museum, Maine Maritime Museum, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Maine Discovery Museum, Oceanarium, and Maine State Parks. Learn more about our Culture Passes here.
Community Resources
Also, we maintain a collection of community resources on our website, connecting residents with information about housing, transportation, food resources, employment, volunteer opportunities, local room rental options, and resources for veterans. Visit the Community Resources page here.
Diverse Spaces
Access is not limited to items you can check out. We offer diverse spaces for different needs and ages, from areas designed specifically for young children, middle schoolers, and teenagers to quiet spaces for studying or remote work, and a bookable meeting space.
How to Get an Ellsworth Public Library Card?
Getting a library card is easy.
What to Bring?
Stop by the circulation desk with your photo ID (license, passport, state ID, school ID, etc.). If your photo ID includes your current mailing and physical addresses, you’re all set.
If not, please bring a piece of mail or other official document that includes your current mailing address and documentation of your physical address.
Where to Get Your Card?
Visit Ellsworth Public Library at 20 State Street in Ellsworth, Maine, during regular library hours.
Monday, Tuesday, and Friday from 9 AM–5 PM; Wednesday and Thursday from 9 AM–6 PM; and Saturday from 9 AM–2 PM. Monday, Tuesday, Friday from 9 AM – 5 PM, Wednesday and Thursday from 9 AM – 6 PM, and Saturday from 9 AM – 2 PM.
If you would like to start your library card registration process online you can do so here.
Library Card Sign-Up Month 2026 Sponsors
We’re grateful to Nice and Easy Internet Radio for supporting our Library Card Sign-Up Month gas card giveaway and helping us connect more people with the resources, programs, and opportunities available to them.Thanks to them, we were able to add a third $50 gas card to the giveaway!
Check them out if you would like to enjoy Brian Nadeau’s soft, easy memories of yesteryear, and get your daily news updates provided by Downeast Digest with Sonnie Shepherd weekday mornings from 6 to 8:30 AM.
“An Ellsworth Public Library card is your passport to adventure, mystery, romance, and more! It’s passes to museums, a night of who-dun-it role play, tech help, tool borrowing, author visits, music, and classes for all ages and interests!! Imagine, all that in one amazing little card!! Got yours?!”
Sonnie Shepherd, Downeast Digest
If you are interested in becoming a 2026 Library Card Sign-Up Month Sponsor to add another $50 gas card to the mix, please get in touch with us at communications[at]ellsworthlibrary[dot]net.
What Else is Happening at the Library This September?
Library Card Sign-Up Month also coincides with the launch of several new programs for all ages at EPL, including yoga on the lawn with Lexi Crites, a monthly perimenopause and menopause support group, a four-part personal finance workshop series with KeyBank, and an afterschool program for kids and teens on Wednesday afternoons.
Yoga with Lexi
On Thursday mornings, beginning on September 3, from 8–9 AM on the library lawn. Led by holistic wellness practitioner, yoga instructor, and meditation facilitator Lexi Crites. Donations are welcome.
EPL will provide yoga mats free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis. Learn more about Yoga with Lexi and register here.
Money, Key, and Me – Session 1: Making Budgets Work
Money, Me & Key, a four-part personal finance workshop series presented with KeyBank, beginning September 24 at 5:30 p.m. The first session, “Making Budgets Work,” will help participants identify obstacles to budgeting and develop a structure for tracking and analyzing spending. Learn more about Making Budgets Work and register here
Hot News Flash
Hot News Flash: A Perimenopause & Menopause Support Group, beginning September 19 at 10 a.m. and continuing on the third Saturday of each month. The new social group provides a welcoming space for women to share, learn, listen, laugh, cry, and possibly break things. Learn more about Hot News Flash here.
Afterschool: Dial-a-Craft
Dial-A-Craft, a weekly afterschool program for kids and teens beginning September 9 at 3 p.m. Participants spin a wheel and choose a random craft, with options ranging from Perler beads and bracelets to patch-making, button-making, and cardboard crafts. No registration is required. Visit the event page here.
What is Library Card Sign-Up Month?
An initiative of the American Library Association, Library Card Sign-up Month has been held each September since 1987 to mark the beginning of the school year, combat illiteracy, and encourage communities everywhere to explore all the offerings that having a library card unlocks.
Today, thousands of public libraries and schools nationwide participate in the monthlong celebration each fall. This year’s theme, “A Library Card Hits All the Right Notes,” celebrates the many ways libraries can become part of people’s lives.