Getting a Library Card or YorkCard
York Cards and Library Cards are now two separate cards rather than a combined card as they were before December 2020. Find out more about each below, or click the buttons to join straight up.
Library Membership
You’re welcome to become a member at any age, if you live, work or study in York.
Anybody can come into the libraries without joining to ask a question, buy a cuppa, or find a comfortable space to read or study. If you join you can also:
- borrow books
- use the computers for free
- use online resources such as the Oxford English Dictionary
To join, you can pop into any of our libraries at any time and join in person. Adults can use our online joining form which will give you a digital record for using our services, but please be aware you will need to visit a library to get a physical card if you wish to borrow print books. If you join online you will be able to use our E-Library straight away, but we will check later that you have a valid address in the UK.
The online form asks you to provide a four-digit PIN. If you misplace or forget it, library staff will be happy to look it up for you. Existing members who have forgotten their PIN should use the “forgot your PIN” link when logging on instead.
York Cards
The York Card offers residents some great discounts at top attractions and leisure facilities across the city of York. The York Card is now available as a virtual card so you can apply online and there’s no need to visit the library to collect it.
Available to all who live or work within the York area, a York Card costs £6 for adult residents or £10 for non-residents who work in the city. The card is free for children and young people up to the age of 18 and adults on qualifying benefits. Valid for 12 months, a York Card offers potential savings of over £50 a year – based on only one visit to each attraction.