A Guide to Printing Library Cards

A good library card is easy to recognize, easy to scan, and durable enough for daily use. For librarians ordering new cards, the main decisions are format, barcode compatibility, finish, and quantity. This guide explains which products on Online River best fits your individual library card needs.

The Role of Library Cards

Library cards connect patrons to physical collections and digital services. Depending on local policies, membership may provide access to books, audiobooks, research databases, computer reservations, and other resources.

Why Physical Library Cards Matter

A physical library card gives patrons a simple way to identify their borrowing account without a smartphone, charged battery, or app. It can be kept in a wallet, tucked into a book bag, or carried as a key tag. This makes it practical for children, people without smartphones, and anyone who prefers a familiar card they can present at checkout. A clearly branded card with the library’s name, colors, and artwork makes it recognizable, while a printed website or telephone number helps patrons find assistance.

How Many Libraries Use Library Cards?

Public-library statistics show the large scale of physical cards used at libraries across North America. According to the Institute of Museum and Library Services’, 26,000 libraries in the United States use physical library cards. In Canada, 3,350 libraries use physical cards according to the Canadian Federation of Library Associations. Across both countries millions of library patrons have these cards.

Choose a Card Format

Online River offers four library-card formats. Each addresses a different practical need.

All library cards have barcodes included in the price.

Which Barcode is Right

The barcode must match your library management system’s requirements. Code 39, Codabar, and Code 128 are standard options, but Online River can print any barcode symbology. Your system administrator or vendor should confirm which format and numbering rules your library needs.

When ordering include:

• Barcode format and number length, including prefixes, leading zeros, and check digits.
• An approved starting number or data file, checked against existing accounts.
• Barcode placement and the readable number printed beside or below it.
• Matching requirements for cards and key tags.

Online River provides free sample proofs for any kind of barcode symbology so it can be tested with circulation-desk scanners and self-checkout equipment.

When Designing your Library Cards

Use the front of the card for the library’s name, logo, and artwork. Reserve the back for the barcode, account number, website, and brief instructions for reporting a lost card or returning a found one.

Readable type and strong contrast matter more than filling every available space. Keep text clear of from the trim of the card, key tags, and key holes by at least 1/8” and allow a bleed of 1/8” for solid-colored cards or cards with artwork that fills the whole card or goes over the trim.

Specify exactly where patrons or staff will write. A glossy and matte surface serve different purposes, so the proof should clearly identify any area intended for handwriting.

Material and Thickness

A 30-mil card is the thickness of a credit card. Online River’s library cards are laminated Teslin cards. The press prints a thinner synthetic-paper core, which is then laminated and cut. Teslin manufacturers identify the material to be the best suitable for card and key tag printing and lamination.

Printing Equipment 

Online River’s equipment includes Heidelberg Speedmaster CD74 six-color offset presses, HP Indigo 3050 digital presses, Webtron 750 label presses, Aquaflex, and Zigzag presses. These machines print cards in a variety of styles, add unique names and numbers, apply protective coatings, cut cards to size, and store information on magnetic stripes.