Oh September. At this time of the year four things are for certain: PSLs are in full-force, sweater weather is soon approaching, apple picking is on the brain (it’s on my mind at least), and it’s time for students to go back to school. We know the last year or so hasn’t been easy, but we’re super excited to welcome you back to school and to our library this fall!

We’ve missed seeing students visit us at the library and feeling the bright energy you add to the city. In case you haven’t been to the library in a while, or are joining us for the first time, we’ve got so much available to help you on your journey through school.

Signing up for a WPL card is free and easy! With your library card you can access premium resources like LinkedIn Learning, Simply Analytics, and Ancestry for FREE. You can sign-up online or in-person at any WPL location, and will need to show us your school student ID card and proof of either your local KW address or your permanent address (even if you’re from out of town). Check out our website for more information about signing up for a library card, including types of ID accepted (hint: there’s a lot!).

If you’re new (or returning) to the city and want to explore more of what Waterloo has to offer, grab your friends and sign-up for our Student’s Discover Waterloo Race on Saturday October 9. Work with your team in this Amazing Race-style game to solve clues and challenges while getting to know the local restaurants and businesses surrounding the local universities. The race will be held from 1:30-5:30pm and features prizes from local businesses. Registration is still open!

Check out our Digital Library for access to tons of digital resources like Download Library (for eBooks and eAudiobooks), PressReader (digital magazines and newspapers), The New York Times, and much more. Your WPL card will give you free access to all of these wonderful resources.

We’re also here to help you take a break and get your mind off of midterms and assignments for a while. Check out board games and puzzles like you would books and DVDs, reserve a Park Pass or Museum Pass, borrow and take home WiFi hotspots for when your school WiFi just isn’t up to par, and even check out a book bundle for a surprise collection of books curated to your interests. Starting November 29, we’ll even be giving out FREE exam stress kits to help you survive your exams and push through to the finish line.

We’re so happy to see so many students out and about and having fun around town, and we can’t wait to see your friendly (albeit mask-covered) faces at our library locations! Whether you’re looking to book a study room, do some last-minute printing, or just want to browse our shelves, stop in and say hi.