STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

You’d think that a free library card ushering you into a world far beyond the scope of one human’s imagination would be enough.

But The Community Library in Ketchum is sweetening the pot during National Library Card Sign-up Month.

The library not only is offering free cards no matter where in the world you live, but during the months of September and October it is offering Welcome Kits to all new cardholders.

The Community Library even offers special library cards for children using the Library’s new bookmobile.

The swag bag includes a 25 percent discount couple to the gift shop of the Library’s Wood River Museum of History and Culture, which is located just down the street from the Library at 4th and Walnut streets in Ketchum. The swag bag also contains a historic postcard, pencil and sharpener, bookmark and more.

"A library card is a powerful thing to have,” said Pam Parker, director of Library Operations. “You can access books on any topic you can think of, use a host of digital services and stay informed on insights and events at the Library, Wood River Museum, Gold Mine stores and beyond. All are welcome to join our library, resident and visitor alike, and it's free."

The Library’s collection includes more than 157,000 titles, including books in print, large print, ebooks, audiobooks and CDs. Cardholders can also check out films and television series on DVD, in addition to music CDs.

The library also provides access to a variety of digital services, including language aids, streaming films and eBooks. And it can order items it doesn’t have through Interlibrary loans at worldcat.org.

Care to build a puzzle or play a guitar? Want to take home an American Girl Doll? Need a laptop or charging cord? The Library offers all these, as well.

And then, of course, it houses the Regional History Library, which includes historic photos, oral histories, research material and artifacts relating to Ketchum’s most famous author Ernest Hemingway.

Parker notes that studies show that people who read do better in life, as reading grows people’s empathy and imagination, sharpens communication skills and lets people step into other cultures and perspectives—teaching understanding along the way.

Books also bring people together through shared stories and lively discussions.

"The whole idea of a library is based on building community across age and economic status,” said Parker. “This is a mission that we believe in deeply.”

The Community Library receives no government funding. Instead, it relies on donations and net income from the Gold Mine Thrift and Consign stores.

To get a library card online, go to https://comlib.org/get-a-library-card/.