Local library cards unlock discounts at Santa Monica and Monterey Park this September

Santa Monica Public Library and Monterey Park Bruggemeyer Library are offering special-edition cards and discount programs at participating businesses during Library Card Sign-Up Month

Library Card Sign-Up Month, an annual observance that began in 1987, is prompting libraries across Los Angeles County to highlight the breadth of free resources they provide and to encourage new registrations. The American Library Association notes the campaign’s theme this year is “A Library Card Hits All the Right Notes,” and both the city of Santa Monica and the city of Monterey Park have rolled out perk-focused initiatives for the month of September.

The Santa Monica Public Library (SMPL) is issuing a special-edition library card designed by local artist Al Mercado as part of the city’s Art Everywhere: Local Canvas initiative. Cardholders who sign up at any of SMPL’s five branches receive the artwork-covered card while supplies last and gain access to the library’s second-year Read Local, Shop Local: Community Discount Program, which offers savings at a growing roster of neighborhood merchants. An in-person card-sleeve and lanyard decorating event is scheduled for September 12 at the Main Library on 601 Santa Monica Blvd.

Meanwhile, the Monterey Park Bruggemeyer Library has launched a Reader Rewards discount program that runs through September 30. New cardholders can claim free drinks, buy-one-get-one offers and other promotions at participating local businesses, extending the library’s role as a community hub beyond books and digital media.

The special-edition card features artwork from the city’s Art Everywhere: Local Canvas initiative, a program that showcases local artists on storefronts throughout Santa Monica. According to the library’s press release, the card was created in partnership with artist Al Mercado and is available at all five SMPL locations for the duration of Library Card Sign-Up Month, subject to availability. The library’s Director of Library Services Erica Cuyugan emphasized that the card “opens the door to far more than books,” linking patrons to cultural attractions, retailers and service providers across the city.

SMPL’s Read Local, Shop Local: Community Discount Program returns for its second year, allowing cardholders to receive discounts simply by presenting their library card at participating venues. Returning partners include Bike Attack Electric, Crow Comedy, Good Body Pilates, Offhand Wine Bar, Santa Monica History Museum, Solidarity, Sweet Lady Jane and The Curious Palate. New partners added for 2026 are AJA Vineyards, Alinea Orthodontics, Backyard Bowls, Chick-fil-A Santa Monica, Crossroads Trading, Harvelle’s, Love Tap, Road Runner Sports and The Spot. The full list of participating businesses and specific offers can be viewed on the city’s program page.

To celebrate the launch, SMPL will host a card-sleeve and lanyard decorating workshop on September 12 at the Main Library. The event invites families to personalize their new cards while learning about the discount program. Signing up for a Santa Monica library card remains free; residents must present a photo ID and proof of address, while teens 13-17 can register with a school ID and children under 12 need a parent or guardian present. The library also offers online applications for qualified Los Angeles County residents.

Monterey Park’s Bruggemeyer Library is participating in Library Card Sign-Up Month with its Reader Rewards program, which runs until September 30. The initiative provides cardholders with a variety of deals ranging from free beverages to buy-one-get-one-free offers at local businesses that have signed up to support the program. The library’s announcement notes that the discounts are available to anyone who obtains a library card at the Bruggemeyer location on 318 S. Ramona Ave.

Residents can acquire a Monterey Park library card in person during regular open hours by presenting a photo ID and proof of residence. The library stresses that the card is free and grants access to the full suite of library resources, including books, digital media, study rooms and community programming, through the end of the month. While the specific list of participating merchants is not detailed in the source, the program mirrors the broader goal of Library Card Sign-Up Month: to showcase how a library card can serve as a passport to local culture, commerce and learning.

These September perks illustrate how LA libraries are turning a simple card into a community connector. By pairing free library services with tangible savings at local shops, Santa Monica and Monterey Park are encouraging residents to support neighborhood businesses while reinforcing the library’s role as a cultural hub. For Angelenos juggling tight budgets, the discounts add immediate value and may inspire longer-term engagement with library programs.