For many years all library cards looked alike. I remember my old white plastic library card which eventually wore out, not from over-use (I'm sorry to say) but from being put through the wash too many times. Then there were different designs of cards for adult, teen and child library customers. Then last year we began offering our adult customers a choice of four different designs. I really liked this development because these days we all have so many different cards to carry it is sometimes hard to find the one we need when we need it. Being able to choose a card colour that is different from all the other cards in your wallet sure makes it easier to find and saves you from that embarrassing moment when the checkout staff tells you can't sign out DVD's on your Airmiles card.

But now a new library card is available - one that has anything you want on it! That's right - a customized library card. Now your library card can have a picture of your cat on it, or William Shakespeare, or your prize begonias, or whatever. The point is you can now express yourself with a library card as unique as you are.

Now I know what you are thinking. You are thinking "That's all well and good, but in addition to having a snazzy library card I want to show that I support the library financially! I'm someone who puts my money where my mouth is and i'm not shy about letting people know I donate my hard earned cash to the Calgary Public Library!" Good news my rather brash philanthropic friend! The personalized library card is yours with a $100 donation, so not only are you showing your individuality, you are showing what a good civic citizen you are. That's a win-win. And you get a $100 tax receipt, so it's a win-win-win.

My custom card came in the mail yesterday. It looks like this:

I guess I could have chosen a picture but as a believer in the power of words, a quote seemed more appropriate. Am I proud of my new card? Well, I just put a picture of it on the internet, so I guess so!

If you want to get your own custom card and support the library at the same time go to:

http://goodread.myshopify.com/collections/frontpage/products/yourcard