BOOKMOBILE DONATIONS
SEARCH THE CATALOG
YOUR ACCOUNT
  1. Home
  2. About BAPL
  3. Library Cards

GETTING A LIBRARY CARD

Reward yourself with the many benefits that come with a Bethlehem Area Public Library membership!

If you’re 15 years old and up and a resident of Bethlehem City, Bethlehem Township, Fountain Hill or Hanover Township (Northampton Co.) you can apply for your card online and we will mail it to you for no charge. When you receive your card you can immediately start using it to check out eBooks, eAudiobooks, digital Magazines, and access all other BAPL online resources. Then come in to validate and activate your card to enable borrowing books, CDs and DVDs.

If you are living outside of BAPL’s borrowing area, you may be eligible for a card through the Access Pennsylvania program. To apply for an Access card, use the form below and then come to the Main Library to pick up your card. You must bring photo ID and your valid home library card at that time.

Fill out the online form to get your card mailed to you.

For Businesses and Organizations

Give your business a competitive edge and achieve better results with our eResources!

In today’s highly stressed business environment, achieving more with less is on everyone’s mind. Reliable, up-to-date information your business or organization can use to get a competitive edge has always been at a price — until now!

Bethlehem Area Public Library is offering businesses or organizations that are in our Service Area FREE access to all of our subscription-level databases using a Bethlehem Area Public Library Card for Business. Additionally, your staff will be able to borrow materials from our circulating collections without having individual member borrowing priviledges at BAPL — a win-win for company and employee.

It’s fast and easy to get a Bethlehem Area Public Library Card for Business with our downloadable application. Return your completed form per instructions and your company and staff will be on a path to business “enlightenment” in no-time.

Download Business Application

Current Cardholders

People with current library cards from other public libraries in Pennsylvania can get a library card at the Bethlehem Area Public Library with photo ID and their home library card with a blue and white Access sticker on it (placed by their home library).

Cards for Children

Parents of children from birth to 14 years of age must sign for the child’s card and show identification. A legal guardian must present proper documentation.

Card Usage

Your library card is for your personal use only – each member of your family should get his own. You will be responsible for anything that is checked out on your card, so please don’t lend it to anyone and report it to us immediately if you lose it. Please bring your library card with you whenever you come to the library. If you forget, you must have identification before we will check anything out to you. This is for your protection.

What’s Needed to Get a Card

Identification Required for a Resident Bethlehem Area Public Library Card

Column 1
One from this column is sufficient – these show who you are and where you live

  • Valid PA driver’s license with current address
  • Valid PA non-driver’s photo ID with current address

Column 2
One from this column PLUS one from Column 3 is required – these show who you are

  • Driver’s license with old address (photo)
  • Passport
  • Military ID with photo
  • School photo ID
  • Employment photo ID
  • U.S. Permanent Resident Card (“Green Card”) with photo
  • Any other official photo

Column 3
One from this column PLUS one from Column 2 is required – these show where you live

  • Current tax statement addressed to applicant with current address
  • Current lease agreement addressed to applicant
  • Current utility bill or bank statement addressed to applicant
  • Current vehicle registration or auto insurance card with applicant’s name
  • Current school report card or class schedule
  • Current school bus card
  • Current YMCA or other club card with address
  • Current pay stub

Important Notes

Property owners must provide property tax documentation plus above resident ID information.

Access Library Card – Current Pennsylvania library card with access sticker, plus photo ID

Lost or Forgotten Library Card – Adults must have photo ID; age 17 & under must state pertinent information from their patron record. Pennsylvania driver’s license may be used as alternative ID once your PDL number is on record.

Replacement of Lost Card…..$1.00

Note: Fines are charged on days when the library is closed due to the availability of the book drops.

Bethlehem Area Public Library

pabapl

4,529 3,251

Public Library, Public Use Recording Studio - Studio 11, Children’s Library. Books, E-books, movies, history, music, events.

pabapl

View

Feb 21

Open
Join us for the TAB Newsletter (Grades 9th-12th) on Tuesday, March 4th from 3:45-4:45 PM in the Youth Services Department at the Main Branch!

Join us for the TAB Newsletter (Grades 9th-12th) on Tuesday, March 4th from 3:45-4:45 PM in the Youth Services Department at the Main Branch! ...

2 0

pabapl

View

Feb 19

Open
Join us for a special Robin Hood storytime with DeSales University's Act 3 Children's Theatre on Tuesday 2/25 at 10:30am. Registration is recommended. You can register online at bapl.org/events, over the phone at 610-867-7852, or at the South Side reference desk.

Join us for a special Robin Hood storytime with DeSales University`s Act 3 Children`s Theatre on Tuesday 2/25 at 10:30am.

Registration is recommended. You can register online at bapl.org/events, over the phone at 610-867-7852, or at the South Side reference desk. ...

10 0

pabapl

View

Feb 19

Open
Compassion Resilience: Taking Care of Ourselves While Taking Care of Others BAPL Coolidge Saturday, March 8, 2025 2:15pm - 3:45pm Presented by Resilient Lehigh Valley, this workshop will provide support and resources to help caregivers and individuals build and maintain a culture of well-being and compassion. You will learn how to maintain and grow in empathy, strength, and hope in order to prevent compassion fatigue in yourself. This 1.5-hour interactive training will help you to start to develop self-compassion and compassion resilience in both your professional and personal lives. You can learn more at https://eliminatestigma.org/compassion-resilience-toolkit/ Registration here: https://t.ly/pGcW3 BAPL Coolidge 2740 Fifth Street Bethlehem, PA 18020 (484) 892-6267

Compassion Resilience: Taking Care of Ourselves While Taking Care of Others

BAPL Coolidge
Saturday, March 8, 2025
2:15pm - 3:45pm

Presented by Resilient Lehigh Valley, this workshop will provide support and resources to help caregivers and individuals build and maintain a culture of well-being and compassion. You will learn how to maintain and grow in empathy, strength, and hope in order to prevent compassion fatigue in yourself.

This 1.5-hour interactive training will help you to start to develop self-compassion and compassion resilience in both your professional and personal lives. You can learn more at https://eliminatestigma.org/compassion-resilience-toolkit/

Registration here: https://t.ly/pGcW3

BAPL Coolidge
2740 Fifth Street
Bethlehem, PA 18020
(484) 892-6267 ...

10 0

pabapl

View

Feb 18

Open
Jigsaw Puzzle Swap Bethlehem Main Library Saturday, February 22, 2025 10:30am - 11:00am Would you like to trade your “like-new” jigsaw puzzle for one that is “new to you”? Come to our puzzle swap! Bring up to five puzzles and find some new challenges to take home. 1. Puzzles and their box must be in good shape with no tears, stains, odors, missing pieces, or damage. 2. Puzzles must include a box and be 250 pieces or more. 3. Please practice the “golden rule” of puzzles; give puzzles in the condition in which you would like to receive them. 4. Due to the nature of the puzzle swap, a one/one exchange is not guaranteed. Registration is suggested: https://t.ly/_E85f

Jigsaw Puzzle Swap

Bethlehem Main Library
Saturday, February 22, 2025
10:30am - 11:00am

Would you like to trade your “like-new” jigsaw puzzle for one that is “new to you”? Come to our puzzle swap! Bring up to five puzzles and find some new challenges to take home.
1. Puzzles and their box must be in good shape with no tears, stains, odors, missing pieces, or damage.
2. Puzzles must include a box and be 250 pieces or more.
3. Please practice the “golden rule” of puzzles; give puzzles in the condition in which you would like to receive them.
4. Due to the nature of the puzzle swap, a one/one exchange is not guaranteed.
Registration is suggested: https://t.ly/_E85f ...

7 0

pabapl

View

Feb 18

Open
Documentary Film Screening - W.E.B. Du Bois, A Biography in Four Voices Bethlehem Main Library Saturday, February 22, 2025 2:30pm - 4:30pm This brand-new program of public screenings of documentary films will be held at the Main Library in the Laros Room. Each documentary will fulfill a particular theme and promote discussion and engagement of the subject matter. Our first feature for this program will be W.E.B. Du Bois: A Biography in Four Voices (1996), an analysis of the prominent scholar-activist and early Civil Rights leader as told by four prominent African American writers: Wesley Brown, Thulani Davis, Toni Cade Bambara and Amiri Baraka. The documentary was an official selection at the Toronto and San Francisco International Film Festivals and received great acclaim. Registration will be open until one hour before the program begins, and capacity is limited to 30 participants. Register here: https://t.ly/C-3PK Bethlehem Main Library 11 West Church Street Bethlehem, PA 18018-5888

Documentary Film Screening - W.E.B. Du Bois, A Biography in Four Voices

Bethlehem Main Library
Saturday, February 22, 2025
2:30pm - 4:30pm

This brand-new program of public screenings of documentary films will be held at the Main Library in the Laros Room. Each documentary will fulfill a particular theme and promote discussion and engagement of the subject matter.

Our first feature for this program will be W.E.B. Du Bois: A Biography in Four Voices (1996), an analysis of the prominent scholar-activist and early Civil Rights leader as told by four prominent African American writers: Wesley Brown, Thulani Davis, Toni Cade Bambara and Amiri Baraka. The documentary was an official selection at the Toronto and San Francisco International Film Festivals and received great acclaim.

Registration will be open until one hour before the program begins, and capacity is limited to 30 participants.

Register here: https://t.ly/C-3PK

Bethlehem Main Library
11 West Church Street
Bethlehem, PA 18018-5888 ...

2 0

pabapl

View

Feb 17

Open
There will be no Monday night Open Mic on February 17th Bethlehem Area Public Libraries will be closed for Presidents Day. The next Open Mic will be held February 24th. See you then!!

There will be no Monday night Open Mic on February 17th

Bethlehem Area Public Libraries will be closed for Presidents Day. The next Open Mic will be held February 24th. See you then!! ...

2 0

What can you do with a Library Card?

Learn about borrowing from BAPL including how to reserve, renew and return materials, fees, and service areas.

Find Out More