Top 5 Multnomah County Library Card Perks You Need to Know About

Photo by Christina Morillo

The the library is one of the last remaining places where you can access resources and services at no cost. From classes to skills training to e-catalogues, libraries have become a resource hub for communities across the Portland area. The best part is all of these services are completely free to Multnomah County library card holders.

Don’t have a library card yet? Multnomah County Library is currently allowing residents to get a library card online. This gives you instant access to all the free services.

I have gathered what I consider to be the top perks of having a Multnomah County Library card. Hopefully, this serves as new information to you or a welcome reminder that you should be checking out a lot more of what the library closest to your home has to offer. 

Top 5 Multnomah County Library Card Perks

Stream Movies and TV Shows

There seems to be a new streaming streaming service released every month. When you start subscribing to multiple, the cost really adds up. With your library card you get access to Hoopla, a collection of streaming videos, comics, and music available instantly. Here’s how the digital “check out” works for each category of streaming:

• Movies and TV shows for three days.
• Music albums for seven days.
• Digital comics for 21 days.

Best of all, automatic returns (or expiration of what you’re streaming) means you’ll never have to worry about late fees. There is a limit of ten items per person each month. The limit resets on the first of the month.

Mobile Wireless Printing

Don’t have a printer? No problem! Print from anywhere with your library card. Mobile wireless printing is available at all library locations. Your items can be sent to the library’s printers from any device connected to Wifi. You’ll start by choosing the location where you want to pick up your prints.

Your prints are available for up to 16 hours after you submit them. It is free to print on black and white up to 100 pages per document. There is no limit on the number of documents you can print. Also, you don’t need to set up an appointment to pick up your prints.

Passes to Portland Attractions

Another wonderful program hosted by local libraries is free cultural passes. These passes allow you and your family to visit some of the best attractions throughout the Portland area.

Once you are a library card holder, you can reserve a pass to a local attraction via the library’s website. You’ll enter your login information and make your reservation. Once you’ve chosen an attraction and day, simply print the pass. (Remember the free printing we mentioned above?!). 

While many of the attractions available through the cultural passes are currently closed, I included it in the list for future reference. These passes are great for the next time you have family in town or you want to visit a local attraction completely free of charge.

Live Homework Help

Take the stress out of nighty homework with live help available from Multnomah County Library through Tutor.com. Your student can get support in math, science, language arts and social studies. Live one-to-one help is available from noon to midnight in English and Spanish, and 3 to 9 p.m. in Vietnamese. Here are some examples of what you can use this resource for:

• Share a rough draft of your paper and have it proofread.
• Help tackling how to do a math problem.
• Practice questions and study guides for the PSAT.
• Live real-time tutoring in Spanish as a foreign language.

This resource also gives students access to practice tests and SAT/ACT prep. 

Classes for Job Seekers and Business Owners

If you are looking for a new job or need help building your business, the library has a whole list of classes available. These live webinars teach you how to advance in many areas of your career. Here are a few examples:

• Interviewing best practices.
• Changing careers.
• Creating a resume and more.

No matter where you are in your career, these programs can help boost your skills and meet your goals.

This list is scratching the surface of all the awesome free perks the Multnomah County Library has to offer. Visit the library’s website to get all the details on what you can access with your free library card.

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