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Membership

It's easy and free to become a member if you live in the City of Cambridge. Just visit one of our locations to obtain a full Idea Exchange membership card. Your full membership card gives you the benefit of borrowing from our physical collections, Gallery Membership or Reciprocal Admission at participating Ontario Association of Art Galleries institutions, and access to Makerspace and Creative Studios equipment at Old Post Office.

Can’t come in to one of our locations? No problem! Sign up for an online membership. An online membership gives you immediate access to the many electronic products we provide such as:

  • ebooks, eaudiobooks, emovies through downloadLibrary/Overdrive
  • emagazines through RBDigital
  • international newspapers and magazines through PressReader
  • movie and documentary streaming through Kanopy
  • courses and training programs through Lynda.com and Gale Courses
  • other online databases of interest to students and researchers

Idea Exchange memberships require renewal every year. To renew your membership online fill out this renewal form.  It can take up to two business days to process your online renewal, or call or visit your local Idea Exchange location during business hours for immediate renewal. Please make sure you have your library card number with you at the time of renewal.

Membership records are confidential and are made available only to the member who owns the card and to a parent or legal guardian of a child aged 12 & under.

Adults
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Complete a membership form [PDF] and provide proof of your full name and current Cambridge address with one of the following:

  • Valid driver’s license
  • Passport
  • Any item mailed to you at your current address with a recent (1 month old or less) postmark
  • Current rent receipt on official stationery
  • Tax bill
  • Lease agreement
Children
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Children between the ages of 3 and 12 can join Idea Exchange. With a Juvenile library card, children can:

  • borrow all materials except DVDs + Rapid Reads
  • use all in-library services including the internet

To get a library card for a child:

  • The child must be present in the library.
  • The child’s parent or legal guardian must:
    • provide proof of their full name and current Cambridge address. Proof of name and address can be a valid driver's license, passport, any item mailed to your current address with a recent postmark, rent receipt, tax bill or lease agreement.
    • complete and sign the membership form [PDF]
    • sign the library card

By signing the membership form and the library card, parents or guardians agree to guide their child’s use of the library, including use of the internet and his or her choice of reading and listening materials. Parents or guardians are also responsible for the return of all materials borrowed by their children as well as for any charges or loss incurred through the use of their child's library card.

Children who live outside the city limits, but attend school in Cambridge, are eligible for a library card.
Teens
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Teens between the ages of 13 and 17 can join Idea Exchange. With a Young Adult library card, teens can:

  • borrow all materials except restricted movies
  • use all homework help online databases, anywhere, anytime
  • use all in-library services including the internet

To get a library card, teens must:

  • Be present in the library
  • Provide proof of full name and current Cambridge address, or come in with a parent or guardian who provides proof of their full name and current Cambridge address. Proof of name and address can be a valid driver's license, passport, any item mailed to your current address with a recent (1 month) postmark, rent receipt, tax bill or lease agreement.
  • Complete and sign the membership form [PDF]

Teens who live outside the city limits, but attend school in Cambridge, are eligible for a library card.
Babies
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Babies and tots from birth to 35 months of age can join Idea Exchange. With a My First Membership Card, our youngest members can:

  • Borrow up to 15 board & picture books at one time with no overdue fines!
  • Renew books

Holds are not available with My First Membership Card. Replacement costs will also apply if the books are damaged or lost.

To get a My First Membership Card:

  • The child must be present in the library.
  • The child’s parent or legal guardian must:
    • live in Cambridge or a reciprocal borrowing area
    • provide proof of their full name and current address. Proof of address can be a valid driver's license, passport, any item mailed to your current address with a recent (1 month) postmark, rent receipt, tax bill or lease agreement.
    • complete and sign the membership form [PDF]
    • sign the library card
Online Memberships – Access e-resources
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Our online membership form makes signing up easy. To be eligible for an online membership you must:

  • live in the city of Cambridge
  • don’t already have a membership card
  • you are interested only in access to our online e-resources. 

An online membership can be converted to a full-service membership card at any time. If you wish to take out physical materials, access Cambridge Art Galleries’ benefits or gain access to Makerspace and Creative Studios equipment at Old Post Office, you will need to visit one of our locations with your identification showing name and current address.

Non Resident
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If you don’t live in Cambridge you can still get an Idea Exchange library card at no cost through our reciprocal borrowing agreement if you live in:

  • Kitchener
  • Waterloo
  • Waterloo Region
  • Hamilton Region
  • Brant County (excluding the city of Brantford)
  • Guelph
  • Wellington County

Simply bring in proof of your current name and address and fill out a membership form [PDF]. Proof of name and address can be a valid driver's license, passport,any item mailed to your current address with a recent (1 month) postmark, rent receipt, tax bill or lease agreement.

Don’t meet any of the reciprocal borrowing criteria? You can still get a membership card if you have proof of one of these Cambridge connections:

Work in Cambridge:

  • Letter from employer on company letterhead (1 month old or less)
  • Employee identification card
  • Pay stub (1 month old or less)

Go to School in Cambridge:

  • Verbal corroboration from accompanying guardian
  • Student card
  • Recent transcript

Own a Property or a Business in Cambridge:

  • Document showing your full name and the address of the Cambridge property or business (ie. recent tax bill or deed)
Other Memberships
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If you are interested in obtaining a library card, but don’t fit the criteria of one of the above categories, please contact us.