Membership

Your membership at Idea Exchange is your gateway to entertainment and information. Although we still have thousands of books to suit every reader, your membership also gives you access to online resources, Makerspace technologies, park passes, and other unusual items, such as GoPros, musical instruments, and garden tools.

Our members also enjoy free admission to art exhibitions at our Cambridge Art Galleries and to over a hundred public art galleries across Ontario

Whatever your needs, there's a membership for you, whether it's a full membership, online-only, or temporary. Our full Library Membership Policy may be viewed on our Policies page. 

Full Memberships

If you live, work, own property, or attend an educational institution in the City of Cambridge, you qualify for a free Idea Exchange membership. Memberships are divided into categories based on age group: Adult (18+), Teen (13 -17), and Juvenile (12 & under). 

Adult Membership (18+)

Adults 18+ who live, work, own property, or attend an educational institution in the City of Cambridge qualify for a free library membership. Identification and proof of address are required at registration. There are no restrictions to borrowing on an adult full membership.

Teen Membership (13-17)

Teen cards are issued to individuals ages 13-17 who live or attend an educational institution in the City of Cambridge. A parent or guardian signature is not required. Identification and proof of address are required at registration. There are some limitations to borrowing on a Teen card, such as A/V materials rated 18+ and some unusual things to borrow.

Juvenile Membership (12 & under)

Children 12 years and under must have a parent or legal guardian who applies and signs for their library card. The parent or guardian accepts all responsibility for materials borrowed and all charges that may accumulate on their child’s card. It is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to monitor the choice of library materials by children under 12 and their use of the Internet when on CPL premises. There are some limitations to borrowing on a Juvenile card, such as A/V materials rated 18+ and some unusual things to borrow.

Reciprocal Membership

Don’t live in Cambridge, but live nearby? If you live in one of the following reciprocal communities, you also qualify for a free Idea Exchange card.

• Brant County
• Brantford
• Guelph
• Hamilton Region
• Kitchener
• Waterloo
• Waterloo Region
• Wellington County

Reciprocal memberships are also divided into Adult, Teen and Juvenile age groups. 

Online Memberships

Can’t come in to one of our locations? No problem! If you live in the City of Cambridge, sign up for an online membership. An online membership gives you immediate access to the many electronic products we provide and can be upgraded to full membership at any time by visiting one of our locations with proof of your name and current address.

Other Types of Memberships

Accessible Membership

An accessible membership is open to any adult, teen or juvenile person with a disability who would benefit from an extended loan period of 9 weeks for borrowing materials. There are some limitations to borrowing on an accessible card due to the extended borrowing periods. AV materials rated 18+ cannot be borrowed on the Teen or Juvenile card.

Internet-Only Membership

If you don’t wish to borrow materials or you’re not eligible for a full membership at Idea Exchange, you can obtain an Internet-only card to utilize public computer workstations and printers. All you need is a document showing your full name.

Non-Resident Membership with Annual Fee

Adults aged 18+ who live outside of Cambridge and our reciprocal communities, and don't own property, attend school or work in Cambridge, can apply for a Non-Resident membership and pay an annual fee of $60.00. This includes access to all library services and collections, including the use of the Old Post Office's MakerSpace and Creative Studios equipment. 

 

Please note: Non-residents who go to school, work or own property in the City of Cambridge qualify for a Full Membership. 

Temporary Membership

Persons who are on a short term stay to visit or work (6 weeks or more), or staying in short-term accommodations, including staying at a Cambridge shelter, and have no permanent Cambridge address can register for a Temporary membership. This allows members to borrow up to five (5) items at a time from a limited range of items, including books, Rapid Reads, CDs, puzzles, and DVDs. The membership is valid for two months. 

There are some restrictions regarding which materials can be borrowed on a temporary card. For example, temporary memberships cannot be used to borrow items from the Unusual Things to Borrow collections or to borrow laptops for in-house use. 

Community Group Membership

Staff employed by a Cambridge daycare centre, school, government agency, community centre, or other charitable and/or non-profit organization or group home may apply for a Community Group card. A Community Group application requires the name and signature of an executive director or administrator who is authorized to accept financial responsibility for the organization. In the case of schools, the applications must be signed by the principal.

Applying in Person

Visit any Idea Exchange location to apply for membership.

What to Bring

You will need some identification with your full name and proof of your current address, such as a driver’s licence, passport, any item mailed to your current address with a recent (less than one-month old) postmark, rent receipt, tax bill or lease agreement.

• For Cambridge residents or members of a reciprocal community: 
  • A piece of ID that includes your name and current address or a piece of ID and a secondary proof of address, such as a recent (less than one-month old) piece of mail, rent receipt, tax bill, or lease agreement.
• Teens (13-17) need to be present in the library, and provide proof of their full name and current address. This can be provided by a parent who accompanies the teen.
• Children aged 12 and under must be present in the library to receive their card, and their parent or legal guardian must provide proof of their own full name and current address.
• If you work or attend an educational institution in Cambridge but live elsewhere: 
  • Proof of employment or proof of school enrollment, and a piece of ID that includes your name and current address or a piece of ID and a secondary proof of address as detailed above.

Other options exist for special situations. To find out more, call or visit one of our locations and talk to a staff member.

Managing your PIN

All Idea Exchange memberships require a four-digit PIN (Personal Identification Number) and card number to log into your Idea Exchange account. This increases the security and privacy of your personal library information.

New members choose their PIN at registration. For existing members, a temporary PIN may have been assigned using the last four digits of the telephone number in your account.

Learn more about managing your PIN, or using it with our Virtual Library resources.

Membership Renewal

To ensure that we have up-to-date contact information on file, memberships are renewed every year. You can renew online by submitting the renewal form with your membership card number and your current contact information. It can take up to two days to process online renewals. We will contact you if we have difficulty verifying your information.

You can also renew your account in person at any of our locations or by phone or chat during open library hours.

Lost or Stolen Cards

If your card has been lost or stolen, contact your preferred location by phone or in person as soon as possible. You are responsible for anything borrowed on your card until it has been reported to us.

You will need to bring acceptable identification with you on your next visit to Idea Exchange and pay the replacement card fee of $1.00. This fee is waived for cards reported stolen within 30 days of the event.

If you find your card after reporting it lost and have not yet been issued a new card, contact library staff to have them reinstate the original card for you. 

Cardholder Responsibilities

Cardholders are responsible for any items borrowed on their membership card and for any charges that may result from lost or damaged materials. Parents or legal guardians of children aged 12 and under are responsible for materials borrowed on their child’s card. For more information, please see our policies.