View our Welcome Brochure here.
How do I get a library card?
Topsfield residents can register for a library card in-person at our Circulation Desk, or apply for an eCard from home. All library card applicants will be automatically subscribed to our library’s newsletter, highlighting upcoming events. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Apply in-person
All residents of the Town of Topsfield aged six and older, with proof of Topsfield residency (e.g. Massachusetts Driver’s License or state-issued ID, mail to your address, lease, etc., either in paper or on a device), are eligible to receive a library card from the Topsfield Town Library. By applying for a library card, applicants agree to our borrowing policy guidelines.
To register for a library card, visit our library’s Circulation Desk on the first floor. Fill out our New Patron Application Form and present proof of Topsfield residency to one of our team members; you will be able to use your card immediately. Borrow physical items (like books, DVDs, and items from our Library of Things collection), place requests from any library in the Merrimack Valley Library Consortium, and access all of our e-resources, including Libby, the New York Times, Comics Plus, Creativebug, and more!
Note: When filling in our New Patron Application Form, please share with us your preferred name. Identification or a bill with a deadname or legal name is still a valid form of address verification; we will register your account using your preferred name.
Apply for an eCard
You can apply for a library card online from the comfort of home! Topsfield residents can apply for an eCard, immediately unlocking access to all of the e-resources our library provides, including our e-book collection via Libby, the New York Times, Comics Plus, and Creativebug. Your eCard information will be emailed to the email address provided in the application.
When visiting the Topsfield Town Library in-person for the first time (to borrow books, DVDs, items from our Library of Things collection, and more), just bring proof of Topsfield residency (e.g. Massachusetts Driver’s License or state-issued ID, mail to your address, lease, etc., either in paper or on a device) with you to our Circulation Desk. Patrons holding an eCard from other towns that participate in the Merrimack Valley Library Consortium will need to visit their hometown library first to upgrade their eCard to a physical card.
Note: If you already have a physical card issued to you from the Topsfield Town Library, you do not need to apply for an eCard. Your physical card provides all the benefits of an eCard. Please do not use this form to renew your already-existing library card.
Not from Topsfield?
Residents of other towns that participate in the Merrimack Valley Library Consortium should apply for a card at your hometown library; you will be able to borrow materials here in Topsfield and at all 36 MVLC member libraries.
Other visitors should visit our Borrowing Guidelines page for more information on eligibility to borrow.
We can issue temporary cards for those without a library card from their hometown who visit our library; you will have thirty days to get a full card from your hometown library.
Looking for more to borrow?
The Boston Public Library has a very extensive collection of online resources, most of which are available to anyone with a BPL eCard. eCards are available to anyone who lives, resides part-time to attend school, owns property, or works in Massachusetts.
