City of Keene residents  Keene Public Library cards are provided free of charge to Keene residents.

• Adults must have verification of their Keene street address (mail, lease, driver's license, utility bill, etc.). A driver's license with a P.O. box or PMB box is not sufficient, as it does not prove Keene residency.
• Children under the age of 18 may receive library cards. A parent or guardian must accompany them to apply for a card, sign for financial responsibility and accept and understand library policy regarding children. The parent or guardian must have verification of their Keene street address.
• Occasionally children receive their cards when they come to the library on a school visit. The classroom teacher distributes the applications and returns the completed ones to the library prior to the visit. No further ID or proof of address is needed. The application card, however, must be signed by the parent or guardian.
• Cards are issued for 3 years from the first date of the current month.

Keene Property Owners  Any property owner in Keene is entitled to a free library card.

• Verification may be made by either a copy of the City tax bill or by reference to the Assessors' official property tax list at the Circulation Desk.
• This privilege extends to the taxpayer and to any members of the taxpayer's family.
• Cards are valid through January 30th of the following year from the date they are issued (for example, a card issued on September 23, 2009 will expire on January 30, 2011).

Full-time City of Keene Employees  Any full-time City employee may receive a library card by identifying the department for which they work.

• This privilege extends only to the employee.
• Cards are valid for three years.
• Circulation notices will be mailed to the City department instead of to home addresses.

Out-of-Town Students Attending School in Keene  Students who attend any school located in Keene full-time are eligible for a free library card. Some of the schools include:

• Franklin School 
• Fuller School    
• Gathering Waters
• Jonathan Daniels School
• Keene High School     
• Keene Middle School
• MC2 School | Making Community Connections Charter School
• Montessori School 
• St. Joseph's School
• Surry Village Charter School, Keene Campus
• Symonds School 
• Trinity Christian School
• Wheelock School  

• Students must provide either a school-issued ID or a letter verifying that they are a student. A parent or guardian must accompany the student, sign for financial responsibility, and accept and understand library policy regarding children.
• Cards are issued for one school year and the summer following that year (expiration: 9/30).
• Occasionally children receive their cards when they come to the library on a school visit or when a librarian visits a classroom. The classroom teacher distributes the applications and returns the completed ones to the library before visiting. No other ID or proof of address is required. However, the application card must be signed by the parent or guardian.

Off-campus Keene State College Students

• Keene State College students may apply for a Keene Public Library card if they live off-campus in Keene.
• Students must have verification of their Keene street address (mail, lease, driver's license, utility bill, etc.). A driver's license with a P.O. box or PMB box is not sufficient, as it does not prove Keene residency.
• Materials may be returned at either library, regardless of where they were checked out.

Full-Time College Students Attending School in Keene  Full-Time students attending school at a Keene institution of higher education are eligible for free library cards. 

• Some Keene institutions include:
  • Antioch New England
  • River Valley Community College
• Students must provide a Student ID or verification from the school.
• Cards are issued for one school year and the summer following that school year.

Full-Time Teachers employed by the Keene School District, Tutors in the Keene School System, and Students in SAU29's Community Ed Adult Learner Services Program 

• Teachers and tutors who work full-time in one of the Keene schools are eligible for free cards.
  • A school-issued ID, letter from the school principal, or school contract must be provided.
  • Cards are issued for one school year and the summer following that school year (expiration: 9/30).
• Tutors or students in the Cheshire County Literacy Coalition program or Adult Learner Services Program at Community Ed are eligible for free library cards.
  • Verification from the Adult Learner Services office is required.
  • Cards are valid for one year from the date they are issued.

Cards for Institutions Located in Keene  Institutions, businesses, and organizations which own or rent facilities in the City of Keene are entitled to a library card in the name of the institution.

•  A letter requesting the business card is required from the president or chief executive officer on company stationery. The letter must state that the institution/organization agrees to be responsible for all materials checked out with the card.
•  The following paragraph is suggested wording for businesses or organizations applying for cards:  "(Name of business) will accept responsibility for all materials borrowed with the business card, including late, damaged or lost materials. (Name of business) understands that this card will be valid for one year."
• Possession of the card will be proof that a given employee has the company's permission to check out materials.
• Cards are valid for one year from the date they are issued.
• Business cards are not issued to out-of-town businesses.
• The Circulation Supervisor will issue and update business cards.