Check Out These Library Checkout Card Inspired Goods

by admin March 11, 2020

Things I miss from childhood include fancy Viennetta ice cream, Hi-C Ecto Cooler, and especially library checkout cards and due date slips. At my elementary school library, students would choose a book, then use a pencil to fill out his or her name and homeroom teacher on the checkout card. Our librarian would file the card and then stamp the due date on the due date slip.

I loved finding a book, pulling out the check out card, and then reading all of the names of kids who checked the book out before me. Sometimes I checked out books multiple times throughout different grades. I watched my handwriting change and develop from large print to spirally cursive over the course of four or five grade levels.

I am now a teacher at the same school that I attended. I still visit our library on a weekly basis. The library checkout cards are long gone. I now listen to the “boop” noise that the scanner makes as the librarian helps students check out books. While I am sure it is more efficient than the old method, I miss seeing those checkout cards and little library pockets in the books. I feel like students are missing out on the child created handwritten history that each book used to carry with it.

If you too have fond memories of these library artifacts, peruse these library checkout card and due date gifts.