In last month’s patron registration webinar survey, we asked attendees three simple questions:
- Does your library offer self-service library card registration?
- If yes, does your system offer real-time address verification?
- How many phone calls per week does your library receive regarding library card renewals?
The results revealed a significant gap between offering online registration and delivering a truly seamless, secure patron experience.
Nearly 75% of respondents reported offering self-service library card registration. On the surface, that sounds like a major step forward. However, in many cases, “self-service” simply means patrons can start the registration process online. It does not necessarily mean the library can instantly verify whether the applicant is eligible to receive a library card.
The difference became clear in the second question. Less than one-third of respondents reported that their system includes real-time address verification. This means that while many libraries offer online registration, only a fraction have the technology needed to automatically confirm residency and determine eligibility for a full-access library card at the point of registration.
Without real-time verification, libraries may be relying on information that has not been validated. In some cases, applicants can provide inaccurate, outdated, or even fictitious addresses and still receive access to digital resources. This creates additional staff workload, increases the likelihood of improper account creation, and can expose libraries to unnecessary costs associated with serving ineligible users.
The third question highlighted another symptom of the problem. Fewer than 10% of libraries reported receiving zero library card-related calls during the previous week. The largest group of respondents reported receiving 11 or more calls, while some libraries were unable to estimate the number at all. Regardless of the exact volume, library card registration and renewal issues continue to require significant staff attention.
A Case Study in Unverified Registration
In 2024, Unique conducted a library card survey for a consortium client in a large U.S. city. Even a quick review of the registration data revealed hundreds of library card applicants using the address of the local Major League Baseball stadium. A deeper analysis uncovered hundreds of additional nonresidents with active library cards.
How did this happen? Like many online registration systems, the library’s process only checked whether the submitted address existed within the library’s service area. If it did, the applicant was issued a virtual library card. The address itself was never verified to determine whether the person actually lived there.
As a result, individuals who were not eligible for service gained access to library resources. The baseball stadium stood out because it was so obvious. The more important question is how many other ineligible accounts exist behind residential addresses, commercial properties, vacant lots, or other locations that would never draw attention during a casual review.
The issue was not that the library lacked self-service registration. The issue was that critical verification steps were missing. Online registration makes library access more convenient, but convenience alone is not enough. Without real-time verification, libraries may unknowingly create accounts for individuals who do not meet residency requirements, increasing costs, administrative burden, and the risk of misuse.
Where Existing Registration Processes May Fall Short
The existing self-service card registration tools on the market often fall short in four key areas:
- They verify addresses, not residents.
Many registration tools simply confirm that an address falls within the library’s service area. Once that check is complete, a library card may be issued, even though the system has not verified that the applicant actually lives at that address.
This creates an obvious vulnerability. Anyone can search for a valid address located within a library district and use it during registration. Discussions about this practice have appeared on social media, online forums, and library discussion groups, making it increasingly easy for nonresidents to identify workarounds. The result is a process that confirms where an address is located, but not whether the applicant is genuinely eligible for service.
- The digital experience is often incomplete.
Many online registration processes begin digitally but do not finish digitally. A patron completes an online form and receives a temporary library card, only to discover that full access requires an additional verification step at a library branch.
From the patron’s perspective, this can be frustrating. Someone who expects immediate access to eBooks, databases, or other online resources instead encounters another step before they can fully use the services they came to access.
- Staff remain part of the verification process.
When verification cannot be completed automatically, staff must fill the gap. Employees are often responsible for reviewing registrations, verifying residency documentation, answering questions about temporary accounts, and helping patrons complete the process.
Rather than eliminating manual work, many existing systems simply move part of the workload from the circulation desk to the registration queue. Libraries may still receive calls, emails, and in-person inquiries related to eligibility, account status, and activation requirements.
- Advanced verification solutions can be difficult to justify financially.
Solutions that perform stronger residency verification do exist, but many libraries find them difficult to budget for. Costs are frequently based on transaction volume or the number of verification checks performed, making annual expenses hard to predict.
For libraries operating within fixed budgets, uncertainty around pricing can become a barrier to adopting more robust verification tools, even when the benefits are clear.
What Does Verified Registration Mean?
Verified Registration goes beyond determining whether an address exists within a library’s service area. It verifies both the address and the individual’s connection to that address.
Where traditional self-service registration tools may only validate location, Verified Registration helps confirm that the applicant is actually a resident at the address they provide. This additional layer of verification helps libraries reduce ineligible registrations, minimize staff intervention, and provide patrons with a fully digital registration experience that can be trusted from the start.
Why Complete Verification Matters
- Protect Resources for Eligible Patrons
Libraries are facing increasing financial pressure. Tight budgets, funding uncertainty, and growing demand for digital services require libraries to make the most of every resource available.
When unverified or ineligible users gain access to library cards, the impact extends beyond a single account. Every ebook checkout, audiobook hold, database session, or online course enrollment draws from resources intended for the community the library serves. In some cases, illegitimate registrations can also inflate usage statistics, making it more difficult for library leaders to accurately assess patron demand and allocate limited budgets.
Verifying both residency and identity helps ensure that library resources remain available to the patrons who are entitled to use them.
- Remove Unnecessary Barriers for Patrons
Verification should not create friction for legitimate users.
Patrons seeking immediate access to ebooks, audiobooks, streaming services, online learning platforms, or research databases increasingly expect the same seamless digital experience they receive from other online services. When registration requires additional paperwork, manual review, or an in-person visit, many prospective users abandon the process before ever engaging with library resources.
A complete verification process allows eligible patrons to receive immediate access while still ensuring that library policies are consistently enforced.
- Reduce Administrative Burden on Staff
Manual verification processes create work for both patrons and staff.
When registrations require follow-up, address checks, or in-person validation, library staff must interrupt other responsibilities to process applications and answer questions related to account eligibility and renewals. While each interaction may only take a few minutes, those minutes add up over time.
By automatically verifying residency and identity during the registration process, libraries can significantly reduce routine administrative tasks, allowing staff to focus more time on patron services, programming, and community engagement.
More Than Self-Service
Self-service library card registration is an important first step, but self-service alone is not enough.
The most effective registration systems do more than move forms online. They verify both the address and the resident, providing immediate access for eligible patrons while helping protect valuable library resources from misuse.
When registration is fully verified, libraries can reduce staff workload, eliminate unnecessary barriers for patrons, and help ensure that limited collections and digital services remain available to the communities they are intended to serve.
