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School Partnerships

An intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) allows public libraries to provide services to schools within their service area, including but not limited to, individual teacher cards and student access to resources. Libraries may not have IGAs in place, but still work in partnership with local schools supporting student and teacher cards. SWAN libraries adhere to policy and legal requirements when working with school populations.

Teacher and student cards

A teacher card is an individual card for a teacher who provides instruction at a school district or school library within a SWAN library's service area. Public libraries may create teacher cards for patrons existing within the SWAN patron database for the sole purpose of circulating material for educational support. In other words, if the public library so chooses, they may create teacher cards for patrons who teach within their service area. This teacher card may be in addition to their regular patron library card at the same library, within SWAN, or outside SWAN and will be designed for school use only.

A student card is issued to a student upon the request of and based on information provided by, a school/school district within the library's service area. Parent/guardians of these students have not expressly authorized/signed for creation of a public library card in the child's name as a direct agreement between the parent/guardian and the public library.

Intergovernmental agreements

An intergovernmental agreement is an agreement that is made between two or more governments in cooperation to solve problems of mutual concern. When setting up agreements with local schools/school districts an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) is recommended to outline the mutual services and benefits afforded to partners in the agreement.  

Resources for your investigation of intergovernmental agreements 

Contact help@swanlibraries.net if batch loading for student records is needed, or if teacher cards need to have specific loan rules, based on your Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA). 

Intergovernmental agreement template

Customize the Word document to reflect your library and local school and/or school district, including dates and agreement term period. Legal counsel should review the document before it is approved and signed by the entities. 

Sample wording for library application within school registration packets

Libraries working with schools/school districts should provide wording that acknowledges disclosure of personal information and parental responsibility when authorizing the public library to create a full patron card for the child.  If the library provides card registration approval forms within school packets, the library's patron registration form, should be included. In addition, the following language allows the school to share student information with the public library for purposes of creating a library card. 

Allow my student's registration information to be shared with the [public library name] for the [yy/yy] school year. The library will use this information to create a [public library name] library card for my student(s). This information is used to provide access to information and services provided by the library.

Terminology and distinction in card type:

  • Library Card - created for a minor using the library's general patron profiles. This library cardholder is often referred to as a juvenile cardholder. Some libraries distinguish between adult and juvenile cards.
  • Student Card - created for a student without parent/guardian authorization. This student card is created to provide classroom support services and will use a special STUDENT profile. Limited demographic information is entered into the SWAN patron database. 

See the documentation on Student Cards for additional information on laws, including SOPPA (Student Online Personal Protection Act) and support for students.