A library card just became one of the better deals in Montclair. For the month of September, the same card that gets you free books, museum passes and a stack of digital resources also gets you 20 percent off at Diesel & Duke, a free ride at CycleBar and a complimentary Pilates class at Rebel Core, as long as you know where to flash it.
What is the Montclair library card perks program?
The Montclair Public Library rolled out “Library Card Local Perks” this month, timed to Library Card Sign-Up Month, a national campaign every public library runs every September to encourage new sign-ups. Montclair’s library decided to make that campaign pay off directly for cardholders. From September 1 through September 30, anyone with a valid Montclair Public Library card can walk into thirteen participating businesses around town and claim a discount, a free item or a free class, just for showing the card.
“We wanted to create a program that celebrates the value of library membership in a tangible, daily way while giving back to the local small businesses that make Montclair thrive,” said Library Director Radwa Ali in a press release announcing the launch. “A library card is already the most valuable card in your wallet, giving you access to books, technology, educational resources, museum passes and so much more. Library Card Local Perks adds one more reason to carry it with pride.”
Who can get a free Montclair library card?
The card is available for anyone who lives in Montclair or who works or attends school in town, even without a Montclair address. The card itself is free. Sign up happens two ways: in person at either library branch, or online at montclairlibrary.org/services/library-card.
There is no waiting period and no cost attached, and signing up takes a few minutes. Once that card is in hand, the next question is where it actually gets used.
Where can you use your library card for discounts in Montclair?
The perks split roughly into food, fitness and retail, and a few stand out from the standard 10 percent discount:
- Acorn General Store, 41 Church St.: 10 percent off
- Toastique, 25 Church St.: 10 percent off
- Diesel & Duke, 20 Church St.: 20 percent off a purchase
- Mattarello Bakery & Café, 254 Bellevue Ave.: free regular size cannoli with any purchase
- Van Hook Cheese & Grocery, 111 Grove St.: 10 percent off
- The General Store, 198 Bellevue Ave.: 10 percent off
- CycleBar, 656 Bloomfield Ave.: free ride, redeemed by texting a photo of the card, front and back, to (973) 707-7533
- Hardbodyz Fitness, 129 Bloomfield Ave., Verona: two-week complimentary membership
- Pulse House, 50 Upper Montclair Plaza: 15 percent off class packages plus a free cycle shoe rental
- Rebel Core Pilates, 129 Bloomfield Ave., Verona: complimentary class, redeemed by emailing stephandbill@rebelcorenj.com
- Salad House Montclair, 18 South Fullerton Ave.: 10 percent off
- Tacoria Montclair, 367 Bloomfield Ave.: 10 percent off
- Yarnia, 127 Watchung Ave.: free gift with purchase, one per cardholder
Redeeming most of these takes nothing more than showing the card at checkout.
Montclair Public Library hours
The Main Library at 50 South Fullerton Ave. is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 6 p.m. The Bellevue Avenue Branch at 185 Bellevue Ave. keeps different hours: Monday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 2 to 6 p.m., closed Sunday. Both branches can be reached at 973-744-0500.
The full, current list of perks lives at montclairlibrary.org/localperks2026.
