Residents in Reading, Pennsylvania, can soon carry a little piece of local history in their wallets. The Reading Public Library and Reading Pride Celebration have chosen a colourful design for a limited-edition card marking Berks Pride Fest’s 20th anniversary, with free cards available to eligible library users while supplies last.

Essential Takeaways

  • Local artist chosen: Anu Morgan’s design won a public and panel-led selection process.
  • Community-backed project: Residents cast 303 votes among three finalist artworks.
  • Free while stocks last: Eligible library users can request the commemorative card at no cost.
  • Artwork on display: All three submitted designs will be shown at the 100 S. Fifth St. branch during September.
  • Milestone celebration: The card links Library Card Sign-Up Month with two decades of Berks Pride Fest.

A library card with a story behind it

Some library cards are purely practical. This one comes with a bit more feeling attached, turning an everyday object into a pocket-sized celebration of local identity, creativity and pride.

The winning artwork was created by Reading artist Anu Morgan for a contest organised by the Reading Public Library and Reading Pride Celebration. The brief asked artists to reflect the LGBTQ+ community and shared values including equity, respect, love and joy, according to the Reading Eagle.

That makes the card more than a colourful redesign. It captures how public libraries often work best: as welcoming spaces where culture, information and community life meet.

More than 300 people helped choose the winner

The selection process gave local residents a proper voice. Three artists, Morgan, Sebastian Hoover and Craig Schaffer, submitted designs, and community members cast 303 votes during July.

A four-member judging panel, made up of representatives from the library, Reading Pride Celebration and the wider community, also assessed the entries for creativity and originality. The result was therefore shaped by both public enthusiasm and a formal review process, rather than a decision made behind closed doors.

Reading Pride Celebration president Sean Flannery said the turnout showed that people felt a genuine connection with the artwork. That kind of participation is easy to overlook, but it gives the finished card a stronger sense of belonging.

See all three designs in person

The library isn't keeping the other entries out of sight. All three designs will be displayed throughout September at the Reading Public Library branch on South Fifth Street, giving visitors the chance to compare the finalists and see the breadth of local artistic talent.

The timing also ties the project to Library Card Sign-Up Month, an annual reminder that a library membership can unlock far more than shelves of books. Today, libraries are meeting places, digital access points, learning hubs and venues for local expression.

For visitors, the display offers a quiet invitation to pause and look closely. The cards may be small, but the ideas behind them are anything but.

How to get the limited-edition card

The commemorative card featuring Morgan's design will be available free to people who qualify for a Reading Public Library card. Supplies are limited, so anyone hoping to collect one shouldn't leave it until the final week of the display.

It's worth checking eligibility and availability directly with the library before making a special journey. Existing cardholders may also want to ask whether their current card can be replaced or updated, as arrangements can vary for limited-edition issues.

For collectors, the appeal is obvious. For regular borrowers, it's a cheerful way to turn a routine library visit into part of a local anniversary.

A small keepsake for a significant anniversary

Reading Pride Celebration's 20th anniversary gives the collaboration a natural sense of occasion, while the library card makes that occasion tangible. Instead of a souvenir that sits on a shelf, this is something people can use, carry and show off whenever they borrow a book or access library services.

The project also fits a wider appetite for commemorative cards celebrating public institutions and local milestones. Berks County public libraries have used similar designs to mark important anniversaries, suggesting that a familiar card can become a surprisingly effective piece of civic storytelling.

Sometimes the nicest community keepsakes are the ones that slip into everyday life. This one just happens to open the door to the library, too.

Pick up the limited-edition card while supplies last and take a little local pride with you.

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