Broward County, FL - In celebration of  Library Card Sign-up Month in September, Broward County Library (BCL) is debuting a new Broward County Library card design. The card features a native Florida manatee called "Sunny," the name selected from hundreds of clever customer submissions.

According to the American Library Association, Library Card Sign-Up Month began in 1987 as a response to the Secretary of Education's challenge: "Let's have a campaign…Every child should obtain a library card and use it." Since then, every September, thousands of public libraries and schools participate and encourage people of all ages to acquire a library card, their most useful, free public benefit. 

BCL's newest card sports a cartoon character manatee among the bubbles and algae of Florida's blue tides. Floating below the library's logo, Sunny has a happy smile and an open book. While Sunny will certainly appeal to young readers, the card is available and intended for Broward County Library customers of all ages. 

Following an appeal to library customers requesting help naming the manatee, "Sunny" was chosen from over 600 suggestions. BCL customers rushed to submit creative ideas about what to call the lovable marine mammal holding a waterproof book, proving you can - and should - read anywhere.

Library staff liked the name Sunny for a variety of reasons, including the manatee's cheerful expression and the correlation to the BCL logo which contains a sun that's bright yellow and orange, like the book Sunny is reading. 

The selected name was sent in by Megan, a 28-year-old library customer from Coconut Creek paying tribute to her late cat, Sunny, "as a nice way to remember her."  Megan has had a library card since kindergarten and tells us she enjoys her trips to the library and "loves seeing what's new and finding books I may not have thought to look for." 

The Sunny Manatee card is the latest library card in an array of appealing and award-winning designs, including the Peace Love Libraries card, I Read Banned Books card and the collectible Florida Panthers card, among others. BCL invites everyone to sign up for an All-Access Card or an Instant eCard, offering recommendations for 52 Ways to Use Your Library Card.