Library Card Printing

A library card is scanned at every loan and every return, so the barcode has to keep reading after years in a school bag or a purse. We print the barcode under the card surface, where it cannot be scratched or rubbed away.

CP Cards prints library cards for school and college libraries, community and volunteer-run libraries and specialist collections. Manufactured in England since 1992. For the other cards a school uses, see plastic cards for schools.

Barcodes that match your system

Library management systems expect a particular barcode format and number length. We print Code 39, the most widely used, and Code 128, in sequence from any start number or from a spreadsheet of existing borrower numbers. Some library systems use Codabar, which we do not print, so check with your system supplier before ordering.

We can post you a printed proof card first, so you can scan it on your own desk scanner before the full run is printed. The barcode guide has the full specification.

Cards for school libraries

School libraries often want the pupil’s name and form or house on the card as well as the barcode. Send a spreadsheet and every card is printed with its own details. For pupils who arrive part way through the year, our bureau personalisation service keeps printed cards in stock and adds names as you send them.

Key fob library cards

A 54 x 29mm key fob version goes on a keyring or a bag zip and is harder to lose. Some libraries issue a combo card, a full size card and a key fob joined together, which the borrower snaps apart so they have one in a purse and one on their keys.

Numbering a new card scheme

If you are starting a scheme from scratch, three decisions save trouble later. Choose a number length with room to grow: a four digit range runs out at 9,999 borrowers. Print the number in plain figures under the barcode, so staff can type it in when a scanner fails. And keep a white box behind the barcode, because scanners read black on white far more reliably than black on a colour.

Why printed plastic rather than a sticker on card

Many libraries still issue a paper or card ticket with a barcode sticker on it. The sticker is the weak point: the corner lifts, the bars scuff and the card stops scanning. On a printed PVC card the barcode is part of the card, and the card is the thickness of a bank card, so it survives a wallet or a pencil case.

Content reviewed by the CP Cards team, September 2026.

Printed for school and community libraries

Library cards are printed alongside the membership and student cards we produce for schools, colleges and clubs across the UK. Every order has a free photorealistic proof before printing, and a posted proof card is available for testing barcodes on your own equipment.

Library Card FAQs

Which barcode types can you print?

We print Code 39 and Code 128, plus QR codes. Check which format your library system expects before ordering, as some systems use Codabar, which we do not print.

Can you continue our existing borrower numbers?

Yes. Give us a start number, or send a spreadsheet of the exact numbers, and we print them in sequence.

Can we test the barcode before the full order is printed?

Yes. We can post you a printed proof card so you can scan it on your own system first.

Can pupil names be printed on the cards?

Yes. Send a spreadsheet and every card is printed with its own name, form or house alongside the barcode.