El Paso County Enhanced Library Card program allows seniors, homeless, new arrivals to obtain services, open bank accounts

Ramon Bracamontes, El Paso County/Senior Strategic Aide 

After years of planning, presentations and setbacks, El Paso County now has a community identification program that will provide county residents access to library services and a form of personal identification to enhance public safety, quality of life, and access to other services.

The program, called the “Enhanced Library Card” program, is expected to help senior citizens, the homeless, formerly incarcerated individuals, newly arrived migrants, people with disabilities and veterans.

In April, the El Paso County Commissioners Court approved partnering with the City of El Paso on the program, which the City Council approved at the urging of county officials.

The city kicked off the Enhanced Library Card program on June 7, 2024. As of mid-June, 285 cards had been issued, with 135 of those going to County residents.

El Paso County Commissioner David Stout, who has been working with other county officials and a local non-profit since 2015 to establish the program, said the community ID will make life easier for thousands of residents in El Paso.

“Not having an ID can be an impediment to participation in daily life, from banking to renting,” Stout recently told a local media outlet. “That’s what we are here for – to enhance community quality of life, to support business and individual initiative, to help people. I’m glad we can partner with the city on this, and I’m grateful to BNHR for its community advocacy and to the organizations and businesses that have committed to making this work.”

The Border Network for Human Rights, a local non-profit that helps migrants, had been advocating for a municipal ID program for about 10 years.

“This is a win for the thousands of El Paso residents who cannot access a government-issued identification and a historic milestone for the BNHR,” BNHR Executive Director Fernando Garcia said during a recent media interview.

The enhanced library cards will be recognized by the El Paso Police Department and the El Paso County Sheriff’s Department, and card holders will be able to use it to open bank accounts at various local banks, county officials said. The library card will have a person’s photo, name, address, height, weight, age and gender.

The IDs will not replace state IDs or driver’s licenses.

Initially, the program is expected to cost about $105,000 and will provide up to 10,000 IDs in the first year. The cards can be obtained at four city libraries.

As part of the agreement with the city, the County will pay $75 for each enhanced library card issued to anyone who lives outside the city limits but within El Paso County. The cards are valid for five years.

The County will also share the costs of the one employee that will be hired by the city for the program not to exceed $35,000.

The enhanced library cards cannot be used to register to vote, obtains a driver’s license or be eligible for government benefits. The cards cannot be used to show proof of age to purchase liquor or tobacco.

El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego was one of the guest speakers at the launching of the Enhanced Library Card program.