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Answers About the Library Catalog and Your Account... |
How
do I get a Baltimore County Public Library card or an MPOWER CARD?
To apply for a Baltimore County Public library card or an
MPOWER CARD, visit the Circulation or Borrower Services Desk at
any
Baltimore County Public Library branch or any
Mobile Library Services
bookmobile stop.
You can apply for a temporary card online.
Complete the
Online Registration▲
in
order to get a temporary Baltimore County Public Library e-card number. An
e-card number can be used immediately to:
To check out material from the library and to use other library services,
you will need to apply for a permanent library card
in-person at
any
Baltimore County Public Library branch. If you have a temporary library
card number, you do not need to fill out a registration form at the branch
to get a permanent library card. Just bring
valid
identification showing your current mailing address. If you are
17 years of age or under
and do not have valid
identification, a parent/guardian must be present to show a valid picture ID
and sign a registration form to allow you to get a permanent library card.
For step by step instructions, see
How to
Set Up A New Account.
▲
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Can I get a
library card registration form in a language other than English?
Paper registration forms may be printed in
Korean [PDF],
Russian [PDF] and
Spanish [PDF]. Fill out
the form and take it to your library to get a library card.
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What do I need to get a library card? What
is valid identification?
Adults, ages 18 years and older:
You must have a current Maryland driver's license, learner's permit, provisional
license or Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration identification card showing
your current address. If you have changed your address, a Motor Vehicle
Administration update must accompany your driver's license or identification
card.
If you do not have a photo ID showing your current address, you must show one
additional piece of valid identification showing your current address.
If the above forms of identification are not available, you will be mailed an
identification postal, which must be returned to any Baltimore County Public
Library Branch within 30 days. You will need to bring one piece of valid
identification showing both your current name and address along with the
identification postal. Your library card will be issued when you present the
postal and valid identification.
Examples of additional forms of valid identification that can be used along
with a photo ID or identification postal
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Current vehicle registration
-
Current vehicle insurance card
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Official mail, for example utility
bill, bank statement, insurance bill, et cetera,
with postmark not older than one month
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Lease dated within the last month
-
Check book
with printed address
-
For children in group homes, verification of identity and
address by the staff of the home is acceptable
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Can a child get a library card?
Child between the
ages 14 to 17
You can get a library card if you have a valid ID - a current Maryland driver's license, learner's permit,
provisional license or Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration identification card
showing your current address. If you have changed your address, a Motor Vehicle
Administration update must accompany your driver's license or identification
card.
If you do not have a photo ID showing your current address, you must show one
additional piece of valid identification showing your current address. You may
sign your own library card.
If you are
17 years of age or under and do not have valid
identification, a parent or guardian must show a valid photo ID
and sign a registration form to allow you to get a permanent library card.
No Parent or Guardian Present:
You may be given a registration form to take home for parental signature.
You will be limited to checking out two print items until your parent or
guardian presents a valid ID at the library.
Checking out DVDs and Video Games:
Parental permission and signature is required at the time of registration in
order to check out DVDs and video games other than those rated for children.
Children's DVDs and video games are identified with a J before the call number.
Child under 14 years old
A parent or legal guardian, 18 years or older, must apply for a library card
for a child under 14 years old. The child must be present at the time of
application. The parent or guardian must show
valid ID
and must sign the card before it may be used. The person signing the card is accepting financial responsibility for
materials borrowed or any charges incurred on a child's card.
No Parent or Guardian Present:
You may be given a registration form to take home for parental
signature. You will be limited to checking out two print items until your
parent or guardian presents a valid ID at the library.
Non-custodial Guardian Accompanying the Child:
The guardian (including grandparents, aunts and uncles,
adult siblings, foster parents) must live at the same address and be 18 years old or older. The
guardian must show identification as noted above that verifies the address
on the registration form and must sign the child's card.
Checking out DVDs and Video Games:
Parental permission and signature is required at the time of registration in
order to check out DVDs and video games other than those rated for children.
Children's DVDs and video games are identified with a J before the call
number.
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Does my library card expire? Do I have to renew my
library card?
All Baltimore County Public Library cards expire three years from the date of
registration. All Baltimore County Public Library cards must be renewed every
three years. To renew your library card go to the Circulation or Borrower
Service Desk at any
Baltimore
County Public Library branch or at any
Mobile Library Services
Bookmobile stop. Please bring your current library card and a Maryland Driver's
License or Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration identification card. A Motor
Vehicle Administration update must accompany your driver's license or
Identification card if there has been a change of address. If identification is
unavailable, please bring one of the valid identification
items with your library card.
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What should I do if my name or my address
changed?
Your library card can be corrected in-person, by phone at any
Baltimore
County Public Library branch. If you telephone, press 3 for library account
information. The next time you visit the library, you will need to bring
your current library card and a Maryland Driver's License or Maryland Motor
Vehicle Administration identification card. If there has been a change of
address, a Motor Vehicle Administration update (*MVA is now calling it a "change
of address sticker" *) must accompany your driver's license or identification
card. If this identification is unavailable, please bring one of these
valid identification
items with your library card.
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What do I do if my library card is lost,
damaged or stolen?
If you lost your library card, you should report it lost
immediately
in-person or by phone at
any
Baltimore County Public Library branch. Press 3 for library account
information. You are responsible for any items checked out on your library card
until it is reported.
To get a replacement card, you will need to complete a library card application
form at the Circulation or Borrower Services Desk when you visit the library.
You will need valid identification. Replacement cost
for a lost or damaged library card is $2.00.
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Can I use my library card from another
Maryland public library systems at BCPL?
To use a library card from another Maryland public library system at any BCPL
branch, it must be registered at the Circulation or Borrower Services Desk. Once
your card is registered you may borrow our materials or use our subscription
research databases.
A new library card will be issued only if your current library card's
identification number is not compatible with our circulation software.
Valid identification is required. Online registering of another public
library's card is not available.
What is an MPOWER Card?
The MPOWER card is a statewide public library card. It allows holders to
check out materials from any Maryland public library. The MPOWER card can
eliminate carrying multiple library cards.
You must register your MPOWER card at each
Maryland
public library system you wish to use. Since all public library systems in
Maryland use different circulation systems with their own user database, each
library system needs to add your MPOWER card identification number and your name
to its user database. Once registered as a user of that library system, you
should be able to check out items from that library system as well as use most
of their subscription research databases.
You are not required to have an MPOWER card to borrow material at another
public library system. You can also register your permanent Baltimore County
Public Library card or any library card from another Maryland public library
system.
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Non-Residents of Maryland
A non-resident is a person who does not live, work, attend school, or pay
taxes in Maryland.
Non-residents can apply for a permanent non-resident card at the
Circulation or Borrower Services Desk at any
Baltimore County Public Library branch. A card can be issued immediately if
the customer agrees to abide by the rules and regulations of Baltimore County
Public Library, signs the library card, and has a current out of state driver's
license showing the same name and address as on the registration form, or has
photo identification plus one additional piece of
valid
identification.
Non-residents of neighboring states (Delaware, District of Columbia,
Pennsylvania, and Virginia) can obtain a temporary BCPL library
e-card number by registering online.
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How do I request a title / place a hold?
You must first have a library card from Baltimore County or have an
M-Power Library Card that is registered with Baltimore County in order to
place a reserve. You can register for a temporary
library card by
registering online. All eligible material may be requested (placed on
hold) at
any
Baltimore County Public Library branch either in-person, by phone or
online using the BCPL
catalog.
▲
There is no charge for placing a hold on an item, with the exception
of "On Order" items. You will be
notified
when your material is available at your pick up location. Requests are held
for seven days following notification. If an item is not picked up within
seven days following notification, there is a $1.00 charge per item
which is not picked up. There is an additional $1.00 fee for each item
placed on hold through the
Book Ahead
service or through the
Interlibrary Loan service. There are several ways
to
check the status of your requests (holds).
To place a request (hold) - if you already have a library card number
(barcode number) then you can
log into your account▲, search for an title
and then click on the Place Request button. Your password is the last four
digits of your phone number. You can change your password after you log into
your account.
Click
here for step by step directions to place a request.
▲
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How do I cancel, postpone or suspend a title I have
requested?
There are several ways to cancel a request for a hold. The Information Desk staff at
any
Baltimore County Public Library branch
can help you cancel your requested items.
If the items have not yet arrived at your branch, you can cancel by logging
onto your library account and following the directions -
how to
cancel or suspend your request / hold online.
▲
To do this, you
will need your library card number (barcode) and password. The password for
an account created prior to Dec. 10, 2009 will default to the last four
digits or your phone number until you change it.
If the items you requested are "ready for pick up" or are in transit, then
you cannot cancel the hold online but must
call
the branch to which you requested the item be sent. When you call the
branch, after the recording picks up, press 3 to speak to someone about your
library account information. Have your library card number ready.
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How do I get a title not owned by
Baltimore County Public Library?
|
Direct Loan Service |
Interlibrary Loan ILL Service
|
Direct Loan
Service
Public library Systems offering Direct Loans:
Anne Arundel County,
Baltimore County,
Carroll County,
Cecil
County,
Frederick County,
Harford County
and Enoch Pratt Free Library in
Baltimore City.
-
There is no charge for Direct Loan service.
-
Some materials are not eligible for Direct Loan such as
books on the New York Times or Publishers Weekly best
seller lists.
-
Direct Loan is available only for materials that are
available (on shelf) when you call the library.
-
If a title is not currently available at any of the
above libraries, please contact the Information Desk staff at your
library for help with placing an Interlibrary Loan (ILL) request.
-
To get a Direct Loan, search the catalog of any of the
library systems listed above.
-
Once you find what you want, write down the title,
author, and the call number. Then call the owning library branch and ask
for a Direct Loan. Calls to some of the participating
library systems could be long distance for you.
-
Give the title, author, and the call number to the
staff member at the owning library and they will search for it on their
shelves.
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If the material is available, you can go to that
library and pick it up or have it sent to any branch in one of the
participating public library systems listed above.
-
Allow three to seven business days for delivery,
excluding weekends and holidays.
-
You will not be notified when the item arrives. The
items will be held for five days. We suggest that you
call the receiving library
to see if your material has arrived.
-
Books may be returned to ANY branch in the above listed
public library systems.
-
Direct Loaned items cannot be renewed.
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Fines for late return are collected at the branch to
which the material is returned, according to that library system's fine
rules.
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Audio-Visual materials and Direct Loans:
Enoch Pratt Free Library's
Sights and Sounds Department may agree to Direct Loan videos or DVDs
from their Video / DVD Reserve Collection to a Baltimore County Public
Library branch. Contact the Sights and Sounds Department of the Enoch
Pratt Library at 410-396-4616 to request an available video or
DVD. See the tutorial on
how to find audio- visual materials in the Pratt online catalog for
more information.
Baltimore County Public Library will not Direct Loan CDs, DVDs or video
games to other library systems.
Interlibrary Loan (ILL) Service
-
You must have a
valid library card from the Baltimore County
Public Library in order to request material through our Interlibrary
Loan service.
-
Fees: each item received through
Interlibrary Loan is subject to a $1.00 BCPL processing fee plus any
additional costs charged by the lending agency.
-
If Baltimore County Public
Library does not own the material you want, see or
call
your branch's Information Desk
to request the item through our Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service.
-
Information on requesting
audio visual items owned by the Enoch
Pratt Free Library/ State Library Resource Center is found below.
-
The request may take 7 to 14
business days to fill.
-
You will be
notified when the item is
available at your pick up location. Unless a shortened loan period is
set by the owning library, items are held to be picked up for 7 days.
There is a $1.00 per item charge if a held item is not picked up within
the time period specified.
-
The usual loan period is 21
days, but the length of the loan period is determined by the lending
library. Some lending libraries may require a shortened loan period or
other restrictions on use of their material.
-
Some Interlibrary loans may have
additional fees that are set by the lending library. Every attempt is
made to find a lender that does not charge any borrowing fees. At the
time you make the request, you will be asked if you want to
pre-authorize additional charges up to a stated amount, for example, "up
to $10.00". You may choose to limit our search for the item only to
those libraries which have no fees. The Baltimore County Public Library
Interlibrary Loan staff will contact a customer before submitting any
request for material with a lending fee over $10.00.
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All unfilled Interlibrary loan requests
are cancelled after 30 days. You will be notified of the cancellation.
You may resubmit the request.
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Items received through Interlibrary Loan
cannot be renewed.
-
Baltimore County Public Library will lend
books through Interlibrary Loan to other library systems as long as they
are not in high demand in Baltimore County and are older than one year.
We do not lend any non-print materials.
-
This service is available to
Mobile Library Services'
bookmobile customers.
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Audio-Visual Material
from Enoch Pratt Free Library and ILL Service
-
The Baltimore County Public Library's Interlibrary Loan
Department will attempt to acquire the following from the Enoch Pratt Free
Library/ State Library Resource Center's
Sights and Sounds Department: 16 mm films, slides, videocassettes and
DVDs (from their Video/DVD Reserve Collection only), audiocassettes
and CDs.
-
A
valid library card from the Baltimore County
Public Library is required to request audiovisual material. Enoch Pratt
requires that customers be age 18 and over to borrow 16 mm films and videos
and DVDs.
-
Search the Enoch Pratt Free Library catalog to find the
title. See these tutorials on
how to find audiovisual materials in the Pratt online catalog and
how to find audiobooks in the Pratt catalog.
-
See or
call
your branch's Information Desk
to request the item through our Interlibrary Loan service.
-
Items may be requested for a future showing one or more
weeks in advance.
-
You will receive phone confirmation if your request can be
filled.
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Items must be picked up and returned to the same
Baltimore
County Public Library branch.
-
Items received through Interlibrary Loan
cannot be renewed.
-
Length of loan period and maximum number of items available
for borrowing is determined by the Enoch Pratt Free Library.
-
Many of these titles are purchased with "public performance
rights," which means that they can be shown at free public programs where no
admission is charged or no fund raising is taking place. These titles cannot
not be shown on television unless clearance is obtained by the copyright
holder.
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How many
items may I check out and how long can I keep library materials?
Customers may check out up to 100 items at a time with the exception of video
games, which are limited to 3 at a time.
Library materials are loaned to you for 21 days, with the following
exceptions:
-
Entertainment or feature DVDs -- 2 days
-
Video games, TV series, and classic films on DVD -- 7 days
Most materials can be
renewed two times.
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Can I return items to another Baltimore County
Public Library branch?
Yes, you can return Baltimore County Public Library materials
to
any
Baltimore County Public Library branch. All branches except the Loch Raven
Library have a Book Drop. Items must be returned by closing time on the due date
to avoid late fines. Entertainment or feature DVDs checked out on Friday are due
at a branch or in a Book Drop by 5 p.m. on Sunday.
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Can I return items to a Maryland public
library system other than BCPL?
Yes,
all public
library systems accept materials borrowed from any Maryland public library
systems for return subject to that library's current fines and fees, policies
and procedures. It is recommended that you ask for a receipt showing the date, what
materials you
returned and what fines were paid, if any. Since the item must be sent from the
other library system back to Baltimore County Public Library before it can
actually be checked in, your library account may reflect that
delivery delay.
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How do I renew
material and how many times can I renew it?
Renewals allow you to extend the original
loan period for an item already checked out to you. Renewals are for the same
length of time as the original loan period. The new due date is calculated
from the date of renewal. Items eligible for renewal may be renewed two times. If your item is already late when you renew it, appropriate late
fines will
be applied to your library account.
Materials can be renewed online or through automated phone system,
SHELF HELP.
To renew online,
log into your account
▲ or click
here for renewal directions.
An item is
not eligible for renewal if
-
You already renewed that item twice.
-
You have fines and fees over five dollars
on your
library account.
-
Another customer has placed a hold on the title.
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The item belongs to another library system, including
those made available through the
Interlibrary
Loan service or through the Direct Loan service.
-
The item was checked out through a Teacher Loan Card.
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The item is Reference and can not be borrowed.
-
If the item is a two-day entertainment or feature
DVDs (adult's or children's) it can only be renewed in person at a branch.
Shelf Help and online renewal are not available for these types of
materials.
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How do
I check my library account? How can I review my fines and fees?
You can check your library account by calling or visiting any BCPL branch, by
using the automated phone system,
Shelf Help or log into your library account online.
To call a branch, see the BCPL
Hours and Locations page to find the branch phone number. Once the recording starts, press 3 for library account information. To
protect the confidentiality of your library account, you will need your library
card number and you may be asked additional identification information.
To check your account online, click on the
My Account tab
▲ located at the top
of any BCPL web page. Enter your library card number (barcode) and password,
then click the Log In button. The default password is the last 4 digits of
your phone number until you change it. For security reasons, you are
encouraged to change your password the first time you log into your account.
Click on the tabs near the top of the page to see Items Out and Requests. If
you have any Overdue items, they will be listed in the Items Out section and the due date
will be listed in red.
To review any fines or fees, click the Fines & Fees tab.
To use the automated phone system,
SHELF HELP, call
410-494-9063 then press 2. You will need your library card number to get to your
account information.
What is my password? How do I
change my password?
A password is needed to log into your library account
online, in addition to your library card number (barcode). Both password and
barcode number are used in order to safeguard your privacy. The password
defaults to the last four digits of the phone number the library has listed
in your account until you change it.
You may change your password by logging into your account
and clicking on the My Account tab located at the top of any BCPL web
page. Then enter your library card number (barcode), your password
(Default is the last four digits of your phone number) and click the Log
In button. If you have not changed your password previously, use the
last four digits of your phone number. If you cannot log onto your account,
call any BCPL Branch and ask for assistance
with resetting your password.
Once logged into your account, click on the
Change LOGON
button at the bottom of the screen. Now click on the Change PASSWORD
button, also at the bottom of the screen. Type in your old password
(Default is the last 4 digits of your phone number), type in your new
password twice and then click the SUBMIT button.
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What is the SHELF HELP automated
phone service, and what can I do if it's not working?
Baltimore County Public Library's automated phone service,
SHELF HELP, allows you to get the following information about your
library account or to renew items by dialing 410-494-9063 on a
touch-tone phone. You will need your library card identification number.
Once the recording starts:
Press 1
For library information such as branch hours, addresses, phone numbers, and
holiday closings.
Press 2
To Check Your Library Account: find out if your card is in good standing or if
you have overdue items, fines, etc. See
fines and fees for more information.
Press 5
To go directly to Renewals: this feature allows you to renew items
already checked out to you. You can renew all checked out items or only one item
from a list of what you have checked out. Renewed items will be due three weeks
from the date of renewal. Not all material can be renewed.
Items eligible for renewal may be renewed two times. If the item is overdue,
fines will be added to your account.
Press 6
To check on Requests:
you will need your library card number. This will
tell you which of your requests are available for pick up or are still pending.
For all menus, press * (the asterisk symbol) to return to the previous menu.
If for any reason
SHELF HELP is not
working, it is your responsibility to renew your materials online or by
visiting or
phoning a branch.
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