Borrowing & Cards

Please stop at the Circulation Desk to borrow, return or renew your items. Requested items are held at the Circulation Desk for one week. We will notify you by phone or email when your requested items are ready to be picked up. If you have any questions you can reach the Circulation Desk at (413) 525-5400 , ext. 1511. You can also access your account online to request or renew items.

To obtain a library card, you will need a photo ID with your current address. All Massachusetts residents are entitled to an East Longmeadow Public Library card. There is no charge for your first library card. Lost or misplaced cards cost $2 and can be issued after showing proper identification. If you would like to fill out a library card application  and print it to bring into the library, you can click here for the adult application or click here for the children’s application.

If you do not have a card and are only interested in using our electronic collections, you can sign up at this link  for an electronic library card (eCard). If you decide in the future to come into the library to borrow items, you will be able to trade in your eCard for a traditional card at the Circulation Desk.

Out- of -State Borrowers Registration Policy
As of October 1, 2010, all out-of-state cardholders, including new registrations and re-registrations, will be assessed a $38.00 yearly fee per card.

NOTE:  This fee may be waived only under the following circumstances, provided proper documentation is presented at the time of registration:

• Current employees of the town of East Longmeadow (may be required to show a payroll stub);
• Current East Longmeadow taxpayers who present a copy of their current East Longmeadow tax bill.

Card Expiration
Library cards are valid for a two year period. If you have an email on your library account, you will receive an email seven days before your card expires. You may  renew your card in person at the library. You may be asked to provide photo identification and proof of address.

Access Your Library Account Online
If you are a registered borrower at any of our full member libraries, you can log in to review your library record online. While logged in, you will see a list of materials you have checked out, outstanding requests you have for library materials and any fines you may owe. While logged in you may renew your items, or place a request for an item that is either checked out or only available at another library. You may also pay fines of $.50 or more online using your credit card.

Each time you use this service, you will need to type in your library card number and a PIN (Personal Identification Number). If you forget your PIN, please contact the Circulation Desk for assistance at (413)525-5400 x1511.

To add an email address to your library card account:
1. Login to Your Library Account
2. Go to Account Preferences
3. Change your email address
4. Logout of your account

By providing us with your email address, you will receive via email:
1. Reminders 2 days BEFORE items are due
2. Overdue reminders 2 weeks AFTER an item’s due date has passed
3. Notification that your hold items are available at the library for pick-up

For your protection and security, your library card is the preferred way of accessing your account. You will be required to present your library card in order to check out or renew materials. By using your card, you show that you approve of each item being checked out to your account—each card is specific to each borrower and is not transferable, even to another family member. Please have your card handy when you’re ready to check out items. Lost or misplaced cards will be issued after showing proper identification and paying a $2.00 charge.

Renewing items
Items that are eligible for a renewal (books, magazines, DVDs, CDs, audiobooks, video games, Kindles or tablets, games, and puzzles) will automatically renew one time on their due date. You may also renew items by either accessing your account online, calling us at (413) 525-5400, ext. 1511, or coming to the library.

Returning items
When the library is closed, you may return the book and media return drop. It is located at the front entrance to the library. Some items should not be returned in the book drop. Our circulation staff will remind you when you check out items that should be returned inside.

Items may be returned at any CW MARS library regardless of where they were borrowed.

Overdue and lost items
The East Longmeadow library does not charge overdue fines on items that we own. There is a charge for lost of damaged materials. Items that are owned by other libraries that are checked out at the East Longmeadow library may have fines charged by the owning library.

50 items total may be checked out per library card.