Frequently Asked Questions:
Circulation Questions 1. How do I obtain a library card? Patrons wishing to receive a library card should fill out a library card application (adult application or child application) and take the completed application to any branch or at the Central Library. Adults are required to show name and address identification, and children need a parent's signature to complete the application process. The card is FREE to any City of Dallas resident or City of Dallas employee or teacher employed by the Dallas Independent School District. 2. How do I get a card for my company? Any company located in the City of Dallas may obtain a library card by submitting a request on company letterhead (including street address and phone number). State the number of cards desired and name of staff (not to exceed 10) to be using the cards. The letter must be signed by a chief executive officer agreeing to be responsible for any delinquencies that may occur. These cards are for business-related materials, not for personal use. The company is responsible for keepasswordg track of the personnel using these cards. If the company has 10 cards issued and one is lost, all cards will need to be replaced if the specific card number is not known. If this occurs, the company will be responsible for reporting the card lost/stolen (214) 670-1740). Forward all inquiries to Dallas Public Library, Circulation Services, 1515 Young St., Dallas, TX 75201. 3. Can I get a library card if I do not live in Dallas? Library cards are available to non-residents for $200 per year for unlimited borrowing. Three limited-borrowing punch cards are also available at $20 for 5 items or $50 for 15 items or $75 for 25 items. Library cards are available free to all residents of the City of Dallas and City of Dallas employees. Students and teachers of public elementary and secondary schools located in the City are also eligible to receive free library cards. 4. How old does my child have to be to get a library card of his or her own? Library cards are available for children of any age. 5. How long is my library card valid and how do I renew it? All Dallas Public Library cards, including non-resident, education, volunteer, and company cards, are valid for one year, after which time they must be renewed. Library cards can be renewed in person at any library with identification showing a current city of Dallas address.
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6. How long can I keep a book out? You may borrow books, magazines, audiocassettes, videocassettes, records, compact discs, and many other kinds of materials. Most items can be checked out for 21 days; however, there are some exceptions:
7. Can I return books to any Dallas Public Library? You may return borrowed materials to any Dallas Public Library location. 8. Can I return my books after the Library closes? Night drops are available at all branch libraries, including the Central Library, where the drop off box is located on Ervay St. (the east side of the building). 9. Renewing by: phone / email / in person / online
10. Why can I sometimes not renew materials via the web? Periodically, we have experienced intermittent server problems which affect both the online catalog and online renewal services. We apologize for the inconvenience and are working to address the immediate problems, as they arise, and also to eventually implement a more fundamental solution. If you need immediate assistance, please call 214-670-1400 or your local branch during library hours. You may also contact us by email at librarycustomerservice@dallaslibrary.org. Please include your library card number for renewals and requests. There are also several cases where you cannot renew
items checked out to you. Renewals will be
blocked
if:
Material may not be renewed on the same day it was charged (checked out). Renewal dates are from the date renewed, not the date material is due. (We recommend renewing one day prior to the due date in case there are problems.) Fines on most items are $.30 cents per day per item with a $12.50 or cost-of-material maximum. DVDs, videocassettes, compact discs and special reference loans are $1 per day if overdue, with a $20 maximum. There is a $20 reprocessing fee added to the cost of a lost or damaged item. Delinquent accounts of $35 or more may be referred to a third party collection agency; an additional $20 collection fee will be added to referred accounts. The following fees are in effect: Delinquent accounts of $35 or more may be referred to a third party collection agency; an additional $20 collection fee will be added to referred accounts. 12. How many books and other materials can I check out? On a first time application, you may borrow up to five items, or one multi-volume set of audio or video cassettes containing more than five items. After the application is processed, there is no limit on the number of "circulating" items you may borrow, with the exception of videos and DVDs. There is a limit of 5 DVDs and 5 videos per library card. 13. What does Patron Account tab offer? This page, accessible through the Dallas Public Library Web Catalog, provides the following information:
To use this page, you need your Dallas Public Library card number (the 14 digit number on the back of your library card) and your password. If you don't know your password, contact Central Library Circulation at (214) 670-1740 or circulation staff at any branch library for assistance. In the Dallas Public Library catalog, requesting an item means asking the system to locate the first available copy of the item you want in order to have it sent to the library unit of your choice for checking out to your account. The process may take several days. The pickup location will notify you when the material becomes available for you. You will need to log in using your library card number and your password number. (A password number is assigned to your library account when your account is created and, along with your library card number, validates your login session. If you don't know your password number, contact Central Library Circulation at (214) 670-1740 or circulation staff at any branch library for assistance. You can also change your password number yourself on the web catalog's About My Account tab.) You will be notified either by email, phone or mail when the material is available at your chosen pickup point. IMPORTANT: To check out the material, you will need to bring the same library card (same account number) which you used to request the material. Some items cannot be requested: You will not be able to request materials if any of below apply:
15. Passwords (formerly known as passwords) Default passwords are set as the last four digits of the phone number on record for your account. If you don't know your password, contact Central Library Circulation at 214-670-1740 or circulation staff at any branch library for assistance. Have your Dallas Public Library card ready, as staff will need this information. You may also request to have your password reset by email (librarycustomerservice@dallaslibrary.org). Please include your library card number and name in the email. You can also change your password number yourself after logging in to your account. 16. Will I be notified regarding the books I requested? You will be notified by email, phone or mail when your requested material is available. If you wish to be notified by email, please contact the circulation staff at any branch library or at central. Please note that you must ensure that your email provider is not blocking the address we are using to send notifications to you. You may need to add librarycustomerservice@dallaslibrary.org to your email "white list". 17. Why am I not receiving my email notifications? Library notices -- alerting patrons to requested items that have come in or alerting them that they have books overdue -- are sent from our circulation computer. Unfortunately, many Internet Service Providers (ISP's) and email programs such as Microsoft Outlook or Hotmail classify the email as spam and automatically delete the email or move it to a "junk mail" folder. Recently, in their effort to combat spam, many ISP's have changed how bulk email is screened, and this has affected receipt of library notices. Accordingly, you may need to "white list" the library's email address. 18. Can the Library's catalog or other databases be accessed by from my home or office? The library catalog can be searched via the Library website from your home or office computer. Use the Search the Library Catalog link on the Library's home page. Many databases and electronic books can be remotely accessed from the Library's home page, using the Log In to Databases link listed under "Electronic Resources" toward the bottom of the center column. In most cases, you will need to use the 14-digit number appearing under the barcode on your library card. Other electronic databases are available only at one of the twenty-five library locations 19. Does the Library have a place where I can prepare a résumé? The Central Library can provide access to Microsoft Word and each branch library can provide access to both WinWay Résumé and Microsoft Word. A résumé can be prepared using either. 20. How can I access old newspaper articles? The Library subscribes to approximately 80 newspapers from across the U.S. Most of them are retained for three months. The Humanities Division, housed on the 3rd floor, maintains older copies of some national newspapers on microfilm. (However, from August 2006, the unit has temporarily re-located to the 1st floor, while the 3rd floor is undergoing renovation. More information is available here.) The Texas/Dallas Division on the 7th floor has microfilm copies of many Texas newspapers. The Dallas Morning News historical archive (1885-1997) is accessible electronically via the Newsbank database.
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