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| Today is Thursday, May 17th, 2012 · The Library is open today from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM | ||
Use the Library
This Public User Brochure provides much of the information you need to take full use of the services and programs offered by the Guilderland Public Library. The "How Do I" sections below, which cover everything from "Get a Library Card" to "Find a Book," provide need-it-now answers to patrons' most-asked questions.
Get a Library Card back to top
To get a Guilderland Public Library card, please stop by the Library and complete a registration form and provide identification that shows your name, current address, and signature. Preferred form of identification is a valid New York State Driver's license. Please note: If your mailing address is a post office box you will be required to show proof of your actual physical address. You must live within the Guilderland Central School District to get a GPL Card. Library cards are issued to youths ages 5 through 16 years of age, however, a parent's or legal guardian's signature is required.
The first time you use a new card you will be limited to 4 items. After that, the maximum number of items allowed charged to a patron's account at any given time is 50 or a maximum dollar value of $1,500, whichever comes first. There are some additional restrictions on the number of new and audiovisual materials that can be charged at any one time. For specifics please inquire at the Circulation Desk.
If you are a Guilderland resident or a resident of any community in Albany or Rensselaer counties, you may use your library card at any of the 29 Upper Hudson Library System member libraries in Albany and Rensselaer counties.
Once you have your library card, there is a wealth of material you can borrow: books, large print books, Playaways (a self-contained digital audiobook player), books on tape, magazines, pamphlets, videos, DVDs, CDs, even fishing poles (in season, of course). And free music downloads and music information via Freegal! You can also use our in-house public computers and take advantage of our free WiFi to use your own laptop at the Library.
And then there are the things you can do from home: With your Guilderland Public Library Card, you can download audiobooks and ebooks, access a wealth of online databases, learn a language online with the Mango system, let your children use the Tumblebook library of online stories, check your account status, and reserve books, CDs, DVDs, etc. If we don't have what you want, it can be sent from another Library so that you can pick it up here. We'll even contact you when it arrives.
All this is just a Guilderland Public Library Card away.
If you have questions, or need additional information, please contact Circulation at 456-2400 x 8 or send an email to Ask Circulation.
Renew items back to top
You have a number of ways or renewing items: Online through the “My Account” link on the Library website or by coming into the Library and telling one of the Circulation staff. You can also call Circulation at 456-2400 x 8. Please have available your library card and the item barcode number for the materials you wish to renew. You can renew items individually or all the items you have charged providing there are no holds and it is a renewable item.
The library has loan periods that vary from 7 to 28 days. All items are clearly marked with the date they are due. Please be sure to check these prior to leaving the library in case you have any questions.
For questions about material on your library record, please contact Circulation at 456-2400 x 8 or send an email to Ask Circulation.
Place a request on a library item back to top
You can place a request for certain materials from any computer with Internet access through the “My Account” feature. Or, if you are at the library, you can place your reservation with the Circulation staff.
If you would like to place a request on one part of a multi-part item (such as disc 4 of a DVD set), please call the library or stop by the service desk for assistance.
Use “My Account” back to top
In order to use the “My Account” feature, you must have a Library Card issued by a member library of the Upper Hudson Library System. Click on “My Account”, enter your Library Card number and personal identification number, and you can:
- See what items you have on loan
- Reserve a library item
- View and fines or messages relating to your Library Card.
- See a listing of all items you have reserved or are “on hold” waiting for you at the Library.
For questions about material on your library record, please contact Circulation at 456-2400 x 8 or send an email to Ask Circulation.
Find a book back to top
The online catalog allows you to search for items in the Guilderland Public Library as well as in all of the libraries in the Upper Hudson Library System. The “Search the Catalog” feature on the left side of the home page is your most direct route to finding a specific book.
- Use the pull-down menu to choose how you want to search: Keyword, Author, Title, etc. Enter your search terms, and click “Go.” You’ll get a list of all works that match your search.
- Click on the item you want to see if it is available at Guilderland Public Library in the form you want, (for example audiobook, large print etc.) You will also see if other libraries in our system have the item and if it is checked in.
- If you are a library card holder, you can reserve the item, or place your name on a waiting list to get the next available copy put aside for you.
There is more information about using the online catalog via the Help screens found in the upper right hand corner of each online catalog page. Call the library or stop by the service desk if you would like to speak to a librarian for assistance.
Find an article back to top
Use the Research tab in the main navigation bar to go to our full array of online resources.
We subscribe to a large number of online databases that give you an outstanding array of materials to access at your convenience from any computer in the library, at home or from your favorite café! Look at the list of databases on our research page and choose one that covers your area of interest.
If you go to this page from outside of the library, you will be asked to log in with your user name and a password.
- Your user name is your library card number, the long number on the back of your card.
- Your password is your pin # - the last 4 digits of the phone number we have on file for you.
Each of the databases has a Help menu so that you can learn to make the most effective use of the resources in that database. Call the library or stop by the service desk if you would like to speak to a librarian for assistance.
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2228 Western Avenue • Guilderland, New York 12084-9071 ~ 518.456.2400 ~ Contact Staff ~ Contact the Director ~ Contact the Board