Circulation Policy
Eligible Borrowers
Library cards are available to residents of the Village of Berkeley, Illinois. Teachers employed in schools serving the Village of Berkeley may also register for a library card valid for one year.
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Non-residents who qualify for the State of Illinois "Cards for Kids" exemption (pursuant to 75 ILCS 5/4-7) are asked to contact library administration for additional information.
Library Cards
Individuals who are residents of Berkeley, with proof of residence, are eligible for a library card. A current driver's license or state photo ID and at least one current (recent 60 days) utility bill are required for proof of residence. The fee to replace a lost card is $1.00.
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An individual under the age of eighteen is required to have a parent or guardian signature at the time of their application. This signature represents acceptance of responsibility for the return of, or payment of, all materials. parents must provide proof of Berkeley residence with proper identification.
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The patron's current library card, in good standing, must be presented to obtain materials (Effective July 2019, a patron may use the SWAN app with a digital facsimile of the library card for all materials and services instead of a traditional library card). A patron whose card is lost or stolen should immediately report it to the library. A patron is responsible for materials checked out prior to the card being reported lost or stolen. Library cards are valid until the patron moves from the Village of Berkeley. Library accounts and the accompanying cards may be removed from the system automatically after a period of three years of inactivity. In this events, there is no cost to issue a new card to the resident.
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Borrowing and public computer privileges may be withheld from a patron when charges exceed $5.00.
Loan Policy
Please consult the current Loan Rule Chart for full details regarding holds, material limitations, and circulation periods. New materials are available to be placed on hold by Berkeley Public Library patrons only for a period of 60 days. Patrons who use their cards at other libraries are subject to that library's loan rules. All circulation records are confidential.
Vacation Loans
Vacation loans of Berkeley Public Library material may be made upon request to a library staff member. Vacation loans are not available for circulating technology.
Renewals
Many materials may be renewed by visiting the library, by phone, or by using the online catalog link at https://bks.swanlibraries.net/. Additionally, many items may be eligible for automatic renewal, which automatically attempts to renew the item prior to the date due. For more information, please see library staff.
Overdue Materials
A majority of materials available from the Berkeley Public Library are circulated on a fines free model. If a qualifying item is overdue 14 days or more, the patron's account will be temporarily blocked until the item is returned. If an item is overdue for 42 days or more, the item is marked as lost and the replacement cost will be assessed to the patron's account. Materials that require a deposit, including circulation technology (hotspots and laptops) are not fines free and will accumulate overdue fees for each day until they are returned.
Lost or Damaged Library Materials
In any library material is lost or damaged, the responsible patron will be charged the replacement cost. If the library material reported as lost is returned within 90 days, the replacement cost will be refunded to the borrower unless replacement material has already been purchased by the library. The library will not accept 'in kind' items to replace items lost.
Hold Requests
Patrons may request materials which are not immediately available for patron use, but are part of the collection of the Berkeley Public Library or any of the libraries that are part of the SWAN consortium. When the requested materials are available, the library will notify the patron via automated phone, e-mail, or text message. The specific title of the material will not be stated to anyone other than the library patron who placed the hold. Requested materials will be held for a period of seven days.
Interlibrary Loan
Interlibrary loan is the process by which a library requests material from, or supplies material to, another library. When patrons request material(s) not available from the Berkeley Public Library, such items may be requested via interlibrary loan (ILL) through the SWAN consortium. Items unavailable through SWAN may be requested from other state or national libraries via OCLC. OCLC lending is only available for Berkeley Public Library cardholders. For assistance with this process, please see library staff.
Reciprocal Borrowing
Reciprocal borrowing is a program that allows patrons with a valid public library card to travel to other public libraries within the state of Illinois to borrow materials.
REVISED AND APPROVED by the Board on this 26th day of August, 2020. AYES: 7 NAYS:0
REVISED AND APPROVED by the Board on this 22nd day of September, 2021. AYES:7 NAYS:0
REVISED AND APPROVED by the Board on this 27th day of April, 2022. AYES:5 NAYS:0
REVISED AND APPROVED by the Board on this 26th day of March, 2025. AYES: 6 NAYS:0