Library Cards & Borrowing Info

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Library Cards & Borrowing Info

Who is eligible for a library card?

Residents of Parkland School District

This includes North Whitehall, South Whitehall, and Upper Macungie Townships, as well as residents of Ward 17, 4th district, and Ward 18, 2nd district, both of Allentown.

Members aged five and up will receive a Lehigh Carbon Library Cooperative card, which allows them to use any member library in the cooperative. You will also be able to take advantage of ACCESS Pennsylvania, a statewide program that lets you get a membership with any participating library on the condition that you have an up-to-date card with your home library. Please contact any libraries you wish to register with beforehand to determine their requirements.

Share Card, the My First Library Card

Members under five will receive a Share Card, the My First Library Card. This card can now be used cooperative-wide. Benefits and limitations are listed here.

Non-Resident

Residents of the Northwestern Lehigh School District are able to purchase a membership for $40/year. Cardholders will be able to use any member library in the cooperative but will not have ACCESS Pennsylvania privileges. At this time, access to hoopla is not granted to patrons with non-resident cards.

ACCESS

Pennsylvania residents who belong to local libraries that participate in ACCESS Pennsylvania will be able to register with the Parkland Library on the condition that they have an up-to-date card with their home library.

*Special note for parents: For applicants under 18, the legal guardian is responsible for the care and return of items checked out at Parkland Community Library. The legal guardian is to pay all fines and damages that may occur to materials. Legal guardians are responsible for managing their child’s account, supervising the selection of materials, and ensuring they obey library rules. A child’s card is subject to the confidentiality law. Manage your child’s account 24 hours a day through our online catalog and an automated telephone system. *Guardians must have an LCLC library card. 

How to Sign up for a Library Card

Once your new card is processed, you will receive an email with your library card number and pin, enabling you to place holds and use online resources. You will receive your card in the mail shortly after.

Borrowing Material

Loan Periods

1 Week

DVDs

Launchpads
Adult Parkland residents may borrow up to 3 per card for 1 week. *Launchpads must be returned to the circulation desk.

Museum Passes
Local and regional museum admission passes are available to adult cardholders. Museum passes do not renew. *Passes must be returned to the circulation desk.

Laptops (Dell Latitude 5520)
Laptops may be automatically renewed for two cycles. Allowing for an additional 7 to 14 days if there are no holds for the device. *The laptop must be returned to the Tech Center during regular library hours.

Library of Things
Things may be automatically renewed for two cycles if there are no holds on the item. *Things must be returned to the circulation desk.

2 Weeks

Adult and YA High Demand Books (5-item limit)
Most items can be renewed twice unless there is a hold.

New Adult & New YA Books

DVD Series

3 Weeks

Books, Magazines, Audiobooks

Requests for Materials

Holds must be picked up within 4 days.

You may place a hold (reserve) on any item (with the exception of reference material) by phone, in person, or through the website. Find your item in the catalog, click on “place hold,” and enter your library card number and PIN.

The library will contact you when your item has arrived. You will have 4 days to arrange your pick-up.

To request items not owned by Parkland or the LCLC, please contact the library at 610-398-1361.

Fine Free

Parkland Community Library and the LCLC is now Fine Free! Patrons will no longer be charged late fees for overdue materials.

Exceptions Apply.

When visiting other libraries in the LCLC, be sure to ask what fees may apply. Special collections will continue to have late charges or other fees in accordance with each library’s policies.

Returning Loans

Items may be returned at the circulation desk or the 24-hour book drop located in the northeast corner of the back of the building.

Launchpads and museum passes must be returned to the circulation desk.

Additionally, materials can be returned at any LCLC library. View the LCLC libraries here.

The Library shall not be responsible for any materials left outside of the library. If any materials are lost, damaged, or stolen that are left outside, the patron will be held accountable.


Fines, Fees & Lost/Damaged Items

Late Fees

No late charges on most materials.

Items that are overdue for 28 days are considered lost.

Launchpads: $5.00 per day up to $50.

Museum Passes: $10.00 a day, capped at $70.

Laptops: $10.00 per day will be charged. 

Library Of Things: Fines and fees vary. All fines and fees can be viewed in our catalog. 

Patrons are responsible for items that are lost or damaged. Replacement items are not accepted. You’ll be charged replacement costs and processing fees. If you return the lost item before paying the replacement cost, we’ll waive that charge. However, we can’t refund money that you’ve already paid, even if you return the book later.

If your account has $10 or more in fees, including for lost materials, your library privileges will be suspended. The suspension includes but is not limited to borrowing material, the use of the tech center, databases, interlibrary loans, etc.

Interlibrary Loans (ILLs)

Please see our ILLs web page for information on fines and borrowing rules.

Note: ILLs do not renew.

Lost or Damaged Items

If items you have borrowed have been lost or damaged, please contact the library at 610-398-1361. The Library shall not be responsible for any materials left outside the library or closed or full book drops. If any materials are lost, damaged, or stolen that are left outside, the patron will be held accountable.

Lost Borrower Card

Apply online for a new card. Please be advised that once your new card has been created, your old card will no longer work.

How can I pay my fines?

We will accept cash, money orders, credit cards, cashier checks, or personal checks to pay fines and fees. If a check is returned for any reason, we will assess a processing fee of $25 on your library account. Payment must be made in full with cash or money order before you can resume borrowing privileges.