Frequently Asked Questions

The following is a compilation of questions asked frequently by Hawaii public library users.

How do I get a library card? How much does it cost?
Library card application forms are available at any public library in Hawai`i. The first card is FREE for Hawai`i residents and members of the military and their dependents with military I.D. and a copy of orders. Don't lose it -- a replacement card is $5.00. A five-year non-resident library card costs $25.00, and a 3-month non-resident card is available for $10.00. Here's more info about library cards.

Do I have to return my books to the same library where I borrowed them? What about cassettes, compact discs, and videos?
You may return books to any public library in Hawai`i. After hours, books may be returned in the library's book drop. Audiovisual materials are more fragile and cassettes and compact discs should be returned to the circulation counter since heavy books can damage them in the book drop.

Can I receive email notices of items waiting for me to pick them up?
Yes, read more information here.

How can I get access to the public library system's online catalog of books and other materials?
The Hawaii State Public Library System Catalog is available at http://ipac.librarieshawaii.org.

I forgot what books I borrowed and what titles I put on hold. How can I find out?
Check 'my account' where you can see what materials you have borrowed, what items you have reserved, and any fines or other library card alerts.

How much are fines?
Overdue Fines for all borrowers:
Overdue fine: $0.25 per item per day
Maximum fine per item: $7.50
Overdue Fines for Videos and DVDs:
Overdue video fine: $0.25 per video per day
Maximum fine per video: $7.50

Fines Threshold: The maximum fines threshold is $10.00. You will not be able to use your library card if you have fines or charges of $10.00 or more. Here is more information about library fines and fees.

I don't have money to pay for my fines today. Should I keep my overdue books?
Nope! Return your overdue library materials as soon as possible to stop additional fines from being charged against your account. Pay your fines and other fees as soon as you can. However, please note that the maximum "fines threshold" is $10.00. This means that you will not be able to use your library card if you have fines or charges of $10.00 or more.

What's this about a collection agency?
On March 1, 1997, the Hawaii State Public Library System began to use a collection agency "to recover as much as $3 million in delinquent unpaid fines and fees." Information about the collection agency program is included in the December 1996 issue of The Ho`ala News. Almost all library accounts which are $10.00 or more in arrears and are more than 90 days past due will be turned over to a collection agency for collection. The exceptions are special library card accounts for students who attend schools with designated "public and school libraries." [This information and clarification were provided by Roger Downward, HSPLS, who is in charge of the Collection Agency program.]

My library doesn't have the book I need. What should I do?
The ability to place reserves (holds) on books and other library materials via the Dynix system is now available. You are able to reserve circulating books or audiovisual materials (cassettes, compact discs, videos, DVDs, etc.) located at any Hawai`i Public Library and have them sent to your local library for pick up. You may place a reserve from any public terminal in the library or from a computer with Internet access in your home or office. Note: you will not be able to place a reserve from a library terminal if a copy AT YOUR LIBRARY shows the status of "on shelf" or "shelving cart." The Dynix system assumes that you will check the shelves for a copy instead of placing a reserve. If you cannot locate the copy or need other assistance, please ask a library staff member. You may also phone your local library and ask the staff to reserve the item for you. This service is FREE. Fee-based document delivery services are also available.

What if the book I need is a reference book?
Some resource materials have been designated "R" for reference because they are in high demand by other customers, are indexes or guides to other resources, are integral parts of sets, are high loss items, or are fragile, rare, and/or irreplaceable. These materials must be used in the library and cannot be borrowed. Some of these materials are kept at the reference desk and are designated "DR" or desk reference in the online catalog. You must leave an HSPLS library card with the reference staff while you use the material in the library. If you need a reference book which is at another public library, please inform a staff member. The owning libraries will make every effort to accommodate your request and send the item to your local library for in-house reference use. However, there are some reference sources such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, indexes, almanacs, current directories, telephone books, handbooks, manuals, etc. which are so heavily used that making them unavailable for even a short period would cause major inconvenience and frustration for other users. Fee-based document delivery services are also available.

Do the public libraries have videos?
Hawai`i's public libraries have videos and DVDs to borrow. There is a service fee of $1.00 per video, which is due back in one week. Some videos have been designated "public education videos," and these can be borrowed FREE of charge. Note: overdue fines for videos are $0.25 per video per day for a maximum of $7.50 per video. Watch those due dates! If your local library does not own a particular video, you can obtain a copy from another public library by placing a reserve at any public terminal or from your home or office if you have a computer and modem. You may also phone your local library and ask the staff to reserve the item for you. Be sure to have your library card handy.

Is there a limit on the number of items I can borrow?
There is no limit on books and cassettes. There is a limit of ten (10) compact discs, ten (10) videos and ten (10) DVDs on loan to one borrower at one time.

Are computers available for the public to use?
There are a limited number of computers with Internet and other office applications available in Hawaii State Public Library System libraries.

Can I access the Internet through the public libraries?
You may reserve a 60-minute session per week at any of the Internet computers at your local public library. Please read the HSPLS Internet Use Policy, which will provide more information about this service. Please observe the time limits and restrictions which are posted in the library.

Do I need to go to the library to renew a book?
You may renew your library materials in person or by phone (during library open hours) if you have not already renewed the items and if no one else has a reserve on them. Just call the Telephone Renewals Unit of the Hawaii State Library (HSL) at 586-3652 (from Oahu) or 1-800-820-RENU [7368] (from the Neighbor Islands) during HSL's open hours. You may also call your local public library for renewal service (during open hours). Please have your library card and materials with you when you phone.

Can I renew my items online?
The Self-Renewal function in the current version of the Public Access Catalog was disabled as it did not provide adequate bells and whistles for the user:
1. There was no noticeable, visible alert if the renewal was refused due to another customer’s request.
2. The vendor’s online instructions are inadequate. Customers failed to check the box for each of the items they wished to renew, thinking that all they needed to do was click on the "Renew" option check box.
3. There is a "Renew All" function, but it, too, was problematic. Customers with “claims returned” items did not realize that those items were also “renewed” when the “Renew All” option was selected, in effect setting up these "claims returned" items again for 21-day or 7-day loan depending on media type, without the customers being aware this had happened. Because of this side effect of "Renew All", those renewed "claims returned" items, after 7 and 21 days, went back into overdue status
Due to the resulting confusion caused by the USER-UNFRIENDLY structure of the current Self- Renewal module and to the unfortunate effect on “claims returned” items, the Self-Renewal option was disabled until the vendor can provide a more user-friendly and trouble-free interface.

Can I return my e-books early?
Due to publisher licensing agreements, OverDrive Media titles and Mobipocket titles cannot be returned early. They will automatically be returned at the end of the lending period. Only Adobe® eBooks may be returned early. Click here for information on early return. 

“My List” questions:
1. How many My Lists may I set up?
ANSWER: You may have up to four separate lists.

2. What are the maximum items each list may have?
ANSWER: Each list can have a maximum of 100 entries

3. How long will a list stay in storage?
ANSWER: If a My List list is inactive (i.e., has not been added to or deleted from in 90 days), the list is purged from the system. As long as the list is added or subtracted from as indicated, the file will continue to exist. That is unless there is an outage or failure of the server housing the My List files.

4. Is it possible for My Lists to disappear from the system?
ANSWER: There are times, unfortunately, when the online catalog server will undergo a major disruption of the application. At such times, the application must be brought back up and its data tables re-built immediately. When this occurs (This happens a few times a year for us.) not only does it bring the online catalog down for a couple of hours, but the net effect to the online library customer is that their My List log is lost as well as all the data associated with that log. Because of this inherent risk, the My List should not be considered as a long-term storage medium, as the loss of critical log information makes restoring My List files impossible. HSPLS cannot restore such data if it gets deleted, unlike other data held in My Account. We encourage online library customers to keep a printout of what they have stored in their My List, just in case such an accidental server deletion occurs.