Borrowing, Returning, Renewing
Borrowing
Your library card is your key to borrowing circulating books, cassettes, compact
discs, videos, etc. at any Hawaii public library. Just present your card and
library materials to the staff at the circulation desk. The staff member will
scan the 10-digit bar codes on your library card and on your library materials
with a laser reader, and the automated circulation system will immediately
register the loans. The staff member will then stamp the due date on the
materials. Books and most other material are loaned out for three weeks and
videos for one week. At many libraries, staff will also "thump" your books on a
small machine, which is part of our security system.
Returning
Most library materials do not have to be returned to the library from which they
were borrowed. They may be returned to any public library. After hours, books
may be returned in the library's bookdrop. Because audiovisual materials can be
damaged when heavy books fall on top of them in the bookdrop, they should be
returned to a circulation desk during the library's open hours.
Renewing
Books and most other library materials may be renewed for an additional three
weeks (one week for DVDs and videos) if there are no reserves on the items. Only
one renewal per item is allowed. You may renew your materials in person at any
public library, or by calling the Telephone Renewal Unit of the Hawaii State
Library during open hours. The phone numbers are 586-3652 from Oahu and
1-800-820-7368 from neighbor islands. You may also call any Hawaii public
library during open hours. You must have your library card and the items you
wish to renew available at the time of the renewal. The item must be physically
present when renewing in person; titles will be needed when renewing by phone.
Not all items are eligible for renewal.