Services
Curbside Pickup!
We’re excited to offer contact-free curbside pickup at the Main Library! Here’s how to get started with this new service:
- Log into your library account
- Place holds on items that you would like to checkout (limit 15/cardholder).
- Appointments can only be made when your holds become available. Once your hold is available, log into your account and go to the curbside pickup tab to make your appointment.
- Questions? Check out our FAQ page here or call 541-917-7580
Fines
Fines are charged for overdue materials based upon the current fee schedule.
Rates
- Fines for overdue library materials are $.20 per item, per day.
- Fines per item will accumulate to a maximum of the item cost or $5.00, whichever is lower.
Four-day grace period
- If overdue items are returned before the fifth day overdue, the patron will not be fined for the first four days.
Maximum fines
- Patrons may continue to check out library materials until they have accumulated $15.00 in fines.
- Once a patron accumulates $15.00 in fines, library privileges will not be permitted until fines are brought below $15.00.
Homebound Delivery FAQ
QUESTIONS? | ¿PREGUNTAS?
Who is eligible for this delivery service? | ¿Quién califica para este servicio?
· Albany residents living within Albany city limits who have an Albany Public Library account (in good standing). | Personas que viven dentro de los límites de la ciudad con una cuenta en buena condición con la Biblioteca Pública de Albany.
· Albany city residents confined to their homes due to illness, injury, disability or limited mobility. | Los habitantes de Albany confinados a casa debido a una enfermedad, discapacidad o necesidades especiales
· This delivery service is available for a temporary situation or as a long-term arrangement. | Este servicio de entrega está disponible para un arreglo temporal o a largo plazo.
How do I sign up for this service? | ¿Cómo me inscribo en este servicio?
· Complete the Homebound Delivery Service Request form online or by telephone (541-917-7580) | Complete el formulario del servicio de entrega por teléfono (541-917-7580) o en línea
· After your application is reviewed, a staff member will contact you to discuss eligibility and your delivery needs. | Cuando recibamos su solicitud, un miembro del personal bilingüe se comunicará con usted para discutir su elegibilidad y necesidades de entrega.
What materials can be borrowed? | ¿Qué materiales puedo pedir prestados?
All library materials that can normally be checked out and have been placed on hold for you, including books, magazines, audiobooks on CD, DVDs, and music CDs. | Todos los materiales de la biblioteca que usted normalmente puede pedir prestado, incluyendo los libros, revistas, audiolibros, películas, y música.
How long can I keep materials that are delivered? | ¿Cuánto tiempo puedo tener con los materiales que se entregan?
· Albany Public Library materials will check out for 30 days and will be picked up during the next delivery. | Los materiales de la Biblioteca Pública de Albany se retirarán durante 30 días y se recogerán durante la próxima entrega.
· Library materials borrowed from other Linn County Libraries may check out for one to three weeks and have a different due date. | Materiales de otras bibliotecas del condado de Linn se pueden retirar durante 1-3 semanas y tienen una fecha de vencimiento diferente.
· You may renew your items following regular guidelines, if there is not a current hold by another person. Renewals are not available for Albany Public Library DVDs and items that normally check out for one week. | Puede renovar sus materiales siguiendo pautas regulares, si no hay una reserva actual por parte de otro usuario. No hay renovaciones disponibles para las películas y otros artículos de la Biblioteca Pública de Albany que normalmente se retiran durante una semana.
How do I request materials to be delivered? | ¿Cómo pido los títulos para entregar?
Place hold requests on the items you want through our website or call 541-917-7580 to have library staff help you. | Realice solicitudes de reserve en los artículos que desee a través de nuestro sitio web al 541-917-7580 para asistencia del personal.
How frequently will library materials be delivered to my home? | ¿Con qué frecuencia se entregarán los materiales a mi hogar?
Deliveries will be made twice a month. | Haremos las entregas dos veces por mes.
Who will deliver the library materials? | ¿Quién entregará los materiales de a biblioteca?
Library staff will deliver and retrieve the materials at your home. | Personal de la biblioteca entregarán y recogerán los materiales.
How will I be notified when a delivery is on the way? | ¿Cómo me notificarán cuando una entrega está en camino?
Library staff will call or email you within 24 hours of your delivery date. | Un miembro del personal lo llamará o le enviará un correo electrónico dentro de las 24 horas posteriores a la fecha de entrega.
Do I have to be home when deliveries are made? | ¿Tengo que estar en casa para la hora de entrega?
We recommend that you or someone in your family is home to accept delivery. If that is not possible, call library staff to arrange for materials to be left in a secure place. | Recomendamos que usted o alguien de su familia esté en casa para aceptar la entrega. Si no es posible, llame a la biblioteca para arreglar que los materiales se dejen en un lugar seguro.
How do I receive materials? | ¿Cómo recibo los materiales?
· Materials arrive in sealed, plastic bags and deliveries will be made in a contact-free manner. | Los materiales llegan en bolsas de plástico, selladas, sin ningún contacto.
· To keep you and library staff safe, we require that the delivery location can accommodate physical distancing. | Para mantenerlo a usted y al personal de la biblioteca seguros, requerimos que el lugar de entrega pueda practicar la distancia física.
How do I return materials? | ¿Cómo devuelvo los materiales?
Place library materials back in the delivery bag and close the bag. Leave the bag in the pre-arranged delivery place. | Recoja los materiales en la bolsa de plástico de entrega y ciérrela. Deje la bolsa en el lugar de entrega preestablecido.
Are there any fees? | ¿Hay algún costo?
· This Homebound Delivery Service is free of charge. | Este servicio de entrega a domicilio es gratuito.
· Patrons are responsible for materials delivered through the Homebound Delivery Service. If an item gets lost or damaged while in your care, you would be charged for the replacement cost and processing fee for the item. | Los usuarios del servicio son responsables de los materiales entregados. Si un artículo se pierde o se daña mientras está prestado, se le cobrará el costo de reemplazo y la multa de procesamiento del artículo.
· Patrons will become ineligible for the service if their account falls out of good standing due to fines or replacement fees for lost or damaged materials. | Los usuarios dejan de ser elegibles para el servicio si su cuenta deja de estar vigente debido a multas o tarifas de reemplazo por materiales perdidos o dañados.
Homebound Delivery Service
Homebound Delivery Service | Nuevo servicio de entrega a personas confinadas en casa
When getting to the library is too difficult, let the library come to you! The Albany Public Library provides free home delivery to Albany residents who are unable to visit the library due to illness, injury, disability or limited mobility. | ¡Cuando es demasiado difícil venir aquí, permítanos venir a ti! La biblioteca ofrece entrega gratuita a casa a las personas en Albany que no pueden ir de visita a la biblioteca debido a una enfermedad, discapacidad o necesidades especiales.
Homebound Delivery Application
Frequently Asked Questions about Homebound Delivery
Library Rules of Conduct
It is the Library’s mission to provide free and easy access to its facilities, resources, and services for all people of Albany. To this end, the Library has established rules of conduct that promote a safe, comfortable, healthy, and barrier-free environment. Library staff shall make every effort to apply these rules in a fair, humane, and positive manner for the benefit of all. The Rules of Conduct cover activities inside and outside the Library building, including the Library grounds and parking lots. We ask your cooperation in maintaining an environment conducive to enjoyable use of the Library for all.
While at the Library we encourage you to:
- Ask for help when you need it.
- Give us your suggestions about how we can improve our services, collections, and facilities.
- Enjoy the time you spend here.
- Have the expectation of reasonable privacy to read, view, and listen to library materials.
So that everyone may have a safe and enjoyable experience, the following are prohibited:
- Using E-Cigarettes/vaporizing/ smoking on either Library property. This includes inside vehicles. (Per City Council Policy updated October 12, 2016.)
- Using tobacco or Marijuana products in the Library or near the front door. Use may include: chewing, spitting, etc.
- Eating – except in approved areas by authorized groups.
- Sleeping, loitering, or lying on the floor.
- Being in the Library without shoes, shirts, or other appropriate clothing. Children too young to walk do not need shoes.
- Violating other user’s expectation of reasonable privacy.
- Bringing pets or other animals, except service animals, into the Library.
- Bathing or washing clothes.
- * Being under the influence of, consuming, or possessing alcohol or illegal substances
- Leaving children ten years and younger unattended.
- *Bringing into the Library anything that is unsafe, including firearms or other weapons, unless the individual is licensed to carry a firearm, or anything that creates an obstacle or takes up seating, including bicycles, carts, or large backpacks.
- Running.
- Talking or playing audio equipment at a volume that disturbs others.
- *Being disruptive, disorderly, or harassing patrons and/or staff or otherwise interfering with any person’s comfort or safety.
- Cell phone use in the Library.
- Disturbing others because of poor personal hygiene.
- Conducting surveys or distributing printed material.
- Panhandling or soliciting for sales or charity.
- *Destroying, defacing, or abusing Library property.
In addition to the above, violation of any federal or state statute or local ordinance will be regarded as a violation of Library rules. The City of Albany reserves the right to eject or refuse further admission to those individuals who violate Library rules, create disorder, or engage in illegal activity, immediately and may have violators trespassed for one month, six months, or a year at both Library locations. The Library’s procedure, in most cases, will consist of a verbal warning first, but conduct listed under numbers 9., 11., 14, and 19., may immediately warrant a year trespass. Violators are subject to arrest for trespass under Section 7.40.040 of the Albany Municipal Code. These sanctions are not exclusive and any other remedies available by law or equity to obtain compliance with these rules will be pursued. Patrons may appeal their trespass to the Library Board. The trespass will remain in effect during the appeal process.
Linn Library Consortium
Click here to learn more about the Linn Library Consortium
Loan Periods
Items can be renewed twice if there are no holds. DVDs and games cannot be renewed.
Meeting Rooms
The Albany Public Library is pleased to make available to not-for-profit, noncommercial, nonsectarian, and nonpolitical organizations meeting room facilities.
Meeting room (Main Library)
- The meeting room is available to groups for educational, civic, and cultural functions that are open to the public and free of charge.
- The room has a maximum capacity for 312.
- Meetings must begin during regular Library hours and must be scheduled in advance.
- The meeting room at the Main Library has 26 tables and 100 chairs that a group may organize as they choose. Organizations using the room are responsible to re-stack tables and chairs after each meeting.
- Projection and sound systems are available within the room.
- There is a small kitchenette for preparing and serving refreshments. Groups are responsible for clean up and any extra costs associated with unanticipated maintenance necessitated as a result of their meeting.
- Reservations are necessary and may be made by contacting the Main Library at 541-917-7590.
- Facility Use Policy
- Facility Use Agreement
- Meeting Room AV
Study rooms (Main Library)
- The Main Library also has study rooms that may be scheduled or used on an as-available basis.
- The rooms will comfortably accommodate one to four individuals.
- Check at the Reference Desk for more information, or call 541-917-7582.
Other options
Sometimes it is difficult to find a space to conduct a meeting. The following locations are known to accommodate groups in search of a space. Each hosting location will have its own policies regarding hours, costs, and services. Please make local inquiry.
Public Use Computers
The Albany Public Library provides computers for Public Use, as well as Wi-Fi connectivity.
- Wireless Access is available within the Albany Public Library. There is no charge and there is no password. The network will appear as COA. Wireless users are expected to comply with the Rules of Conduct and Acceptable Use.
- Public Use computers have a limit of one hour/day – Main Library or Downtown Library
- The cost of black and white copies is $.15. Color copies are $.50.
- It is against Library Policy to display obscene materials; ORS 167.060 ~ 167.100
- Failure to comply with the Acceptable Use Policy will result in immediate loss of computer use privileges for 30 days or longer.
- Library Rules of Conduct and Acceptable Use
Renewing items
- Renewals may be requested at the Circulation Desk in the Library, over the telephone, or through the “My Account” feature in the Catalog.
- Items may be renewed two times for their normal checkout period.
- The renewal period begins on the day the item is renewed.
- No item with an outstanding reserve may be renewed.
- No item overdue more than seven days can be renewed except when searching for a lost item.
- Nonrenewable items must be reshelved before they can be checked out again.
Renewing items online
- Login to your library account using your library card number and birth date as shown, and click “LOG IN.” (need help?)
- Click on the “Items Checked Out” tab.
- Click on the box to the left of each title you wish to renew.
- At the top of the list of your checkouts, click the “Go” button next to the “Renew Selected Titles” drop down menu. A pop-up message will appear asking if you’re sure you want to renew; select “OK” or cancel.
- A message will appear at the top of the list of check-outs stating how many items were successfully renewed, and/or how many items failed to renew (in red).
Suggest an item for purchase
The Library welcomes suggestions for the collection. Patrons with a valid Albany Public Library card may submit purchase requests online. While we would like to be able to accommodate all requests for purchase, we are limited by budget constraints, item availability, and the Library’s policy for collection development.
All new items may be requested within 2 months of publication date.
If the library purchases your request, you will be placed on the Holds list for the item.
In the 2019-2021 biennium city budget, our collection budget – from which we buy the books, DVDs, magazines, newspapers, and more – dropped by 70% in 2019-2020 and by 100% in 2020-2021. Starting in July 2020, no city money is available for purchasing these items. We must rely entirely on fundraising to purchase all library items.
To comment on city budget cuts, contact your city councilors. For more information on the city budget process, visit the City of Albany Budget Committee website.
If you are interested in helping support the library during these difficult budget years, please visit our website’s Support Your Library page to find out how. We appreciate your support!
Test Proctoring
COVID-19 UPDATE- APL is not currently offering test proctoring while our buildings remain closed.
The Albany Public Library offers test proctoring services to patrons with a current Albany Public Library card. If a student does not live within the Albany city limits the student will need to purchase a $80 nonresident card before the Library can administer proctoring services. (Oregon Library Passport cards cannot be used for test proctoring.) Appointments are REQUIRED and must be made 72 hours in advance.
For more information or to make an appointment please call the Reference Desk at 541-917-7582 or email: libraryproctor@cityofalbany.net