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Services

Newburyport and Massachusetts Residents

Library Cards

Newburyport residents may register for a library card upon presentation of a photo ID and proof of residency or ownership of Newburyport property. Residents of towns outside Newburyport must obtain library cards from their hometown library. Other Massachusetts town library cards may also be registered with the NPL.

At the time of your library card registration you will be issued a Personal Identification Number (PIN). In most circumstances your PIN is the last four digits of your phone number. Library cards for children are available beginning at age 5. Children in grade 6 and under obtain their cards in the Children's Room. Young adults under age 16 may obtain a card based on the ID of the accompanying parent. A parent must sign the application form.

Your Newburyport Public library card can be used at any of the 35 libraries in the Merrimack Valley Library Consortium.

Loan Terms

• Books: 3 week loan period, 12 items per check out, 3 items per subject
• Books to Go: 1 week loan period, 2 items per check out, no renewals
• Books on CD/Tape: 3 week loan period, 6 items per check out
• Playaways: 3 week loan period, 2 items per check out
• Language Audio: 3 week loan period, 2 items per check out
• Music CD's: 3 week loan period, 3 items per check out
• DVD/VHS Adult Videos: 1 week loan period, 4 items per check out
• DVD/VHS Children's Videos: 1 week loan period, 4 items per week
• Magazines: 3 week loan period, 12 items per check out, 3 per title
• Museum Passes: 1 day loan period, 3 per month per household, 1 per day

Out of State and Temporary Residents

Out of state residents may apply for a card upon payment of a yearly $25.00 per person fee and presentation of identification. This card allows borrowing privileges for Newburyport Public Library materials only. To obtain a card with Merrimack Valley Library Consortium privileges and interlibrary use, a yearly payment of $75.00 is required.

Temporary/Summer Resident Cards are available for individuals visiting the area for more than 30 days. These cards require a $20.00 refundable deposit, a photo ID, and proof of temporary residency/address. The $20.00 fee is refunded upon return of the temporary card and all materials checked out on the card, as well as payment of any outstanding charges that have accrued to the account.

Newburyport teachers and students who are residents of Massachusetts should obtain a library card from their town of residence. Newburyport teachers and students who are not residents of Massachusetts may be issued a Newburyport library card at no fee. These cards expire one year from the date of issue and may be used in the Newburyport Public Library only. Proof of enrollment or affiliation with a Newburyport school must be provided.

Renewals

Renewals are permitted on items that are not requested by another patron. Books to Go/Bestsellers and Museum Passes cannot be renewed. Patrons can renew items online or by calling the Circulation Desk at 978-465-4428 x236. Please have your library card number available.

Returns and Overdues

The NPL does not charge overdue fines, however it is expected that all materials will be returned by their due dates. The library has 4 book drops where items may be returned. Items deposited at these locations are collected and checked in daily.

• Outside book drop near Library's main entrance on State Street – all items
• Book drop box outside exit doors at Shaws Supermarket on Storey Avenue– no Museum Passes, Audio Books, Music CDs, or DVDs please
• Return slot at Children's Room Desk – for children's items
• Return slot at Circulation Desk – no children's items please

Branch library materials should be returned to the Purchase Street location.

Museum Passes must be returned to the Library by 10:00 am the day following use. A $5.00 per day fee will be charged for Museum Passes that are returned late. Severely late passes may jeopardize the patron's ability to reserve future passes. A $25.00 fee will be charged for lost passes.

Fines

The Newburyport Public Library does not charge fines for our overdue materials. Patrons are responsible for fines that accrue on their account from other MVLC libraries. The NPL honors and collects these fines. When fines or charges exceed $5.00, the patron's account will temporarily be suspended until fees are cleared.

Patrons are responsible for lost and damaged items, and will be charged for the replacement cost of the item. Patron accounts are suspended until a lost item is paid for. A $5.00 per day fee will be charged for Museum Passes that are returned late.

Reserves and Inter Library Loan

To request items that are currently on the shelf at Newburyport Public Library, please phone the Information Desk at 978–465–4428 x226 to request that the item be pulled from the shelf and placed on hold for you.

Patrons may reserve materials not available or not currently on the shelf at the NPL by placing a free interlibrary loan request.

• Request materials by phoning the Information Desk at 978–465–4428 x226.
• Request materials online through the MVLC catalog using your library card and PIN number.
• Request materials by completing a Request Materials Form available at the Circulation and Information Desks
• Some items are not requestable: recently released DVDs, Books to Go/Bestsellers, reference materials, archival materials.
• Patrons are encouraged to limit their requests to a reasonable amount for their needs (10–15 items per week is suggested).
• Patrons are notified by phone or e–mail when requested materials arrive.
• Requested Items are held for 7 calendar days before moving the item to the next person or library waiting for the item(s).
• Please cancel requests that are no longer needed – done online or by phoning the Information Desk at 978–465–4428 x226.

The Newburyport Public Library can obtain items from other MVLC libraries, as well as other Massachusetts and out of state libraries. MVLC items usually arrive within 7–10 days, while items not owned by MVLC may take up to six weeks to arrive. See Information Services for more information about interlibrary loans.

Email notification

Sign up for or update email notification service online or by contacting the Circulation Desk at 978-465-4428 x236

Please notify the Library of changes to your email account to avoid undelivered messages.

Library Elf Notification Service

“Library Elf” is a free non – NPL related service that helps patrons manage their library Check Outs and Reserves/Holds. It is similar to our own Email Notification Service (which sends interlibrary loan, overdue, and billing notices to you by email rather than by mail or telephone), but with some important differences.

• You can configure Library Elf to send you notices of items BEFORE they are due
• You can view the due dates of all your items in a convenient calendar format
• You can have notifications for multiple library cards (e.g. those for you and your family) all sent together to the same email address

Library staff who have tried this service have described it as “cool” and “incredibly handy,”. Please note that this is a private service that is not affiliated with either the Newburyport Public Library or the MVLC and is not specifically endorsed by the consortium. Please carefully read Library Elf's FAQ and Privacy Policy before deciding to sign up for the service.

If you choose to sign up, it is easy. Have your library card number and PIN ready to create an account on Library Elf's web site. Be sure that “Merrimack Valley Library Consortium” is selected from the list of libraries when you add your library card.