How do I get a library card?
Residents of Long Branch with a valid I.D. may get a library card free of charge. Non residents can purchase a subscription card at $20.00 for 12 months. Children can get their own library card free of charge with a parent I.D. and signature. Children must be able to write their own names on the card. Children 13 years and older must have their own I.D. to obtain a libary card such as a school I.D. and a report card or any mail contaiing the child's address.
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What if I lost my library card ?
If your library card is lost, a replacement card can be purchases for $1.00 with a valid I.D.
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Can I use my Elberon Card to borrow mateirals from the Main Library ?
Elberon Library is a branch of the Long Branch Free Public Library and your card can be used to borrow materials at both branches. However, library materials should be returned at the library from which it was borrowed.
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How do I renew my items ?
Patrons can renew their materials over the phone, at the Circulation Desk and online. Please have your library card available.
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How many items can I check out and how long may I keep them out?
The first time you use your library card you may check out a total of two items. When the items are returned you may check out with following limits:
Fiction : 2 weeks/ unlimited quantity
Non-Fiction: 2 weeks/ maximum of 3 books per topic
DVDs: 1 week / 3 DVDS total ***
VIDEOS: 1 week / 5 videos ***
CDs: 2 weeks / 5 CDs
Books on Tape/CD: 2 weeks / unlimited quantity
Magazines: 1 week / maximum of 5 magazines
***
Good Borrower Status (no fines or overdue items) 1 week / 5 DVDS, unlimited videos
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Fines (per day)
Books, Audio Books, Magazines, CDs - .10
Movies - $1.00
Reference Materials - $10.00
*** Lost Items - Cost of item plus additional $5.00 processing fee
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What if you don't have a book that I want ?
Interlibrary loans can be obtained for books that are not owned by the library or a request for purchase can be obtained at the reference desk. You can fill out an interlibrary loan form by visiting our interlibrary loan page
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How do I book the meeting room?
Non-profit organizations are welcome to use our meeting room free of charge with approval from the Library Director. You can obtain meeting room regulations and procedures and /or download a request form by visiting our meeting room information page.
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How do I get to the Main Library or the Elberon Branch ?
For easy to follow, printable directions please visit our Hours & Directions page
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When does the Library Board of Trustees Meet ?
For a complete list of our Board of Trustees and a schedule of meetings please visit our Long Branch Public Library Board of Trustees page
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Is the library handicapped accessible?
Yes the library is handicapped accessible complete with an elevator and a ramp.
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How do I volunteer at the library ?
To find more information about our exciting volunteer opportunities, stop in the library or visit our Volunteer page
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How do I use the computers at the library ?
The library offers public computers with internet access downstairs in our Reference Department and wireless internet access in the meeting room. Please visit the Reference Desk for the computer access policy. We also have a Gates Computer Lab at the library available which provides free self paced tutorials and opportunites to use up to date computers for educational use. For more information on the Gates Computer Lab please visit the Computer Lab page
How do I join the Friends of the Library ?
For complete information regarding our Friends of the Library, please visit the Friends of the Library page
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When and where are your programs for children ?
We have a bright and fun Children's Department for your child to explore as well as wonderful programs and events at both the Main Library and Elberon Branch. For programs and times please visit our monthly calendar
Do you keep a list of your new DVDs?
Yes, a complete list of our newest titles can be found on our Main Page
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Do you have World Languages Collection?
Yes, the library has a new World Languages family area that consists of New Books, Fiction & Non-Fiction, DVDs, Videos, Magazines, Newspapers and more in both Spanish and Portuguese. We also have various Russian magazines and newspapers too.
What are some of the things I can do on this website??
You can visit the library anytime of the day or night! Whether it's looking for the newest bestseller at midnight, researching journal articles for a term paper due in the morning, checking the time of the newest children's program, researching information through our vast databases or simply checking your patron account for overdue materials, now with the click of your mouse, you can! The Library's website provides access to a variety of virtual services available anytime, anywhere. You now have access to our complete online catalogue containing our collection of over 74,000 books, 2,000 books-on-tape, 1,950 videos, 500 DVD's, 80 books-on-CD, 900 music CDs and over 5,000 electronic books. The online catalog also displays our foreign language collection of learning language tapes in Chinese Mandarin, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and English as a Second Language as well as dictionaries, entertainment videos, DVDs and music CDs. You can browse the entire catalog from the comfort of your own home. See a title you want but it's out, no problem. Simply place a hold from your computer and you will be called when the item returns to the shelf. It's that easy!
Why isn't the Long Branch Library a member of the County Library System?
In 1998, Long Branch Public Library worked with library consultant, Edwin Beckerman. Mr. Beckerman is the same consultant who worked at Lakewood PL and managed the migration to Ocean County System. Mr Beckerman conducted a library needs assessment and recommended that Long Branch Public Library join the consortium, LMxAC - Libraries of Middlesex Automation Consortium. We needed to automate the library in order to modernize it and Monmouth County was not a candidate because it was not automated at that time, did not provide service beyond the wall, and provided no planning assistance to keep up with changing technology. For Long Branch PL, LMxAC membership proved to be the best match. LMxAC membership has been good for Long Branch Public Library. Our consortium affiliation with LMxAC provides this library and its patrons with the same resources, plus far more resources and services than we would have if we were a Monmouth County member library. LMxAC consortium membership provides us with a shared online catalog, web hosting service, email, match cataloging services, internet service, technicians who make library calls as part of the cost of service, access to reciprocal borrowing from a network of 27 member libraries, a quality online catalog to track and make available all of our books and materials for patron online reserve on a 24 x 7 basis - plus our consortium keeps us abreast of changing technology so we can take advantage of these for better public library service.
When you compare our status as an independent public library and consortium member in LMxAC, I think you will see that we provide our patrons with ALL of the service advantages of Monmouth County Library System, plus more. We offer ALL of the same services – reciprocal borrowing with a different lender base, the same statewide databases, statewide interlibrary loan, state subsidized interlibrary reserves in NJ, and state subsidized delivery of books and materials from libraries all over the state. On the side of MORE services, our library has a state of the art technology infrastructure, technical support on site and from our consortium, unique database subscriptions to LearnATest, Wilson Biographies, NetLibrary, 24 public computers to help bridge the digital divide, a Gates computer lab, a branch of service in Elberon (we would NOT have a Branch if we were a member of the County System), and very popular and active adult and children's programs provided by a Children's Manager and a Computer Lab Supervisor. (Children's Manager and a Computer Lab Supervisor are positions this library would NOT have if the library belonged to Monmouth County.)
Although the library does not have an extensive Reference materials budget, it does provide an online connection to Q&ANJ with 24 hour reference assistance online seven days a week. We also have access to the NJ State wide Reference Center for backup to answer reference questions involving resources that we cannot afford. In addition at times we have contacted the Newark Public Library and other Libraries with special collections of materials on behalf of customers looking for answers. Our Library maintains a Library Homepage that is available anywhere anytime and it contains selected reputable web sites available online in many subject areas. The library provides remote access to several electronic databases and books. If you have search our online catalog of holdings, you can place a book reserve online. If you do not find what you want in the online catalog, you can call the library at 732-222-3900 and ask for the reference desk. If you prefer, you can always come into Main Library or Elberon Branch to ask for help. The staff will be glad to guide you through the process of borrowing books and materials from other libraries.
Please don't hesitate to call with any further questions.
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