Borrowing Books
Please take a moment to read this letter from the library director about recent changes to our borrowing policies.
How to Borrow Library Items
Visit the library to browse the shelves or search the online library catalog to find 50,000+ books, audiobooks, DVDs, and more in any of the Columbia County Traveling Library, Orangeville Public Library, or Greenwood Friends School Library collections. (Click the ‘Catalog’ link in the menu on this page.)
If you log in to the online catalog with your library account number, you can see what items you have checked out. You can also reserve items that are checked out to other patrons or which you want us to pull from the shelves and deliver to your preferred pickup location. Contact us if you do not know your account number or password.
Because our collections are spread across the county, we recommend searching the catalog and reserving books ahead of time so we can get them all to the preferred pickup location you establish when signing up for an account. You can also call or email the library to request item(s) to be reserved for you.
If you don’t find a book, audiobook, or DVD in our catalog, we can either purchase it or get it from another library through interlibrary loan most of the time. There is no charge for interlibrary loan, but you can only request five items at a time. Email or call us to request items we do not own.
We order new books regularly. You may email or call us to request to be put on the waiting list for a forthcoming book.
Email service@cctlibrary.org or call 570-387-8782 for any service requests related to getting the books, audiobooks, or DVDs you need. Orangeville Public Library patrons can email orangevillelibrarypa@gmail.com or call 570-683-5354.
How to Open a Library Account
Anyone who lives, works, or goes to school in Columbia County can register for a free Traveling Library account. Orangeville Public Library does not have any limits on who can sign up for an account. You only need one account which offers full privileges at both libraries. If your preferred pickup location is Orangeville Public Library, you will sign up for an OPL account. All others should sign up for a CCTL account.
Please visit any library to apply for an account. If you prefer, you can initiate a new account request online using this form and staff will follow up when your account is created. You can also call CCTL at 570-387-8782 or OPL at 570-683-5354 if you want to sign up by phone. We reserve the right to request an ID or other identifying documents, but these are not generally required.
Children of any age may have their own library account with permission from a parent or guardian.
People outside of our service area may join the Friends of the Columbia County Traveling Library for CCTL borrowing privileges. To join the Friends for one year, simply make an annual donation of any amount.
Anyone who has an active membership with the Northern Columbia Community and Cultural Center is eligible for a free CCTL account regardless of residency.
The Columbia County Traveling Library is the primary public library for about half of the residents of Columbia County who do not have a traditional library in their area.
Which library is my primary library?
Columbia County Traveling Library: Beaver Twp.*, Benton Borough, Benton Twp, Catawissa Borough, Catawissa Twp., Cleveland Twp., Conyngham Twp., Fishing Creek Twp.*, Franklin Twp., Greenwood Twp., Jackson Twp, Locust Twp., Madison Twp., Main Twp.*, Mifflin Twp., Millville Borough, Montour Twp.*, Mount Pleasant Twp., North Centre Twp.*, Pine Twp., Roaring Creek Twp., South Centre Twp., Sugarloaf Twp.,
Orangeville Public Library: Orangeville Borough, Orange Twp., Fishing Creek Twp.*, North Centre Twp.*
Bloomsburg Public Library: Town of Bloomsburg, Scott Twp., Hemlock Twp., Beaver Twp.*, Main Twp.*, Montour Twp.*
McBride Memorial Library: Berwick Borough, Briar Creek Borough, Briar Creek Twp., North Centre Twp.*
*These townships are served by more than one library.
Because of funding provided by the Columbia County Commissioners, anyone who lives, works, or goes to school in Columbia County can use the Traveling Library collections. Bloomsburg Public Library and McBride Memorial Library in Berwick charge an annual fee to provide services to households outside of their funded service areas. The Orangeville Public Library is free for anyone.
BORROWING POLICIES
Loan Periods
Most items in Columbia County Traveling Library and Orangeville Public Library collections can be checked out for a period of 14 days with one automatic renewal for an additional 14 days. Overdue books will be in a ‘grace period’ for two more weeks before we start sending notices to return the item(s).
New adult books and holiday/seasonal books may be borrowed for 14 days only because of high demand, with a one-week ‘grace period.’
For bookmobile users, the due date will be the next biweekly bookmobile stop.
Because the Traveling Library does not charge overdue fines, there is an automatic grace period. We hope all books will be returned within six weeks and that all new and holiday/seasonal books will be returned within three weeks.
Borrowing a book or other library item means you accept a responsibility to care for the borrowed item and to return it to the library in good condition within a reasonable timeframe so that others may borrow it. We reserve the right to charge you for replacement if a borrowed item is not returned after three requests to return the item.
If you are going out of town for a long period of time or have another legitimate need for an extended loan period, a special due date may be negotiated with library staff.
Borrowing Limits
Columbia County Traveling Library Items:
Books: Up to 25 at a time*
Audiobooks: 5 at a time
DVDs: 5 at a time
*There is a limit of 10 new adult books and 10 holiday/seasonal books at a time. You can only have a total of 25 total items checked out at a time.
Teachers, homeschoolers, and others can request to have extended borrowing limits.
Orangeville Public Library Items:
Books: 10 at a time
Audiobooks: 5 at a time
DVDs: 3 at a time
Renewals
Most borrowed items can be renewed one time and will be automatically renewed by our system as long as nobody has reserved the item.
If you have provided an email address, you will receive an email notification that your items have been auto-renewed.
If the item has been reserved by someone else, you will receive an overdue notice instead. We hope you will return the item within one week,
You may not renew new adult books and holiday/seasonal books. These are 14-day loans because of high demand.
If you need to keep your borrowed items longer than four weeks, we prefer to leave them in ‘overdue status’ for a grace period of two weeks, However, if you really dislike the idea of having an overdue library book, please contact the library. Staff can renew your book for an additional 14 days if allowable.
Returns
You may return any Traveling Library or Orangeville Public Library items to any library location no matter where you checked it out.
There is a book drop box available inside the lobby entrance at the Central Branch on Sawmill Road Mon-Fri 8:30am – 4:30pm, with an outdoor 24/7 book drop box coming soon!
There is a small 24/7 book drop box outside the Catawissa Area Branch Library. -coming soon
There is a 24/7 book drop box in the lobby at Orangeville Public Library.
The N4Cs community center in Benton has extended hours. Alternative drop-off options close to you can be discussed if you call 570-387-8782.
Please do not place audiobooks or DVDs in book drop boxes. This will damage the case and you may be charged a fee.
Request Items for Pickup
You can use our online catalog to place a reserve request on library items:
-to request any items on the shelves at any library to be pulled and made available at the preferred pickup location you established when creating your account
-to be put on the waiting list for any items that are checked out by another person so that when they are returned they will be made available at the preferred pickup location you established when creating your account
Preferred pickup locations include any library location or any bookmobile stop in the Benton, Catawissa, Mifflinville, and Millville service areas.
You can place reserve requests in the online catalog by clicking the ‘Reserve’ button. You can also reserve items by phone or email.
You will be notified by email or phone when your reserved item(s) are available at your preferred pickup location.
Reserved items will be removed from the pickup shelf if not retrieved within two weeks.
The Traveling Library offers limited home delivery services for homebound people. Please contact the library to make arrangements.
Fines and Fees
The Columbia County Traveling Library does not charge overdue fines.
If you borrow an Orangeville Public Library item, an overdue fine of $.10 per day is assessed after a five-day grace period. For DVDs, the fine is $1.00 per day after a five-day grace period.
If a book or other library item is damaged while in your care, we may charge a replacement fee depending on the severity of the damage.
If a library item is more than two weeks overdue, we will send three reminder notices to return the item. If it is not returned after three notices, we will place a replacement fee on your account and send you an invoice.
If you need to pay to replace a severely damaged or lost item, you will be asked to pay our replacement cost plus a $3 processing fee. We will not charge the list price you see on the automated notices from our system. We will work to find the cheapest available item in “very good” or better condition and only charge you what we paid to replace the item plus the $3 processing fee. It is acceptable to bring in a “very good” or better replacement copy and pay only the $3 processing fee, but we prefer to handle getting the replacement.
If you have more than $10 in fees owed, you may not check out additional books unless you pay at least $3 toward the amount owed.
Parents and guardians are responsible for books checked out by children or other dependents.
If you let someone else use your account, you are responsible for any replacement fees or fines.
We will do everything possible to avoid dealing with collection agencies or courts, but after six months unreturned library materials will be considered stolen property and we reserve the right to proceed accordingly. The library belongs to everyone — please respect your neighbors by returning the items you borrow so they can enjoy them also.