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 WHAT DOES CIRCULATION MEAN?
Q. What does "circulation" mean?
A. At the circulation desk you can: Check materials in and out. Pay fines. Inquire about your
patron record (items checked out, reserves, due dates). Apply for a library card. Change your address. Pick up reserved items.
The circulation staff may not be able to help you: Locate material in the Media area (see the librarian in
the Media area), help you use the library catalog (see the librarian in Adult or Youth Services), or help you connect to Metro Net from home (contact the Systems department at 642-1084).
REGISTRATION
Q. Why do I need a library card to check out items?
A. Everyone who wants to check out material from the library must have a library card. This helps the library
record statistics for tax purposes, grant requests and state funding. More importantly, it allows the library staff
to keep track of BTPL's materials and collection. Because you have a library card, library staff can notify you of
any overdue items that you may have. You also have the privilege of reserving items that are not available when you come in to visit. Please refer to the library card page for more information on your responsibilities as a card holder.
Q. How do I apply for a library card?
A. Come to the Circulation desk with a valid photo identification (driver's license, passport, state ID) that shows your residency in Bloomfield Township.
If
you've just moved, and your identification does not reflect your new address, you can bring us an official piece of mail or checkbook with your name and
current address on it along with your photo identification. Just fill out an application and your card will be ready in a few minutes. Parents may not obtain cards for their children unless
the children are present. Patrons who work in the Bloomfield Township are also eligible for a courtesy card. Please bring proof of employment, such as a pay stub or a business card with your photo identification.
Q. I don't live in your service area, can I still use the
library?
A. Yes, but you need to go to your home library (West Bloomfield
library if you live in West Bloomfield; Royal Oak if you are a Royal
Oak resident, and so on) and get a library card there first. Once
you have a library card from your home library, you can use that
card to check out material from BTPL. You will need to register
your card at the Circulation Desk, which you may do by bringing
in your library card and identification which shows your current
address. Please note that we only honor resident library cards from
The Library Network (TLN) libraries, Cranbrook Educational Community, Troy Public Library
and the Detroit Public Library. (Please note that we are unable
to honor non-resident cards from any libraries). Check with a circ
staff person to see if your home library is part of TLN. BTPL does
not participate in the MichiCard program at this time.
Q. Is there
charge to register a library card?
A.
No. There is no charge to register a new BTPL library card. Should
you lose or misplace this card, you will be issued a one time courtesy
card. If the courtesy card is lost, then a $2.00 replacement fee
is charged. Residents of Birmingham, Beverly Hills, Bingham Farms
and other TLN library communities would need to check with their
home libraries concerning any type of fee for a library card for
registering and/or replacing.
CHECKING
OUT
Q.
Can I self-check all materials that I am checking out from the library?
The majority of the library's collection can be self-checked. Please make note of any labels on items that specifically state that an item cannot be self-checked.
Q. How many items may I check out?
A. You are allowed to have a maximum number of 150 items checked out on your library card. This includes a combination of books, feature and non-feature videos, CD's,
cassettes, audio books, CD Books, and CD-ROMs.
Q. How long do items circulate?
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Books
Rental Books
DVD/Video, children's
DVD/Video, feature, adult
DVD/Video, non-feature
CD-ROM
Compact Disk
MP3 CD
Audio Books
Periodicals
Audio Cassettes
Pamphlets
Posters
Media Kits
Special needs, non-book
Games
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3 weeks
1 day free, $.15/day for 20 days
3 weeks
1 week
3 weeks
3 weeks
3 weeks
3 weeks
3 weeks
1 week
3 weeks
1 week
3 weeks
3 weeks
3 weeks
1 week
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Q. What is your policy on rental books?
A. Rental books are shelved on the new book shelves. Each book has
a large white sticker that says RENTAL at the bottom of the spine.
Rental books are available, at a charge, for those patrons who do
not wish to be placed on a reserve list for that same title. There
is no charge for a non-rental item; however, patrons who place reserves
on items may have to wait for a time for the item to be available. You may take out a rental book for one day free and then at a rate of $.15/day for 20 days. Overdure fines start on day 22 at a rate of $.25/day.
Q. How do I return items when the library is closed?
A. There are two locations where all materials - both books and media - can be returned. One
is to the left of the main entrance next to the pay phone. The other is at the Bloomfield Township Senior Services center, 7273 Wing Lake Rd. The drop box will be cleared at least weekly. Once deposited at the drop box, materials can only be recovered at the library, not BTSS. Items which are overdue when put in the drop off box will have their fines added to the borrower's record, and can be taken care of on your next visit to the library itself. Items returned in the book drop are considered returned as of the last regular pickup date.
RENEWALS
Q. May I keep items out for longer than the original check out period?
A. If you need to keep an item beyond the due date, you can renew it if there are no holds on the item. You may renew items up to 3 times in person, over the phone or over the Internet. Rental books and magazines are exceptions to this, and cannot be renewed.
 PHONE RENEWALS
Q. How can I renew my materials by phone?
A. You may renew most library materials by telephone, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week by
calling 248-593-4919 with a touch tone phone. Be sure to have on hand your library card and bar code numbers of the items you wish to renew. The bar code number is found on the
inside of the book. In a few moments, your item will be renewed and the system will tell you your new due date.
ONLINE RENEWALS
 Q. How do I renew my materials on-line?
A. Online renewals are fast and easy, and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week over the Internet through the library catalog.
To renew items on the library's website, click on "View Patron Record" and enter your name and the barcode from your library card. Select the items you want to renew, and
click on the "selected" button. Eligible items will be renewed immediately, and the new due date will appear on the screen. The catalog will give you a message about items that are not eligible for renewal.
OVERDUE, HOLD, AND COURTESY NOTIFICATION SERVICES
Q. Do you send out any kind of notification to your patrons informing them of overdue materials?
 A. Yes! We offer Telephone, E-Mail, and Print notification for overdue materials as well as a notification for when hold items become available. If you have an e-mail address, we can also send notification of when your items will be due. This notification can only be sent via e-mail.
TELEPHONE NOTIFICATION
Q. What does the Telephone Notification System do?
 A. It is a new method of notifying borrowers of overdue items and holds that are ready to be
picked up. To notify you faster, we'll be calling you at home so that you'll be able to pick up your holds the day after they arrive. If you don't wish to receive phone calls the library, we
also offer e-mail notification! Visit the Telephone Notification page for more information.
OVERDUE FINES
Q. How are overdue fines assessed?
A. We charge nominal fines for items that are returned past the due date. Most public libraries charge fines to
encourage patrons to return or renew their library materials on time. If there were no penalty regarding overdue materials, no one would bring anything back on time! We want to provide the materials you need without
making you wait a very long time!
Q. How much are the overdue fines on library materials?
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Books
Rental Books
Videos
DVD
CD-ROM
Compact Disk
MP3 CD
Audio Books
Periodicals
Audio Cassettes
Pamphlets
Posters
Media Kits
Cranbrook Passes
Special Needs, Non-book
Games
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$0.15/day
$0.25/day
$1.00/day
$1.00/day
$0.25/day
$0.15/day
$$0.25/day
$0.25/day
$0.15/day
$0.15/day
$0.15/day
$0.15/day
$0.15/day
$0.15/day
$1.00/day
$1.00/day
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Q. How does the grace day work?
A. The grace day is a one-day window of opportunity for you to return your materials without being assessed
fines. The grace day is the day after the items are due. The grace day is not a free day. For example, if your materials  were due on September 30, and you returned them before the library closed on October 1, you would
not be charged fines.
However, if you returned the materials after the library closed on October 1, fines would be assessed for every day or part of day the items were overdue since September 30. In this case, you would be charged fines for two days.
Q. Where does the fine money go?
A. All fines collected go toward the improvement of BTPL's collection and facility.
Q. Do fines accrue after an item has been returned but not paid?
A. No. If you return an item late, a fine is assessed on your card and will remain until you pay it on your next visit.
 Q. If this video was free for one week, why do I have to pay $1 a day in overdue fines
if I don't bring it back in time?
A. We do charge fines as an incentive to return materials. If there were no penalties
involved, some patrons might keep items out for unlimited amounts of time, and then we wouldn't have anything on our shelves! There must be some incentive for items to be returned.
Q. May I return books from other libraries?
A. You may return books and A/V materials from Baldwin. We only accept books (no A/V material) from other
libraries in The Library Network. Check with a Circulation staff member to see if a library is a member of TLN.
Material is usually delivered to its home library within two days. The TLN delivery picks up items from our library on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Materials returned to other libraries can take up to 7 days to get back to BTPL. BTPL is not responsible for any materials that may be lost in transit from another library.
PLACING HOLDS ON MATERIAL
Residents of and employees in Bloomfield Township are eligible
to place holds at BTPL.
Q. How do I place holds on items?
A. Go to the library catalog at http://catalog.btpl.org
and locate the specific record for the item you want held.
Click on the "place hold" button at the top of the screen, then
enter the barcode from your library card. The library catalog will
place the hold immediately if the item is eligible for holds. The
catalog will give you a message if the item is on the shelf or if
the item cannot be held.
If you plan to place holds on several items, sign on to your record at http://catalog.btpl.org/patroninfo first, and
then click on "search the catalog". When you locate the items you want held, click on "Place Hold", and the
system will remember your name and barcode number so you won't have to type it over and over again. Be sure to click on the "Log Out" button when you are finished.
Q. What can I place a hold on?
A. You can place a hold on any item that you can check out for free. The items that can't be held are reference
materials, rental books, feature videos, DVDs, and magazines.
Q. How long do I wait for a hold to become available?
A. It depends. If there is a waiting list, the first person who placed a hold on that item will receive it. We own
more than one copy of many popular titles. As a waiting list grows longer, librarians may decide to purchase
additional copies to accomodate the waiting list. Generally, we purchase 1 copy of a book for every 5 people waiting.
Q. The new book that I want is always on hold for someone
else, I don't want to go on the waiting list.
A. Rental books are copies that circulate. You don't have to wait
for them, as long as you don't mind paying for them! You can
also try "e-mail
alerts", which will notify you as soon as a new items arrive
at the library.
CRANBROOK
EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY 
Q: I heard that my BTPL card lets me use Cranbrook
for free. Is this true?
A: Yes, it is true! Because of a unique reciprocal borrowing agreement
forged in May 2004, residents of Bloomfield Township with a valid
BTPL card may check out a Cranbrook pass from BTPL. Township residents
may also take their valid BTPL card to Cranbrook, register it at
the Academy of Art Library and use that collection.
Q: What will the pass do for me at Cranbrook?
A: The pass is good for two people for two weeks and gives you free
admission to the facilities of Cranbrook, including the Institute
of Science, the Art Museum, and the natatorium. Any
exhibits or programs with an admission fee separate from that of
the building are not included in the pass. The pass cannot be renewed.
The pass cannot, by itself, be used to borrow items from the Academy
of Art Library.
Q: The Art Library’s collection is small. What
are the restrictions?
A: Once you register your BTPL card at the Art Library, you may
check out two items at a time from the circulating collections.
Some items, when presented for check-out may not be able to be circulated,
based on condition and/or demand.
Q: What do Cranbrook residents get here at BTPL?
A: We allow resident faculty and boarding students to check out
items from this collection. However, they cannot place holds, use
MelCat or our interloan services, nor are they able to check out
meeting rooms. Cranbrook Educational Community provides interlibrary
loan services and meeting rooms for their residents.
DETROIT
PUBLIC LIBRARY 
Q: I heard that I can use my BTPL Library card at the
Detroit Public Library? Is this true?
A: Yes, it is true! For many years, the Bloomfield Township Public
Library and the Detroit Public Library have had a reciprocal borrowing
agreement in place. It allows Township residents to use the collection
of DPL, including the special collections, such as Burton Historical.
In return, Detroit residents may borrow items from the BTPL collection.
Q: What do I have to do? Do I have to buy a separate
non-resident card at DPL?
A: To use the DPL collection, take your valid BTPL card to DPL and
register with them as a borrower. There, you’ll receive a
DPL card for use in the main, branch, and special collections.
Q: Why would we have an agreement with DPL?
A: Many of our residents work in locations outside Bloomfield Township.
This agreement serves our residents near their workplaces and make
the invaluable historical and cultural resources of that library
available.
Q: Do we have other reciprocal agreements like this
one?
A: Yes. We have quite a few reciprocal agreements. If you have a
library that you’d like to borrow from and it isn’t
included in MelCat [please do link to the interlibrary loan/MelCat
page] just ask at the Bloomfield Township Public Library Adult Services,
Circulation, or Youth Services. Chances are, we have a borrowing
agreement already in place!
INTERNET
Q. Can I get Internet access from home?
A. Yes. Residents of and employees in Bloomfield Township can pick up and submit applications at the Circulation desk. See the Internet Access from Home page for details and policies.
MEETING ROOMS
Q. How do I reserve a meeting room?
A. Large group meeting rooms are available for rent to eligible groups in the area. See the Meeting Room
page for details and policies.
Q. I need to study. Are there any special areas to do so?
A. Yes. Everyone can use a BTPL study room. There is a two hour limit.
LOST & FOUND TREASURES
Recently, in the library's book return a page from an apparent diary of a soldier in the Southeast Pacific conflict
of World War II was found. This treasure, and many others, are placed in BTPL's Lost and Found, located at the Circulation desk. Photographs of beautiful children, souvenirs of family outings, well-worn personalized
bookmarks, as well as clothing and other items left in the library, dropped out of a returned item in a book drop,
or lying on the grounds are all stored by the Circulation Department. Please include the library when retracing your steps for lost treasures. The lost and found is cleared out every 2-4 weeks.
CONTACTING US
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions regarding circulation services, send a message to circ-bh@btpl.org, or call us at 248-642-5800 during normal library hours, and ask for the Circulation desk.
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