Loan Rules
Visit My Account to keep track of your loans, renew items, and place holds—online!
Get a Library Card
Getting a library card is easy—and free!
Berlin-Peck Memorial Library cards are available for all residents of Berlin, East Berlin, and Kensington.
- Bring in your driver’s license (or other identification) showing your address.
- If your current address is not on your license, please bring in a lease, car registration, utility bill, or other form of official mail.
- If you don’t live in Berlin, or don’t have a physical address, take a look at the special cards below.
Library cards expire after 3 years. Renew for free—just bring in your identification so we can double-check your address!
Library Card Policy
Sign Up Online
Special Cards
Children: Children must have a parent’s signature on the application form and one piece of parent’s identification with home address. Children entering grade 7 may request an adult library card.
Students: All students enrolled in the Berlin school system are eligible for a library card; cards are issued through the school system, so no additional identification is required. Residents of Berlin receive a standard library card; residents of other schools receive a card that is valid through the end of the school year.
Teachers: This card gives teachers a 9-week loan period for books, non-new CD books, music CDs, and non-new Blu-Rays and DVDs. The card may only be used at Berlin-Peck and does not allow item renewals. Teachers must live and/or teach in Berlin and provide a faculty ID badge.
Berlin Staff: This card is for employees of the Town of Berlin, Berlin-Peck Memorial Library, and the Berlin Board of Education. Staff must show proof of employment.
Businesses: Local businesses are eligible for their own library card, with access to the library’s online services, databases, and downloadables. Physical items like books and DVDs cannot be borrowed with a business library card. Must show proof of business operating in Berlin.
Berlin Access Card: This card is for patrons who do not have a physical address. It expires after three months and has a 5-item checkout limit.
Residents of Other Towns: We honor cards from all other Connecticut libraries. Please visit the library in your home town to get your library card.
Lost/Stolen Cards
If your card has been lost or stolen, notify the library immediately so that we can cancel your card number. This prevents anyone from misusing your card, checking out books or DVDs in your name.
As of May 20, 2022, the Library no longer charges for replacement cards. We will give you a new card for free.
If your card has been temporarily misplaced, you are welcome to use your driver’s license or other photo ID instead.
Not a Berlin Resident?
We lend to anyone with a current Connecticut library card!
Please visit your home library to get your library card.
- If your home library belongs to the Library Connection Inc. (LCI) consortium, you can use your card immediately.
- If you belong to another Connecticut library, we just need to add you to our system. Please visit the Circulation Desk with your library card and driver’s license with your current address.
We can only provide digital materials (ebooks, audiobooks, etc.) and other online databases to patrons with a Berlin-Peck Memorial Library card.
Fines & Fees
Replacement fees may be paid with cash or check. You can pay amounts above $5.00 with credit/debit online by visiting My Account.
Accounts owing $25.00 or more will be restricted from borrowing library materials.
No Overdue Fines
As of December 1, 2021, Berlin-Peck Memorial Library is fine free!
As long as you check out at Berlin-Peck, you will not be charged overdue fines. That means you need to visit the Berlin-Peck Memorial Library for your items to be fine free. We must respect the loan rules of other libraries, so items checked out anywhere outside the Berlin-Peck Memorial Library may still receive overdue fines.
Berlin-Peck services like homebound delivery and curbside pickup are also fine-free.
You will still be responsible for the following fines and fees:
- Replacement fees for lost or damaged items
- Overdue fines for items checked out at other libraries
- Even if those items are owned by Berlin-Peck
- Even if you are Berlin-Peck patron
If your item is overdue for more than 30 days, then it will be assumed lost and you will be charged the full replacement cost of the item. This charge will be waived in full when the item is returned.
Lost or Damaged Items
If an item is lost or damaged, you will be responsible for the cost of replacing the item. Once the replacement fee has been paid, this money is non-refundable. If you have a lost or damaged item, please do not purchase a replacement copy on your own. The Library does not accept replacement copies.
Replacement cost is calculated for items as:
- In print: the list price of the item
- Out of print: average list price for the type of material
Borrowing Rules
These rules describe how long you can keep an item (loan period), whether you can extend your time (renewals), and whether you can put yourself on a waiting list for the item (holds).
Our special Lucky Day collection includes extra copies of the newest bestsellers that are flying off the shelves. Lucky Day books are first come, first served, and cannot be renewed or placed on hold. See it on the shelf? It’s yours!
Loan Periods and Limits Policy
Returns Policy
| Item | Loan Period | Renewals | Holds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Books Magazines Audiobooks Non-fiction DVDs Music CDs |
3 weeks | 2 renewals | Allowed |
| Lucky Day Books | 3 weeks | No renewals | No holds |
| Fiction DVDs Blu-Ray Video Games |
1 week | 2 renewals | Allowed |
Museum Passes
Nearly all of our museum passes are printable and do not need to be returned.
If a returnable pass is lost or damaged, you are responsible for the replacement cost. Some passes can cost $150-250 or more.
| Item | Loan Period | Renewals | Holds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Returnable Museum Passes | 12:00 noon the next day | No renewals | Allowed |
| Printable Museum Passes | No need to return | No renewals | Allowed |
Library of Things
Items in our Library of Things are often large, oddly shaped, or delicate. To prevent damage, they must be returned at the front desk inside the Berlin-Peck Memorial Library. They must not be returned in the book-drop or returned at another library.
If a Library of Things item is damaged because it was returned in the book-drop, you will be responsible for the cost of replacement.
If a Library of Things item is returned at another library, the library will either reject the item or hold it until you come pick it up. It will be considered to be in your possession during this time, and you will be responsible for the cost of replacement if an item is lost or damaged during this process.
Please take special care to return all pieces of a board game. It is not always possible to replace individual game pieces. We will try our best to source replacement pieces, but if it is not possible, you may be responsible for the full cost of the game.
| Item | Loan Period | Renewals | Holds | Additional Limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi Hotspots | 2 weeks | No renewals | Berlin pickup only | One per household per 30 days Must be returned to Berlin-Peck Cannot be returned in the book-drop |
| Happy Lights Light Pads Engraver Pens Cake Pans Binge Boxes Portable Movie Projector Portable Movie Screen Lawn Games |
1 week | 1 renewal | Berlin pickup only | Must be returned to Berlin-Peck Cannot be returned in the book-drop |
| Board Games Memory Kits |
3 weeks | 2 renewals | Berlin pickup only | Must be returned to Berlin-Peck Cannot be returned in the book-drop |
Holds
Looking for an item that isn’t on the shelf at the moment, or even an item from another library? You can place a hold and we’ll let you know when it arrives. Holds take about a week to arrive. To place a hold, log in to the catalog, stop by the desk, or call (860) 828-7126. There is no charge to place a hold.
If we have your email address in our system, we’ll send you a notice when your item is available for pickup—otherwise, we’ll give you a call. We keep items on hold for one week.
Our special Lucky Day collection includes extra copies of the newest bestsellers that are flying off the shelves. Lucky Day books are first come, first served, and cannot be renewed or placed on hold. See it on the shelf? It’s yours!
Courtesy Renewals
Not finished yet? We’ll give you more time!
As long as your item is eligible for renewal, the Library will automatically renew it for you. Renewals happen a few days before the due date. You will receive an email that says “Courtesy Renewals” if your item has been renewed, or “Library Items Due Soon” if it has not been renewed.
There are a few reasons that an item may not be eligible for renewal:
- Some items cannot be renewed
- Items cannot be renewed more than twice
- Items cannot be renewed if another patron has a hold on that item
- It is too early to renew
Inter-Library Loans
Connecticut’s BorrowIT service allows us to share our materials with libraries all over the state! Items available from other libraries in our consortium, Library Connections Inc. (LCI), can be found and easily reserved using Berlin-Peck’s online catalog. To reserve items that are not available from any libraries in our catalog, call (860) 828-7126 or visit the desk. In most cases, you’ll be able to pick up your items here at Berlin-Peck.
Inter-library loans are treated like holds. If we have your email address in our system, we’ll send you a notice when your item is available for pickup—otherwise, we’ll give you a call. We keep items on hold for one week.
You can also return our materials to any Connecticut library, or return materials from other libraries here (unless otherwise specified).