How to Open a Library Account and Get a Library Card
Visit the Account Services Desk for an application.
Accounts are free! You will need a valid government issued identification card (ID must have current California address.)
An additional proof of a California address (utility bill, bank statement, etc. dated within the last 30 days) is required to receive Standard account privileges.
Proof of a home address is required for a P.O. Box address.
Minors may apply for a library card, but a responsible adult must be present to sign and take responsibility for the account.
You will be given a Library Card when your account is set up. That card is free, too!
How to Get a Replacement Library Card
Visit the Account Services Desk.
Proper identification is required to purchase a replacement card.
Library Card replacements are $4.00.
Returning Materials
Books
Books may be returned in the book drops located between the entrance and the North parking lot, the wall drop just outside the Library's front door, or inside the Library near the Account Services Desk.
Other Kinds of Items
DVD's, CD's, Playaway's, Books on CD and any other Audio Visual materials may ONLY be returned to the wall drop just outside the Library entrance or the return slot inside the library near the Account Services Desk.
Loan periods for Library Materials
- Fiction DVDs: 1 week, limit of 10
- Non-Fiction DVDs: 3 weeks, limit of 10
- Launchpads: 1 week, limit 1
- Chromebooks: 2 hours, limit 1 (In Library use only)
- All Other Circulating Media: 3 weeks
How to Renew Items
Renewing an item means you can have it for an additional checkout period.
Items can be renewed 1 time (if not overdue & there are no holds for the item)
Renewals may be made in person online or over the phone.
For phone renewals call (626) 821-5571 during regular Library hours.
For online renewal:
- Click on the Catalog banner above and login as instructed above with your Library Card Barcode in the LOGIN: box and your PASSWORD OR PIN in the PASSWORD: box at the right of the middle section of the Catalog screen.
- Select MY SUMMARY from the tabs on the left of the screen.
- Then select the items you wish to renew and click on the RENEWlink or click on the RENEW ALL button on the bottom of the screen.
- All items are renewable only one time so after you renew the item the link will disappear and the item will now show NOT RENEWABLE.
How to Reserve or Place a Hold on an Item
Holds may be placed at the Adult and Teen Services Desk, Children's Desk, online or over the phone.
You must have an active library card.
Holds are free, but there is a $1.00 fee for each item that is not picked up within 7 business days.
There is a limit of 10 holds per patron at one time.
- Click on the Catalog banner above and login as instructed above with your Library Card Barcode in the LOGIN: box and your PASSWORD OR PIN in the PASSWORD: box at the right of the middle section of the Catalog screen.
- Select an item by typing in a title, author or subject into the SEARCH box or by clicking on a title from one of the available Lists found by clicking the LISTS button.
- A hold can be placed on an item in 3 ways:
- on the SEARCH SUMMARY page by clicking on the PLACE HOLD link on the bottom of each record
- on the DETAIL page after clicking on a specific title and then clicking on the PLACE HOLD link on the right side of the screen
- by clicking on ADD TO CART for each item you want, then clicking on CART to view all your items, clicking SELECT ALLor specific check boxes and clicking PLACE HOLD.
- Once you click PLACE HOLD another window will open that allows you to select the date for when the hold starts or to set a hold to expire if not received by a certain date or to place a hold on the next available copy or a specific copy. You can leave all these dates empty to have the hold start immediately and to not expire. Click the PLACE HOLD button at the bottom of this window to complete the holds.
- Holds are free only for items that are checked out. There is a limit of 5 Holds for any item and a $1.00 service fee if the items are not picked up in 7 days.
- You can view your holds by clicking on MY SUMMARY on the left of the screen and then selecting the HOLDS tab where the status can be seen and where you can cancel your hold.
Fines for Late Returns, Fees for Lost or Damaged Items
Overdue Fines
When you open your account with us, you agree to return (or renew) items before their due date. If you do not, you will be charged an overdue fine.
Fines are 25 cents per day per item (excluding Sundays and Holidays). The maximum fine is $10.00 per item.
Fines and fees not paid within 56 days from due date will be sent to Collections and a referral fee of $15 will be added to the account.
Lost or damaged items
If you lose or damage a Library book or other item, you will be charged a replacement fee based on our cost of the item plus a $10.00 processing fee. The Library will not accept donated items in place of the fee.
All paid fees are non-refundable.
Pay fines or fees online
You can pay your fines or fees online by logging into your account. Click on the "Go To You Account" box above, and enter your Library Card number and PIN.
Once in your account, if you owe a fine or fee, you will see a tab marked "Pay Fines with Credit Card". Click on that tab.
Next, you will see the Smart Pay page. Enter your Library Card number and PIN.
On the next page, click on Pay Fines/Fees.
That should take you to a page that asks you to select which fine or fee to pay (or you can select all). Next, fill in your name, credit card number, credit card expiration date, and the security code from the back of your credit card. Confirm you are not a robot by checking that box, then click on finish.
You will be asked to confirm your action, then a receipt page should display, which you can pay if you wish.
Email Notices
RECEIVING EMAILS FOR "DUE SOON" REMINDERS, OVERDUE ITEM NOTICES, OR ALERTS FOR "ON HOLD" ITEMS WAITING FOR PICKUP
The Library sends email notices for items that are "due soon", "overdue" or when "on hold" items are available for pickup.
If you would like to receive these email notices to help you keep track of your Library materials, use the Library Email Notices or ask a staff person at the Account Services Desk to make sure your correct email address is listed on your account and the rest is automatic.
It is recommended that patrons who have signed up to receive email notices put the Library's email address into the "Address Book" or "Contact List" in their email application. This "should" stop notices from going to the "junk" box or "spam" folder because the emails will be validated by an "approved sender" status rather than an "unknown sender" status. The email address is: "circulation@arcadiaca.gov".
Also please remember to return your Library materials on time so others can enjoy them and to avoid fines and account restrictions. If you have lost item fees or overdue fines, please visit the Account Services Desk to make arrangements to clear your Library account.
PLEASE BE AWARE: The Library sends all accounts with long overdue items, fines or fees of more than $25 and more than 56 days past due to a Collections agency.
Homebound Services
- The program is offered to any homebound Arcadian who needs circulating library materials.
- The materials are delivered to residences by our volunteers and are picked up at the end of the loan period, or earlier if requested, and returned to the Library.
- For more information about signing up for this service or about becoming a volunteer in this program, please contact Elise Castillo at 626-294-4836.
How to Login to My Account
User login isn't mandatory to search for books or to access links in the Catalog system, but it is recommended. It is only required for specific user functions such as changing passwords or profiles and renewing or placing holds on items. IF YOU DO LOGIN REMEMBER TO LOGOUT WHEN YOU ARE DONE TO PROTECT YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION.
- To login, click on the Catalog banner at the top of this page and type in your Library Card Barcode (including the PARC and all the remaining characters as they appear on your library card but with no spaces, example: PARC000123456A) into the LOGIN: box.
- Type in your PASSWORD (your default password is the last 4 digits of your telephone number) into the PASSWORD: box.
- Press the Log In button.
- Don't forget to click on the red LOGOUT link in the top right corner when you are leaving the Catalog so that your personal information is protected. If you have problems with any of these features, please ask for assistance at the Reference or Circulation Desks.
How to Change My Pin or Password
- Click on the Catalog banner at the top of this page and login as instructed above with your Library Card Barcode in the LOGIN: box and your PASSWORD in the PASSWORD: box.
- Select the CHANGE MY PASSWORD tab on the left of the screen.
- Type the old password (the last 4 digits of your phone number if you have never changed your password before) into the CURRENT PASSWORD box.
- Then type in the new PASSWORD into the NEW PASSWORD box and type it the same new PASSWORD into the RE-TYPE NEW PASSWORD box.
- Then click on the SUBMIT CHANGES box. A message will confirm that your password has been changed. BE SURE TO REMEMBER YOUR NEW PASSWORD.
Problems Accessing eResources or Online Databases from Home
Check to make sure you are entering your library card bar code correctly:
- Using or not using capital letters depending on the instructions for the specific database
- Entering all the characters of your library card bar code including the "parc" prefix
- Not putting in spaces between any part of the library card bar code
Check to make sure the firewall on your personal computer isn't blocking access.
- Check configuration on popup blocker software to make sure the online database site window isn't being blocked from opening.
How to Request an Inter-Library Loan
If we don't own an item you want, we can request items from other libraries for you. This is called an Inter-Library Loan.
A $5.00 fee per item is due when picking up Inter-Library Loan requests, plus postage and any other fees added by the lending institution.
Note that not all items, especially rare or brand-new ones, will be available through Inter-Library Loan.
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