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Library Card

Who Can Obtain a Card?

STATEMENT OF POLICY

Any citizen of the State of Indiana is eligible to obtain a State Library card. When a patron requests the issuance of a card, they will be required to complete the information on the Indiana State Library Card Registration Form, state form 44689, and provide a picture ID. This ID may be a valid Indiana Driver’s License; valid Indiana State identification card; valid U.S. Government issued identification (passport, military ID, permanent resident card; other employment ID with a current address; or other picture ID of this type.

Upon completion of the registration form, and provision of the picture ID, the patron will be issued a library card. Patrons must have card to check out materials. If a card is lost the replacement cost is $2.00 and will require a re-check of picture ID.

A parent or legal guardian showing proper identification may register a minor child for an Indiana State Library card. Registering a minor child for an Indiana State Library card denotes acceptance of responsibility for all fees, fines and payment for lost or damaged materials charged on such minor’s library card.

New and reinstated cardholders, excluding State of Indiana employees, may borrow 1 item until they are in good standing. (Patrons in good standing are those that have had their library card for a period of at least two weeks, have returned their first check-out, have no overdue books, and owe no fines or fees.) Once new and reinstated cardholders are in good standing, they may borrow up to 15 items at one time. State of Indiana employees may borrow up to 15 items at one time. No more than 6 magazines or other serials may be borrowed at one time.

Patrons accruing unpaid fines of more than $10.00 may have borrowing and service request privileges revoked until such time that fees are paid.

Indiana residents living in an area not served by a public library district may mail or telephone a request for materials. Call (317) 232-3675 for assistance.

How Do I Borrow Materials?

  • Materials can be borrowed from the State Library through one of the following methods:
  • Regular Loans
  • Short-term Loans
  • Interlibrary Loan
  • Materials are circulated through the Circulation Desk to insure proper handling of returned, overdue or lost items. Decisions on whether or not to loan older material from the collections are primarily based on their format and condition. Pre-1950 imprint materials and bound volumes of magazines (serials) are not loaned. No more than six issues of a magazine (serial) title may be borrowed at one time. A maximum of 15 items may be borrowed at one time. Renewals may be requested in-person or by telephoning (317) 232-3675.
  • The Indiana State Library is not a member of the Indiana Digital Library.  As such, patrons are unable to check out e-books with an Indiana State Library card.  Please contact your local library for further information and to see if they are a member of the Indiana Digital Library.

How Long Can I Keep Materials?

  • The time period or length of loans varies depending on the type of material
  • Books, magazines, audiocassette tapes materials are usually loaned for 21 days upon request at the Circulation Desk.
  • DVDs from the general collections may be borrowed for one week. Copyright restrictions may apply.
  • Short-term loans lasting from a few hours to overnight may be granted with the permission of one of our Reference Librarians. Short-term loans are processed through the Circulation Desk.

What Does Not Circulate?

  • Some materials do not circulate, including reference material from each Division and the manuscript collections of the Genealogy Division and Rare Books and Manuscripts Division.
  • Materials from the General collection published before 1950 do not circulate.
  • Federal government documents are loaned with the permission of a Reference Librarian.
  • The bulk of the Indiana Division does not circulate, including materials published prior to 1950, pamphlets, maps, original newspapers, county histories, Civil War regimental histories, and any item for which the Division has only one copy. Materials in poor condition do not circulate.
  • Genealogy Division materials do not circulate, with the exception of books in the Genealogy Circulating Collection. Some items are eligible for interlibrary loan but will only be loaned to libraries for in-library use, not to individuals. The borrowing library must be located in Indiana and participate in InfoExpress. You will need to contact your local public library to submit the loan request for you.
  • The final decision regarding the interlibrary loan eligibility of an item is up to the Genealogy Division staff.

FINES/FEES

To encourage the prompt return of materials, the Evergreen Indiana libraries have established a schedule of fines and fees as an encouragement for the timely return of materials by their due dates. Overdue materials incur fines of 25ยข per day per item with a fine cap of $10.00 or the cost of the item, whichever is lower. Materials with the circulation modifier of “equipment”, “equipment-restricted”, or “ereader” may incur fines of up to $5 per day per item with either a $225 or the cost of the item fine cap. Materials with the circulation modifier of “hourly” may incur fines of up to $5 per hour per item with either a $225 or the cost of the item fine cap. Materials with the circulation modifier of “special collection” may incur fines of up to $1 per day per item with a fine cap of $10 or the cost of the item. Transit packaging materials are not billable to the patron.

ADM SA 4-12-2024