Your Library Card

You can use your free library card to...

Borrow any of our over 230,000 circulating items, including books, magazines, DVDs, videos, books on tape, CD-ROMs and music CDs.
Search our online research databases from anywhere.
Download audio books to your portable music player.
Check your library account online.
Renew items online or by phone.
Reserve items in the library's online catalog and have the items delivered to the Athens County Library of your choice.
Sign up to use in-library computers.
Request items from Ohio's statewide interlibrary loan system.

Who can get a Library Card?

Anyone who lives or works in Athens County, lives in a surrounding county or lives in a county where their local library is a member of SERLS may obtain a library card free of charge.

How do I get a Library Card?

You can apply for a library card at any one of our seven branches. Please bring picture identification showing your current address. If your ID does not show your current address, simply bring another form of proof-of-address like a piece of mail, checkbook, or lease.Children under 18 must get a signature of a parent or guardian to obtain a library card.

What do I do if I lose my Library Card?

If you lose your library card, we can replace it for a $2.00 fee. Please bring another form of identification to the circulation desk at your local library and ask for a replacement card.

What are my obligations as a cardholder?

With the exception of the reference and local history collections, newspapers, and current magazine issues, all library materials may be borrowed for two weeks.

The first time you use your card, you will be limited to 5 items. After those first five items are returned, there is no limit on the number of books you may borrow. There is a limit to the number of items you may check out in some other categories: 10 DVDs and/or Videos, 10 Audio Books, and 10 Music CDs.

Anyone with a valid library card may take home or reserve any circulating library materials.

The Library does not charge overdue fines, but please try to return all borrowed items by the due date. If you do need extra time, just call your library or log on to your account in the online library catalog to extend the loan period for two more weeks. You can renew items twice.

You are responsible for any damage to library materials that are checked out on your library card. If your library card is lost or stolen, please report it to the library immediately.