Using the Library

Types of Library Cards

Washington Township Adult Resident Card (Age 16+)

• Must live in Washington Township or own property there
• Required: completed application and valid photo ID with current address
• No cost to sign up

Washington Township Minor Card (Under Age 16) Free

• A parent or legal guardian must apply in person
• Adult must show valid ID that shows their residence in Washington Twp and sign the application
• The parent or guardian is responsible for items borrowed on the child’s card
• No cost to sign up

Business Library Cards

• Available to businesses located in Washington Township
• The owner or manager must apply and show proof of ownership or managerial position at a Washington Township business.
• Up to two employees may be authorized to use the card
• No cost to sign up

Library Staff

• Eligible for full borrowing privileges regardless of residency
• Cards expire when employment ends
• No cost to sign up

Reciprocal Borrowing (Indiana Libraries)

• Patrons in good standing may borrow materials from other Indiana libraries that participate in the Statewide Remote Circulation System (SRCS)
• Fill out Bristol Public Library Card Application
• You must bring your home library card & state ID so staff can verify its status at your home library and ensure it is in good standing
• No cost to sign up

PLAC (Public Library Access Card)

• Indiana residents may purchase a PLAC card for an annual fee set by the state
• Accepted at public libraries throughout Indiana

Identification Required

Acceptable proof of address may include:

• Driver’s license
• Vehicle registration
• Property tax statement
• Voter registration card
• Fishing license
• Recent delivered mail

Important Information

• You are responsible for all items checked out on your card
• Lost or stolen cards should be reported immediately
• Replacement cards cost $0.50
• Borrowing privileges may be suspended for lost materials, unpaid fines, or false registration information

Library of Things

Explore more than just books! Our Library of Things offers a variety of fun, useful, and educational items you can borrow, including:

• Mobile Hotspots
• Bird Watching Kit
• Loom
• Surveyor’s Wheel
• Giant Gummy Bear Maker
• Cake Pans
• Post Hole Digger
• Telescope
• Ice Cream Machine
• And more!

Loan Period:
All Library of Things items may be checked out for 1 week.

Sherwin-Sanger History & Meeting Center is available to non-profit groups at no charge and to the general public for a rental fee of $25 per event.

You can reserve the room by calling 574-848-7458.

Please see the Meeting Center Policy located at Meeting Room Policy.

Printing, Faxing, and Internet Use

Printing

• Printing is available in color and black & white.
  • Color: $0.50 per page
  • Black & white: $0.10 per page

E-Print Service

• You can upload documents from your home computer, phone, or tablet on the E-Print webpage on our website.
• Ask a staff member to print your document when you arrive at the library.
• Printing fees apply as above for color and black & white prints.

Desktop Computers

• Library desktop computers are available for patron use.
• Children (16 and under): 2 hours per day, unless studying for school assignments.
• Adults: 3 hours per day, unless studying for school assignments.
• Patrons studying for school assignments may use computers for the entire time needed during library hours.

Fax Services

• Fax number: (574) 848-4391
• Receiving a fax: Free (standard printing fees apply: $0.10/page B&W, $0.50/page color)
• Sending a fax: $1.00 for local and long-distance faxes, regardless of the number of pages
• Faxes to government agencies: Free of charge

Fax Guidelines

• Patrons must be present in the library to send a fax. Material may not be left to send later.
• Patrons expecting to receive a fax should notify the library in advance. Staff will attempt to notify recipients when a fax has been received.
• Faxes must be picked up promptly, and payment is expected at the time of pickup.

We love adding new materials that our patrons want! If there’s a book, DVD, or other resource you’d like the library to have, please talk to a staff member to make a request. Your suggestions help us keep our collection useful and relevant for everyone.

Please note that submitting a request does not guarantee that the item will be added to the collection.

A list of authors included in our automatic order program can be found here. Titles released by these authors are automatically purchased and added to our collection.

School Classroom Loan
Eligible for Classroom card:
1. All teachers at Bristol Elementary School are eligible for free classroom cards.
2. Cards kept at the school. Teachers may not check out personal items on their classroom cards.
3. Classroom teachers are responsible for the timely return of materials they have checked out for their classrooms. The loan period is 1 month and may be renewed for another month if necessary. Teachers are not assessed fines for overdue materials. Lost or damaged books will be charged to Bristol Elementary School in the same manner as our regular patrons. Teachers are asked not to exhaust the library’s collection of books on one topic.
4. DVDs that teachers wish to use in their classrooms may be checked out for up to two weeks. The library will hold the DVD for a certain date if the teacher arranges this with the Children’s Director. The Children’s Director is responsible for having the DVD pulled three days in advance of the scheduled date.

Adopted by the Bristol Public Library Board of Trustees on 12-21-2017