MY ACCOUNT

South Windsor Public Library

About the Collection

SWPL has a collection of 142,600 physical items available to use in the building or check out and take home. This includes books, audiobooks, DVDs, periodicals, graphic novels, museum passes, and more. If you are looking for something that the library does not own or has already been checked out, SWPL can borrow it from another library on your behalf and notify you when it is ready to be picked up. Alternately, you can request that the library purchase the item. 

Beyond the physical collection, South Windsor residents have access to approximately one million items in our downloadable collection. That collection is largely made up of ebooks and audiobooks, but includes magazines, comics, videos, and music as well. There are no late fees charged on 99.9% of items that the library circulates. 

 

Loan Periods

View our full Circulation Policy on the Policies page.

Print materials (hardback and paperback books, magazines, and pamphlets) 3 weeks
Audiobooks, music cds, multi-media kits, realia, foreign language courses 3 weeks
Entertainment DVDs 1 week
Multi-disc television series DVDs 2 weeks
Non-fiction DVDs 3 weeks
Loans to teachers for classroom use 6 weeks
eBooks and downloadable materials As specified by platform
Museum passes

2 days, or as specified by the pass.

“Print on Demand” museum passes include information on when they may be used and are not returned to the Library

 

Renewals

Most materials will automatically renew for an additional loan period a few days before their due date so long as no other library patrons are waiting for them. Additional renewal request may be made and will be honored on a case-by-case basis. 

Returns and Overdue Fines

Items returned in the book drop at the Library’s opening time will be considered to have been returned on the last day open. Thereafter, items returned in the book drop will be considered returned on the day received. Non-book items should not be returned in the book drop because of the increased risk of damage to the item.

The South Windsor Public Library no longer charges overdue fines on most items loaned, with certain exceptions: fines of $10.00 per day will be charged for physical (not print-on-demand) museum passes that are returned after the date due. Fines will not be charged for days when the Library is not open. Fines on museum passes may accumulate to a maximum of $30. 

If overdue fines are charged by a library that has provided materials through Interlibrary Loan, those fines will be passed on to the South Windsor patron. Likewise, fines incurred by a South Windsor cardholder on materials borrowed and returned in person at another CT library that charges fines will be unaffected by this policy.

Notices

The Library will notify patrons of outstanding overdue items by mail or e-mail regularly. Final notices sent will include the replacement cost of the items should they not be returned.

Patrons who have listed email addresses on their registrations will receive the following notifications:

  • Holds available (with pick-up deadline)
  • Items “almost due” (with information on renewals)
  • 2 overdue notices
  • Bills for items not returned after the overdue notices. The cost of replacing the item is listed on the bill. If the item is returned, no fines or replacement cost will be assessed.
Replacement Charges

Patrons will be charged replacement costs for items not returned or damaged beyond the Library’s use. Damaged items paid for by a patron may be kept by the patron after the Library removes the item from the collection.

Library Cards

Library cards are available free of charge to all South Windsor residents upon presentation of proof of residency. Resident identification of parents or guardians will serve to verify the residency of minors. The Library offers a “Linked Cards'' option that, allows members of one household to pick up holds for other household members. Library cards are valid for a three-year period from the date of issue and may be renewed for an unlimited number of additional 3-year periods by updating information at the Circulation Desk.

South Windsor residents can register online as a patron of our library to request materials and access some online sources. Patrons must provide proof of residency within three months or the account will be deactivated.

Replacement Cards

A replacement library card will be provided free of charge during the first instance of a card being lost; subsequent replacement cards will be provided for a $2.00 fee.

Teacher Cards

Teacher cards are offered to all those who teach in day care centers, nursery schools, elementary schools, and middle schools. 

Staff Picks and Purchase Recommendations

Check out all of our Staff Picks over on Encore! Do you have a suggestion for other lists or pathfinders that you would like our librarians to create? Email us at refswpl@libraryconnection.info.

If there is a particular item that the library does not own that would be a good addition to the collection, fill out the Purchase Request Form. Not all purchase requests can be fulfilled, but if the item can not be purchased, a SWPL staff person will attempt to procure the item through interlibrary loan.