Jerseyville Public Library

Your Library Card

Getting a card, renewing materials, placing holds, etc.

Who can get a card
The Jerseyville Public Library is supported through city property taxes.  All city residents are eligible to obtain library cards for no additional fee.  Library cards are valid for three years from the date issued and entitle the holder to all library services, including interlibrary loan, and may be used at any member library of the Illinois Heartland Library System.

Non-resident fees
People living outside the city limits of Jerseyville may pay a non-resident fee, currently $185.00 annually.  (Please note that this amount is based on the average of what city residents pay in taxes to support the library.) This fee entitles any family member living at the same address to obtain a library card.  These cards may be used at the Jerseyville Public Library or at any member library of the Illinois Heartland Library System.  Non-residents owning property within the city limits of Jerseyville are entitled to one library card for the parcel. These cards are valid at any IHLS member library.  For a list of libraries and their phone numbers, click here.

Cards for Kids
The Illinois Cards for Kids Act allows qualifying students in birth through twelfth grade who participate in the Federal Free and Reduced-Price Meal Program at school to obtain a library card free of charge, even if they live in an unserved area. Contact the library or stop by for more information.

How to Get Your Card
In order to obtain a library card, you must come in to the library.  Anyone under 18 is considered a juvenile and a parent's or guardian's signature is required.  Adults are required to bring a photo i.d. with his/her current address on it; if the address has changed, then a current piece of mail is needed as well.

Borrowing Limits
As of July 20, 2012, each patron card may only have 5 DVDs and 5 CDs checked out at one time and 2 video games. There are specific limits to electronic devices which are listed on the Electronic Device Agreement you will sign upon checkout. (There is no limit on books or audiobooks.)

Placing Holds
The easiest way to place holds in the Illinois Heartland Library System online catalog is to login to your account first.  You will need to know two things:   your barcode number and your pin number.  If you are unsure of your pin number or don't know if you have one, please call; we can't see what it is, but we can change it or delete it for you.   You can then create a user name to use in place of your barcode number.

Once you have logged in, you can search the catalog and find the item you desire.  Next click on "place request."  You will need to choose a pick-up location and a not-wanted-after date, if you have a specific time frame in which it is needed.  If you will be requesting several items, you may want to place your choices in a shopping cart by choosing "save records."  This will allow you to request several different items at the same time rather than doing each separately.

You should receive a message that states "Your request for ... was successful."

Renewing Your Borrowed Items
When you log in to your account, you will have the option of renewing your items.  You can choose to renew all items or selected items.  If there is a "hold" against any item--meaning someone else is waiting for it--you will not be able to renew it.  We allow one renewal for all DVDs and two renewals for all books/audiobooks, but some libraries do not allow renewals.  If this is the case, or if you have tried to renew and have been unable to, please contact us.  If the item has reached its renewal limit, we can call the lending library to ask if we can override and renew again.

Library Fines
A charge of .10 cents per day, per item, will be levied on overdue material after a one-day grace period.  For EXPRESS items, the fine is .50 cents per day. The fine for overdue ELECTRONIC DEVICES is $5.00 per day. All fines must be under $5.00 before a patron may check out items or receive a new card.  This policy also applies to lost and/or damaged materials.