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Friends of the Library
99 Main Street
Haverhill, MA 01830
(978) 373-1586
fax: (978) 373-8466
FAQ's: Frequently Asked Questions
General ||
Library Cards and Borrowing ||
Library Services
Library Rules and Policies ||
Reference and Research
Finding Books and Materials
If you do not see your question
listed among the frequently asked questions below,
please contact the library.
General
What are your hours?
Main Library hours are Mon, Tue & Thu, 10:00 AM-9:00 PM, and Wed, Fri & Sat 10:00 AM-5:00 PM.
Special Collections hours
Are you closed for the upcoming holiday?
Please click on the link above for holiday closing information, or check our
Library News page.
Where are you located?
We are located at 99 Main Street (that's Rte 125 N) in Haverhill MA, north
of downtown and on the block between the Haverhill District Courthouse and City
Hall. Directions are
available on our website.
How can I contact the library, or a member of the library
staff, to ask a question?
You may contact us by telephone at (978) 373-1586
Specific staff members and departments may be contacted by clicking on the
Contacts/Departments
link wherever it appears.
Where is the nearest
Registry of Motor Vehicles?
The nearest RMV is located at 4 Summer Street in the basement of City Hall,
across the street from the library.
Library Cards and Borrowing
How do I get a
library card?
Library cards are issued from the Main Desk. You must show proof of
residency and fill out a registration card.
Does it cost anything to get a
library card?
First
Library cards are issued free of charge to Haverhill and Bradford residents.
Replacement cards cost $1.00. If you live out-of-state, there is a $75.00 annual fee for a library card that
is good in all MVLC Consortium libraries.
What do I need to get a
library card?
You need to show something with your name and address on it. This could be
your driver's license or a piece of postmarked mail. Children under 12
need to have a parent or legal guardian sign for them. The adult's
identification can be used for a child.
How old do you need to be to get a
library card?
5 years old.
What
libraries
is my library card good at?
Your card is good at over 30 libraries in the
Merrimack Valley library Consortium and at most libraries in the state of Massachusetts.
How many items can I take out?
-
Videos / DVDs - unlimited (instead of 5)
-
CDs - unlimited (instead of 4)
-
Audiobooks - unlimited
-
Adult Non-fiction - unlimited (instead of 3)
-
Adult Fiction - including NEW fiction - unlimited
-
Magazines - unlimited (magazines more than 10 years old may not be checked out)
-
Teen Fiction - unlimited
-
Children's Fiction - 5 by one author / 5 in one series
-
Children's Nonfiction - 3 on a subject, instead of 2
-
Children's Magazines - unlimited quantity, but restricted to 4 of each title
How can I
access my library card account?
Please visit
iPAC, the online catalog, to access your
account with your library card and PIN. For assistance with using this feature
of our catalog go to our
catalog help page.
How can I reserve books or renew items from home?
Please visit
iPAC, the online catalog, to access your account with your library
card and PIN. Please see the directions for
reserving books or renew items
from home (catalog help).
Videos and DVDs owned by other libraries may not be requested from other
libraries for pickup in Haverhill.
Does it cost anything to rent a video
or DVD?
Yes. We charge $1.00 per week per card. If the
video/DVD is returned late, we charge $2.00 per video/DVD per day. Videos/DVDs
check out for 7 days.
How do I get materials if I am legally blind?
Contact
Perkins School for
the Blind for talking books.
Back to the Top
Library Services
Do you have a
public fax machine?
Yes! The library Reference Dept. will fax your documents anywhere in the U.S. for $2.50 for the 1st page, and $1.00 per page for other
pages (charge applies for each location to which we fax). We also receive
faxes for $1.00 per page. For more information about our faxing service see our
fax page. In addition we can recommend several local
fax services that you can use.
Where are the bathrooms? on the first floor, in the center of the
library on the second floor, in the Children's
Room and in the auditorium foyer on the third floor in the gallery hallway.
Do you have a photocopier machine? 2 on the first floor, in the center of the
library - $.15 per page 1 on the second floor, in the Children's
Room - $.15 per page 1 on the third floor, in Special Collections
- $.25 per page (this machine is staff use only, hence the extra cost) Do you have a public telephone?
How can I reserve a meeting
room? Do you ever have a
book
sale? Can I plug in my laptop? Do you have WiFi? Do you have
computers for public use? Do you charge for computer use?
Can I check my email here?
Back to the Top
What are the rules for library
behavior? How does the library choose which
materials to buy? What is the unattended children policy?
What are the rules for the Internet and
computer use?
What are the rules for meeting rooms?
Yes! We have four black and white photocopiers. Copiers are located:
The public phone is located outside of the library on Summer Street. Local
calls cost $.35 and change is available from most desks.
Do you have a notary public on staff?
No, but there is a notary public at City Hall in the Clerk's Office.
How can I reserve museum
passes?
You can now reserve your own museum passes online.
Click here, or call the
Main Desk (x603) for help.
You may view our
calendar to see
when our meeting rooms are free for you to reserve. Then, please contact the
Main Desk (x603) to reserve.
Do you have tax forms?
Yes! Current tax forms are located between the bathrooms on the first floor from
January to April each year. During the remainder of the year, forms
are in binders in the reference section and must be photocopied.
The Friends of the Library hold three book sales every year. Visit the Friends of the Library
book sale page for more information.
You may plug your laptop into an electrical outlet for power, but for
security and safety reasons, you may NOT plug your laptop into a telephone jack or ethernet
connection.
Yes, we have 802.11 B, G WiFi (Wireless Internet)
Yes! We have 32 Internet connected Microsoft Windows based computers with word processing and other
Microsoft Office software on the main floor, and 6 Internet terminals
with word processing software in the
Children's Room.
We only charge for printing - $.15 for B&W and $.25 for Color per page.
Yes! And you don't have to be a resident of Haverhill, or
pay a fee!
If you would like to set up a free email account on the Internet, we have
printed instructions available at the Reference Desk or you can view our
Email Handout
online.
How long can I use a computer?
Users may sign up 3 times a day for a 45 minute slot. If no one is waiting,
you may stay on longer.
Do you offer
computer classes?
Due to library budget cuts, classes are currently not being offered
Library Rules & Policies
What is the library's
mission
statement?
The mission of the Haverhill Public Library is to serve the
cultural, social, and community needs of a diverse population by providing
global access to informational, educational, and recreational resources. The
library fulfills this mission in an enthusiastic and professional manner while
maintaining the respect and dignity for its staff and patrons with excellence
and superior quality of service.
The library has a
behavior policy
which states the library is a place for everyone, but we expect users to be
respectful of themselves and others, as well as respectful of the library.
The library takes many factors into account when considering an item for
purchase. Please view our
Materials Selection
Policy online.
Children under the age of 10 must be accompanied by someone older than
14
years of age.
The library has an
acceptable use
Internet policy
which states the library is a place for everyone, but we expect users to be
respectful of themselves and others when using the Internet. We also have
a printing policy. Computer users
are expected to adhere to the library
behavior policy as well.
The library has a
meeting room policy
Back to the Top
Reference and Research
How do I
connect to the library's
Online Catalog?
Go to
Logon to My Account the library's Online Catalog.
What if I need help using the online catalog?
You can get help with the online catalog in three
ways:
1. Use the
Help button in the top
left hand corner of the
page
2. Use the library's online
catalog help page
3. Ask a librarian! In the library go to the Information Desk. If you are at home, give us a call at (978) 373-1586 ext. 608
Is there a list of new, hot, or recently acquired titles at
the library?
Yes, we have a
list of recently received books, video, and audio material
and
a
list of "hot titles"
in the Merrimack Valley libraries
What newspapers do you have in your
collection?
We offer a variety of newspapers, and the dates of coverage vary. Please see our
list of newspapers or our complete
list of Periodicals Holdings.
What magazines do you have in your collection?
We offer a variety of magazines. Please see our complete
list of Periodicals Holdings.
How do I do magazine research?
You may log on from home or from within the library. When
you are in the library, we would be happy to show you how to look for articles
in online databases using our library computers.
Do you have the Reader's Guide to Periodical
Literature?
We do not currently subscribe to the Reader's Guide to Periodical
Literature (although we still have issues of the Reader's Guide
from 1900 - 2000 on our shelves). We would be happy to show you how to look for articles in
Online Databases, the method we use most often now for finding magazine
and newspaper articles.
Do you have the laws of Massachusetts?
Yes, some of it is in books, but most Massachusetts legislative and
regulatory law is now available on
the Internet at http://www.mass.gov. Please ask at the Reference and Information Desk for
assistance with your legal questions.
May I check out a Reference book?
No, reference books labeled "RR" do not circulate, even overnight. However, we may be able to
give you a similar item (such as last year's edition of a reference source), order the same item from a library that does allow it to
circulate, or photocopy the information.
Back to the Top
Finding Books and Materials in the Library
Do you have a card catalog?
Not anymore! But please ask a librarian to look up a title, show you how to
use the
online catalog or
bookfinder.
How do I find a book that I want?
Yes! Please ask a librarian to look up a title, show you how to use the
online catalog or
bookfinder, or to request items from other libraries! We will
be happy to walk you through the stacks to find the item you are looking for, or
request the book from another local library. We can also request items from
other libraries! Most libraries in the state of Massachusetts are linked and we
can get books for you within two to four weeks.
Can you get a book that you don't own?
Yes! If we do NOT own the book, we may consider it for purchase. We
appreciate patron recommendations and place reasonable patron
requests at a priority. Alternatively, we can request items, except videos and
DVDs, from other
libraries! Most libraries in the state of Massachusetts are linked and we can
get books for you within two to four weeks.
I am on hold for a particular book. How long do I have to wait?
To find out your number on the hold list, go to the
online catalog, log in
with your library card number and PIN, and click "Patron Account." The items you
are on hold for are listed under "Requests," and there is a column that shows you
what number you are on the list.
Where are the encyclopedias?
Current encyclopedias are located in the Reference area.
Older editions are available for checkout. Please ask a librarian for assistance
if you do not find enough information in an encyclopedia.
Where are the Cliff's Notes?
Cliff's Notes are generally shelved next to the book it is
about. For example, Cliff Notes on Mary Shelley's
Frankenstein are
located under Shelley, next to copies of Frankenstein.
Where are the phone books?
Telephone books are located in the Reference Collection, near Consumer
Reference.
Where are the issues of Consumer Reports?
Consumer Reports is located in the Reference Collection. The Haverhill Library also has a second subscription to this magazine
available for checkout.
Where are the Travel Books?
Travel books have been relocated to the beginning of the nonfiction
collection. Travel videos have been incorporated into this collection. Travel
books are all books
with call numbers that begin with "Travel"
Where are the Biographies located?
Biographies are located in the new wing of the library, behind the Information Desk and Reference Office. They
are shelved alphabetically by the last name of the person the book is about.
Autobiographies and biographies are interfiled. In this library, all books
with call numbers that begin with Biog or B or jB (Children's Room) are
biographies or autobiographies.
Where are the Books on Tape and CD -- books with call numbers that begin with
Audio?
Books on tape and CD are located on the first floor at the front of the
library, behind the CD drawers. They are sorted into four categories: Fic,
Biog, Nonfiction (Dewey Call #) and CD.
Where are the YA books -- books with call numbers that contain YA and others?
YA Fiction books are located on the first floor in the new part of the building,
between Fiction and the Computer Lab. YA fiction includes Paperbacks and Hardcovers
in a variety of genres interfiled, as well as Books on
Tape and Books on CD. YA Biographies and Nonfiction are interfiled with adult fiction and
biographies. Comix are located towards the end of the YA area with the Summer
Reading List books.
Where are the books with call numbers that start with RR?
Books that start with RR are located on the first floor in the Reference
Collection. They may not be removed from the library.
Where are the books with call numbers
that start with R,
H, or A?
Books marked with R (reference), H (Haverhill) or A (Art) are located on the
third floor in Special Collections. They may not be removed from the
library.
Where are the books with call numbers
that start with "j" ?
"j" means the item is a "juvenile" or children's book, and located on the
second floor in the
Children's Room. The
Children's Room serves up to grade 6;
not all books labeled "j" are for babies!