Getting a library card

Getting a library card at the Tumbler Ridge Public Library is fairly easy. There's no charge. We just ask the patron to sign a statement of responsibility and show library staff two things:

• some kind of identification (we prefer photo ID like driver's licenses, etc)
  
• proof of the patron's mailing address in Tumbler Ridge

The library requires proof of mailing address for a simple reason. We need to be able to contact patrons. We send overdue notices and bills by mail on a regular basis, and other library notices sporadically.

At one point in the past someone registered a particular patron without a mailing address. A few months back that patron had an overdue book, her phone number was out of service, and I had no way of contacting her. The book was never returned and I've been unable to bill that patron. The library is simply out the money for the book with no way of recovering it.

For that reason, library staff members will not give a patron a library card without proof of their mailing address in Tumbler Ridge. Please don't ask.

There are three alternatives if a patron cannot provide a mailing address in Tumbler Ridge.


1) BC OneCard

If a patron has a valid card at a public library elsewhere in BC, we can issue that patron a BC OneCard. The OneCard serves as a limited membership at the library. At the Tumbler Ridge Public Library, OneCard patrons may only borrow five books at a time, may not request interlibrary loans, and may not borrow other library materials such as audiobooks and DVDs.

A OneCard membership also allows patrons to borrow books from the Tumbler Ridge Public Library and return those books to any other public library in BC.

*NOTE* BC OneCard policies vary from library to library. The policies described here apply to the Tumbler Ridge Public Library and may not be universal.


2) Temporary Card

If a patron does not have a mailing address in Tumbler Ridge and does not have a library card elsewhere in the province, a temporary library card is available. A temporary card costs $70, $40 of which is refundable upon return of the card if the patron is in good standing.


3) Go without a card

This sounds like a ridiculous option, but there are basically only two library services at the Tumbler Ridge Public Library that require a card: borrowing library materials and requesting books through an interlibrary loan. The following library services do not require a library card

• reading library materials in the library
  
• using the public Internet computers
• asking reference questions
• attending library programs (Itchy Feet, Storytime, Pageturners, etc.)
  
• photocopying/printing/faxing (we do charge for these services, but they do not require a library card)

To sum everything up, if you've got proof of your mailing address in Tumbler Ridge, we're happy to issue you a library card. If you don't, but you've got a library card from a different public library in the province, we're happy to issue you a OneCard. If you don't, but are willing to pay to access the library, we're happy to issue you a temporary card. If none of these apply to you, we encourage you to take advantage of all the library services that do not require a library card.