Borrowing Guidelines

Anything in our "circulating collection" can be checked out. This includes books, DVDs, CDs, audiobooks, video games, software, mobile hotspots, ukuleles, bicycles, and more.

Bicycles and hotspots may only be checked out by adult, full-service cardholders.

Research materials (unless permission is given by a Librarian), magazines, newspapers, and items in the Winter Park History Center's collection. 

Checkout periods vary depending on the type of material.

Books, Audiobooks, and CDs

3 weeks

DVDs, Video Games, and Software 

1 week

Downloadable eBooks and audiobooks

1, 2 or 3 weeks – you select the checkout period when you download the item

Mobile Hotspots

1 week

Bicycles

Same-day checkout

Laptops

4 hours

You may check out a maximum of ninety-nine items, including up to twenty DVDs and five video games or pieces of software. Additionally, full-service card holders may check out up to twenty eBooks or audiobooks from OverDrive/Libby and up to ten items from Hoopla.

Most items can be automatically renewed up to four times (some exclusions apply). Renewal periods are for the same period of time as the original checkout (e.g., a book checked out originally for three weeks will renew for three weeks). Physical items will automatically renew on their due date, unless someone else has requested them or you've reached the maximum number of renewals. If you have questions about what this means for you, email us at info@winterparklibrary.org. 

Full-service members may place an item on reserve (hold) if the item is checked out, waiting for another member, on order, or otherwise unavailable. Reserves (holds) can be placed in person, by phone, or online. You may place up to ten items on reserve (hold) at a time (some exclusions apply). When an item comes in/is ready for you to pick up, you will be notified according to your account preferences (via an email, text message, or phone call). Items are held for five days. If they are not picked up within five days, the reserve (hold) will be canceled and returned to the shelves. 

You may cancel or suspend your reserves (holds) in person, by phone, or online. Once an item is available for you to pick up, you can cancel it in person or by phone. 

If you are a full-service member and you would like a book that the Library does not own and it is less than a year old, you can fill out a Suggest a Purchase form on our website, and we will consider it for purchase. If the book’s publication date is over a year old, ask a Librarian about borrowing the book through our InterLibrary Loan service.

There are only fines for overdue bicycles, laptops, and mobile hotspots. There are also fees for lost and/or damaged items.

Bicycles: $1 per item/day
Laptops: $1 per item/hour
Mobile hotspots: $1 per item/day

First of all, keep looking! You have a maximum of four renewal periods as long as the item isn't on hold for another member. Use your maximum number of renewals to give you as much time as possible to search for the misplaced item. If you are sure an item is lost (or that it is damaged to the extent that it will have to be replaced), you will need to pay the replacement cost of the item plus a $5.00 processing fee. In some cases, you may be allowed to provide the Library with an identical copy of the lost item, but this transaction must be approved before you replace the item.* You will also remain responsible for paying the processing fee.

If lost items are found in good condition within sixty days of payment, a refund may be issued for the item but not the $5.00 processing fee.

*In order to maintain a quality and timely collection, the Library reserves the right to accept or deny replacements for lost or damaged materials.

Bring the item to the Library. For materials with extensive damage, a staff member can immediately allow you to pay the replacement cost of the item plus an $5.00 processing fee.* However, if the first staff member you speak with is unable to determine whether the item should be replaced, it will be sent to our Technical Services Department. If the department verifies that the item is a loss, a note will be placed on your account, and you will be assessed the cost of the item plus the $5.00 processing fee. In some cases, you may be allowed to provide the Library with an identical copy of the lost item, but this transaction must be approved before you replace the item. You will also remain responsible for paying the processing fee.

*In order to maintain a quality and timely collection, the Library reserves the right to accept or deny replacements for lost or damaged materials.

The $5.00 processing fee is charged to help cover the cost of replacing the security chips, cases, covers, and labels for damaged items, as well as the staff time required to reprocess items into the collection.

We know this is a frustrating situation for you. We want to work with you to resolve the situation, so please call the Library right away so that staff can check the shelves for the item(s) in question. While it is true that the Library sometimes makes mistakes when checking in items, the majority of members who initially believe that they have returned an item find the item at home, work, or in their car. Look for the item anywhere it could possibly be such as under the seats of vehicles in the family, under furniture and cushions, on your bookcases or in your CD/DVD players. You should also call any other libraries you use and check that the item wasn't accidentally returned to the wrong library. Once you reach your maximum number of renewals and/or you have looked in every possible location at home, work, etc., we will place the item on a special status for four weeks, during which time staff will continue looking for it on the shelves. After thirty days of searching, if the item has not been found, the Library will change it to a "lost" status and your account will be charged for the replacement cost of the item plus an $5.00 processing fee.