Checkout Periods

• A total of 25 items may be checked out on each account at any given time. Up to 10 of these may be DVD or VHS videos.
• Videos and DVDs: Checkout period is 7 days. You can renew videos and DVDs once.
• Books, books on tape or CD, music CDs: Checkout period is 3 weeks.
• Reference materials do not circulate.
• Loan rules may vary for special services such as Library Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing or Bookmobile.

You may return your materials to any Nashville Public Library branch or book drop.

If you forget your library card, identification is required to borrow materials.

Renewals

You can renew books, books on tape, and CDs three times, as long as there are no holds on the item. You may renew materials in your online account, at any library location, or by telephone at 862.5800. After close, call the automated renewal line, 862.5890. You will need your library card number to renew.

• Videos and DVDs: You can renew videos and DVDs once, as long as there are no holds. The exceptions to this rule are VHS videos and DVDs from the Library Service for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, which checkout for three weeks.
• Books, books on tape or CD, music CDs: You can renew books, books on tape, and CDs three times, as long as there are no holds on the item. The exceptions to this rule are materials borrowed from the bookmobile, which check out four weeks.
• You can renew overdue items to stop accruing fines.

Items cannot be renewed when your card is not active, when there is a hold on the item, or when the computer system is down.

Fines & Fees

Please return your materials on time. Overdue fines are:

• 10 cents a day for books, books on tape, audiocassettes, CDs, and CD-ROMs. There is a maximum fine of $4 for adult materials and $2 for children's books.
• $2 a day for all Videos and DVDs. There is a maximum fine of $10 per VHS or DVD.
• Damaged or lost items are billed at full price. Replacement copies brought or purchased by patrons cannot be accepted.
• Delinquent materials and fines are automatically routed to an outside collection agency after 45 days.
• You can renew overdue items to stop accruing fines.

The library offers a special $20 maximum fine for overdue items your household returns to a circulation desk at one time. Videos and DVDs are not included. Please mention the $20 special to the staff.

The Library reserves the right to refuse further service until overdue materials are returned and account balances paid.

Holds/Requests

You may place request items within the library catalog to be held at your library or shipped from another Nashville library. Once the item has been located in the library catalog, select REQUEST. You will enter your library barcode number and PIN number. Then select the branch you wish to pick the item up from. You will receive a confirmation when your request has been submitted.

Holds are limited to 25 items per account at any given time. Items on hold must be checked out on the library card of the patron for whom the hold was placed. For the fastest and most convenient service, when picking up an item held in another person's name, present that person's library card OR the pick-up notice for the hold.

Once holds are ready for pickup, videos and DVDs remain on the holdshelf for 4 days; books, CDs and audiobooks will be held for 7 days.

You may be notified when items are ready for pickup by phone, email, or postal mail. Login to your account or call the library to update your preferred method of notification.

Approved users may pick up holds for others after presenting a picture ID. An approved user is another resident of your household who is 18 or older. You must visit a library to designate an approved user for your account. An approved user can check out patron holds only; place, cancel or change holds; and pay fines. You accept responsibility for all actions that occur as a result of this access. Revoking access must be done in writing.