Joining, borrowing, returning and holds

Joining

Membership is FREE and open to everyone, no matter where you live, work or study. You can join at any library, just:

1. Visit one of our libraries 
2. Present some identification showing name and current address, such as driver’s licence, pension card, utilities bill, rates notice, or bank statement.
3. For members under 18 years of age, a parent or guarantor is required to complete and sign the membership application, as well as present identification.
4. Accept the Conditions of Membership and Code of Conduct

Please note: if you are already a member of a library in the Swift Library Consortium, you can use your existing card to borrow at our libraries.  

Online membership

Online membership is temporary, three-month membership that allows you to place holds online. It does not give access to the library’s subscription resources or allow you to borrow or use library computers.

To continue your membership and get full access to borrowing, library computers and online resources, we recommend that you update your online membership to a library card.

Join online

Organisational Membership 

This type of membership is available to organisations such as pre-schools, primary schools,  secondary schools, and child-care centres. It allows bulk borrowing of items for extended periods.  Organisational-membership form.

Lost card

A lost library card should be reported as soon as possible to your library, to stop it from being used by someone else. 

To replace your library card, pop into the library with proof of ID. It will only take a couple of minutes and costs a small fee of $3.30.

Borrowing

Your library card provides access to:

4 week loans with no limit on number of items:

• • Books
  • Talking books
  • Kits
  • CD-ROMs

2 week loans

• • Unlimited Magazines
  • 20 DVDs
  • 20 Music CDs
  • 10 e-Books (from each supplier) – Borrowbox and Cloud Library
  • 10 e-Audiobooks (from each supplier) – Borrowbox and RB Digital

Downloads:

• e-magazines – unlimited from RB Digital and Press Reader
• 5 songs per week – Freegal

Streaming

• Videos – 10 plays per month from Kanopy
• Music – unlimited streaming from Freegal

Many more online resources

• Including newspapers, children’s activities, language learning, online learning, tutoring and car manuals. 

Renewals

Most items can be renewed twice, unless they are on hold for another borrower, or are too far overdue. Top Titles cannot be renewed. 

Renewals can be done:

• in person – with your library card
• over the phone – with your library card
• online through the library catalogue – login in with your library card and PIN
• the library app – login in with your library card and PIN

Returning 

It’s important to return your items to the library on time so that other members are able to enjoy them too.

If registered, we will send an SMS, phone or email reminders prior to the due date to help you.

Members who have overdue items will have their borrowing rights restricted and where an item is lost or not returned, the borrower will be billed for the replacement cost.

As a member of Casey Cardinia Libraries you can borrow items from any of our branches. We also have external return chutes at each branch, which are open 24/7.

If you have library items from a different library, but one that is in the Swift Library Consortium, you can return them at our libraries.  

Downloaded items do not need to be returned. e-Magazines and e-Music are yours to keep, e-audiobooks and e-books expire.

You can opt in to keep an online log of the items you have borrowed previously.  Ask staff for help.

Holds

If an item you want is not available at your library, you can place a hold on it.

This is a system request to have a copy of that item sent to your local library for you, when a copy is available.  Holds can be placed on most CCL items and those belonging to other library services in our catalogue.

Popular item will have many holds, so you will not get it quickly, but for all holds we notify you when they arrive for you to collect.

You can be notified by email, SMS, telephone or mail – contact your library to organise your preferred option.  Items are held for 8 days from the time it arrives for you at the library.

To place a hold:

1. Go to the library catalogue
2. Click on Login at top right and login with your library card and PIN
3. Search for items in the catalogue
4. When you find an item, check to see where it is
5. If it is not available at your library or all copies are on loan, click the Place Hold button to the right
6. In the pop up box, change the pickup library if required and then click Place Hold
7. Click OK to acknowledge the hold has been placed
8. You will be notified when the item is ready for you to collect from your library

You can also use your library card for a range of services including access to public computers and printing. Find out more on our Services Page.