It's easy to get your Bellaire library card!
A library card may be issued free to any Ohio resident, age 18 and over, upon presentation of a valid driver’s license of photo I.D. with a current mailing address. Residents of Ohio County and Marshall County in West Virginia may also apply for a Bellaire library card free of charge. If the patron does not have an I.D. with a current address, then another proof of current address is required, such as a recently postmarked article of mail, personal checkbook, utility bill, lease agreement, or car registration.
When you apply for a card for the first time, you will be able to check out two (2) items immediately. Following the return of the first two items, you will be able to check out an additional four (4) items. New borrowers are limited to a maximum of four (4) items checked out at any given time during the first 60 days of using their library card. Also, new borrowers may place one (1) hold/reserve on items not available at Bellaire Public Library during that same time.
Applicants with a temporary address will be limited to checking out one (1) item at a time until a permanent address is established.
Children and Library Cards:
Children can get library cards with a parent or guardian’s signature instead of ID. They must be around five years old and able to write their own name (first and last) on their application, but they can get help with their address and phone number if necessary.
Please Note:
- If the person who signs for the child has a card with fines or overdue items charged to it, that card must be cleared of all charges before we can issue a card to the child.
- The library considers it the responsibility of parents or guardians to approve the nature of materials borrowed by minors. (Board of Trustees policy 2/19/86)
- The parents or legal guardian of a minor patron is responsible for all materials checked out on the minor patron’s card.
Digital Library Cards:
If you are an Ohio resident with a valid email address, you can immediately get a special “all digital” library card. This card gives you access to our digital library – ebooks, audiobooks, e-magazines, online databases, and more!
How to apply online:
- Begin here.
- Fill out the form.
For “PIN,” we always recommend using the last 4 digits of your phone number.
For “Library,” select BELLAIRE PUBLIC LIBRARY. - Click “Register” and you will be given your library card information! Be sure to print out your confirmation or write down your digital card number, as you will need to access our digital library and databases.
Digital card usage:
PLEASE NOTE: The digital card only allows you access to our online offerings and cannot be used to check out physical materials. However, a digital card can be upgraded to a full access card at any time by visiting the Bellaire Public Library with a current photo ID and filling out our library card registration form.
Expired cards:
If you have had a card at our library before, and we still have a record of it on file, we can issue you a new card. If your card number has expired, we will issue you a new card at no charge.
Replacement cards:
If you still have a valid (current) card number, we will consider this a replacement card and issue you a new card for a $1 charge.
LOST or stolen cards:
If your card is ever lost or stolen, please notify the library immediately. You are responsible for ALL materials checked out on your library card even if someone else used the card. If you let us know that your card has been lost or stolen, we can put a “stop” on that card and issue you a new card with a new number. The missing card then will no longer be a valid card, and you will not be held responsible for anything checked out on it after that date.
Reciprocity with other libraries
Have a valid, barcoded library card from another local Ohio library?
If you have a valid library card from any of the local Ohio libraries including Martins Ferry, St. Clairsville, Barnesville, Shadyside, Powhatan, Monroe County, Steubenville, and many others, you may use that library card here.
NOTE: You must present the card when checking out library materials.
The Bellaire Public Library is a part of the Serving Every Ohioan Library Consortium and accepts library cards from over 100 other libraries in the system. Card holders may all request items from other libraries in the Consortium to be delivered, free of charge, to the Bellaire Public Library for check-out. All library material in the 103-library system are availble through our online catalog.
Fines and Fees:
A library card is a valuable resource. A library patron is responsible for all materials checked out on his/her library card. The parents or legal guardian of a minor patron is responsible for all materials checked out on the minor patron’s card.
BPL does not charge a fee for items that are late. However, a library patron is responsible for all materials checked out on his/her library card, and if materials are returned damaged, are lost, or are long overdue, the patron is responsible for paying fines or replacement fees.
Lending Periods and Renewals:
Bellaire Public Library lends materials out to cardholders for three weeks at a time.
AUTO-RENEWALS:
Library materials generally renew automatically if no other library users have requested the items checked out. Items will renew up to three items unless another library patron has requested the item and a hold has been placed on it. If an item has reached it’s renewal limit, or another patron has requested that item and the patron has not brought it back following the lending period, that user’s account will be blocked, and they will not be able to check out additional materials until the item is brought back.
OVERDUE MATERIALS:
When an item has reached its renewal limit and is long overdue, that item will be assumed lost and the patron will be charged for the price of the item. The fee for the lost item will be removed if the item is brought back.
