Our Library

• About Us—Who We Are
• Annual Report
• Collections
• Core Values
• Donations & Gifts
• Governance
• Long-Term Goals
• Maps of our Buildings
• Meeting Rooms
• Mission Statement
• Public Service Values
• Opportunties for Employment
• Pictures of the New Main Library
• Service Roles
• Tax Forms
• Volunteers

 Library Materials

Finding Items:

• Search our Online Catalog
• Obtaining Items Not Found in our Catalog

Borrowing Items:

• Library Cards
• Loan Periods
• Overdue Fees
• Renewals
• Reserves
• Returns
• Questions?

About Us—Who We Are

The Farmington Community Library is a District Library serving the two communities of Farmington and Farmington Hills in southeastern Michigan, with a combined population of 92,534 (official 2000 Census figure)

The Library is governed by an eight member Board of Library Trustees, with four members appointed from each city. Board meetings are held the second Thursday of each month at the Main Library in the Board Room on the mezzanine, and are open to the public. For more information, see Our Governance.

Location

The Farmington Community Library consists of two Branches:

The Main Library is located at 32737 West 12 Mile Road. This is between Farmington and Orchard Lake Roads on the south side of 12 Mile, next to the Farmington Hills Post office.

The Farmington Branch is located at 23500 Liberty Street, one block west of Farmington Road and one block south of Grand River. It is at the corner of Liberty and State Streets, next door to the Farmington City Hall.

Here is a map, and a link for obtaining driving directions from Mapquest., as well as a list of Library hours.

The Main Library was built in 1972. In January, 2003, as part of an addition and renovation project it was expanded to 72,000 square feet. This includes a computer lab and commons area with over 75 public computers. Internet access for laptops is available at study tables. Wireless access will be available by the end of the first quarter of 2006. Refreshments are available at the BookMark café. The Heritage Room offers a local history and genealogy collection, and much more! The Children’s Department occupies the entire lower level of the original building and features a Smart Start center designed for fully interactive reading readiness activities.

The 18,000 square foot Branch, built in 1975, was renovated in 1999 and features a Children’s Room with life size trees and a tree house.

Obtaining Materials Not Found in our Catalog

You may electronically request that we consider purchasing an item not found in our Catalog., or you may ask to obtain the item from another Library via Interlibrary Loan (ILL).

• What is Interlibrary Loan?

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is a cooperative agreement between libraries to lend and borrow materials from their collections. This system is used to supply a variety of resources to our patrons that are not available at the Farmington Community Library.

• Who can use ILL?

The Farmington Community Library provides this free service to patrons who live, work, go to school, or pay taxes in Farmington /Farmington Hills.

• What type of materials may be borrowed?

Books, theses, microfilm and dissertations can be borrowed. Photocopies of articles can be requested. New publications, best-sellers, and high-demand titles are usually unavailable for interlibrary loan. We do not ILL A/V materials (Videos, DVD, CD's, Audio cassette tapes).

• How long does it take to receive an ILL item?

The length of time for an ILL to arrive varies and can be from 2–4 weeks, or in some cases longer.

• How do I request material from ILL?

You may request ILL materials by doing the following:

1. Contact the Farmington Community Library during business hours by calling 248•553•0300 and ask for a Reference Librarian with your request or



2. Contact the ILL Department by email.

If you would like to search the available online catalogs FCL offers, you may do so by clicking on More Libraries then click on "The Library Network" (TLN). The TLN Catalog is a catalog with several local libraries. Select a specific Library or "ALL" libraries, type in the title you would like, and then click on "Title". Select a record. If there is a book available, contact FCL with the information. Please do not contact the owning library yourself. The ILL Department must do this. If you request a book from the lending library directly and FCL does not have the paperwork for your request, the item will be sent back.

• How will you be contacted when your material arrives?

Patrons will be notified directly by the FCL ILL Department, either by phone, email or letter, whatever you prefer.

• Where do I pick up my material up and how long will it be held?

Books will be placed at the Circulation Desk the library you have requested it to be sent to, either the Main Library or Farmington Branch. Books will be held under the last name of the individual who requested the material and checked out under this name. Unless we are notified by the patron differently, materials will be held for two weeks.

• Can I renew my ILL books?

Several days before your due date email the ILL Department or call 248•553•0300 asking for a Reference Librarian. Indicate you would like to renew an ILL item giving your name, telephone number, the title and author. You will be given a tentative two week renewal. You will be contacted only if the due date given by the lending library is different or denied.

• Whom should I contact if I have a problem or a question?

You may call the Farmington Community Library at 248•553•0300 and ask for the Interlibrary Loan Department or email them.

• How much does it cost?

This is a free service provided to anyone who qualifies for a Farmington Community Library card (lives, works, goes to school, or pay taxes in Farmington /Farmington Hills). Charges will be incurred for lost or damaged materials. Overdue fines are $.25 per day which is the same as for all other Farmington Community Library materials.

• Where do I return the books when I am finished?

All books must be returned to the Circulation Desk at the branch of the Farmington Community Library at which you checked it out to guarantee proper return to the lending library. Please do not return items in the outside book chute. Photocopies of articles are yours to keep unless otherwise noted.

Borrowing Library Materials

Library Cards

The Library will issue a card at no charge to anyone who lives, works or goes to school in Farmington or Farmington Hills, or owns property in either of the two cites. You may apply online for a Library Card

Acceptable proof of eligibility includes a valid driver’s license with current address, a tax receipt, voter registration card, property deed, utility bill or checks with an imprint of name and address. Applications for minors under 16 years of age require the signature of a parent or legal guardian. Patrons who have family/friends visiting may apply for a Courtesy Card for them at the Circulation Desk.

Reciprocal borrowing privileges are extended to residents in any community whose library is a member of The Library Network, our Cooperative. The Library also participates in Michicard, the statewide library card program. See flyer describing this program and the list of over 300 participating libraries.

Loan Periods

• Most Adult, Young Adult, and Children’s books: 21 days
• New books, magazines, books on tape/CD and compact discs: 14 days
• CD-Roms, DVDs and Videos: 7 days, except for Adult Feature DVDs: single-disc Adult Feature DVD titles have a loan period of 5 days, and a limit of 5 checked out at one time. Multi-disc Adult Feature DVDs will have an initial load period of two weeks but the renewal period will be for five days.
• Extended Loan Periods A vacation loan is available for an extended period on some materials. Circulation staff will provide more information.

Overdue Fees

• 25 cents per item per day.

Renewals

All library materials, except those in the Lucky Day Collection, may be renewed.

Most items may be renewed up to five times unless there is a reserve on the item.

New Books and DVDs have only one renewal. Staff may renew items for patrons who come in or call the library, or patrons may renew items themselves by accessing the library catalog in the building or remotely through the library’s website on the internet: www.farmlib.org/renewitems/. Renewal loan periods are 3 weeks for most books, 2 weeks for New Books and audiovisual items and 1 week for most DVDs and Videos; the renewal period for Adult Feature DVDs is five (5) days.

Renewals are available via the web or you can come into either Branch of the Library and renew in person. You can also call our Automated Telephone Renewal System, 24 hours a day, at 248-553-8678 and follow the prompts that will be given.

Reserves

Residents and property holders may place holds on all library materials at no charge. Reserves may be placed by phone, in person, or by accessing the catalog from the Library’s website (www.farmlib.org). When materials are available, notification will be provided by phone or by email. Items will be held for 5 days.

Returns

All library materials may be returned in the book chutes, 24 hours a day

Main Library: on the east side of the building near the service entrance.

Farmington Branch : on the east side of the building near the parking lot entrance.

Print materials owned by the Farmington Community Library may also be returned to any library which is a member of The Library Network.

Questions?

Questions regarding items checked out, overdue, etc., may be answered by calling the Library at (248) 553•0300 or by sending an email (fclcirc@farmlib.org).

Reference questions may be directed to librarians in person, by phone, or via this email link (eref@farmlib.org).

Meeting Rooms

Community organizations, groups and businesses in the cities of Farmington and Farmington Hills are eligible to rent the meeting rooms available at both Library buildings.

Room capacity: The Main Library auditorium seats 300, the conference room seats 36, and the small conference room seats 12. The Farmington Branch meeting room seats 100. There is a fee for this service.

It is strongly suggested that interested parties first review the Library's Meeting Room Policy.

Then, to check on rates and room availability, call the Library's Administrative Office at (248) 848•4308 or 848•4309.

Tax Forms

Copies of the most common IRS State and Federal forms are provided free of charge during tax season. A complete reproducible set of IRS forms is available for photocopying. City of Detroit resident and non-resident forms are also available. Forms may also be printed at the IRS Tax Forms & Publications web site using computers in the Library. The charge for black and white photocopies or computer prints is $.10 per page.

Collections

The Farmington Community Library has a total collection of over 251,333 books, and more than 123,897 non-book items (CDs, DVDs, VHS recordings, microforms, etc.. The Library offers 57 electronic reference sources and databases. It also subscribes to 633 magazines and newspapers in print format and has access to many more online. In addition, 9,021 ebooks (electronic books) and downloadable audiobooks are part of the Library’s collection.

Other special collections include our Heritage Collection of local historical and genealogical resources, including digital access to local newspapers, and a collection of International Language Books & Films.

Employment

Application forms for employment at the Library are available at the Circulation desk at both buildings and may be submitted to either Branch. Applications are kept on file for 6 months for page openings and one year for other openings.

The Library has about 60 employees (32 FT and 28 PT) plus 26 library page positions.

Last modified on Tuesday, 18-Sep-2007 10:39:19 EDT