Checkout Policy
Library Card Eligibility
Free library cards will be issued to Wisconsin residents or property owners aged five and older. All cards expire one year from the date of issue. Applicants will need to show proof of residency. Acceptable documents include:
- A driver’s license, or state ID
- A property tax statement
- A lease
- A paycheck stub issued within 90 days
- A utility bill dated within 90 days
Temporary Cards
If the applicant does not have the aforementioned documents in which to verify their address, a library card can be issued that allows only two items checked out on the account at a time. This exception would apply to customers with valid identification without the correct address. In these situations, library staff will put a note in the cardholders’ account until the missing information is provided.
Cardholder Responsibilities
- A library card is required to use self-checkout and public computers.
- If a library card is forgotten, staff will verify their identity before providing account access.
- Cardholders must notify the library of any changes to their name, address, or phone number.
- Lost or stolen cards should be reported immediately. Replacement cards are available for a small fee.
- Items borrowed from other IFLS Library System libraries are subject to those libraries’ policies.
Non-Wisconsin Residents
Out-of-state applicants will be charged $25/per year for each individual library card.
Children
Applicants aged 5–17 must have a responsible adult (18 or older) register them for a library card. This adult agrees to be financially responsible for any charges on the child’s account and acknowledges that monitoring and approving the child’s selection of library materials, including internet use, is their responsibility—not the library’s.
Loan Periods Items
21 Days: Books | Audiobooks | Music CDs | Kits
14 Days: Multiple Disc DVDs | Mobile Hotspots
7 Days: DVDs |Video Games | Magazines | * Lucky Day Books
3 Days: *Lucky Day DVDs
*Items not eligible for holds, renewals, or circulation at other libraries. To ensure prompt circulation, overdue Lucky Day items incur a $1 per day fine. See additional policies on borrowing a laptop.
Lost and Damaged Items
Notice is sent after the material is due. If the material is not returned within 21 days, a bill will be sent for the cost of replacing the material. Library-users owing $10 or more for lost or damaged items will lose cardholder privileges. Once payment is made for lost materials, the material will belong to the patron and refunds will not issued no refunds will be issued, even if the item is later recovered.
Approved April 2018
Amended June 2021, April 2025