Using Your Library
Getting a library card:
Any resident of Tennessee can apply for a library card. Photo identification and proof of current mailing address are required for applicants age 16 and over. Applicants under the age of 16 require a parent’s or guardian’s signature on their application.
New library cards are issued FREE of charge.
Using your library card:
Checkout limits are:
• 20 print and/or audio items per person
• 7 movies per household
All items checkout for 2 weeks. Books and/or audio items may be renewed twice.
Movies cannot be renewed.
Items on reserve/hold:
You may place any item on reserve in person, by phone, or online. Any reserved item not picked up within 3 business days will be put back in circulation.
Using your library card online:
You can manage your account, check the due date for items checked out, renew items, place items on reserve, create lists, and save your searches online. From the home page, select “My Account” and log in using your Library ID (the barcode located on the back of your library card) and PIN (the last four numbers of the phone number you gave to create your account or the alternate 4 number PIN you have created). We recommend that you change your PIN so that no one else can access your account.
Fines and fees:
Overdue fines will be charged at the rate of 10¢ per day for print and audio materials and $1.00 per day for movies with a maximum fine of $5.00 per item.
Fees for lost or damaged materials are charged at the replacement cost of the item.
Using the Internet at the library:
Portland Public Library cardholders and guest users may use a computer for a single two hour session per day. Additional time can be added as computer availability allows.
In accordance with the Child’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), a parent or guardian must sit with children under the age of 12 when using a computer with Internet access. Children ages 12 to 16 may use a computer with Internet access independently with a signed “Internet Safety Policy” on file at the library. Users of computers with Internet access age 17 and older are considered adults under Child’s Internet Protection Act. Photo identification is required to determine the age of computer users.
Interlibrary loan:
You may borrow books from other Tennessee libraries through interlibrary loan. Checkout limits for interlibrary loans are two items per person. Interlibrary loan requests cannot exceed four per month. There is no charge for this service.
Wi-Fi Hotspots:
A Wi-Fi hotspot is a device that allows you to connect your mobile enabled devices (e.g. laptop, smartphones, tablets, etc.) to the internet. The hotspot is portable so you can connect your device almost wherever you go. Users (ages 18 and older) with a Portland Public Library card that has been active for at least 30 days may borrow a Wi-Fi hotspot. The loan period for hotspots is 7 days, and if there is no wait list, they may be renewed. Hotspot holds and check-outs are limited to one per household. Hotspots must be renewed in person at the library and cannot be renewed over the phone or online.
Donating books and other materials:
The library accepts donations of books, movies, audio books, current magazines (past six issues), and music. We do not accept donations of encyclopedias, dictionaries, or text books. All donations must be clean and in good condition.
Materials not needed in the library’s collection are placed in the Friends of the Library’s used book store. Proceeds from the book store are used to fund library programs and special projects. A receipt for your donation is available upon request.
Memorials and Honorariums:
Donations may be made for the purchase of books, movies, audio books, magazine subscriptions, or other items “in memory of” or “in honor of” an individual or group. Please contact the library for additional information.
"The only thing you absolutely have to know,
is the location of the library."
-Albert Einstein​