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The Baltimore County Public Library catalog (opens in new window) is available in a large text version. This includes information accessed through the Catalog and My Account button on the library's home page.
Large Type (link opens catalog in new window) titles and audio books (books on CD (link opens catalog in new window), Playaways, downloadable audio books and Read Alongs (link opens catalog in new window) are available at all Baltimore County Public Library branches. There is also a small collection of Braille board and picture books. To find Braille books in the BCPL catalog, type Braille Books in the catalog search box.
Assistive or adaptive technology equipment is available on a first-come first-served basis at the Towson Branch. Customers should have basic keyboard skills and familiarity with the available software. Advanced training in use of this equipment is not provided. Ask at the Information Desk to use this equipment, which includes:
Each branch has a magnifying glass at the Information Desk for customer use.
Deaf or hearing or speech impaired customers and TTY users can reach Baltimore County Public Library branches and the Administrative Offices through Maryland Relay.
InfoEyes is a question and answer service for people with a visual impairment or other print limitation. Librarians from the Maryland State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped and Maryland AskUsNow (opens in new window) and across the country provide the service. You can use it from a Baltimore County Public Library branch or from home, school or work. You can schedule an appointment to talk live with a librarian on the Internet or you can email a question to a librarian. Service is available during normal business hours, Monday through Saturday, except holidays.
The meeting rooms at the Catonsville, North Point, Randallstown, Towson and White Marsh Branches are equipped with Phonic Ear VocaLight, an infrared transmitter-receiver sound field amplification system.
Appropriate accommodations for individuals with disabilities planning on attending or who are an intergral part of a branch program will be provided upon request. Please notify the branch holding the event eight to ten working days prior to the event.
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Is the book, talking book, or other material you want still "on order" and not yet received at your BCPL branch? Do you want to be among the first to receive new materials? Then our Book Ahead service is the answer.
You may place a hold request on “On Order” titles that appear in the BCPL catalog for $1.00 each. You will be notified when they arrive at your branch. The items will be held for you for seven days. There is an additional fee of $1.00 on each item if you do not pick up the items within the seven day period following notification.
You may place a Book Ahead hold through our online catalog or by calling or visiting your local branch and asking for assistance. You will need to have your library card number to use the online system. A few items cannot be Booked Ahead, including magazines and comic books.
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All Baltimore County Public Library branches have book drops, except the Loch Raven Branch, but items must be returned by closing time on the due date to avoid late fees.
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For your convenience, BCPL's most recently constructed branches (Arbutus and Perry Hall) have drive up windows to pick up and return materials. The drive-up window is open the same hours as the branch.
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If Baltimore County Public Library does not own what you are looking for, Interlibrary Loan expands your possibilities by having materials sent from beyond Central Maryland library systems. Direct Loan is also a way for you to have material sent from a participating Central Maryland public library system to the Baltimore County Public Library branch of your choice.
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Faxing
Three Baltimore County Public Library branches provide for-pay outbound public fax stations: Arbutus, Lansdowne, and North Point. Faxing is provided by library staff and equipment for a set fee, and only domestic faxing is available. Please call your desired branch to confirm rates.
In the course of providing library reference services: the branch can opt to domestically fax a limit of up to four pages to a home or business with no charge. If you need a longer document faxed, please ask at the Information Desk about the fees involved. There is no charge for information faxed between branches (including non-Balimore County Public Libraries) for a customer.
Photocopying
Photocopies can be made on public pay copiers at any BCPL branch with the exception of our Loch Raven Branch . Black and white copies on standard paper are $.15 per page. Color photocopies or the use of special paper are not available.
Printing
Black and white and color printers are available for customer use from the Baltimore County Public Library branches' public computers as well as via our wireless network. Printouts are $.15 per page for black and white pages and $.30 per page for color copies.
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Many of the following forms should be available at every branch of the Baltimore County Public Library as well as online at the following links. Ask at the Information Desk to check on form availability.
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Baltimore County Public Library staff has access to over the phone interpreters or translators in over 140 languages to help any customer who may not be fluent in English. Please call or visit any of our branches.
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Baltimore County Department of Permits, Approvals and Inspections offers access to some Baltimore County licenses and permits as a convenience through most Baltimore County Public Library branches.
The following license and permits are available at the Accounts Desk at our branches:
Paper application forms are available for new pets or for renewals at the Accounts Desk in our Baltimore County Public Library branches. Please note that a $2 library convenience fee per license will be applied.
To apply by mail or in person at authoized locations, print and submit two completed copies of the paper Annual Cat and Dog License Application form [PDF] (opens in new window), have your pet's current rabies vaccination certificate expiration date and pay the applicable fees.
Please note that a $2 library convenience fee per license will be applied.
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Hold a meeting for your organization in one of our meeting rooms. Meeting rooms at Baltimore County Public Library branches can be reserved by non-profits, community interest groups, for-profit businesses or organizations. Meeting rooms are not available at the Hereford, Parkville or Sollers Point Branches. Please see our Meeting Room Policy [PDF] (opens in new window) for fees and details. All fees must be paid in advance before the meeting room reservation is confirmed.
All meeting rooms, except the Loch Raven Branch, are accessible to people with disabilities. The meeting rooms at the Catonsville, North Point, Randallstown, Towson and White Marsh Branches are equipped with Phonic Ear VocaLight, an infrared transmitter receiver sound field amplification system.
Call the Interlibrary Loan Department at 410-887-6109, Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m.- 5 p.m. to request the use of a branch's meeting room. Please read our Meeting Room Policy [PDF] (opens in new window). A signed copy must be on file with the Interlibrary Loan Department prior to using the meeting room.
Registered Baltimore County home school organizations or individuals may book a meeting room for one three-hour period once a month at no charge . Meeting room reservations must be arranged through the Interlibrary Loan Department. Baltimore County Public School verification is needed.
The branches' Library Managers or the librarian-in-charge may approve the no charge use of their meeting room on a drop-in basis, for one-on-one tutoring. Tutors must be from a recognized non-profit organization that serves the state or metropolitan area. The tutoring session must be one on one, one tutor and one student, not a group of students. Approval is for immediate use not future dates.
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Baltimore County Public Library's Mobile Library Services operates four vehicles to serve the citizens of Baltimore County.
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Several methods are available for customers to get notification about requested holds (also known as reserves), overdue items, lost materials, and fees owed. You may choose to receive notification by email, automated phone service or text messaging.
In order to reduce paper use and postage costs, BCPL does not mail paper notices to customers. We encourage all of our customers to review their account information to be sure that their telephone number and email address are correct. You can verify and update this information by choosing the My Account button (opens in new window) at the top of most pages on our site.
Customers can add or change an email address at any time by visiting the My Account (opens in new window) section of our catalog. Login to your account and then click on the Contact Information and Preferences button to add or change your email address.
If you prefer, you can complete the Email Notification Sign Up Form (opens in new window) to add an email address and we will add the address to your account. You can also sign up for this email notification service when you get a library card for the first time, or by adding your email address to your library account at the Borrower Services Desk or the Information Desk at any Baltimore County Public Library branch.
To ensure that you get your BCPL emails, add these addresses to your email address book: monitor@bcpl.net notifyme@bcpl.net notice@bcpl.net
BCPL will use email addresses only for library purposes and will use them only for the purpose of communicating library information to our customers.
The status of your library account, including items you have placed on hold, is available by calling the Shelf Help Line at 410-494-9063. You can also check the status of your holds and library account online.
Customers can choose to receive additional notification in the form of a text message. This can be done by visiting the My Account (opens in new window) area of our home page. Login to your account and click on the Contact Information and Preferences button to enter your mobile phone number and your carrier. If the carrier is not listed, please contact your local branch for assistance.
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Most Baltimore County Public Library programs do not require tickets or registration. Instead, just come to the program of your choice and take a seat. The seating is first-come, first served up to legal capacity of the room. Because of space limitations in meeting rooms, to be sure of seating, it is important to plan an early arrival time. Doors open 10 minutes before the start of the program.
For some programs where a small group is desirable, such as Baby Story Time for children ages 0 to 23 months and hands-on technology programs, registration is necessary. These programs are noted in the Calendar of Events listing as "registration required". To register visit or phone the Baltimore County Public Library branch having the program during the week preceding the program.
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BCPL branches are busy public spaces and people use libraries for many different reasons. We value all our customers and attempt to make the branch a comfortable and welcoming place but the hushed library of the past is no longer the norm or even possible in our busy facilities. Our rules of conduct state that customers should be considerate of the rights of others as they use our branches and we expect customers to: speak in conversational tones when using the branch, to use cell phones in designated areas, and to set cell phones to vibrate.
Within the limitations of each branch's physical space, quieter study environments have been created or designated.
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The State of Maryland no longer distributes paper tax forms through libraries. Federal IRS paper tax forms are also no longer available at Baltimore County Public Library locations.
Maryland and federal income tax forms can be downloaded and printed using branch public computers directly from the Maryland and IRS websites. Visit our web page for online access to tax forms and information.
Reproducible Federal income tax forms for the current tax year are also available to be photocopied at the branches. The print and photocopy charge at the branch is $0.15 per page. |
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