Borrowing

For physical materials, You can have up to 100 items checked out and up to 100 items on hold. Most of our material, including books, CDs, and all but the current issue of magazines, can be checked out for three weeks and renewed up to four times if there are no holds. Some exceptions:

• DVDs and mobile WiFi hotspots are checked out two weeks.   
  • You can check out one hotspot per card.
  • These can be renewed if there are no holds.
• Lucky Day books are checked out for two weeks. 
  • Depending on the library you checked out at, you may have one or two checked out.
  • These can’t be renewed.
• Elementary STEM kits are checked out for two weeks.
  • These can't be renewed.
  • STEM kits are not able to be delivered to Express Libraries (they will not fit in the lockers).
• Book Club Kits are checked out for eight weeks.
  • These can’t be renewed. 
• For eBooks/eAudiobooks, you can have 15 from Libby/Overdrive for three weeks.
  • Renewals can be made on items without holds.
• Items that came from another library system (Interlibrary Loan) are checked out three weeks for books and CDs, and two weeks for DVDs.
  • These can’t be renewed. 

If you use an Express Library, we check items out before we put them in your locker, this will make your checkout time slightly shorter than the above. 

When items you've put on hold come in, you'll be notified when they are available. We'll hold it on the shelf for you for 7 days.

Renewing

Items will be automatically renewed up to four times as long as no one is waiting for the item and renewals are allowed.

Items that are not automatically renewed include:

• Interlibrary loans borrowed through us from another library system
• All kits (including STEM, Book Club, and Brain Fitness)
• Lucky Day items

If you wish to renew your own items, have your library card handy. You can renew materials:

• Online with your library card number and four digit PIN.
• In person during library service hours.
• By phone at 952-856-1250. 
  • You'll need the barcodes of any items you want to renew before you call in.

Overdue Fees

Fees are $.10 per day for items from the kids and teens collections (up to $2 per item) and $.30 per day for items from the adult collections (up to $6 per item). 

Any previous overdue fees incurred before we temporarily went to no fines during the pandemic remain on your card.

Fees and fines can be paid online in your account or at any open library. 

Overdue, Lost, or Damaged Material

Bills are sent for the replacement cost of items that are long overdue, lost, or damaged. Borrowers are responsible for replacement cost: the retail cost of the item plus a $3 processing fee. The replacement cost is not refundable.

Please note that we don't accept customer purchased replacements.

Returning 

You can return items at any time in our book drops at all library and express library locations. 

Items that came from another library system (Interlibrary Loan) that were checked out of a Carver County Library must be returned to a Carver County Library location.

In addition to Carver County Library items, you can return most items checked out from any library in the seven-county metro area. For those items, we insert a slip with the returned date, and your item is checked in as of that date when it gets back to the original system. This may take up to a week or two.

MNLINK (Interlibrary Loaning Materials from Other Libraries)

To use MNLINK to obtain materials from other libraries, you'll need to use your library card and PIN for that service. Please note that if you have a card from another county, your PIN must be the same in both locations to receive your interlibrary loan here. Use our contact us form or call any open library if you have any PIN questions. You can also change it using the "Forgot My PIN" function in My Account

Starting in May the MNLINK website, where you request items the Carver County Libraries do not own, will look different as they are updating their website.

• Any requests made through April will not show up in the new system but will still be accessible for library staff.
• We will not be able to renew any items beginning Monday, April 1 (until further notice).
• There may be some other limits on the new system at first. Please be patient as we work hard to establish the new platform.

Text Notifications

You can use this form, call or stop by a library to get text notifications of holds and overdue items if you have a cell phone. Standard SMS data and message rates may apply.

Depending on the day you enter information into the form, it may take several days for the change to happen. If you don't start getting the texts within a week, please call an open library or use our Contact Us form to let us know. Messages will come from the phone number 1-877-593-1995. We suggest you add that to your contacts.