Borrowing

You can borrow a lot with your library card!

Your library card entitles you to borrow these items:

  • Books, including large print and graphic novels
  • Audiobooks on CD or Playaway
  • Digital items: eBooks, eAudiobooks, digital magazines, graphic novels, tv shows, movies, and music
  • DVDs and Blu-Rays
  • Music CDs
  • Magazines
  • Materials from any other library in the Bergen County Cooperative Library System
  • Museum passes – we have passes to the Children’s Museum of Manhattan, Guggenheim, Intrepid, MoMA, Newark Museum of Art, and to Storm King
  • Video games

Demarest Library is part of BCCLS (pronounced “buckles”), a group of libraries in north Jersey that share a catalog. That means that you can search the collections of all 77 member libraries in one place. You can borrow or use anything you find in any library, except for some special items like museum passes. Here are some important links for BCCLS:

Returning items

Items can be returned in person or in the book and media drops on the Stelfox Street side of the library. If we’re closed at the time you put the item in the book drop, it’ll count as being returned that day. Can’t get here? You can return any item except museum passes at any library that’s part of BCCLS.

Renewing items

Items can be renewed in person, over the phone, or online. Renewal policies vary by the library that owns the item (here’s ours). Renewals are not guaranteed; you can’t renew an item if there’s a waiting list for it. Here’s how to view and renew the items checked out on your card.

Requesting items

If you want something that’s not on the shelf, you can request it! You can request items online – here’s how – or by visiting or calling us. You’ll need your library card number (no spaces!) and the password you created when you set up your account. The item will be sent here (or to any library you like) and you’ll be notified when it’s ready to pick up.

Good things to know:
  • If you have an email address on file, we’ll email you; if you don’t, we’ll call you.
  • In addition to renewing and requesting, you can set up a username, text message alerts, and view the status of items you’ve checked out or requested by logging in to your account.
  • Once you’ve been notified the item has arrived, you have four days to come pick it up.
  • The loan period, renewal policy, and fine policy are decided by the library that owns the item, not the library where you pick it up.
  • The fastest way to get an item that’s available is to go to the library that has it on their shelf and pick it up. Having an item delivered can take a week because items are only shipped once a day and cannot be shipped on Saturday or Sunday.
  • If all copies of an item are checked out, you’ll be put on a waiting list. You’ll be prioritized for the item owned by your library.

Want something that’s not owned by any of the libraries in BCCLS? We’ll still try to get it for you! Visit the library to place a special state inter-library loan request. These requests are not guaranteed and can take longer to complete, but we can often help you get rare and unusual items you can’t find anywhere else!

Overdue fines

The Demarest Library is fine-free. We are still obligated to charge fines on items owned by other libraries. Important things to know:

  • If you have more than $10 in fines, you won’t be able to check out any more items.
  • If you keep an item for 60 days past the due date, you’ll be billed for the full replacement cost of the item (but you’ll have 30 days to return the item and just pay the fine instead).
  • We’ll notify you that an item is overdue by email or by mail if we don’t have your email address. Bills are always sent by mail.