Circulation
Books may be checked out for 28 days. New books may be checked out for 14 days. Audio Books may be checked out for 28 days. Music CDs circulate for 14 days. DVDs may be borrowed for 2 business days.
Library Cards
Library Cards will be issued daily between 9:00 am and 8:45 pm. On Friday and Saturday, library cards will be issued between 9:00 am and 4:45 pm.
In order to receive an adult library card Bayonne residents must have the following:
- Bayonne license or Non-Driver ID
- One (1) Current proof of Bayonne residency; lease, phone bill, gas & electric bill, bank statement or credit card bill.
If you currently live in Bayonne, but your ID says you live in another town or state, you may submit the following:
- Current state driver license or Non-Driver ID
- Two (2) proofs of Bayonne residency: lease, phone bill, gas & electric bill, bank statement or credit card bill.
To receive a children’s or young adult library card, the parent or guardian must submit:
- Bayonne license or Non-Driver ID
- One (1) Current proof of Bayonne residency; lease, phone bill, gas & electric bill, bank statement or credit card bill.
AND
- A passport, birth certificate, school ID or report card for the child
- Children's cards will be issued to children up to grade 8. A child is eligible for their own library card when they are able to write their first and last name legibly.
- Young Adult cards will be issued for high school aged patrons.
- Both the child/young adult and the parent or guardian must be present at the time of the application.
Library cards expire one year from date of issuance. To renew your card, please come to the Registration Desk with your card and a current ID. Your card will be extended for another year.
Children may not borrow CDs.
Your first Bayonne library card is free. Replacements for lost cards are as follows:
* $1 for the 1st replacement through the 4th
* $5 for the 5th
Bayonne resident card or golf ID card
Residential ID cards can be obtained at the City Hall.
Computer Usage
Mission
The Free Public Library and Cultural Center of the City of Bayonne makes computers available to its residents to ensure members of the community access to ideas and information.
Computer Usage
Adult patrons may access the internet and Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Powerpoint and Publisher) on computers in the Reference Room and the Arts & Music Room. Children under the age of 12 and adults accompanying children under the age of 12 may access the internet and Microsoft Office applications on computers in the Children’s Room. When the Children’s Room is closed, or if all the computers in the Children’s Room are in use, children may use the computers in the Reference Room and the Arts & Music Room.
Children must present their library cards to the librarian on duty before using the Children’s Room computers.
It is the policy of the Bayonne Public Library that all patrons must use their own library cards in order to use the computers or to check out items. Using another person’s library card or library card number, with or without their permission, is strictly prohibited. If any patron is found using another person’s library card, the privileges on that card will be revoked. Any further action taken will be at the discretion of the administration.
Residents are expected to bring their library cards with them when they visit the library. If you are not a resident of the City of Bayonne, but wish to use a computer in the Library, please present a valid photo ID (driver’s license, non-driver ID, passport, military ID, etc.) to the librarian on duty. You will be logged into a computer as a guest.
The time limit for using the computers is 60 minutes per person, per day. If you do not use all of your 120 minutes in one session, you will be able to come back later in the day to use your remaining time. If you would like to extend your computer session beyond your allotted 120 minutes, please speak to the librarian on duty 10 minutes before your session ends. If there are computers available for other users you may be permitted extra time, in blocks of time no longer than 30 minutes. Extra time is granted solely at the discretion of the librarian on duty.
All computer sessions accessed through Juvenile or Young Adult library cards will be filtered for potentially objectionable content. Adult users have the option, at the start of their session, to choose either a filtered or an unfiltered session.
Printing is available. Black and white prints cost 15 cents per page. Color prints cost 25 cents per page. Since the pricing is based on the cost of the ink being used, the cost of print jobs is the same regardless of whether the jobs are printed single or double sided. (i.e. 1 double-sided page costs the same as two individually printed sheets) You are responsible to pay for all pages printed from your computer during your session.
All library computers are shut down at 8:45, Monday through Thursday and 4:45, Friday and Saturday.
Responsibility of Library Staff and Users
Library staff will not monitor an individual’s computer use, except for length of use in order to ensure equal opportunity of access for everyone. The user, or the guardian of the minor, is responsible for his or her computer session at all times.
The Free Public Library of Bayonne reserves the right to terminate any computer session that disturbs library services.
The Free Public Library of Bayonne is not responsible for the accuracy, authoritativeness, timeliness or usefulness of information for a specific purpose.
Interlibrary Loan (ILL)
PLEASE PLAN AHEAD WHEN REQUESTING MATERIALS. The time taken for an ILL loan to arrive depends on the difficulty of request, the availability of the material, and the size of the backlog in interlibrary loan. WE NEED A MINIMUM OF TWO WEEKS TO SEARCH, PROCESS AND RECEIVE EACH REQUEST.
Definition
An interlibrary loan is a transaction in which library materials, or a copy of a material is made available by one library to another upon request.
Purpose
The purpose is to obtain material that is NOT AVAILABLE in the Bayonne Public Library catalog and to lend materials found in Bayonne Public Library that are not available in other libraries.
Borrowing
- Requests are limited to print materials, audio books, language tapes and CD’s, and music CD’s.
- Photocopied articles from periodicals, which the Library does not own, may be obtained. Photocopies will generally not be requested from libraries that charge fees. If a patron indicates that they are willing to pay, effort will be made to obtain the article. The patron is responsible for the cost and must pay by money order made out to the lending library.
- The Bayonne Library does not lend or borrow videos/DVDs.
- Most Libraries will not lend the following materials: new items published within the last twelve months; rare or valuable materials, including manuscripts; microfiche; microfilm; reference items and materials from other specialized collections, such as the New Jersey Room.
Loan Period
The lending library determines the loan period. Lending libraries determine any conditions regarding the use of their materials. Limitations such as “No Renewal?and “In Library Use Only?will be honored by Bayonne Public Library. There are no loan periods for articles.
Renewals
ILL items may be renewed ONCE for an additional period assuming there are no restrictions on renewal imposed by the lending library. The patron must speak to the person in the ILL department four days before the item is due back, in order to do this.
Pickup and Return of Materials
All materials borrowed through ILL must be picked up and returned at the main Bayonne Public Library (31st St. and Ave. C) front desk only. DO NOT RETURN ILL ITEMS IN THE BOOK DROP.
Privilege Abused
Interlibrary loan may be suspended for those who abuse the privilege.
Who May Use the Service
The service is available to adult card members in good standing who are residents of Bayonne. If you do not meet this condition, please contact your home library.
- All interlibrary loans must be requested through the person at the FRONT DESK OF THE MAIN PUBLIC LIBRARY.
- Bayonne patrons must submit ILL requests IN WRITING on forms supplied by the library. Accurate personal information must be provided when making an ILL request. This information must include your name, address, telephone number, and most importantly, your library card number.
- A patron may borrow three items at a time through ILL. Requests are limited to print materials, audio books, language tapes and CD’s, and music CD’s.
- Patrons will be notified when the requested materials arrive at the library by telephone and/or postcard sent to the address listed on the ILL form. WE WILL HOLD ILL MATERIAL FOR ONLY FIVE DAYS AFTER NOTIFICATION.
Borrower’s Responsibilities
- The borrower is responsible for picking up and returning materials on time to the main library branch ONLY.
- The borrower is responsible for lost or damaged materials. The patron will pay the bill from the lending library by money order made out to the lending library.
- Patrons using the ILL service agree to abide by this policy.
Note: PLEASE DO NOT USE THE ILL FORM TO REQUEST BOOKS THAT ARE LISTED IN OUR CATALOG. IF A BOOK IS LISTED IN OUR CATALOG BUT IS NOT CURRENTLY ON THE SHELF, PLEASE FOLLOW OUR INSTRUCTIONS TO PLACE A HOLD (RESERVE) ON THAT TITLE.
CURRENT BEST SELLERS THAT ARE NOT LISTED IN OUR CATALOG AND BOOKS THAT ARE NOT YET PUBLISHED ARE NOT AVAILABLE THROUGH INTERLIBRARY LOAN. PLEASE SPEAK TO A LIBRARIAN TO REQUEST THESE TITLES.
Kindle e-Reader
Rules for Borrowing Kindle Fire Tablets
THE FIRST TIME BORROWER MUST SIGN THE LIBRARY CONTRACT WITH PARENT
Children must be 10 years old or older
Length of borrowing time is 2 weeks
Overdue: Late fee is a $1.00 per day
No more than 3 books at a time can be downloaded
We reserve the right to verify name, address & phone number at each check out
Please DO NOT add or delete programs
Tablets MUST be returned inside Library
NO BOOK DROP
IF LOST OR DAMAGED THE CHARGE FOR A REPLACEMENT WILL BE $75.00
Wireless Internet Access
The Bayonne Public Library provides unfiltered free wireless access for all community members. Users can access Internet with laptops or other wireless devices at all the times in most public areas of the library.
To access wireless Internet, you need a laptop or other device equipped with a Wi-Fi compliant 802.11 b/g wireless card. You should connect your computer to the Bayonne Public Library's wireless network named "BPL". The "BPL" wireless network doesn't require a password to connect.
Please be advised that:
- The Library cannot guarantee that you will be able to make a wireless connection. Library staff is not able to offer technical assistance with your configuration.
- Printing is not available from the "BPL" wireless network. If you need to print, save your data to a disk or flash drive, or email to yourself, then login a wired computer to send print jobs to a network printer.
- Please use your laptop's battery power.
- The "BPL" wireless network is NOT secure. Unless you are connecting to a web page that employs encryption (such as banks, stores, etc.), your information is not protected. The library cannot ensure the privacy of information you transfer over the wireless network.