Eligibility

Residents

Anyone who lives in Shenandoah County is eligible for a free library card. Library cards are issued for a three-year period and may be renewed at that time. Individuals must present a valid photo ID and proof of address to register for a library card.

Non-Residents

There are several categories of individuals who are afforded full borrowing privileges without maintaining residence in Shenandoah County. Individuals meeting any of the following eligibility categories may register for a library card with valid photo ID and proof of eligibility.

  1. Those who are employed in Shenandoah County.
  2. Those who own property in Shenandoah County.
  3. Those who are residents of Virginia counties geographically contiguous with Shenandoah County (Frederick, Rockingham, Page, Warren).
  4. Those Virginia residents who pay the $10 non-resident fee for a card that is good for one year from date of issue.
  5. Out-of-State residents who pay the $10 non-resident fee for a card that is good for six months from the date of issue.

Minors

 Anyone under the age of 18, with eligibility in any of the above categories, may be issued a library card. Accounts for minors require a parent, guardian, or other authorized adult to register for a library card and link to the minor’s account as a responsible party. This person agrees to be financially responsible for any late, lost, or damage fees applies to items checked out by the minor.

 Students

 Children aged 5-17 may be issued one of two types of student access cards that do not require a responsible party to register and link accounts:

  1. Student Card with parental signature. These cards are limited to five items for checkout from any location and provide full access to our online resources. Registration forms for Student Cards are available at all locations. A parental signature is considered an agreement to be financially responsible for any late, lost, or damage fees applied to the account.

  2. Digital Access Student Card. This is an opt-in program through the Shenandoah County School System. Card numbers are issued through this program to students that provide access to digital content. Some digital collections may be restricted due to licensing agreements and/or cost-per-use.

 Institutional Day Care Centers and Adult Living Facilities

There is a special procedure for obtaining an Institutional Card. Institutional Day Care Centers and Adult Living Facilities may submit a completed Application for Institution Membership form. These are the only groups eligible for this type of card. An institutional card requires an individual with a registered library card in good standing to register as the responsible party and accept financial responsibility for any late, lost, or damage fees applied to items checked out on the institutional card.

Expiration and Renewal

Library cards are issued for a three-year period. Cards may be renewed for additional periods of three years as long as the individual is able to provide valid proof of identification and eligibility at the time of renewal

Cards for minors will expire upon the individual’s eighteenth birthday and can be renewed with the removal of responsible party under the eligibility rules above for non-minor accounts.                                                                                                                     

Replacement

Individuals may replace lost cards for a fee, as set forth in our schedule of fines and fees. The card being replaced is deactivated at time of replacement to prevent its use by non-authorized parties.

 


Revised and Adopted 11/04/2021
Shenandoah County Library Board of Trustees
Next Scheduled Review, November 2024