Get a Card

To register for your free ACDL library card, complete the form (don't forget to select Ashtabula Public Library, Geneva Public Library, or the County Bookmobile as your home library), and click register. You will be issued a digital card number that can immediately download eBooks, use our research tools, access digital and streaming content and reserve physical books and other items.

If you'd like to check out physical materials, bring your ID (and proof of address if not current on your identification) to one of our locations and we'll upgrade your card!

All Ohio residents and property owners, and employees within ACDL's service area in Ashtabula County are eligible for an ACDL Library Card. Library cards can be renewed every three (3) years at no cost provided the library card holder continues to live, work, or own property in the State of Ohio.

Individuals who reside beyond the State of Ohio, own no property, and do not work within the State of Ohio may purchase a non-resident fee one-year card for the price of $40.00. This fee entitles the entire family to use the Ashtabula County District Library and is non-refundable.

Your ACDL card can be used in person at any Serving Every Ohioan (SEO) member library to borrow materials. Those materials are the responsibility of the individual who borrows them, and are subject to all rules and regulations of the lending library. Your ACDL card also provides access to digital resources including ebooks and magazines, streaming videos, electronic databases, and more through our Digital Branch (acdl.info).

Special cards are available for special borrowers and include students, institutions, and teachers.

Limited Access Student Cards: Student Cards may be issued to minors (age 17 and under) at any ACDL location in the absence of a parent or guardian. A signature from a parent or guardian is not required to receive a Student Card. Each child is able to have up to three items checked out at one time. Student Cards can only be used at ACDL locations. They cannot be used at other SEO member libraries.

Teacher Cards: Teacher Cards are issued to anyone who formally teaches from age O to 18 years. Teacher cards require the same identity and current address verification as Adult Cards. Financial responsibility for lost or damaged items remains with the card holder.

Institution Cards: Institution Cards are typically given to nonprofit organizations which care for people on a temporary or permanent basis such as a YMCA or nursing home. Financial responsibility for lost or damaged items remains with the institution. Interested institutions should inquire with the library for more information regarding requirements and use.

Children under the age of 18 years must have a signature of a parent or legal guardian on file for a library card as well as address verification. Children 15-17 years may be issued an Adult library card with parental/guardian permission and signature.

If a parent or guardian is not available, a Limited Access Student Card is an option. See the "special use cards" section below for more information.

Student Cards without a guardian's signature are limited to three (3) items total at any time. One of those can be a DVD. No hot picks or video games. They have the same limits on Overdrive Items, Database Access, and Public PC access as a typical card.

Loan Periods

• Print - 3 weeks
• CDs - 3 weeks
• DVDs - 1 week
• Hot Spots - 3 weeks
• Video Games - 1 week
• Hot Picks, Print - 1 week
• Reference/Archive materials - Do not check out - Available 24 hours on a case by case basis
• Teacher's Collections - 4 weeks
• Juvenile Kits - 4 weeks

With the exception of Hot Picks items and Hot Spots:

• All materials may be renewed up to four (4) times after the initial checkout if there are no reserves for these items.
• Renewals may be done via telephone, at a service desk, or via the Internet and catalog terminals by using your Personal Identification Number [PIN].
• Renewal of materials borrowed from other libraries is at the discretion of the lending library.

Patrons may reserve materials which are not immediately available for patron use, but are in the collections of the Ashtabula County District Library and/or Serving Every Ohioan (SEO) libraries. When the reserved materials are available to the patron, the library will notify the patron via email or text message. The material will be held for the patron for a period of one week.

After one (1) week, the next patron on the list will be notified of the availability of the item and the same procedure will be followed. If no additional patrons are waiting for the material, the material will be placed back into general circulation. The library will not leave more than one message regarding a hold on a specific item. Relay of the message to the appropriate person in the household, and prompt retrieval of the material, are the responsibility of the patron.

In addition, Interlibrary Loan (ILL) offers library patrons the opportunity to request and receive books that are not owned by the Ashtabula County District Library (ACDL) or the Serving Every Ohioan (SEO) Consortium. Through ILL, you'll have access to the circulating book collections of all the libraries throughout the United States.

Materials borrowed through interlibrary loan have a circulation period determined by the lending library, not the Ashtabula County District Library. Therefore, it is crucial that materials borrowed through interlibrary loan be returned in a timely manner. Habitual failure to return items by their due date may result in individual loss of ILL borrowing privileges.

Ashtabula County District Library is a fine free library system-only replacement costs and processing fees will be charged for lost items. However, we still want our items to come back, so we will contact you to remind you to return items.

Standard Cards

When a item is seven (7) days overdue [two (2) days for DVDs], an overdue notice is automatically generated. If no email address is available, a phone call is made or a print notice is mailed to the patron. When an item is twenty (28) days overdue [nine (9) days for DVDs] , an automatically generated Lost Book notice/Invoice is emailed or mailed to the patron and the patron's card is blocked from further borrowing.

Bookmobile Cards

When an item is twenty-eight (28) days overdue, an automatically generated overdue notice is sent to the patron. When an item is fifty-six (56) days overdue, an automatically generated Lost Book Notice/Invoice is emailed or mailed to the patron.

It is expected that library materials will undergo a significant amount of wear and tear. Patrons returning materials in such a state that continued circulation is not deemed possible may incur the cost of replacement and additional processing charges that may apply.

Potential Processing Charges

• Lost Books & Audio/Visual materials/Paperbacks - $3.00 per item
• Lost Magazines - $1.00 per item
• Lost Storage bag - 50¢ each
• Lost CD case - $1.00 each
• Lost DVD case - $1.00 each
• Lost DVD protective sleeve - $1.00 each

Refunds

When a patron returns a lost item, in acceptable condition, for which they have paid within the last 6 months, and have a receipt, the cost of the item is refunded by check from the library. The library retains any service charge that may have accrued.

A patron should report a lost or stolen library card to the library as soon as possible, because the owner of a lost or stolen library card is responsible for all material checked out on that card up to the time that they reported to the library that it was lost or stolen. The patron may request a replacement for a lost or stolen card in person at the library.

Patrons may receive a replacement library card without charge once every three years. Otherwise a replacement fee of $1.00 will be assessed. Badly damaged cards will be replaced upon request.