Patrons residing in Hinesburg and/or paying property taxes to Hinesburg may claim the Carpenter-Carse Library as their "home library" and are eligible to receive a free Library card.  You will be asked to show proof of local address (such as a Vermont driver's license or piece of mail postmarked in the last 30 days).

Residents of other towns in Chittenden County may go to their own town library and get a HomeCard to receive free borrowing privileges at the Carpenter-Carse Library (See HomeCard System below).

All other Vermont patrons are welcome to join the Library as out-of-town borrowers by paying an annual fee for use of a Carpenter-Carse Library card (See requirements for out-of-town borrowers below).  

Materials are loaned for varying periods of time as follows:

New Books	2 weeks
All Other Books	4 weeks
Magazines	1 week
Audio Tapes, CDs, Music	2 weeks
Videos, DVDs	1 week

We do not limit the number of items you may check out; however, we do ask that you be considerate of other patrons, especially when checking out new materials.

If you need more time with a book or other item, it may be renewed twice, as long as no other patron has placed a reserve on the item. The exceptions to this policy are new books, which may only be renewed once. Materials may be brought in for renewal, or you may phone in. Please have the due date, author and title ready to give the librarian.

Patrons may reserve any item in our collection that is out on loan to another borrower. Most items not owned by this library may be requested through the inter-library loan system.

Overdue Policy

This library does not charge fines for overdue materials; however timely returns are considerate and much appreciated by our other patrons. If you would like to, you may make a contribution to our "conscience box"; these funds are used to purchase new books.

Overdue notices are sent on a regular basis, and will be followed by a bill after a few weeks. Patrons may also be billed for lost or seriously damaged materials. Financial arrangements must be made with the librarian within 30 days of billing or borrowing privileges will be suspended.

Patrons residing in Hinesburg and/or paying property taxes to Hinesburg may claim the Carpenter-Carse Library as their "home library." All other Vermont patrons are welcome to join this library as out-of-town borrowers. Out-of-town borrowers pay an annual fee of $12 per household per year to receive a Carpenter-Carse Library card.  All library members receive a yellow borrower card to be presented each time materials are borrowed. This card must be renewed, and the fee paid each year. We also strongly encourage you to support your home town library, and to be an advocate for quality services there. Out-of-town borrower are eligible for all basic services except Interlibrary Loan Service and Chittenden County HomeCard.

Most libraries in Chittenden County make their collections available to patrons registered at the other libraries in this county. If CCL is your home library, you are eligible for a Chittenden County Home Card once you have established a good borrowing record here. Your library card must be endorsed for Home Card use by this library; please inquire about the program before attempting to borrow from other nearby libraries.

Since 1994 the Chittenden County HomeCard System has allowed library patrons to use the libraries most convenient to them without paying out-of-town fees. To be eligible for a home card, your home town library must belong to the HomeCard System; librarians and trustee chairpersons are required to sign a HomeCard Participation Agreement. Please ask your home librarian for HomeCard information. Most of the libraries in Chittenden County (plus Jeffersonville) belong to the system. If you are an out-of-town borrower, the card you are issued here is not a HomeCard; it is for use at this library only.

It is customary for a patron's home library to provide the Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service for that patron. It is our view that every library patron should have access to ILL at some library. Therefore, we will order books and other materials on ILL only for the patron whose home library does not offer this important service.