Getting a Swampscott Public Library Card
Any adult resident of any city or town in Massachusetts may obtain a Swampscott Public Library Card. Simply bring in identification with your current address, such as a piece of U.S. mail or a valid driver’s license, fill out a short form at the Main Desk, and you will be issued a free library card. If you already have a library card issued by any NOBLE library, you may use that card at the Swampscott Library without registering for another card.
Children who can write their own names can obtain a library card with a parent or guardian’s signature of authorization. Young Adults age 13 and above may obtain a library card without an adult’s authorization with proof of current residency such as a piece of U.S. mail.
If your library card becomes misplaced, stop by the library or call us to report it missing. A staff member will issue you a new card for a $1.00 replacement fee and deactivate your lost card.
We would like to stress that you bring your card with you when you visit the library or call us on the phone. Having your card helps us keep your transaction quick, private, and secure. This is not only our policy but the policy of our library network NOBLE, the North of Boston Library Exchange.
Tips for using your card at the Swampscott Public Library:
Please have your card ready when you check out materials.
If you are picking up books for another person please bring their card with you.
If you do not have your card with you please be ready to show identification.
Use your cell phone! Sign your library card below the barcode and take a picture of it with your cell phone. Then show us the image to check out your items.
Checking Your Swampscott Public Library Account Online
Your online account will allow you to request or renew library items online as well as view your current and past checkouts.
You can access your account online with your library card number and a PIN number. You can obtain a PIN at the library by presenting your library card and an ID such as a license or piece of US mail that has been delivered to you.
You can access your account through the library catalog or through this link.
Resetting Your Password in the Evergreen System
You can reset your password at any time if you forgot your old password. In order to use this feature, you must have a valid e-mail address in your library record. Click on Reset Your Password to reset online.
Interlibrary Loan
Whether you need a book from a library in the next town or from across the country, our Reference Staff can help. If the material you need is within the NOBLE (North of Boston Library Exchange) network of libraries, you may call or stop by our library to request that the material be delivered to our library for you. Also, you can place holds on materials within the NOBLE network from any online computer using your library card and PIN.
The Commonwealth Catalog links most of the library networks in Massachusetts to provide a single search and request capability statewide for materials not available to your library through the NOBLE catalog. The Commonwealth Catalog log-in is available on the Swampscott Public Library catalog. Commonwealth Catalog
Even if our local network of libraries does not have the item you are looking for, most of the time we can still acquire the materials you are requesting from libraries throughout the country. For further information on this aspect of Interlibrary Loan Services, please contact the Reference Department at 781-596-8867 x 3304.
Renewal Information
We now have automatic renewal here at the library! This is only for Swampscott items, however, and does not include items for other libraries (unless they participate in automatic renewal).
Please note that the message you receive two days before your items are due will still go out, however, if the items are from Swampscott and there are no holds on them, and they have renewals left, they will be automatically renewed on the day they are due. A message will then be generated that says they have been renewed, but it will also tell you what was not renewed. At that point you can check your account to find out why, or call us to find out. (781-596-8867).
Returning Materials
Materials may be brought to the Main Desk as you enter the library or placed in the book drop located to the right of the front door. Children’s materials should also be returned to the Main Desk. Items borrowed from nearby libraries may be returned at the Swampscott Library, and if it is more convenient for you, Swampscott materials may be returned at other libraries in the area. Disclaimer: If you return materials to the Swampscott Library that are not owned by any of the libraries within the NOBLE network, the Swampscott Library cannot check the item in and we cannot be held responsible if the item becomes lost or overdue in the delivery process.Loan Periods
| Material | Loan Period |
| Books/Audio Books/Music CDs | 2 weeks |
| New Fiction/Magazines | 1 week |
| Videos/DVDs | 1 week |
| Children’s Books | 2 weeks |
| Museum Passes | 1 day |
Fines
The Swampscott Public Library is no longer charging overdue fines for most Swampscott library items. If Swampscott Library materials are not returned, replacement fees will still apply, and patron records will be blocked until the item is returned or paid for. Once those items are returned to the Library, there will no longer be a penalty for being returned late. Fines and fees for items borrowed from other libraries are set by the owning library, so those may still apply.
