Library Services

01. Membership Details

To join the Library you need to show us some ID with your current address (e.g. Driver's Licence) and agree to comply with library policies. Those under 18 years of age will need the consent of a parent or guardian who must present their ID to become a member.

New members may borrow up to 5 items at a time for the first 3 months. If there are no overdue penalties accumulated during these 3 months then they will become full members and can borrow more items.

02. Loans - how much can you borrow?

Up to 30 items at once including:

2 pieces of sports equipment
3 Non-fiction items on any one specific subject
3 Music CDs per card
3 DVDs per card
3 CD-ROMs per card
5 Hear-a-books per card

Loan periods are 1 week for DVDs and CD-ROMs, 2 weeks for music CDs, sports equipment and magazines and 4 weeks for everything else.

03. Renewals, Overdues and Fines

You can renew your loans once for an extra one or two weeks, via our website, by telephone or in person.

To enable everyone to have access to our collections, we have an Overdue Policy. Overdue fines are enforced to encourage the return of items, as are the replacement costs of lost and damaged items.

Details of this policy are available in our Welcome booklet.

04. Holds/Reservations

If the item you require is out on loan or at another branch, simply request it be held for you by reserving it yourself on the catalogue or asking at the Service Desk. We will notify you by mail as soon as the item is available and hold it for up to ten days. If the item is not collected by the pick-up date on your letter, the hold will be cancelled.

05. Inter-Library Loans

We offer an inter-library loan service FREE of charge within the South Australian Library Network. Ask our friendly staff at the service desk for titles that you would like to borrow. You can have up to four items requested at any one time.

Please note: This service is not available during the 3 month probation period or to patrons with outstanding fines and/or lost items.

If the item is not collected within 2 weeks then a $2 fine will be charged and the item returned.

06. State and National Library Requests

In addition to our inter-library loan service we can also order items from the State Library of South Australia or the National Library of Australia. However, these items are only available to be viewed at the Port Pirie Library for up to a month and are NOT available for loan. Some fees may apply for prints or photocopies from the State Library and most National Library requests incur a minimum fee of $13.20 per item.

07. Newsletter

'Libline' is a quarterly newsletter filled with news about your local library, with upcoming events and highlights of new additions to our collection and is accessible at our website in pdf format or in print at the Library. Join our mailing list to have a copy sent to you by e-mail and also be advised of upcoming events and activities at the Library.

08. Public Access Computers

Our computers offer you free Internet access, webmail, word-processing and desktop publishing for up to an hour per day. Printing costs 25c per page for black and white and $1.00 per page for colour.

To guarantee availability, you can make a booking up to a week in advance by phone or in person. Please note that you will need to present your library card or ID when you check in and that children under 18 must have a parent's permission to use the Internet lodged with the Library.

09. Wireless Internet Access

Wireless users can register with any public library and gain access to wireless connections at libraries across the state. The service is free and has a 30MB download limit per day.

10. Community Languages

If you read or speak a language other than English, an assortment of books, CD's and videos can be borrowed via the Library. Please ask at the Service Desk for more information.

Currently we provide items in Italian, French, Spanish, Hungarian and Tamil. Other languages are available on request.

11. Home Library Service

Library staff and volunteers deliver Library items to those who cannot make it into the Library due to health issues. The deliveries are done on a regular basis and a medical certificate is required. Ask at the Library for an application form.

12. Online Catalogue and Databases

Access to our online catalogue, the Horizon Information Portal (HIP) is now available via our website at:

http://www.pirie.sa.gov.au

Look for the Library Catalogue link on the front page. Browse our collection and our New and On Order items. Then log in using your library card to place holds, renew items or check your details.

There also links to:
Ancestry
PressDisplay

13. Children's School Holiday Activities

Activities are held during every school holidays at the Port Pirie Library for children between the ages of 4-10. These activities range from games, to art and craft and entertainers. Bookings are essential and the children are encouraged wear clothes suitable for mess!

14. Children's Book Week

Held annually in August, Bookweek is the longest running children's festival in Australia. Each year the library invites schools and kindergartens to visit the Library to participate in story-telling and a craft activity based on the year's theme.

15. Youth Central

We have put together a range of Youth DVDs, hear-a-books and graphic novels into one central location in the Youth Fiction area.

16. Sports Library

As part of the State Government's 'be active' campaign, we now have a range of sports equipment including various balls, bats, racquets, exercise DVDs and yoga mats with items suitable for everyone.

17. Audio Navigators

Audio Navigators allow visually impaired customers to access electronic audio-books via a special handset that reads the story. These units are strictly for the visually impaired. Please ask at the service desk for more information.

18. Disk Wizard

We have a disk repair service which can remove scratches from CD, DVD and game console disks. It costs $5.30 per disk paid in advance and disks are processed on a weekly basis and are available for pick-up on Wednesdays from 12 noon. Same day service is NOT available.

19. Volunteers

Currently volunteers assist the Library in selection and deliveries for our Home Library Service. Please contact the Library if you are interested in assisting us. Please note that Police checks are required.

20. Justice of the Peace

Every Wednesday and Friday between 1:00pm and 3:00pm a local Justice of the Peace is in the library.

If you need a JP outside of this time or if a JP is unavailable you can find a JP By Clicking Here

21. Family History

The Port Pirie & Districts Family History Group meet at the Library on the first Tuesday of the month at 6.00pm. Group volunteers are available at the library for assistance with Family History queries on Fridays between 1:00pm-3:00pm and Sunday by appointment.

01. Membership

To join the Library you need to show us some ID with your current address (e.g. Driver's Licence) and agree to comply with library policies. Those under 18 years of age will need the consent of a parent or guardian who must present their ID to become a member.

New members may borrow up to 5 items at a time for the first 3 months. If there are no overdue penalties accumulated during these 3 months then they will become full members and can borrow more items.

02. Loans - how much can you borrow?

Up to 30 items at once including:

2 pieces of sports equipment
3 Non-fiction items on any one specific subject
3 Music CDs per card
3 DVDs per card
3 CD-ROMs per card
5 Hear-a-books per card

Loan periods are 1 week for DVDs and CD-ROMs, 2 weeks for music CDs, sports equipment and magazines and 4 weeks for everything else.

03. Renewals, Overdues and Fines

You can renew your loans once for an extra one or two weeks, via our website, by telephone or in person.

To enable everyone to have access to our collections, we have an Overdue Policy. Overdue fines are enforced to encourage the return of items, as are the replacement costs of lost and damaged items.

Details of this policy are available in our Welcome booklet.

04. Holds/Reservations

If the item you require is out on loan or at another branch, simply request it be held for you by reserving it yourself on the catalogue or asking at the Service Desk. We will notify you by mail as soon as the item is available and hold it for up to ten days. If the item is not collected by the pick-up date on your letter, the hold will be cancelled.

05. Inter-Library Loans

We offer an inter-library loan service FREE of charge within the South Australian Library Network. Ask our friendly staff at the service desk for titles that you would like to borrow. You can have up to four items requested at any one time.

Please note: This service is not available during the 3 month probation period or to patrons with outstanding fines and/or lost items.

If the item is not collected within 2 weeks then a $2 fine will be charged and the item returned.

06. State and National Library Requests

In addition to our inter-library loan service we can also order items from the State Library of South Australia or the National Library of Australia. However, these items are only available to be viewed at the Port Pirie Library for up to a month and are NOT available for loan. Some fees may apply for prints or photocopies from the State Library and most National Library requests incur a minimum fee of $16.50 per item.

07. Newsletter

'Libline' is a quarterly newsletter filled with news about your local library, with upcoming events and highlights of new additions to our collection and is accessible at our website in pdf format or in print at the Library. Join our mailing list to have a copy sent to you by e-mail and also be advised of upcoming events and activities at the Library.

08. Public Access Computers

Our computers offer you free Internet access, webmail, word-processing and desktop publishing for up to an hour per day. Printing costs 25c per page for black and white and $1.00 per page for colour.

To guarantee availability, you can make a booking up to a week in advance by phone or in person. Please note that you will need to present your library card or ID when you check in and that children under 18 must have a parent's permission to use the Internet lodged with the Library.

09. Community Languages

If you read or speak a language other than English, an assortment of books, CDs, DVDs and videos can be borrowed via the Library. Please ask at the Service Desk for more information.

Currently we provide items in Italian, French, Spanish, Hungarian and Tamil. Other languages are available on request.

10. Home Library Service

Volunteers deliver Library items to those who cannot make it into the Library due to health issues. The deliveries are done on a regular basis and a medical certificate is required. Ask at the Library for an application form.

11. Online Catalogue and Databases

Access to our online catalogue, the Horizon Information Portal (HIP) is now available via our website at:

http://www.pirie.sa.gov.au

Look for the Library Catalogue link on the front page. Browse our collection and our New and On Order items. Then log in using your library card to place holds, renew items or check your details.

There also links to:
Ancestry
PressDisplay

13. Sports Library

As part of the State Government's 'be active' campaign, we now have a range of sports equipment including various balls, bats, racquets, exercise DVDs and yoga mats with items suitable for everyone. These can be requested from our Port Pirie branch.