If the item you want isn’t on our shelf, you have several options…
Resource Sharing Library
Check to see if it’s available through one of our many resource-sharing libraries. We currently share resources with libraries throughout Lehigh and Carbon Counties, as well as some libraries in Monroe County, Nazareth, Northampton, and Bangor. If the item is available, we can usually get it within 3 days.
Here’s how:
- Go to my account and log in with your 14-digit card number and four-digit PIN (usually the last four numbers of your primary phone number).
- Search the catalog for the item you want, making sure to select ‘Multi-District Lehigh Valley Pocono’ from the drop-down menu in the ‘Library’ field to get results from all the libraries.
- In the search results, click on the ‘Place Hold’ link located on the far right of each title. Be sure to check that it’s in the correct format (i.e., book, DVD, large print, etc.) prior to placing a hold.
- On the next screen, select or confirm the pickup location (LEHCAR-EPL for Emmaus) and choose how you want to be notified when it arrives (email, text and/or phone).
- Submit your request and confirm that it was successful. Please note that some ‘New’ items can only be reserved for pick-up at the holding library.
- When your item arrives, you’ll be notified by your chosen method(s) and you’ll have four days to pick it up. If the item is not picked up, it will either be returned or checked out to the next person on the list.
Interlibrary Loan
- If the item is not available through our online catalog, we can see if it’s available from another PA library through inter-library loan (ILL). Please note that ILL items may take up to 2 weeks to arrive, and that recently published items, highly popular items, and specialty items (videos, music CDs, magazines, and reference materials) may not be available.
- We can only process ILL requests for residents of Emmaus and Macungie Boroughs and Upper Milford Township. If you live outside of our home service area, please contact your home library.
- To place an ILL request, please stop in or contact us at 610-965-9284 or info@emmauspl.org.
There is a limit of 5 ILL requests per patron per month. Items that are not picked up will be charged a $1.00 processing fee per item, and overdue items are subject to a $1.00 fine per day for each item.
