Library by Mail
Library by Mail is a free service for homebound residents of Mendocino County to receive Library books, Books on CD, CDs, and DVDs through the U.S. Postal Service.
How do I sign up?
Residents of Mendocino County who qualify for a Mendocino County General Library Card can sign up in person, over the phone, or by completing the online registration form below.
When you sign up you must self-certify that you cannot visit the Library due to hardship. No outside verification is necessary. Once registration is complete for Library by Mail, you will receive all Library items through the U.S. Postal Service. Please be advised that if you are visiting the Library in person, this may revoke your participation in the Library by Mail service as it is reserved for those who cannot physically make it into Mendocino County Library branches or the Bookmobile.
How does it work?
Once you are signed up as a Library by Mail patron, any book, DVD, Book on CD, or CD you request will be sent to your home in a Library Canvas Mailbag through the U.S. Postal Service. You are limited to a maximum of five items and by what can fit in the bag, which means most oversized books won't be able to be delivered through Library by Mail. Including mailing time to and from your house, the checkout period is 35 days.
Library by Mail items are eligible to be renewed three times for 21 days if there are no pending requests. When returning your items, they must all be returned together in the bag provided — if you received five items, you must return all five at the same time.
Is there a cost?
No! This service is free to patrons. The only charges that may be assessed would be for lost or damaged materials. Mendocino County Library does not charge late fees.
How do I request items?
You can request items by calling your local library branch and requesting items over the phone, by filling out a request form online, or by visiting our online catalog. Library by Mail staff will not automatically choose items for you but are happy to offer recommendations over the phone.
Once your items are ready, Library staff will pack your selections into the Library by Mail canvas mailbag, and you will receive an automated notification that your holds are ready for pickup. This means Library staff will be mailing your items soon, and you should watch for them in the mail.
How do I return items?
Each Library mailbag comes with a return label and a checkout receipt for your items. Keep the checkout receipt, mailbag, and mailing label in a safe place until it's time to return your item(s). Once you are ready or the items are due, simply flip the return label in the window of the Library mailbag and put it in your mailbox for the postal service to pick up.
You must return all your items together in the same bag they came in. The postage is paid for by weight, so it's important that you keep the items together when returning them through the mail.
Once all your items are returned, they will be checked in and new items can be mailed out.
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