FAQ

Connect to the printing system from your device and pay for printing just like you do when printing from Library computers. Wireless printing is available at all branches, just choose your branch to get started.

You can check out and return materials (books, audiobooks, music, even knitting needles) from any branch, to any branch.  You can also access the Digital Library, where you will find everything from ebooks to streaming video to comic books.  Check the Services page for the full range of what's available from JMRL.

• All residents of and/or real property owners in the City of Charlottesville, and the counties of Albemarle, Greene, Louisa and Nelson are eligible to obtain free library cards.
• An individual not meeting the above criteria may purchase a library card on an annual basis for $30. The annual fee must be paid with cash or check. These patrons are also welcome to apply for a free "Computer Use Only" card.
• Institutional cards are not issued.
• There are no age requirements for obtaining a library card. Materials charged out to minors are considered to be the responsibility of parents or guardians.

Yes! JMRL welcomes library card holders to use its laptops for civic, creative, cultural, educational, personal, or business activities. Library laptops and peripheral equipment are available at JMRL branches for use during hours when the Library is open on equal terms to all card holders in the community. Laptops are provided on a first come, first served basis. More than one laptop cannot be checked out to the same card at the same time. Laptops are for in-house use only; they may not leave the building. See the In-House Laptop Use Procedure below for full details.

JMRL and Albemarle-Charlottesville NAACP are encouraging a diverse group of students to consider professional library work as a career option. To further that goal, NAACP and JMRL have established a library internship and scholarship program for students in Albemarle, Charlottesville, Greene, Louisa, and Nelson.

The program offers 200 annual hours of library work experience and a stipend of $3,000. In addition, interns are eligible for an annual scholarship of $2,000 to be used toward completion of an Associate’s, Bachelor’s, or Master’s degree. Applicants must be at least 17 years of age or entering the 12th grade to apply.

Read the brochure to find out about applying for this great opportunity.

Yes. There is a notary public at all branches of the library system. Call your local branch to make an appointment.  Notary service is free of charge.

Check the catalog.  Search everything or use the drop-down menu to search by author or title.  After clicking Find, use the options on the right side of the screen to narrow your search by branch or by collection.  

JMRL provides an Interlibrary Loan service to borrow books from libraries outside of the library system. This service is available at all library branches. Check the Interlibrary Loan page to request a book or learn more. If the book you want is new, you may suggest that we order it by filling out the Suggest a Purchase form. You may also request to place a hold on the item if JMRL adds it to the collection. You will be notified if the book is ordered and when it is available for checkout.

There are many ways to donate to the library.  You can give money to purchase a book or donate directly to the Endowment Fund.  For more information and more ways to give, check the Donate page.

Jefferson-Madison Regional Library utilizes the City of Charlottesville Human Resources when posting or advertising library positions. Please see the City’s JOBS BOARD for information about available library positions.

The City also advertises open positions in The Daily Progress and includes library positions that are available. In addition to the City advertisements, Jefferson-Madison Regional Library may also decide to advertise any available library positions for the outlying counties for Greene County in the Greene County Record, for Louisa County in The Central Virginian, and for Nelson County in the Nelson County Times.

Fill out and print a library card application (in English or en Español) and bring it into your local branch or apply online for a temporary card and instant access to ebooks, audiobooks, databases, and more.

You can pay JMRL fines and fees online via the My Account in the Classic Catalog using VISA, MasterCard or Discover. If you do not owe money, this option will not appear.

Detailed instructions:

• Log into My Account
• Click on the line indicating unpaid fines and bills. This will only appear if you owe money.
• Click on Pay Online
• Click the boxes of fines and fees you want to pay. Individual charges must be paid in full, but you can select the charges you want to pay. Uncheck the charges you don't want to pay.
• Click recalculate total (if appropriate).
• Enter your billing and credit card information.
• Click submit if the information is correct and complete.
• A payment receipt appears when the transaction is successful. You may click the print/email button for your receipt.

If you need help please call the Circulation desk at 434.979.7151 ext 2

Disclaimer:

• It may be to your advantage to call your local branch library to have your balance confirmed before making an online payment.
• Please note: fines and fees are not calculated until an item is returned or renewed.
• Refunds on lost and paid materials will be given for the replacement cost only and if the items are returned in good condition within three (3) months of payment.
• JMRL does not refund fines or fees.

If you are at least 13 years old, you are eligible to be a volunteer.  Check the Volunteer Page to see the open positions for adults or the Teen Volunteer Page for teen positions.  Not yet 13?  If you're in the 6th grade or older, you can still join one of the Teen Advisory Boards. 

A laptop, smartphone, tablet, or any device that can connect to wireless internet. A JMRL library card is not required. Anyone who complies with the Library's Computer and Internet Access Policy (PDF)  may use JMRL's Wireless Access service.

JMRL circulates Chromebooks that can be checked out and used within the library. See Circulation or Reference staff if you would like to check one out.

Chromebooks do not have Microsoft Office available. You may download a blank document, spreadsheet or powerpoint file by selecting the links below:

Microsoft Word = opens in Google Docs on Chromebook

Microsoft Excel = opens in Google Sheets on Chromebook

Microsoft PowerPoint = opens in Google Slides on Chromebook

Lose your JMRL card? Please report it immediately to any branch location. It is $1 to replace your library card and may be done at any branch. Please bring a form of official photo identification with you when getting a new card. 

• Most items: 25¢/day
• ILL: $1.00/day
• DVDs, audiobooks & 7-day loan bestsellers: 50¢/day
• Max fine per item: $10.00
• Max fine per item ILL: $30.00
• Max fine if paid in full: $35.00. It may be to your advantage to call your local branch library to have your balance confirmed before making an online payment.
• Juvenile cardholders (ages 0-15) do not accrue overdue fines or late renewal fines for items.
  However, juvenile cardholders will be charged for lost or damaged items.

If an item is unavailable, you may place a hold on it. Once a copy is returned, JMRL will notify you by email or phone. To place a hold, click the "Place a Hold" button while viewing an item in the catalog. You will be prompted to log in with your name and library card number, then to choose your preferred pickup location. You may also call the reference desk 434.979.7151 ext 4 and library staff will put items on hold for you.

If your device doesn't establish a connection automatically, look for available networks and select JMRL-Public or JMRL-Ting. If you are not prompted immediately to accept JMRL's Computer and Internet Access Policy, open a web browser and direct it to www.jmrl.org. Once you have accepted JMRL's policy, you are granted access to guest WiFi.

Library staff will assist you in configuring your WiFi connection or attempt to troubleshoot any problems you encounter while using the WiFi in the library. For your protection staff are not allowed to touch your laptop or device in order to help you, but will do whatever else they can.

WiFi is offered at all JMRL branches.

For books that you would like to see added to the library's collection, please call collection development with your donation request: 434.979.7151 ext. 6686. The Friends of the Library also collects used books and sells them at their popular fall and spring book sales. Donations can be dropped off at the Gordon Avenue Library on the basement level. The money generated from these sales helps fund the library's programming. For more information or to find out what other items can be donated contact the Friends of the Library at 434.977.8467 or info@jmrlfriends.org.

All of JMRL's periodicals are now cataloged.  Check the catalog – you can do a search specifically for newspapers or journals and magazines using Advanced Search or the Narrow Search options on the right side of the search page.

Search the JMRL catalog or choose a title from this link and place a hold on the kit. Only one kit may be reserved or checked out at a time. Please allow one week from request to pickup. At this time we cannot accommodate reservations for specific time periods.

Need further help? Call the Central Reference Desk at (434.979.7151 x4) for Adult Kits and the Central Children's Desk (434.979.7151 x3) for children's kits.

Kits are checked out to one group member with a library card who is responsible for all of the materials. The kit is checked out for six weeks at a time. Kits may not be renewed.

Kits may be picked up at any JMRL branch. They must be returned to a JMRL branch during open hours, since they cannot fit into the book drop. The fine for overdue or incomplete kits is $1 a day and fees for missing books will be charged to the person who checked out the kit.

Wireless data can be intercepted easily. Utilizing virus protection, a personal firewall, and other measures to protect the information on your device is highly recommended and is the sole responsibility of the user. JMRL is not responsible for any loss of information or damage to your device that might result from using the library wireless network or other internet access in the library.

• Meeting room reservations are booked through each individual branch (the Reference Department handles bookings for the Central Branch).
• Meetings or classes held in library meeting rooms must be open to the public free of charge. Fees to cover only the cost of materials.
• Bookings are made on a first-come, first served basis. Rooms are booked for the current month up to three months in advance.
• Patrons must have an active Registration Form on file. Registration forms are required to be renewed on an annual basis. If there is not a current application on file, a representative of the group must fill out the Meeting Room Registration form prior to the meeting. Completed registration forms are filed in the Department or Branch where the request was made. Expired registration forms are purged on an annual basis.
• A staff member will present the representative of the group the Meeting Room Policy.
• A staff member who takes the application may approve it at the time, or if there are questions, it should be passed on to the Branch or Department Manager. If there are still questions regarding the application, the matter should be referred to the Library Director for approval.
• The Library Director or Branch Manager may, upon application in writing, extend meeting room use beyond regular library hours. Such extensions may require that janitorial service fees be paid by the group or organization using the room.

• Smoking and alcoholic beverages are prohibited.
• Food and non-alcoholic beverages may be served in the meeting rooms.  Each group is responsible for cleaning up after itself.
• Burning of any materials, including incense and candles, is prohibited.
• Each group must provide its own supplies and set up for its meeting. Meetings must be contained to the room reserved. Chairs, tables, and certain audiovisual equipment can be provided by JMRL on request. JMRL does not supply pens, pencils paper, chalk, etc. JMRL does not provide storage facilities for groups' materials.
• Group is required to leave the room in the condition in which it was found and is financially responsible for any damage incurred to the premises, furniture, or equipment while using a room.
• Groups are not allowed to post signs around the library unless approved by the Library Director or a Branch Manager.
• Groups should notify the library in a timely manner if a meeting is canceled so that others may schedule use of the meeting room. If a group repeatedly does not show for a scheduled meeting, the group may lose its privilege of using a meeting room.
• JMRL reserves the right to prohibit a group's further use of meeting rooms for disorderly conduct or for failure to abide by JMRL policies, procedures, or guidelines. The person signing for use of the meeting room is responsible for assuring that use of the room complies with library policies.
• JMRL reserves the right to close due to weather conditions. Groups will not necessarily be notified by JMRL.
• A valid JMRL library card in good standing is required to use JMRL Audio-Visual (A/V) equipment. Guidelines and available equipment lists are provided by each Branch Library.
• Solicitation is not permitted, except by local officers of Voter Registration to encourage voter registration.

Please bring a photo ID that includes your name and current address.  If you do not live in Charlottesville, Albemarle, Louisa, Greene, or Nelson there is an annual out-of-area fee of $30.  To get a computer-use-only card, you must have a photo ID.

JMRL policies regarding damaged item charges and collection agency fees apply to Book Club Kits as well.

• Entire Bag:
  • $150 plus $5 processing fee (adult kits)
  • $75 plus $5 processing fee (children's kits)
• Maximum late fee: $10
• Replacement title: $10/book
• Replacement bag: $10/bag

If you have questions concerning charges on your account, please contact the Central Circulation Desk (434-979-7151 x2).

• Most in-print materials (include playaways, audio): List Price
• Magazines: $3:00
• Volumes, video cassettes or DVDs in sets: $15 per item
• Audiobook replacement parts: $7/item
• Most out-of-print materials: $15.00
• Out-of-print fiction paperbacks: $5.00
• Out-of-print music CDs or replacement part: $10 per disc
• Replacement of lost/damaged library card: $1
• An additional $5.00 nonrefundable service fee will be charged on lost or damaged items. If lost and paid items are returned in good condition within 3 months of payment, only the replacement fee will be refunded.
• Juvenile cardholders are charged the item replacement cost for any lost or damaged items checked out to the card.

The Central Library does not have a parking lot. Parking is available on the street for 2 hours. If you park longer than 2 hours you may get a ticket.

Bring your ticket from the Water Street Parking garage and have it validated for 2 hours of free parking (the first hour is free to everyone), a service of the Friends of the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library. Or park in the Market Street garage, and your first hour will be free but it is $2.00 per hour thereafter.