What are your locations and hours?
Is parking available at the Central Library?
How do I get a library card?
Where can I return materials?
How long can I keep materials and can I renew them?
How much are your overdue fines?
If an item is out, can I be put on a waiting list?
Will you notify me when the item I requested has arrived?
Can you send me notices by e-mail instead of postal mail?
Is there a way to change the default pickup location when placing holds online?
How large is your collection?
Can I use the Internet at your library?
Can I make an Internet reservation by phone or online?
What other kinds of computers can I use at your library?
Can your library help me borrow materials from another library?
What types of materials do you have in your collection?
Can I obtain an obituary?
Can I type my term paper or resume at the library?
Does the library use volunteers?
How can I work at the library?
Do you have photocopy machines?
What is a Learning Enrichment Center?
What can I do at the Technology Learning Center?
Do you loan videos/DVD's?
Do you have eBooks, Audio eBooks, or eMusic?
Can I connect to the library's catalog from home?
How old is the Central Library?
How do I find magazine articles at your library?
I'm unable to come to the library. Can you answer questions by phone?
How can I support the library?

RETURNING LIBRARY MATERIALS
Most materials borrowed may be returned at any Pasadena or Glendale Public Library location.  For your convenience, drive-up book return bins are located outside of each Pasadena Library location. Audio-visual materials (videos, DVD's, compact discs, cassettes) must be returned to the Circulation Desk inside the library.  AV materials being returned to the Pasadena CENTRAL Library can also be returned in the special AV Return bins on the North and South sides of the building.

CHECK-OUT AND RENEWAL OF MATERIALS
Library materials may be checked out for a period of 21 days.  Two renewals per item if there are no holds pending

Materials may be renewed by our automated phone renewal service.  Simply call (626) 356-3914 from your touch-tone phone. Have the barcode numbers from your library card and from the items you wish to renew ready when you call. 

Materials may also be renewed in person, by calling any Pasadena Public Library location, or via the Internet through our Library Catalog. 

To renew items via the Internet, you need your library card number and your Personal Identification Number (PIN).  To get a PIN, stop by any one of our 10 Pasadena Public Library locations.

Questions about Circulation, renewal and account information can be directed to:

In-person to any Pasadena Public Library location
Telephone the Central Library at (626) 744-4066 or any branch library
Mail a question to the Central Library Circulation Section
E-mail your request using our Ask a Librarian service

REQUEST NOTIFICATION
You may choose whether to receive hold/request and overdue notices by e-mail or surface/postal mail (see our page on delivery preferences for more detail).  You can also check your Library Account Online to see if any of your requested materials are available. 

PICK UP LOCATION
We are awaiting the release of the newest upgrade to our computer catalog system.  It will offer options for more personalized access to the catalog and online services, including the possibility for users to create profiles with selected default settings (such as pickup location).  We will have to install and test the upgrade before we know which options we actually can implement and when.

E-MAIL NOTIFICATION
You may choose whether to receive hold/request and overdue notices by e-mail or surface/postal mail (see our page on delivery preferences for more detail). 

STATISTICS
Pasadena Public Library has over 840,000 items. Of these, 445,200 are located at branch libraries and 394,800 are located at the Central Library.

FY2004:
Number of materials checked out: 1,589,247 items 

Attendance in library: 1,173,533 persons/times 

Reference questions answered: 389,092

Registered borrowers: 177,141

Interlibrary loan items borrowed from other institutions: 38,580

Material items added to the collection: 44,259

59 Public Training classes

819 Preschool programs with 25,713 in attendance

487 School-age programs with 16,903 in attendance

1,561 PUSD programs with 33,367 in attendance

6,326 Summer Reading Club attendees

1,875 Class Visits with 38,488 in attendance

119 Young Adult programs with 2,161 in attendance

311 Adult programs with 6,595 in attendance

63 Outreach programs with 2,765 in attendance

152 Volunteers with 16,093 volunteer hours

1,416  Auditorium and Meeting room use   

INTERNET ACCESS
Internet workstations are available at the Central Library and all branch libraries. Reservations may be made at branch libraries for 30-minutes use. At the Central library, Internet workstations are available for one 60-minute session per day.  Information may be downloaded or printed at $.10 per page.  Please refer to the Internet Use Policy for detailed information.

The Pasadena Public Library is also pleased to offer free wireless Internet access to patrons with appropriately equipped wireless devices.  Please read about our  wireless Internet service for further details on locations and configuration.

INTERNET RESERVATIONS
For Central Library, phone reservations can be made for the current day only, Monday through Saturday with your Pasadena/Glendale library card number. Call (626)744-4066, option 2 for assistance.  For all branches, please contact the individual branch to inquire about computer hours and reservations.

Online reservations are currently not available.

1. Interlibrary Loan service is available to patrons who live, work or own property within the city of Pasadena.
2. In general, ILL requests take 2-3 weeks for items to arrive.
3. The Pasadena Public Library charges a service fee of $2.00 for each Interlibrary Loan request. The service fee will be charged even if the item cannot be obtained. If there are additional charges from the lending library, ILL staff will notify you before proceeding with the request.
4. The loan period for ILL material is three weeks and items are not renewable.
5. Patrons may keep photocopies of articles, they do not need to be returned.
6. In addition, some audio and video items cannot be obtained for various reasons such as; item is too new, or against the lending library policy to loan audio/visual materials…etc.
7. Take proper care of borrowed material and return it in good condition. You are liable for any lost or damaged material.

Now, you may begin the process of submitting an ILL request to the Pasadena Public Library.
 

California Library Catalog

To contact Interlibrary Loan staff:  email ill_staff@cityofpasadena.net


 

COLLECTION SPECIALTIES
The collection offers a broad choice of print, non-print and electronic resources. The Central Library collection emphasizes Business and General Reference, as well as current and historical information about Pasadena. City of Pasadena Council agendas, reports, and commission agendas are available at library sites for public review. Also available at the Central Library is a circulating international language collection, with a strong emphasis in Spanish and most recently Chinese. Branch libraries specialize in the following foreign language collections: Armenian language: Santa Catalina Branch Library; Asian languages: Hill Ave. Branch Library; Spanish language: La Pintoresca and Santa Catalina Branch Libraries and Villa Parke. 

For information on materials for people with disabilities, see Specialized Collections.

TYPING/WORD PROCESSING
The Central Library has personal computers for use by the public. Word processing is available on all Internet computers.  It is also available at the Technology Center when not in use by a scheduled class or event.

VOLUNTEER SERVICES
In order to maintain high quality service and manage the high volume of activity at all ten library locations, the Pasadena Public Library has an established volunteer program, designed to save tax dollars and use staff time effectively. The volunteer program allows citizens to participate in the spirit of public cooperation by giving the library the benefit of their many skills and talents. For further information, please call Christine Reeder, Volunteer Coordinator, at (626) 744-7076. Or read more and fill out an application online at Volunteer Opportunities.

LIBRARY EMPLOYMENT
Staff of the Pasadena Public Library are employees of the City of Pasadena. For information on employment opportunities, please visit the Employment Opportunities page.

PHOTOCOPY MACHINES
Copy machines are available at all library locations. Copies cost $.15 per page.  Color copies are $1.00 per page.  For more information on using the copy machine at the library, see Cash-card Machine on our Circulation Services page.

LEARNING ENRICHMENT CENTERS
Learning Enrichment Centers are multi-media workstations offering access to an array of CD-Rom software selected to promote language, math, social studies, and computer skills, in addition to a variety of software for doing homework and research. These are available at all library sites. Users may sign up for thirty minute sessions.

REMOTE ACCESS
For information on accessing the catalog, InfoTrac, and Community Information from home, please visit
the Remote Access page.

CENTRAL LIBRARY ARCHITECTURE
The Central Library officially opened on February 12, 1927. The Mediterranean Renaissance style building was designed by architects Myron Hunt of Pasadena and H.C. Chambers. This was the first public library in California with all services on one floor.  Take our architectural tour online.

MAGAZINES
Magazines are available for check-out at branch libraries and for in-library use only at the Central Library. The Central Library has more than 1,000 magazine subscriptions. Magazines owned by the library are listed in the online catalog. In addition, the library offers electronic access to newspaper and magazine articles and summaries through the InfoTrac Searchbank databases: InfoTrac OneFile, and National Newspaper Index. Numerous regional, national, and international newspapers and magazines can be found on the Internet.

REFERENCE SERVICES
Reference service is available through several points of access:

Come in-person to any Pasadena Public Library location
Telephone the Central Library at (626) 744-4066 or any branch library
Mail a question to the Central Library Reference Section
E-mail a question via Ask a Librarian.
Chat live with a librarian 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via our 24/7 Reference Service (AskNow)

For more information, please see Reference/Information Services. Also, the Library has services for people confined to their home, and for users with disabilities. For more information, see Services to the Homebased and Programs and Services for People with Disabilities.

DIGITAL LIBRARY
Developed as a joint-venture between the Pasadena Public Library and the Glendale Public Library, the system utilizes technologies developed by OverDrive, Inc., a leading provider of digital media solutions to libraries. The growing Digital Library collection includes eBooks, Audio eBooks, and eMusic.

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                                                               Last update:  October 22, 2008