Any resident of Ohio may get an Avon Lake Public Library card. Show us your photo ID with your current address. If your photo ID does not have your current address, show us an alternate document, such as, a utility bill or bank document. We will issue you a library card, on the spot!

Children must be at least 3 years old. A parent/legal guardian must sign for a child's library card through age 15. Children, ages 16 and 17, may get their own card with proper ID.

First-time borrowers are limited to 5 items. Otherwise, you may have as many as 50 items out on your card at any one time.

Most items circulate for 21 days, and most are renewable 2 times. You can renew your materials by telephone, online or in person.

Yes, we charge $.05 per day for most overdue materials. HotPick books are $.25 per day and DVDs are $1.00 per day.

The newest releases in adult fiction and movies. HotPick DVDs circulate for 2 days, and HotPick books circulate for 7 days.

Once your fines reach $10, your borrowing privileges are suspended. However, you are always welcome to use the Library while visiting the Library and online.

Yes, we have since 2007, and with great results.  Since using the collection agency, we have realized a return averaging 7 : 1, that is, for every $1.00 we spend on collections, we get $7.00 back in the form of returned materials and paid fines.  The Library is funded with taxpayer dollars and we see this as being responsible to our taxpayers.

We do and we don’t.  We do accept newer and gently used fiction, non-fiction, children and teen books.  We do not accept tattered, mildewed and/or damaged books, textbooks, encyclopedia sets and years worth of National Geographic. 

Once we take what we can use for our collections, the remaining books are passed on to the Friends of Avon Lake Public Library.  They sell many of them via their ongoing book sales (located by DiscoveryWorks) and at their bi-annual book sales.  Unsold items are given to Libriloop, a program of Corvus Recycling of Marietta, Ohio.  Libriloop sells in-demand items through Amazon and gives the Friends a commission.  They also offer items for free to other Ohio libraries, and ensure what is damaged or unsalable is recycled.

The Friends is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that raises funds for the Library.  The Friends underwrites Library programming,  supports the levy and provides volunteer opportunities for their members.  For a modest membership fee, you can join the Friends.

DiscoveryWorks is an interactive, hands-on learning and science center located in our Library.  It is divided into two sections:  the Early Learning area for babies, toddlers and children to age 7, and the Tweens area for children 8 years and up.  Children ages 5, 6 and 7 must be accompanied and closely supervised by an adult in the Tweens area; children 8 years and up may explore the Tweens area on their own.  Children under age 5 are not permitted in the Tweens area.

DiscoveryWorks has more limited hours than the rest of the Library to accommodate their hands-on classes and groups that use the space during the department’s down time.  Check the Library’s homepage for a listing of public hours.

DiscoveryWorks offers hands-on, science-focused classes for grades K – 5 throughout the school year for our local schools and homeschoolers as a means of curriculum enrichment. 

Approximately 20 percent of our funding is from the State of Ohio Public Library Fund.  About 75 percent is a combination of local property taxes, state rollbacks and credits.  Fines, fees, interest, etc., account for 5 percent.

You can join the Friends and/or donate to the Avon Lake Public Library Endowment Fund, which is managed by the Community Foundation of Lorain County.  The interest earned on the Endowment Fund is used to fund special projects, such as, the installation of the King Neptune glass etching in DiscoveryWorks, and the Library’s participation in the Lorain County Reads program.