Borrowing

Library cards are provided free anyone who pays taxes in Lovell, Stoneham, Stowe, Sweden, or Chatham, NH. A $20 non-resident fee may may be charged yearly to all other patrons Stop by the desk, or you may provide us with your information over the phone (207-925-3177) and a library card can be mailed to you.

Cards must be renewed once a year.

You may also get a Portland Public Library Card through us. This will enable you to access PPL’s collection of Cloud Library books and audio books, and check out books at their main and branch locations.

Our library is part of Minerva, a statewide resource-sharing consortium of more than 80 Maine libraries, including public, academic, school, and specialized libraries. This statewide “library without walls,” eliminates geographic and socio-economic barriers, and provides access to more than six million library items.

The holdings of all member libraries may be accessed through the library’s website. Patrons may also access their library records online, as well as renew items, reserve items owned by the Charlotte Hobbs Memorial Library, and request books and other materials from other Maine libraries.

The Minerva catalog includes over six million items—books and also DVDs & videocassettes, magazines, audiobooks, and music CDs.  You can search the catalog by author, title, subject, keyword, and material type.

If an item is not available in Minerva, you can search MaineCat libraries from the Minerva catalog and directly request MaineCat materials.  MaineCat libraries include academic libraries and additional public libraries across the state.  When requested materials are available, they’re delivered to the Charlotte Hobbs Memorial Library for you.  If an item is available on the shelf at another library, it will usually be delivered to us within a couple of days. 

Reciprocal Borrowing
The Maine Reciprocal Borrowing Program allows anyone with a valid library card from one of 68 participating libraries to visit any of the other participating libraries and check out materials in person. It's referred to as "walk-in" borrowing because it essentially turns your local library card into a "statewide" library card!

Overdue Items, Fees, and Lost/Damaged Items

The library does not charge overdue fees. When an item is grossly overdue, it will be considered lost and will be billed.

Patrons will be notified twice that materials are late, followed by a bill if materials are still not returned. Patrons will have one month after a bill is sent to return the items. Once that time has passed, items must be paid for.

You will be expected to pay for any library materials you damage.

Billed items may be assessed a $3.00 processing fee in addition to the cost of the item.

If a material is determined lost and is paid for by a patron, it becomes their property. The library cannot refund the cost after that point, even if the material is found.

Items that are returned with missing pieces (such as discs) will be considered not returned. You will be expected to pay for any library materials you damage.

Under certain circumstances, the library may accept purchased replacement copies in lieu of payment.

Billing fees must be paid in full before any new items may be checked out.

Please report any problems or defects in library materials so we may fix them.