The Library has collections of books, movies, music, games, educational kits, electronic devices, and other tools available to check out if you have a Farmington Community Library Card.
Your Farmington Community Library card gives you access to everything in our eLibrary and Online Learning Hub, lets you login to your FCL account on our Library Catalog to check out items in any of the Library’s collections, and allows you to reserve FREE group meeting spaces for gatherings at either FCL location. There are also a variety of FCL Card Perks including discounts to places and activities throughout the community!
An FCL card is not required to visit or use any of the public spaces at either FCL location. All Library events are open to the public, free of charge, and do not require a Library card to attend.
Who can apply for an FCL Card?
Farmington Community Library Cards are free and available to community members who live, work, go to school, or own property in Farmington and Farmington Hills.
To apply for a library card, visit either Farmington Community Library location and bring a valid photo ID such as a driver’s license, state ID, or passport as well as one of the following:
- Proof of residency in Farmington or Farmington Hills, such as a photo ID with current address, a recent utility bill, mortgage papers or your rental agreement
- Proof of employment in Farmington or Farmington Hills
- Proof of enrollment in an educational program in Farmington or Farmington Hills such as an elementary school, high school, or higher education program (an email from the school is sufficient)
If you have further questions or are unsure how to prove your residency, employment, or school enrollment, please call or visit either Library location or contact the Circulation Department at fclcirc@farmlib.org. Accommodations can be made as needed.
FCL is Fine-Free
We do not charge overdue fines on late items. This policy ensures that all community members have equitable access to items in the Library’s collections. Our fine-free policy means:
- There are no daily overdue charges on late items
- You are still responsible for returning your items; Items that are overdue by 45 days or more are considered lost items and your account will be charged for the cost of replacing that specific item*
- Returning a lost item will remove the item replacement fee from your account
- Damaged items can also lead to replacement fees on your account
- Once an account reaches $15 in lost or damaged item fees, your account is put on hold until a payment is made
*When fees on a patron’s account exceed $25 for more than 21 days, a third party agency notifies the patron and requests payment. An additional $10 fee is added at this point as a service charge.
Please note: Items that are checked out using our Interlibrary Loan Service (see below) have different guidelines and may include overdue fees because they are items coming from other libraries.
Renewing & Returning Items
Renewing a loan on an item means that you are extending the amount of time you may keep an item that you have checked out. We offer auto-renewals, which means we’ll extend your items for you if there are renewals available and no other patron has requested that title. You will be notified of auto-renewals three days before via email; no phone renewal notifications will be sent. To check your due dates, log into your FCL account on the Library Catalog, visit either Library location, or call (248) 553-0300.
All items may be renewed up to 3 times (unless it is on hold for another patron) except:
- Your Lucky Day Books & DVD’s (items that are brand new releases that cannot be requested online. They are available at both locations on a first-come first-served basis).
- Electronic Devices
- Board Games, Puzzles, and Educational Kits
- Library of Things items
All items (including interlibrary loan items) can be returned inside each Library location during operation hours, or by using our item return chutes located outside of each building:
FCL Farmington Hills: The item return chute is located on the east side of the building that faces the Post Office.
FCL Farmington: There are two outdoor item drop off options for this location. The first is an item return box located on the driveway right between the Library building and City Hall. The second is only available outside of operation hours and is an item return chute that can be accessed on the east side of the building facing the parking lot.
Interlibrary Loan Services (ILL)
Is your Library a part of The Library Network (TLN)? If so, you can use your home library card to access FCL’s physical collections. Together these libraries offer a large selection of items available for library cardholders of TLN member libraries to checkout.
FCL Cardholders can also search through the Michigan eLibrary Catalog (MeLCat) and place items on hold from libraries all throughout Michigan.
Find more information about Interlibrary Loan Services at FCL here.