Frequently Asked Questions

No. You can sign up online, then visit the library to complete the process and receive your card.

Library cards are due for renewal every two years. To renew, please call or visit any of our locations.

Please call or visit your branch library to inform them. Replacement cards are available for a fee of $3.

To reset your password, visit the catalog login page, then select Forgot My Password. Alternatively, you can call us for assistance.

Most books are loaned for three weeks, with the exception of new books and music (two weeks) and DVDs (one week). Most items can be renewed twice; however, items cannot be renewed if another customer has placed a hold on the item. eBooks through hoopla have different borrowing periods.​

You may have up to 30 items on your account at any given time (including borrowed materials and holds, but excluding eBooks).

If you are looking for an item not available from any SCLENDS libraries, please contact the reference desk at your local branch.

An interlibrary loan (ILL) request is a transaction in which one library system borrows materials from another library system. This differs from a hold request, which occurs between locations of the SCLENDS consortium. Whenever our consortium does not own a book, periodical, microfilm, or audiovisual item, our registered borrowers may request these items through their branch's Reference Desk. Our librarians will then submit the request through a nationwide network of libraries known as the interlibrary loan service.

You can choose to save your checkout history in the Library Catalog by turning on a setting in your account preferences.

1. Log in to your account.

2. Go to Preferences.

3. Check the box labeled “Record my checkout history.”

4. Tap or click Update.

Once enabled, the catalog will begin recording items you check out going forward. 

It depends on demand and the number of copies available. Some popular items may have a hold list. If the item is located at another library, it will be available for pickup at your branch library as soon as it becomes available. 

You will receive an email when an item is ready for pickup, when your checkout is approaching its due date, or when borrowed items are overdue.

SCLENDS has a six-month hold protection, which limits the borrowing of new books to cardholders of the owning library system. For example, if the new book is owned by the Dorchester County Library, only Dorchester cardholders can borrow it for the first four months that it's in the catalog. In this situation, we encourage you to contact our Reference Librarians to inquire about the status of the book in our library system.

• Another customer hasn't placed a hold on the item.

• Renewals remain (items receive up to two renewals)

• Library account fines do not exceed $10

• Library account is not in need of renewal

If you have email notifications enabled, you will receive an email letting you know that an item has been renewed. Please note that we are unable to send email notifications when an item does not auto-renew.

We do not offer online payment options for fines and fees. Fines and fees can be paid by check (minimum $10) or in cash at our main service desks. 

Replacement fees for lost or damaged items vary. Replacement fees are based on the actual price of the item and include the cost of reprocessing the material. Please contact your local branch to receive more information.

Just download the free hoopla app and have your Beaufort County Library card number handy. ​Hoopla will prompt you for your library card number, and you will use your email address to create your account.

Yes. All of our branches offer computers with Internet access.

Yes. All of our branches offer printing from public computers in black and white for $.10 per page.

We do not offer wireless printing.

All branches, except Port Royal, offer self-service photocopy machines in black and white for $.10 per page.

All branches offer complimentary use of self-service stations that allow users to scan documents, photos, books, and other items. Documents can be printed, emailed, or faxed within the United States. The unit's touchscreen guides the user through the process. The station can also translate documents and save scans to a USB drive.

For monetary donations, please consider the Public Library Foundation of Beaufort County.

We are thankful for our volunteers. Some things volunteers do are shelve returned items to their assigned places, assist customers in using the public computers, and provide tutorials to new computer users. We also encourage residents to consider volunteering for their local Friends of the Library group.