What is Library by Mail?
Library by Mail is Burlington County Library System’s home delivery of requested materials.
A service fee of $1.00 per mailed item will be posted to the customer's library account. Library by Mail service is available to homebound customers at no charge [with completed Homebound Customer Certification form completed by their physician].
How do I order items for delivery?
Customers may request materials from our BCLS catalog.
- After placing a request you will be asked to choose a pick-up location.
- Choose MAIL if you want items delivered to the address on your library record.
- Requests for materials can also be made in person at any BCLS location, by phone (609-267-9660, ext. 2 or ext. 3014) or by sending an email to: mailservice@bcls.lib.nj.us.
When sending an email, please include the following information: name, mailing address, phone number, barcode, as well as the title, author and material type of the requested item.
Who is eligible to receive home delivery?
You are eligible to receive Library by Mail service if you have a library card in good standing. Library materials will only be mailed to cardholders with a Burlington County address.
What does it mean to be in "good standing"?
A library card in good standing means that the card has less than $10.00 in fees/fines, no overdue material and no lost items.
How may fines/fees be paid?
Prior to using our Library by Mail service, please ensure your library account fine balance is below $10. If your fine balance is above $10, you may call the Burlington County Library or the Evesham Library to pay by credit card over the phone. Checks may also be mailed to the Burlington County Library and should be made payable to the Burlington County Library System. Once the check is received the customer account will be credited. No other branches are not accepting payments at this time.
What items are available to be mailed?
Almost any item from our collection that can be requested for pick up can also be delivered to you by mail. Only reference books, magazines, oversize items and Interlibrary Loans are not eligible for mail delivery.
How are items delivered?
The United States Postal Service will deliver requested materials to customers' homes. Look for the Library by Mail logo on the package..
How long does it take to receive the item?
When a requested item is available, it will be mailed as soon as it can be checked out to you and packaged for mailing. Due to higher volume and delays in processing by the U.S. Postal Service, packages may take longer than expected to arrive. Please allow 7 to 10 days for delivery. If your need for library materials is immediate, you may want to consider curbside pick-up.
How do I return delivered items?
The easiest, least expensive method of return is to drop off the package at any of our library locations that are accepting returns.
Please note: Postage fees accrued by returning a package to the library will be charged back to the borrower’s library card if the postage is not pre-paid.
Can I renew items that have been delivered to my home?
Yes, the same renewal policy applies to mailed materials as to those that are picked up at a library. If the item you wish to renew is not on reserve for another customer, it may be renewed telephone to the Circulation Department, or by using Telecirc. The telephone number for automatic renewals is 609-267-6703.
You can also renew from your home or office computer through the BCLS online catalog. If items are not on reserve or overdue, they may be renewed two times.
Are there limits on the number of DVDs, CDs, audiobooks or video games that I can check out?
The maximum number of items that can be checked out to a library card at any given time is 35. At this time, we can only accommodate one request per week for up to five items. The chart below highlights specific types of materials:
- DVDs & BluRays - 7 per card at any time
- CDs & Audio Cassettes - 10 per card at any time
- CD-ROMs - 5 per card at any time
- Video Games - 2 per card at any time
What happens to requested materials if a library card is not in “good standing?” What if there are too many DVDs checked out?
We will contact you to let you know the status of your account. We will then hold materials for five days and if the status of your account has not changed, we will put the items back into general circulation.
I didn’t receive the package you mailed me in a timely fashion and now I don’t have enough time to read the book. Will you extend my time?
You may also check your account online for due dates, call us at 609-267-9660, ext. 3014 or email us at mailservice@bcls.lib.nj.us
We have several library cards at our house, including cards for the children. Are they all eligible for mail delivery?
Yes, each card can be used to request material through the Library by Mail service. However, please be aware of the following guidelines:
- Items requested by library cardholders living at the same address may be mailed together in the same package.
- The $1.00 per item service fee will be charged for each item mailed effective July 1, 2014.
- Parents are responsible for all materials checked out to the cards of minor children.
- We will not hold or ship duplicate items if they have been requested for delivery to the same address.
- Library by Mail staff reserve the right to ask library cardholders to pick up requested materials from a library branch, if the cost of shipping the requested materials is extremely prohibitive.
How do I handle the packaging that comes with the library materials?
Customers are encouraged to recycle all paper or cardboard packaging.