Who You Gonna Call? The Answer Center (Part 2)

The Library District’s Answer Center manages calls on behalf of all three libraries and the administration center, and they can help with a variety of questions and concerns. On average, the Answer Center Team receives 100 calls each day with the majority focused on general library questions like renewals, placing holds, getting a library card, attending a program, and more. They can be reached at (970) 221-6740.

Here are a few more of the specific questions they often receive.

Q: How do I get a Library card? How much does it cost?

A: Library cards are FREE! All you have to do is visit one of the three libraries (Old Town, Harmony, or Council Tree) and bring along a current/valid photo ID and/or proof of a Colorado address. There are no age restrictions for obtaining a Poudre River Public Library card.

Don’t have a Colorado address? Just ask our staff for options!

Learn more about how to get a new or replacement library card on the Library’s website.

Q: Where is the Library?

A: This is a really good question because if you search using Google, you might be confused by the results. Since we are a Library District, the main address that often shows up online is the location of our administrative building, the Webster House Administrative Center at 301 E. Olive Street. The Webster House is not a library, just administrative offices.

We have three physical library locations spread across Fort Collins for you to use. Our Answer Center can help you find the location that is closest to you.

Old Town Library
201 Peterson St.

Council Tree Library 
2733 Council Tree Ave (located at Front Range Village Shopping Center)

Harmony Library 
4616 S. Shields St. (a joint-use facility with Front Range Community College)

The Library’s website also includes a “Locations” page that gives you each library’s address, hours of operation, driving directions, and library map. The page also has links to Holiday Closures and Book Drop locations.

Q: My friend told me about a great book. Does the Library have it?

A: The fastest way to find out is to search our online catalog! From the Library’s website, you can access the catalog and enter author name, title, or keywords to begin the search. You’ll have the opportunity to filter your search by material type, language, collection, and more. If you don’t find what you’re looking for in the catalog search, it might be that the Library District doesn’t own that item, but we might be able to get it from another library for you through Prospector.

Prospector is a unified catalog of over 40 academic, public, and special libraries in Colorado and Wyoming, and it offers access to more than 30 million books, journals, DVDs, CDs, and other items.

You can access Prospector directly from the Library’s homepage or you can click on the link provided within your catalog search. Just as with the Library’s catalog search, Prospector allows you to refine your search criteria and narrow down your results. If you find your item within the Prospector system, you can request the item be delivered for free to any of our three library locations where you can pick it up. Delivery timeframe of items from partner libraries will vary.

Learn more about how to search our catalog, use Prospector, and other options for borrowing materials in our blog post, “Savvy Library Searching Saves You Time and Money.”

Q: I need a bit more time to finish reading my library book. Can I extend the due date?

A: Maybe. You can extend – or renew – your checkout if there are no holds placed on the item, meaning no one else is waiting to borrow it, and any extended-use fees on your card are less than $10.00. You are allowed to renew an item up to six times.

Some items are not renewable: Here & Now Collection, Lucky Day Collection, Interlibrary Loan items, and some Prospector/Mobius items.

To extend/renew your book or other item, log in to your library account (“My Account”) from the Library’s website. You will need your library card number to do this. Once you’ve entered your last name and library barcode number, hit “Submit” and you’ll be taken directly to your account.

  1. Click on “Checkouts” to see the list of items currently checked out on your card.
  2. Click on the box to the left of the title you want to renew.
  3. Click on the “Renew Marked” button.
  4. You will see a message that says, “These items will be renewed. Do you wish to proceed?” Click “Yes.”
  5. The “Status” for the renewed item will be updated with the new due date.

You may also renew items by calling the Answer Center at 970-221-6740. Have your library card number ready.

If you have a question about the library and its services and programs — and you’re not at one of the three libraries to talk with a librarian — be sure to give the Answer Center a call. If the knowledgeable team at the Answer Center can’t answer your question, they’ll make sure to connect you with someone else from the library who can or take some time to research the answer for you.

Read Part 1 of Who You Gonna Call? The Answer Center series for more frequently asked questions.