Q&A for How to Use a Public Library

Not necessarily! These days, quiet in the library is not nearly as important as it was in previous decades. Now, you'll find movies, interactive story times, and town hall meetings all happening at your local library. For those who need a quiet place to study, many public and most academic libraries have quiet areas.

Treat the book the way you would your favorite book. Make sure that your hands are clean when you're handling it, and don't eat or drink while reading. Also, keep all library materials away from small children and pets.

Works of fiction are arranged by the author's last name in alphabetical order. Non-fiction books are arranged by topic, typically using the Dewey Decimal System as written on the spines of the books.

You can sign up for a library card at the front desk of your local library.

It depends on the library. Some have free WiFi, so you would be able to get online with a laptop, netbook, tablet, or smartphone. Others offer free Internet service on their public computers. Some libraries require you to have a library card, but others offer the service to anyone.

Returning your books when your time with the book is up is a good way to take care of a library. Also, if you pull a book off a shelf and decide you don't want it, make sure to put it in the correct spot. Librarians and volunteers take a lot of time organizing libraries, and we should respect that.

Different libraries around the world will have different printers, depending on their resources. Drop by your local branch and ask your librarian how to use the printer onsite.

Email the public library staff to ask for permission before starting the interviews, as they may ask you to go someplace specific to minimize noise.

In most cases, you can use certain services at any library, like the internet (for a fee), but you must be a member of the library to check out books.

Ask friends and neighbors if they know where the local library is. Also, your municipal offices will have a list of the branches and locations. If you live in a city with multiple branches, you can probably go to any of them within the city limits. If you live in the country, you may have to drive some distance to another village or town.

I would suggest reading through wikiHow's article on using the Dewey Decimal System for detailed instructions.

Yes, although you will need that person's card or number for reference.

With so much information online, including so many library resources becoming virtual, the line has certainly blurred. Libraries often give you access to academic and professional sources that tend to be higher quality than stuff that's written for attention or self-promotion. Whatever the source, always evaluate it. Who's making the claim? What's the evidence? What might be biased or incorrect? What are their credentials? Who else is checking?

This depends on the library to which the book belonged to. Generally, you should go to the library where you rented the book and tell a librarian that you lost the book. Usually, they will require you to pay a fine for the book.

This can depend on what you are studying for. You will bring the materials you need to the library and find a spot with a desk or at a public computer to begin. You may want to bring headphones to block out noise, or ask a librarian if you can use a private study area, if the library offers those. It costs nothing to study at the library unless you buy something from there.

In most cases, yes. Some libraries may have different policies on personal device usage, but most do allow the use of laptops. You can always ask a librarian or check the library website to be sure.

Search your library catalog or ask a librarian if you can't find what you need. Many public libraries have auto service manuals. Some have moved from hard copies to online, but the online versions are at least as likely to be complete.

You can either bring them inside and give them to a librarian to be returned or you can drop them into a book drop box if the library is closed. The drop boxes are usually located near the front entrance.

Pick up whatever books you like or are interested in, bring them to a librarian at one of the front desks, and use your library card to borrow them! If you don't have a card, no problem. Talk to a librarian about what you can do to get one.

Usually not. Your library may ask that you cancel your holds instead of letting them sit on the shelf and expire. But generally, you won't have any problems if you need to cancel a hold.

Most libraries have dropped the physical file cabinets. The librarians while be able to help you use the catalog computers.

This depends on the library. Public libraries are usually free to locals. Some may have an annual fee or one-off charge for those from out of town. University library cards are usually free to students and faculty, but very expensive for outside borrowers.

This depends on the library. Most libraries will have a drop-box, with a slot that looks like the opening of a mailbox, labelled "Returns". You can also usually just take your books to the checkout desk - even if they don't process returns there, they'll be able to tell you what to do.