Chattanooga-Hamilton County Bicentennial Library

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I park downtown?

There is no free parking at the Downtown Library except on weekends and evenings. There are commercial paid lots around the building and parking meters. Fees at these lots vary. Meters run until 4:30 p.m. on weekdays and 12:30 p.m. on Saturdays.
What are your hours?

The Downtown Library is open Monday - Thursday 9-9, Friday and Saturday 9-6. It is closed on Sundays.
The bookstore is open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Tuesday-Friday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday.

The Ooltewah-Collegedale Branch is open Monday & Tuesday 9-6, Wednesday & Thursday 9-7.. It is closed on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

The Eastgate Branch is open Monday 9-6, Wednesday & Thursday 9-7, Saturday 9-6. It is closed on Tuesday, Fridas and Sundas.

The Northgate Branch is open Tuesday 9-7, Wednesday & Thursday 9-6, and Saturday 9-6. It is closed on Monday, Friday and Sunday.

The South Chattanooga Branch is open Monday - Friday 9-6. It is closed on Saturdays and Sundays.
What is STOR?

Here is an abbreviation key to our catalog:

STOR - Storage. These books may be checked out; they are kept in storage areas due to overcrowding.

BST - Business Science and Technology Department (2nd floor downtown)

E - Easy books that are shelved with Children's materials

EG - Eastgate Branch

FA - Fine Arts Department (3rd floor downtown)

J - Juvenile Books that are shelved with Children's materials

LH - Local History Department (3rd floor downtown) and are considered reference books so they can't be checked out.

LP - Large Print books

MAG - Magazines

MAIN - Circulating and reference books located on the 1st floor at the Downtown Library

NG - Northgate Branch

OC - Ootlewah/Collegedale Branch

R or Ref - Reference - these books cannot be checked out

SC - South Chattanooga Branch

S-C - Story Collection

Y or YA - Young Adult (these books are on a reading level of 7th grade - 12th grade).
Where can I find magazine articles?

We have various resources to find magazine articles. There are several online databases to search for articles by subject, author, or title. Some of these articles are available full-text (see Databases on our home page). For older materials (over 15 years), the library has The Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature in print format. There are also various indexes for specific magazines such as The National Geographic Index.
Where can I find local obituaries?

Local obituaries are available in the Local History Department located at the Downtown Library. There is the Obituary File online. You can search for the date in which the obituary appeared in one of the local newspapers. However these obituaries are not full-text online. You can request a copy of the obituary by calling our Local History department at (423) 757-5317.
Do I have to return my library materials to the branch where I first checked them out?

You can return any materials to any of our branches. It does not matter where you first checked out the materials or to which branch the materials belong.
How can I get something that your library does not own?

We do offer an Interlibrary loan service. You can request materials through this service by filling out an Interlibrary Loan Request form and returning it to the library. The loan periods and cost vary depending on the materials requested and the library that owns the material. Most Interlibrary loans take at least two weeks to fill.
Can I request that the library purchase a specific book or other materials?

We do have purchase request forms. However, we cannot guarantee that the library will be able to purchase all materials requested. There is a selection committee that will review requests and determine the suitability of the items based on reviews from outside resources, the quality of binding (most paper backs or spiral bound books are rejected due to their unreliability), and budget.
How long can I check out materials?

New books and high demand books (for example, summer reading books during the summer months) - 7 days.

All other circulating books can be checked out for 28 days.

Audio Materials are checked out for 28 days

Videos are checked out for 7 days

Magazines (from all branches except the Downtown Branch) are checked out for 7 days

Renewals can be requested for one 7-day period. Items with holds may not be renewed. Patrons may check out up to 10 non-print items and a total of 30 items.
How much are the charges on my library card?

You can check for charges by calling the Circulation Department at any of our branches or clicking on "Your Account". Overdue fines are as follows:

$.10 per day for books

$.10 per day for audio materials

$.10 per day for videos

$1.00 for all overdue or lost notices

The maximum fine is $10.00 per item regardless of the cost of the item or its format. You cannot check out materials or print from the library computers if you have accumulated $5.00 in fines or have 5 items overdue.

Items returned in the book deposit after the library has closed are considered to have been returned before midnight prior to the day the library is next open.
Does my card ever expire?

Regular library cards must be renewed every three years. Temporary and Restricted cards expire in 3 months. If your card is lost, stolen, or damaged, you can replace the card for a $1.00 fee.
Do I have to have a library card to use the computers in the library?

We have installed a variety of equipment that will require either a free guest card or a library card. If you wish to print from the computers, you will be charged 10 cents for every page that contains printing.
The Tennessee Electronic Library is asking me for a password....

Please call or visit the library branch nearest you for more information about the Tennessee Electronic Library and the Gale Databases.
Do you have word processing?

There are computers available at all of our branches that have word processing. There is a time limit on all our computers and you may reserve a specific time, if you call ahead at 757-5415. The computers will be shut down thirty minutes before the library closes. The printing cost is $.10 per page. Disks for saving your work may be purchased for $1.00. See Computer Services for more information.
Is there wireless Internet access in any of the library buildings?
Yes, there are wireless transmitters on all three floors of the Downtown Library. An information sheet is available here and in the library to help you connect with your own wireless-capable devices.

This page was updated on 6/27/06.

This page is Bobby Approved