Frequently Asked Questions

Online membership allows you to place a reservation in the online catalogue, and to use our digital services, including downloading e-books, audiobooks, music, as well as accessing our members-only databases. You cannot borrow physical items until you convert to a full membership, but this can be done at any time.
Full membership allows you to do all of the above, plus borrow physical items from any Ipswich Libraries service point.

Complete the online membership application form

If you select a Full Membership, you will need to present proof of identity to receive your membership card. (Driver’s licence, health care card, pension card or rates notice, which shows your name & current address.) Full Membership for under 18 years requires the contact details and signature of a parent or guardian.

Membership is free to residents of Ipswich, surrounding Shires and Brisbane City.

Visit any Ipswich Libraries service point & complete a Membership Application form or Complete the online membership application form

You can have a maximum of 20 items on your library card.

You can borrow most items for 4 weeks and you may be able to extend your loan for another 2 weeks on request. DVDs have a 2 week loan period, and you may be able to extend your loan for another 1 week on request. Items may be renewed twice, unless a reservation has been placed on the item.

Please be aware of the following conditions when borrowing from Ipswich Libraries:

1. Overdue notices are sent as a courtesy reminder for your convenience. Please return or renew items if you receive a reminder.
2. We do not charge fines, but long overdue items will receive an invoice for the cost of the outstanding items. Membership privileges are suspended if you have long overdue items and outstanding charges.

An Overdue Notice will be sent immediately after the due date alerting you to overdue items.

A Final Notice will be sent when the items have been overdue more than 2 weeks. If the items are not returned within 1 week of this notice then they will be declared lost.

A Tax Invoice will be sent when items have been overdue by more than 3 weeks. This notice will indicate the amount payable including the original cost of the item.

You can receive reminder, overdue, final, and hold notice via email or SMS alerts. Reminders via email & SMS alerts are from Ipswich Libraries.

Remember that you are responsible for all items borrowed on your library card so it’s important that you keep your card safe and secure and not allow anyone to use it without your permission. Please make sure you report a lost card as soon as possible so it can be disabled.

When an item is 3 days away from its due date and has not been reserved by another borrower, the system will automatically renew the item for another 14 days from the original due date (7 days for DVDs and our Top 20 Collection). The system does not inform the borrower that an automatic renewal has taken place, however due dates of loan items can be viewed online.

Items may be renewed twice, unless a reservation has been placed on the item.

Items can also be renewed by the Borrower prior to the 3 day auto-renewal period.

1. Renew items yourself via our online catalogue
   • Visit our online catalogue
   • Enter your membership number (number beginning with X on the back of your membership card) and password.
   • Click on the “My Account” link under your name in the top right of the screen.
   • Under the Summary tab click on “Current Loans”.
   • Renew selected items by clicking the renew checkbox beside each item(s) then clicking on the “Renew Selected” button. To renew all items, click on the “Renew All” button.
   • The new due date will display beside each item.
2. Renew items by visiting or phoning any branch of the Ipswich Libraries.
3. E-mail your renewal request to . Please include your full name, membership number, e-mail address, and which items you would like renewed.

Reservations for books, CDs etc. can be placed in person, over the phone or online. A maximum of 20 reservations can be in place at any one time.

You can use the Suggest a Purchase Form to request that an item be purchased or borrowed from another library on Interlibrary loan.

1. Visit our online catalogue.
2. Enter your membership number (number beginning with X on the back of your membership card) and password in the login form in the top right side of the page.
3. Click on My Account under your name on the top right side of the page.

If you have searched our catalogue and we don’t own an item you would like, use this form to let us know the details and we might purchase it for our collection. You can also use this form to request an Interlibrary Loan. Please read the Interlibrary Loan Guidelines before placing an ILL request.

The Library Service has a range of venues for use/hire. Please visit our bookings page for more details.