How Do I?

Click the Hours & Location button at the top of the page.

You can learn more about library cards by visiting our Get a Card page.

If you want to see whether we have an item available for loan, you can browse our catalog on any device or from any of the catalog kiosks inside the library. If you’d like to locate an item on the shelf, simply visit the appropriate collection area:

• Nonfiction materials (including audiobooks and Playaways) are shelved using the Dewey Decimal classification system
• Fiction materials (including audiobooks and Playaways) and biographies are shelved in alphabetical order by author or editor’s last name, and then by series order or title
• Music is shelved in alphabetical order by artist, and then by series order or album title
• Movies are shelved in alphabetical order by title
• Video games are shelved by system and then alphabetically by title
• Periodicals are shelved in alphabetical order by publication title, with back issues in chronological order by publication date

Here’s a basic map of these areas, so you can find them inside the building:

Any patron can have as many as 20 total items on loan to their account at one time. Keep in mind that: You can only borrow six (6) movies at once, and just one (1) video game, but those are within your total limit of 20 items.

You can learn more about our loan periods by visiting our Library Fees page.

Your Rowan County Public Library is a fine-free library! That means we don’t charge a penalty for overdue items that need to be returned. We do still assess replacement fees for any items you damage or lose; you can learn more about this policy on our Library Fees page.

If you have a library card, you can simply choose any available computer station and click the screen to select “log in as patron.” You’ll be prompted to enter your library card number in the first box; this number is fourteen (14) digits long (no spaces), located on the back of your card. Enter your PIN or password in the second box, then click “confirm” to see our computer usage policies. You’ll have to click “accept” in the top right-hand corner of the screen to acknowledge these policies and go to the desktop. Once there, you can use the computer normally!

A small window at the top of the screen will indicate how much time remains in your session. As long as no other patrons have made reservations to use a computer you can stay on for as long as you like. All you have to do is request more time at the circulation desk.

When you’re finished, click the purple “end session” button and confirm that you’d like to log out; the computer will reset itself and erase any personal information you entered, so be sure to save your work to the cloud or to a removable storage device such as a thumb drive!

If you don’t have a library card, this process is almost the same, except you’ll need to request a guest pass at the front circulation desk. When you log onto a computer, choose “log in as guest” instead of “log in as patron,” and use the codes provided on your guest pass for your library card number and PIN. Guest passes are good for one (1) business day, so they’ll work for you until we close for the evening.

For more computer information you can visit our Computers & WiFi page.

To connect to our free WiFi network simply perform a network search on your device (or refresh your list of available networks) and select “RCPL Free WiFi” to connect.

You can visit our Computers & WiFi page for more information.

You can print items from a library computer or from our mobile printing service. Visit our Print, Copy, Fax page for more information.

Visit our Print, Copy, Fax page for copying information.

Visit our Print, Copy, Fax page for faxing information.

People misplace items in the library all the time, and our community is wonderful about turning found items in to us. If we find something that’s obviously lost and can identify the owner, we’ll try to contact you right away; otherwise, if you’ve lost something at the library, just ask a staff member at the front circulation desk. You’ll need to describe the item as best you’re able so that we can find it for you.

here are all kinds of ways to support your local library, and donations are one of the most helpful. We’ll gladly take any book that’s in good condition (no fire or water damage, no mold, etc.) and give you a receipt for tax purposes, if you want one. You can bring donations straight to the front circulation desk, if they’re small, or call ahead for a big donation and we’ll help you unload at the rear drive-through.

You can visit our Support the Library page for more information.