Frequently Asked Questions
How do I obtain a library card?
You may obtain a card if you live in the East Meadow School District (EMSD).
Apply in person at the library. Bring two forms of identification. Acceptable identification is defined as follows:
1. A valid driver's license or other identification with a photo and a current residential address*; and
2. A utility bill, credit card bill, current car registration, insurance card, property tax bill, mortgage statement, bank statement, typed lease, landlord's notarized letter, or school identification.
*A U.S. Government-issued military I.D. will be accepted as a form of identification.
Military personnel and residents of 200 Carman Avenue (residents at the hospital) are entitled to library cards. The patron must show current proof of residence.
Teachers employed by the EMSD are also eligible for a library card (without direct access to Nassau Co. Libraries) which will expire annually. A letter from the school stating that they are currently employed will be sufficient to establish eligibility.
Non-residents who own property in the East Meadow School District also may have a library card if they show current identification and a tax bill for the property they own. This library card will be valid for one year.
Patrons whose cards are issued for one year will be asked to verify their qualifying information annually. All other cardholders are required to verify their residency every three years by presenting one form of identification.
Children's library cards will be issued to children who have reached their fifth birthday or who are in kindergarten. Their parent/guardian must present the child's birth certificate and two forms of identification (their library card is acceptable) which show proof of residence in the school district. Children's library cards have full access to all children's material.
When a patron reaches the sixth grade, they are considered a Young Adult and are issued an adult card. They will be entitled to take out all material except R-rated movies until the age of 18.
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Connect to our online catalog, ALISCAT, by clicking on the "Online Catalog" link that appears on the left side of our webpage. With ALISCAT you can check the holdings of nearly fifty public libraries in Nassau County, including East Meadow. Not only can you tell which library owns what, you can also see if the item in question is in or out. You may also request and renew most items. The web address for our online catalog is http://www.alisweb.org.
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The East Meadow Public Library is pleased to be part of the Nassau Digital Doorway (NDD), providing online access for your reading pleasure. Download and read content from your home computer or e-reader.
With your East Meadow Public Library card, you can:
An audiobook is a sound recording of a book you listen to.
An eBook is a digital version of a book you can read.
Instructions and help can be found on the NDD website or use one of the following device-specific eBook downloading guides:
Amazon Kindle Fire
Amazon Kindle Touch
Android Devices
Apple iPad/iPad 2
Barnes & Noble Nook
Barnes & Noble Nook Color
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The East Meadow Public Library is pleased to be part of the Nassau Digital Doorway (NDD), providing online access for your reading and listening pleasure. Download and listen to or read content from your home computer.
With your East Meadow Public Library card, you can:
An audiobook is a sound recording of a book you listen to.
An eBook is a digital version of a book you can read.
Instructions and help can be found on the NDD site.
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Click the My Account link that appears on the top right of the library's webpage. This will take you to the login screen for ALISCAT, the library's online catalog system. You will be asked to supply your library card number and Personal Identification Number (PIN). Be sure to enter your card number with no spaces. If you haven't established a PIN for your account, simply leave the PIN box blank, click the Submit button, and you'll be prompted to create one. You can use the 'Forgot your PIN?' link to reset an existing PIN (an e-mail address must be associated with your account). My Account allows you to:
• See what is checked out and when items are due
• Renew material (see renew section below)
• Enable e-mail notices (see notices section below)
• Create an RSS feed of your library record updates (see http://www.alisweb.org/screens/newfeat.html for more information)
• Reserve material (see reserve section below)
• Maintain a reading history (you must opt-in before this feature is enabled)
• Freeze requests (so that they are not filled while on vacation)
• Save preferred searches and receive e-mail as new items are added to the catalog matching your search criteria
If you encounter problems with the MY Account feature, please call the library at 794-2570 and choose option 9 (Reference Desk).
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There are three ways to renew books and other items: in person, by phone, or online by clicking the My Account link that appears on our website. You will be asked to supply your library card number and Personal Identification Number (PIN). If you haven't established a PIN for your account, simply leave the PIN box blank, click the Submit button, and you'll be prompted to create one. You can use the 'Forgot your PIN?' link to reset an existing PIN. Once logged in to your account, click the 'items checked out' link to see what you currently have borrowed. You may select titles individually and then click 'renew selected items' or you may 'renew all.' If the material is eligible for renewal, it will renew for half the original loan period. You may only renew eligible material once. If you encounter problems with this feature, please call the library at 794-2570 and choose option 9.
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How do I receive notices via e-mail?
If you would like to receive notices via e-mail, simply add your e-mail address to your library account. This may be accomplished a number of ways:
The following notices are sent via e-mail:
Once an e-mail address is stored in your account, you will receive the above correspondence by e-mail only. If you prefer to receive a phone call for Hold Pick-Up and you prefer to have Overdue/Bill Notices sent via regular mail, do not enter an e-mail address.
* Courtesy Reminders are not sent for items that have a loan period of 3 days or shorter (i.e. DVD movies).
NOTE: Please add notices@eastmeadow.info to your address book or whitelist to ensure proper delivery of messages.
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For current and general subjects click on the Research Databases link which appears on the left menu of the East Meadow Public Library homepage. Next you will see a drop-down menu in the middle of the screen from which you can select either Research Library, General One File or for younger students, Elibrary, Kids InfoBits or Primary Search. You will need to enter the card number from your East Meadow Public Library card to gain access to research databases.
Clicking on the aforementioned links brings you to basic search screens where you can type in the subject you are seeking being as specific as possible. For example, the subject “mathematics” might be too general producing many more hits on the results list than, perhaps “Fibonacci numbers” might.
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The East Meadow Public Library’s website is the place to go when you are looking for information on any subject. Check the Online Catalog for books and media material. Our list of Research Databases will be your entry point for magazine and newspaper articles in addition to encyclopedias and other electronic resources in many subject areas. Once you make a selection you can key in a subject to find information. You will need to key in the barcode from your East Meadow Public Library card in order to gain access to a research database. If you are unsure of where to start and are looking for articles, try Research Library or General One File first.
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Would you like the library to purchase a particular title for its collection? If so, let us know by submitting the suggestion online.
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How do I donate to the library?
Our Buy-A-Book Campaign is a novel way to support your library and at the same time commemorate a certain occasion or remember a special person. Your Buy-A-Book contribution will be used to enhance the library's collection which includes material as varied as children's picture books, music on compact disc, DVD movies, CD-ROMs, specialized nonfiction, and popular fiction. A personalized bookplate will be placed in each of the item(s) purchased with your donation. A contribution of $200 or more will also entitle you to an inscribed plate which will be added to the library's memorial/honorial plaque located near the entrance of the library.
Buy-A-Book Donation Form.
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