Frequently Asked Questions
Search through the categories below to find the answers you need!
Can’t find the answer you’re looking for? Call the Duck Creek Regional Library at 302-653-4579 to talk to a member of staff, and we would be happy to assist you!
- How many items can I check out? How many can my child check out?
- First Library Cards (0-5yrs) – 12 items
- Kid’s Card (6-12yrs) – 12 items
- Teen Card (12-17yrs) – 25 items
- Adult Card (18+ yrs) – 50 items, 25 for DVDs
- Educator Card – 99 items
- The item I placed on hold is available at the library. How much time do I have to pick it up?
- Once holds arrive at the library and are checked in, they can remain on our holds shelf for up to 5 business days. If the item is not picked up within this time, the holds are sent back to their home location.
- If the library is closed for any reason (emergency closure, holidays, professional development days, etc.), holds and due dates are extended, removing the day(s) that the library was closed from the pick-up time window.
- How long will it take for a hold to come in?
- If an item is available for check-out at the time of placing a hold, it will typically take anywhere from a couple of days to a week to arrive at your pick-up library. The hold can be delayed if:
- There are weather delays or library closures, local or statewide.
- Copies of your chosen item are in high demand, and there is a waitlist to receive the item.
- All copies of your chosen item are currently checked out, and items must be checked back in by their previous user before they can be sent in transit.
- If an item is available for check-out at the time of placing a hold, it will typically take anywhere from a couple of days to a week to arrive at your pick-up library. The hold can be delayed if:
- Can I place a hold on a physical item with the Libby app?
- No, holds placed on the Libby App are for digital items only. These items are not part of the library inventory system, and we cannot see their status on our end. Holds on Libby can only be managed by the user through the Libby App.
- What does it mean that I am in line for a Libby item?
- Digital materials on Libby are managed similarly to physical items, in that there are only so many copies available at one time. If you are “in line” for a Libby item, it means another library patron has currently checked out the item. Once the patrons in front of you have finished using the item, it will become available for you to check out on the app.
- How do I renew a book/item?
- If the item you have checked out has no holds on it, your item should automatically renew for another three weeks. Three days before your due date, you should receive an email notification telling you either that your item has been renewed successfully or that you are required to return it. The item may be unable to renew if:
- There is another hold on the item, and another patron is waiting to check it out.
- The item has been renewed on your account three times and therefore reached the limit of renewals before it must be returned.
- I’ve lost/damaged an item. What do I do?
- If an item is damaged while you have it checked out, please notify library staff of the damage so they can determine if it can be fixed.
- If the item is lost or damaged beyond repair, the patron may be required to pay a replacement fee, equal to the retail value at the time the item was purchased by the library. This amount is included in the item’s catalog record. You can also choose to bring in an identical replacement item, which may save money depending on the current retail value of the item. Once you have purchased a replacement or paid the replacement fee, you have officially purchased the item and cannot be refunded for it. If you find a lost item after paying for it, that item is now yours and cannot be returned to the library.
- I remember returning an item, but it’s still checked out to my account. What do I do?
- Firstly, we would recommend searching thoroughly for the item, just in case it was not returned. If you still cannot find the item, please call or come into the library and inform the staff that you have returned an item, but it is still on your account. The library staff will then look for the item in the library to see if it was mistakenly missed at check-in. If the item still cannot be found, it will be marked as “claims returned” on the patron’s account, and the patron will not be fined for the item.
- I can’t make it to Smyrna to return this book in time. Can I return it to another library?
- Yes! You can return Duck Creek Library materials, such as books, DVDs, CDs, or audiobooks, to any public library in the state.
- Note: Library of Things materials such as MiFi hotspots, Chromebooks, Tonies, or other Library of Things items must be returned directly to their home library.
- What do I need to register for a physical card? Do I have to pay a fee?
- If you are a Delaware resident, you only need any type of valid photo ID to apply for a library card. You will be required to fill out a library card application form in the library, and a member of library staff will set up your account for you and give you your new library card.
- Library cards are free for Delaware residents; you are not required to pay a fee.
- If you do not have a Delaware ID but are a Delaware resident, please speak to library staff about alternative identification.
- For more information on library cards, please visit this link.
- Is a digital library card the same as a physical one?
- Digital cards only give you access to digital materials through eResource apps such as Hoopla, Libby, Flipster, and others. A physical library card will also provide digital access, as well as access to all physical materials, public computer usage, and all other resources that come with having a library card.
- You can sign up for a digital card at this link. Physical cards can only be acquired in person. If at any point you would like to convert your digital card into a physical card, please inform the library staff about your existing account, and they can help you with this process.
- Does my card from the old library work here?
- If your account is active, your Delaware library card will work at any public library in the state, including cards acquired at Smyrna Public Library before we migrated to Duck Creek. If your account is inactive or has not been used for some time, please speak to a member of library staff about renewing your card for free.
- My card is “expired.” How do I resolve this?
- Library cards are active in our system for 3 years at a time. At the end of the three years, you will need to renew your card with library staff, and they may require your ID to check that the information on your account is still accurate and up-to-date. There is no fee to renew. You are not required to get a new physical card upon renewal, but you may request one if you wish.
- Where do I find library events?
- You can see all of our upcoming events on our online calendar at this link. We also provide printed copies of adult, teen, and children’s event calendars inside the library. Please also keep an eye on our social media for updates on new programs, program cancellations, date changes, and more.
- Why isn’t this regular program listed for a future month?
- Programs are typically entered into our calendar a few months in advance. However, depending on the program planning, some events may only be entered a month at a time, or the programmers are waiting on some information before scheduling too far in advance. Rest assured that we will do our best to have programs on the calendar in a timely manner!
- Do I need to register for programs in advance?
- It is always specified in the event description on our online calendar if registration is preferred or even required. Some events may require preregistration due to limited materials or space, or registration may be required by an outside facilitator running a program in the library. If you have trouble finding this information or want to double-check, you can always call the library or ask in person for information on a particular program.
- Does attending a program cost money?
- Almost all library-sponsored programs do not cost a fee to attend. On the rare occasion that there is a program in the library with a cost involved, that information will be prominently displayed on the event description on our calendar, and any flyers/social media posts related to the event.
- Can I request a book be added to the catalog? If so, how and where?
- You can request materials to be added in a couple of ways. Firstly, you can always call the library about a material request, and the library staff will get your request back to our collection developers. There is also a suggestion box at the front desk at Duck Creek with specialized forms available for material requests. We are always happy to hear your requests, but please be aware that item acquisition is still under the discretion of our collection developers, and the item may not be purchased, even if requested.
- Do you accept donations? What can I donate, and how do I do it?
- We do accept donations! You can bring donated materials to the circulation desk during any of our open hours.
- Per our policy, we cannot accept the following donations:
- Textbooks
- Encyclopedias and outdated reference materials
- VHS or cassette tapes
- Items that are moldy, water-damaged, heavily worn, or infested
- Books with excessive writing, underlining, or missing pages
- Library discards in poor condition
- I donated something – is it going to end up on the shelf?
- Donated items may end up on the shelf if they meet our needs and collections policy requirements. If the item is not added to our collections, it will most likely be added to our Friends of the Library book store and sold second-hand. Proceeds from this store go directly to the Friends of the Duck Creek Regional Library, which supports library endeavors. Donated items that are damaged, mildewed, dirty, or otherwise do not meet our collection or sale standards will be properly recycled through DSWA.
- How much is it to print/copy?
- Black and white prints are 10 cents per page, and color prints are 25 cents per page. Prints done from public computers and digitally through Princh are paid for at the circulation desk.
- Since we only have a black and white copy machine, copies are also 10 cents per page. Copies are paid for using the coin box beside the copy machine. The coin box does not accept pennies or bills over $5.
- I used to send my prints to the Smyrna Library email. Is this still in use?
- No, the Smyrna library email is no longer active, and we do not use our email for digital printing anymore.
- I had money on my library account for printing. Is it still there?
- Unfortunately, no. Delaware Libraries experienced a cyber attack on their network in 2024. As a result of this, we are no longer able to keep money balances on patron accounts, and any previous balances were lost. This occurred before we moved into the new library building, and the library staff attempted to notify patrons of this issue at the time of the cyber attack. Regrettably, there is nothing we can do to restore the balances, and prints must be paid for at the time of usage only.
- How do I print from my phone?
- We use a service called Princh for digital printing, and the link to our printer can be found at this link. You will be required to download the file(s) you are printing to your phone, then upload the file(s) to Princh. Once this is completed, they will be sent to our printing terminal, and you can go to the circulation desk in the library to pay for your prints. Once you have paid for your prints, our staff will send your files to the printer in the library, and you can pick them up there.
- Note: Prints only remain in our terminal for 12 hours. From the time you upload your files, you have 12 hours to pay for and retrieve your prints. Otherwise, you will be required to upload the files to Princh all over again.
- Do you offer Faxing/Scanning Services?
- Yes, we do! We have one flatbed fax machine/scanner. As of now, we charge a $1 flat fee per fax. If your fax exceeds the number of pages for a single fax, you may be required to pay an additional $1.
- There is no fee to use the scanner to scan documents to your email.
- Do you have a notary?
- Unfortunately, we do not currently offer notary services in the library. However, we can recommend two different free notary options for you in the local area:
- Town of Smyrna at Town Hall: Appointments are required
- Ask for Amanda Sparks or Kate Ebaugh
- 302-653-9231
- Barkley Heating and Air: Appointments required for big jobs
- 302-653-5971
- 4739 Wheatley’s Pond Road Smyrna, DE 19977
- Open 9:00am to 4:00pm
- Town of Smyrna at Town Hall: Appointments are required
- Unfortunately, we do not currently offer notary services in the library. However, we can recommend two different free notary options for you in the local area:
- How do I reserve a study room? How far in advance can I reserve?
- You can reserve a study room either in person or over the phone at 302-653-4579.
- You can request a study room appointment up to three weeks in advance. Reservations are first-come, first-served.
- Can I walk in and get a study room?
- If there are study rooms available at the time of your visit, you can absolutely schedule a same-day appointment. However, we do recommend calling for an appointment at least the day before if you have an important meeting or cannot reschedule for another day.
- How long do I get to use the study room?
- Your study room appointment is 2 hours long. If you would like more time at the end of your appointment, you can ask the circulation staff if the room is available for 1 extra hour. If the room is scheduled to be used by another patron, you will be required to vacate the space at the end of your scheduled appointment.
- What are the study rooms equipped with?
- Each of our 4 study rooms contains a round table and 4 chairs, a smart board, and a large whiteboard with dry-erase materials. You do not have to request permission to use these materials during your scheduled appointment, but please notify staff if you have any trouble using the smart board or need additional whiteboard supplies. You are welcome to bring your own dry-erase markers, but we ask that you clean the boards with the provided spray and cloth upon ending your appointment.
- Are the study rooms soundproof? Can I take a video/phone call in one?
- While the study rooms do dampen sound, they are not perfectly soundproof. That being said, you are welcome to have a video or phone call in the rooms, as long as you are courteous of other patrons. If your meeting involves private information, we recommend you make an appointment with our teleservices specialist, as they provide private booths for this purpose.
