A great way to use the Library is to come in, poke around, see what catches your interest and check it out. Or maybe you know what title you want, are researching a specific subject, or your time is limited. Either way this basic orientation will help get you started,
The Main Room
- All of the new releases are on the shelves at the front end of the room (around the corner).
- The rest of adult fiction collection is arranged alphabetically by author on the shelves in the center of the room.
- The young adult titles are on the shelves along the right wall, as are some highlighted literary classics.
- The audiobooks are toward the back of the room, on the right, near the elevator.
- DVD's older than 3 months are shelved across the back wall. With about 2,000 titles, the Totman Library has one of the best DVD collections around, even compared to some larger area libraries.
- The magazine selection is at the back near the DVDs.
The Computer Room
- Located to the right of the Main Room, through the kitchenette and past the restroom, the Computer Room has six carrels for computers. You can use a Library computer or your own computer connected to the Library wifi (you’ll have to sign in at the check-out desk first).
- The Library’s Local History/Genealogy collection is kept in locked cases along one wall (the desk attendant has the key and will ask you to sign-out the book for in-Library use).
- The local daily newspapers are spread out on a table in this room.
- Check out the antique roll-top desk! When the Library was established in 1923, it was the librarian’s desk.
The Non-Fiction Room
Don’t miss the Library’s surprisingly varied non-fiction collection, which is down the stairs you’ll see to the right when you enter the Library.
The Children’s Room
The second floor is occupied by the children’s collection. This large and cheery space is also where you’ll find the scheduled story hour and other children’s programs.
The Library Meeting Room
At the back of the Main Room is the door to the Library Meeting Room where various Library meetings and programs are held.
The Online Public Acess Catalog (OPAC) System
This is your virtual shortcut to using the Library. It is a web-enabled database containing the Library’s collection, and a powerful tool to find a specific book, request a book be put on hold or survey the sources on a topic of interest. OPAC enables you to search for an item by title, author, subject, keyword and many other attributes.
Sign in to OPAC using your library card number found on back of your Library Card along with your last name. You can see the due dates of items you’ve checked out, reserve a book for the future, or even view a list of all the books you’ve checked out in the recent past.
You can access OPAC in two ways:
- At the computer station opposite the checkout desk next to the stairs
- From the Book Search link on the navigation bar of this Web site
Library Lending Rules
You can check out a book or audiobook for two weeks, a DVD or a magazine for one week. These can be renewed one time. New items can be checked out similarly, but are not renewable in order to make them available to other patrons.
That’s about it.
See you at the Library!