Frequently Asked Questions

A photo ID and proof of residency or property ownership within the town limits of Southern Pines are required to obtain a card at no charge. A valid driver’s license, utility bill, or tax notice with your name and current street address are acceptable. After an application form is completed, the card will be issued and may be used immediately.

Southern Pines residents support the library through their taxes. Nonresidents pay a fee for a library card that approximates what residents pay annually per capita through taxes. Four options exist for purchasing a membership (fees adjusted every October):

• Full Access Card - for use of the full collection and services
  • $60 for 12 months
  • $30 dollars for 6 months
• Limited Access Card - for use of the juvenile and young adult collection and services
  • $20 for 12 months
  • $10 for 6 months

There is not a limit as to how many books, audiobooks, or magazines may be checked out to a borrower. Only 2 Book Club Kits and 3 DVDs may be checked out by a patron at one time. 

All materials may be kept for 3 weeks with the exception of Book Club Kits, which may be kept for 6 weeks.

All materials may be renewed 1 time for an additional 3 weeks. Items will automatically renew on their due date, unless another patron has requested the item, you have reached the fine limit, or the item has already been renewed once.

You may also renew materials online using the library catalog, or by telephone when the library is open. Please be prepared to give your library card number and the titles of the books you wish to renew.

The overdue charge is $0.10 per item per day, except for Book Club Kits which are $1 per item per day. 

You may place a hold on items which are unavailable and be notified by email or text. Books may also be requested from other libraries through the Interlibrary Loan system. The charge per item is determined by the return postage cost and the lending library’s fee.

When you register for your card, you will be asked to choose a personal identification number (PIN). Your library card number and PIN may be used to: 

• Sign up for a computer in the library.
• Place monetary funds into an account to use for printing at library computers.
• View your account, place holds on items, and renew materials online using the online catalog.
• Access subscription online resources from the library website.

A hold request may be placed online using your library card number and PIN. To place a hold, search for the title(s) of interest in the library catalog. When the title is displayed, select the “Place Hold” button. The request form will be displayed. After entering your library card number and PIN, select the “Submit Hold” button. To ensure that you get the next available item, make sure to keep the "I want the first available copy" option selected. You will receive a test message or email notification, depending on your notification set-up, once the item(s) arrives. The item(s) availability will also display on your online account as "Arrived" once it is ready to be picked up. Holds will be available for pick up for up to 7 days, and a patron may only place 5 item(s) on hold at a time.  

A personal identification number (PIN) consists of four numbers that have meaning for you and are easy for you to remember. Having a PIN will enable you to access your library account online, renew items, place holds on materials, or access subscription databases from home. If you have never chosen a PIN, library staff must assist you the first time, either in person or over the telephone. Because your account information is confidential, you must provide your card number.

The Southern Pines Public Library (SPPL) has a service that allows you to sign up for notifications for your library account. Cardholders can get these notifications via email or text. This means that cardholders will now have the option of having email or text messages sent to remind them when items are due or overdue, and to notify them when items on hold have arrived or been canceled. Library staff members may help you set up your notification preferences, or you may do it yourself by logging into your online library account.

When emails are returned or bounced, the staff puts a note into the patron’s account. Once staff receive two returned email notices, notices are canceled for this account. If you are no longer receiving email notifications, please see a Library staff member for help.

With our new MobilePrint Service™, you can use your personal computer or mobile device to print to the library’s printers from anywhere. Simply submit documents for printing and come to the library to release and pick up your document using your library card. View Mobile Printing instructions.

The Southern Pines Public Library offers limited, free Notary services by appointment. Notary services are limited to three documents/five signatures per visit. Library notaries are unable to notarize the following:
- DMV forms/vehicle titles
- Real Estate/mortgage documents
- Child Custody documents
- Wills, trusts, deeds
- Birth/Death Certificates or copies

A Notary's duty is to verify the identity of signers of documents, their willingness to sign free of duress or intimidation, and their awareness of the contents of the document or transaction. Please complete the following form and Library Notary Staff will call you to schedule an appointment.

Notary Services Appointment Request

The Southern Pines Public Library Strategic Plan 2020/2025 is a plan outlining methods to improve library services for patrons. The plan was created by library staff members and approved by Town Council in August 2020. It was submitted to the State Library of North Carolina in October 2020.