A free library card is available to area residents and may be used in any of the branches in the Smyth-Bland system. In order to obtain a library card, proof of identification and address must be presented. Library cards are required when checking out materials. Cards are available to non-residents for a $10 annual fee. A parent or guardian is required to sign in order for minor children to receive a card.

Any lost or stolen card must be reported to the library immediately to prevent unauthorized use.

Adult patrons are responsible for all items checked out on their cards. Parents, or the authorizing adult, of minor patrons are responsible for items checked out on their cards. All responsible patrons should make the library aware of any changes in address, name, and must report stolen cards immediately.

Lost cards can be replaced for $1.25.

Patrons receive a date due printout at the point of checkout. The loan period and associated overdue fines for the various types of materials are as follows:

Adult Books	2 Weeks	$0.10 per day overdue fine
Children's Books	2 Weeks	$0.10 per day overdue fine
Adult Magazines	2 Weeks	$0.10 per day overdue fine
Children's Magazines	2 Weeks	$0.10 per day overdue fine
Children's Paperbacks	2 Weeks	$0.10 per day overdue fine
Adult Music CD's & Cassettes	2 Weeks	$0.10 per day overdue fine
Children's Music CD's & Cassettes	2 Weeks	$0.10 per day overdue fine
Adult Recorded Books	2 Weeks	$0.10 per day overdue fine
Children's Recorded Books	2 Weeks	$0.10 per day overdue fine
All Videos & DVD's	3 Days	$1.00 per day overdue fine

Maximum fine for most materials will be $3.00 per item. Maximum fine for videos and DVD's is $5.00 per item. Fines for films or AV equipment will be accrued at the rate of $1.00 per day. Failure to return items will result in the patron being charged replacement cost for the item.

Items may be renewed for two additional checkout periods by phone or submit a renewal request via the online catalog. Patrons wanting a third renewal must bring items into the library. Items that are on hold for another patron may not be renewed. Videos and DVD's are not eligible for renewal.

Patrons are allowed to check out 3 videos and 3 DVD's at a time. Patrons are also limited to 3 magazines, 3 Audio Books and 3 Music CD's at a time. A total of 25 items may be checked out per card at any given time.

Book drops are located at each branch to return materials when the library is closed. Books, CD's, and cassettes may be returned to any of the library branches within the system. Videos and DVD's must be returned to the location from which they were borrowed.

Interlibrary Loans are available through an interlibrary loan system. Smyth-Bland Regional Library uses an electronic system called OCLC to make resources from college, university, public, business and special libraries available to patrons. Interlibrary loan (ILL) request forms are available at all circulation desks and must contain as much specific information as possible about the item requested. There is no fee for the service, but the requesting patron will need to pay the cost of postage at the time of checkout. The length of the loan is determined by the lending library. Renewals may or may not be available, but must be requested approximately one week prior to the due date. Libraries are not willing to lend the following materials: films, recordings, newer materials, reference books, genealogical materials, bound or unbound periodicals, rare books, special collection books, newspapers (except those on microfilm) and music. It is also difficult to obtain theses and dissertations. The lending library may request that the materials be limited for "use in library only". Lost or damaged items are the full responsibility of the borrowing patron.

In the Southwest Virginia Heritage Library at the Main location, microfilm copies of the census records for Smyth and the surrounding counties are available. We, also, currently subscribe to two census databases. (1) Heritage Quest Online, which is available inside the library and remotely with the login name and password. (Contact the front desk to get the login information.) (2) Ancestry.com which is another database available to our patrons inside the library only. Census records for Virginia counties are available from the Library of Virginia at no cost except the return postage.