Laptops

To borrow a laptop, you must make a reservation on the library website. Reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance, and can be up to 3 months in advance. Only one laptop at a time can be reserved, but you can have up to 2 reservations per 30 days, per library card.

Once you make a reservation, you’ll receive an email confirming your reservation is under review by staff. Once staff reviews the reservation request, you’ll receive an email that the reservation was approved or denied.

Make plans to pick up your laptop within twenty-four 24 hours of the day for which you make the reservation. Your reservation will expire after that period.

Watch a quick video walking you through the reservation process:

You will receive a laptop in a case, a charger, a charging cord, and a mouse in a bag. You will be required to sign a contract at the time of check out.

• The laptop runs the ‘Windows 10’ operating system and should look similar to the library’s public computers.
• Hotspots may be requested separately from the laptops. The library cannot guarantee the availability of a hotspot with your laptop check out.

Only 1 laptop reservation will be allowed per month, per library card.

To check out a laptop you must:

• Be 18 years or older
• Present a valid photo ID at the time of check out
• Have an email address attached to your library account
• Have a valid library card from the Garfield County Libraries
• Have your library account in good standing, i.e. up to date, less than $25 in charges, etc.

Patrons who borrow laptops are expected to have basic knowledge of how to use a computer such as:

• Starting and shutting down the computer
• Accessing the internet and other software
• Saving files
• Turning wireless internet on and off

Laptops check out for 21 days. If you need more time, you can make another reservation in the system, however, you may be required to reserve a different device.

Technical support for laptops will not be available. However, if you need assistance you can make an appointment with library staff for additional help. If there is a problem with the device, please notify your local library and return the device so we can take a look at it.

There are no late fees for the laptops. However, if a laptop is not brought back within 10 days of the due date, the library will consider the device lost and/or stolen. The borrower will be charged for the replacement cost of $920.00. The library may report the failure to return to the appropriate law enforcement authorities and/or a collections agency.

Contact the library regarding misplaced or damaged accessories.

The laptop must be delivered personally to the Circulation Desk and given to a staff person at the library from which it was borrowed on or before the date it is due. Laptops should not be returned in the library book drops.

• Borrower will comply with all state and federal laws concerning use of the Internet and all library policies concerning the use of borrowed materials and equipment.
• Borrower will not lend the computer to other persons and shall exercise care to assure the computer is not lost or stolen.
• Borrower will exercise care to properly use the computer and not to cause damage to it.
• Borrower shall be responsible for saving and/or making copies of all documents and other work performed by the Borrower.

All files need to be saved to an external hard drive, like a flash drive or USB, or to cloud-based storage. The library is not responsible for any lost files.

Some best practices to adhere to are:

• Protect the laptop from liquids, dampness, and/or extreme temperatures (vehicle, outdoors, etc.)
• Keep the laptop in a secure, dry area.
• Do not disassemble the laptop.

Reasons for denying a reservation request may include, but are not limited to:

• Borrower’s library account is not current and/or in good standing
• Lack of satisfactory ID upon pick up of the device
• Prior violations of the laptop loan contract by the borrower
• Prior violations of other library policies