Services
Library materials contain a check out period of two weeks, and will renew automatically for an additional two week period, as long as materialshave not been put on reserve by another patron. Materials originating outside of the Sayre Public Library, such as bookmobile books and interlibrary loans, will not renew automatically.
To renew materials online, email sayre.library@gmail.com, or use the form here.
In-House Resources
The library maintains an evolving collection of books in regular and large-type print. We also house a collection of audiobooks on CD. Subscriptions for a number of periodicals, magazines, and journals are maintained by the library. Subscriptions to a selection of local and national newspapers allow us to provide print news to the local public. These publications include:
The Morning Times
The Daily Review
The Wall Street Journal
The Rocket Courier
The Sullivan Review
The Canton Independent-Sentinel
USA Today
For preservation and archival purposes, certain library materials are available for in-house use only, and remain unavailable for outside borrowing. This includes the bulk of our local history and archival materials. Please see below for details on this collection.
Acquiring a Library Card
Pennsylvania residents may sign-up for a Sayre Public Library card free of charge by visiting the circulation desk inside the library. If able, we ask that you provide a driver’s license or other form of valid identification, as well as proof of address. If you have recently moved or re-located and your identification does not reflect your current address, you may bring a recent piece of mail with your name and new address on it.
Out of State residents, are asked to pay $10.00, one-time fee to sign up for a library card. However, two exceptions are made in this regard:
Waverly, New York residents
Guthrie Clinic employees who reside outside of Pennsylvania
Per the Bradford County Library System’s “One Card” initiative, a Sayre Public Library card allows patrons to borrow, utilize resources, and return materials from all nine libraries in Bradford County. These include:
Allen F. Pierce Public Library (Troy)
Bradford County Public Library (Burlington)
Green Free Public Library (Canton)
Mather Memorial Library (Ulster)
Monroeton Public Library (Monroeton)
Spalding Memorial Library (Athens)
Towanda Public Library (Towanda)
Wyalusing Public Library (Wyalusing)
If a library card is currently held at one of these system libraries, it is likewise valid for use at the Sayre Public Library.
Sayre Public Library cards expire once every two years from the date of registration. This expiration is a system we use in order to help keep patron contact information up to date. To renew your registration, please contact the library or stop in. The process requires only a few brief questions, and the click of a button!
Renewal
The Sayre Public Library offers numerous ways to renew materials.
For email renewals, please write a brief message to:
sayre.library@gmail.com, or use the form here.
We ask that you please offer your full name, and/or library card number.
Patrons seeking a renewal may also contact the library via telephone at:
Finally, self-assisted renewal is available through this website. To renew materials yourself, visit the Online Catalog page. On the top right of this page, patrons will find two fields requiring the full library card number associated with the renewable materials, as well as a password. If a password has not been set on a patron’s account, a default setting of that patron’s full phone number with no dashes is required. Once logged in, click on the ‘My Account’ button. This option will display a box containing a number of options. Please select the ‘Items Out/Renewals,’ option to renew materials.
Reserves
To reserve materials online, patrons may sign into their account via the Online Catalog. On the top right of this page, patrons will find two fields requiring the full library card number associated with the renewable materials, as well as a password. If a password has not been set on a patron’s account, a default setting of that patron’s full phone number with no dashes is required. Once logged in, patrons may search the catalog accordingly for the selected material(s).
If the item is available through Sayre Public Library, and is not checked out, an option will allow patrons to click the selection in order to open the material record. Next patrons will click on the button located on the top-left that provides the option reading: “Reserve this item.” Once the item is reserved, our librarians will prepare your material. Patrons will be notified via their preferred method when the item is ready to be picked up and checked out.
If an item is not available at Sayre Public Library, patrons may search to view if the material is available at any of the nine Bradford County Library System libraries. Patrons may do this while logged into their account by clicking on the “Search Other Libraries” option, which is located above and below the search results. An similar option to reserving is available, however, this option allows patrons to request that material for order on Inter-Library Loan. In this case, the process is similar: Our librarians will process and carry out your request, and notification via the patron’s preferred method will be carried out upon fulfillment of their request.
Inter-library Loan
The Sayre Public library participates in a state-wide Inter-Library Loan sharing service. The state system, called AccessPA, allows the library to search and request various physical materials on loan from libraries across the state. This includes university, independent, and public libraries. To request a material, please contact the library. Sharing of materials relies on the USPS, UPS, etc. In turn, shipping times vary, but tend to arrive within 3 days to a week. All postage is covered by the library budget. However, we will gladly accept a donation covering shipping costs. Borrowing times for interlibrary loan materials are typically set at approximately one month, with chance for renewal requests.
eBooks and AudioBooks
The library currently offers two chief resources for eBook & audiobook offerings. Both are accessible for free using our library card. The first, called Libby, may be accessed online or through an app downloaded to your device. The second resource, called Hoopla, may also be accessed by downloading the app. Both resources are available via the libraries Online Resources page. In particular, Hoopla maintains a wider scope, offering movies, TV shows, and music alongside reading materials. For more information on these offerings, or help accessing them, contact the library or stop in.
Download eBooks and Audiobooks
Getting Started with Libby Guide
Hoopla: Frequently Asked Questions
What’s going on with Hoopla?
We know you love our Hoopla lending service for on-demand access to e-books, audiobooks, streaming TV, movies, music and more! We do too! However, due to the pay-as-you-go pricing model of Hoopla, this increased popularity has resulted in a steady increase in spending. Fortunately, Hoopla has introduced a new budgeting program that will allow us to keep the Hoopla service and not spend beyond our capacity.
How does Hoopla work?
Libraries that offer Hoopla pay a fee each time a library patron checks a material out through the service. Prices vary among items based on format, publisher, newness of materials, etc. For our library, the cost of an average audiobook lend is $2.52 and the average e-book lend is $1.48. Last year Sayre Public Library cardholders checked out 3,204 materials on Hoopla.
What is changing?
Prior to this year, the Library System of Bradford County covered all costs of Hoopla. Beginning in 2025, libraries in the system will receive a monthly allocation from the system for Hoopla and individual libraries will have the capacity to add funds to their account and set a monthly budget that cannot be exceeded. The monthly budget will then be divided over the number of days in the month to create a daily spend limit. If the daily limit is not reached, funds for that day will roll over into the next day.
How will I know if the budget for the day has been used up?
Patrons who attempt to borrow something from Hoopla after the total spending for the day has been reached will receive a message stating “The collective daily borrow limit set by your library has been reached and will reset at midnight. Please browse and add titles to favorites so you can easily access them after midnight.”
Will this affect the 10-items-per-patron monthly limit that was already established on Hoopla?
Library card holders will still be able to borrow up to ten items per month as long as they are able to do so within the daily budget caps set.
Will this affect the Libby service as well?
Libby borrowing will not be affected by the Hoopla budget cap
Will monthly Bonus Borrows still be available?
Bonus Borrows – selected titles that are available for the last seven days of the month – allow cardholders to borrow additional library books, movies, and more without using monthly instant borrows or impacting the budget cap. Patrons are take advantage of Bonus Borrows to stretch borrowing capacity further!
Can I donate to the library to help keep the costs of Hoopla manageable?
Library donations are always gratefully accepted, and donations can be marked to go toward e resources. Donations cannot be used to bolster an individual account but will be used specifically toward Sayre Public Library costs.
If you have any questions about the new Hoopla limits please contact the library at 570-888-2256 or email director@sayrepl.org. We appreciate your continued support of Sayre Public Library!
Tech Help
Ongoing basic computer and laptop classes are available at the library. Please see the library Events & Programming calendar on our homepage dates and times.
Computers and WiFi
The library offers free WiFi service, and maintains six desktop computers, several laptops, and iPads with high-speed Internet access which patrons may use free of charge. Desktop computer usage time is unlimited, so long as needs are met, and another patron is not waiting to use the device.
Copy/Print/Fax/Scan
A number of resources are available for printing, scanning, etc. These services are available to patrons and non-patrons alike. Along with computer access, the library also provides a scanner for use free of charge. Patrons may also print either wirelessly from their own device via a Wifi connection, or use our in-house computers. A copier is also made available to the public. Printing costs are $.25 per page for black &white copies, while color printing is available for $1.00 per page. Finally, the library maintains a fax machine for communication purposes. All faxes are $.50 per page.
Microfilm Reader and Local History
The library maintains a state-of-the-art digital microfilm reader which is open to the public for use. The library holds an archive of 35mm film rolls containing back editions of the local newspaper currently dating from March 1891 to June 2015. Other archived film rolls contain limited census information. Depending on condition and size, the reader will also work with traditional microfilm formats, although the library does not maintain its own collection of these. Patrons are, however, welcome to bring their own microfilm for viewing.