Piscataway Public Library
Membership and Services

All residents and taxpayers of Piscataway Township are eligible for free library membership. Non-residents who work or attend school in Piscataway may use their hometown library card if they live in one of the communities with which Piscataway Library has a borrowing agreement, or they may apply for a courtesy card. A courtesy card is welcome at Piscataway Public Library, but may not be used at other libraries. Non-residents may not be able to borrow the full range of materials available to residents. Schools, day care centers and other organizations may apply for an institutional card. Lost or stolen library cards should be reported at once. A small fee is charged for a replacement card. 

A Piscataway Public Library card enables you to borrow materials from the facilities in our library system: the J. F. Kennedy Library and the J. W. Westergard Branch Library. When using the facilities of a library that has an open borrowing agreement with Piscataway Public Library, the types of materials available to non-residents may vary from library to library.

Click here for a list of Libraries who Participate in Open Borrowing.

Materials and Loans
Materials available for loan at the Piscataway Public Library include: Fiction and Non-Fiction Books; Paperbacks; Magazines; Encyclopedias; World Language Materials; Literacy Materials; Compact Discs;CD-ROMs; Cassettes; Audio Books; Read-a-longs; DVDs; Video Cassettes; Projectors; Videocassette Players; DVD Players; and Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf.

Loan periods are 2 days, 2 weeks, or 3 weeks for most items. Please check your receipt for the due date. Only Piscataway residents and municipal and school employees can borrow DVDs and audio-visual equipment. You may renew most items on-line through iBistro, the Library's electronic catalog; by automated telephone system; or in person. Fines will be charged for overdue items. See separate flyer for more detailed information.

Reserves • Interlibrary Loans • Open Borrowing
Books and other materials that are not immediately available at the Piscataway Public Library may be reserved at no charge. Many reserves can be filled through the vast resources of the Library's automation consortium, LMxAC, found on-line in the iBistro Electronic Catalog. Reserves are filled with the first available copy in the system.

If neither the Library or the Consortium own the requested materials, your request will be forwarded to another library or the statewide information network for an Interlibrary Loan. You will be notified by telephone when the item is available. Interlibrary Loans can now be done by visiting or telephoning one of the Library's reference desks.

In addition, Piscataway Public Library has mutual Open Borrowing agreements with many libraries in central and northern New Jersey to share books and other materials with our customers who have a valid library card. The types of materials available to non-residents may vary from library to library. Please visit our web site to view a complete and up-to-date list of these libraries.

This page was last updated on 03/26/08.