The parking lot is located behind the library; access by Patty Lane off Main Street, across from Hudson Street.

The Northborough Free Library offers the following services:

• Materials to Borrow
• Reference Services
• Interlibrary Loan
• Computer Service
• Additional Services

1.  Books

• Non-fiction is arranged numerically by subject (Dewey decimal system); biography is arranged by name of subject; fiction is arranged by author, with seperate areas for mysteries and science fiction.
• Large print books, with fiction and non-fiction
• Newest books shelved in lobby
• 3 week loan
• Renewal period of 3 weeks. Telephone and online renewal if material is not overdue.

2. Magazines

• 1 week loan with 1 week renewal. Newest issue does not circulate.

3. Books on tape and compact discs have a 3 week loan period.

4. Video recordings

• 7 day loan on most videos
• 3 day loan on new DVDs and new entertainment videos
• 3 videos per library card at a time

5. One-day museum passes.

6. Equipment

• Overhead Projector
• Videocassette player (does not record)

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1. Reference staff will answer your questions both in person and by phone. In cases where we cannot answer your question immediately, we will offer to call you back.

2. Reference collection (some available online or on CD-ROM)

• Almanacs, atlases, dictionaries and encyclopedias
• Career and college guides
• Medical dictionaries, directories, encyclopedias, and manuals
• Code of Mass. Regulations and Mass General laws
• Federal government directories and manuals
• Literary criticism author biography
• History and general biography
• Investment aides: Morningstar, Standard and Poor's, Value Line
• Company Directories: American Business Directories, Hoover's, Standard and Poor's

3. Magazine indexes and reference databases

The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners and the C/W MARS library network provide a variety of electronic resources to patrons of member libraries. These resources are available for use in the library or from home. Click here to get started. You'll be asked to enter your library card number, which is the number under the barcode on your library card.

4. Local history

In addition to Reference and circulating copies of two town histories, the Library has a small collection of local history and genealogy in storage. Ask at the Reference Desk for the collection. (For best service, call ahead.) We can also provide the phone number of the Northborough Historical Society for you to arrange an appointment with the curator or historian.

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Do you need something beyond our collection? We can get it for you from another library, either by using the C/W MARS network or from an interlibrary loan outside the network.

The library is a member of the Central Massachusetts Regional Library System. Regional library services help our library help you in the following ways: Delivery of books and non-print materials from other regional libraries to our library. Videocassettes and books on tape Telephone information for our staff when we cannot answer your questions with local sources

The library is a member of C/W MARS (Central/Western Massachusetts Automated Resource Sharing), a computer network linking over 100 libraries. You can view the collection of these libraries on the online catalog. Your C/W MARS library card can be used at all member libraries.

The library can enroll the visually impaired and other qualified individuals in the government-funded Talking Books program. Those who cannot physically hold books may also qualify for this service.

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1. Online Catalog

• 5 computers on upper level
• 2 computers in children's section
• 1 computer in lobby

2. Internet Access

• Appointments (1/2 to 1 hr) are recommended for:
• 2 computers with both Internet and word processing;
• 2 computers with both Internet and online catalog
  No appointment needed for:
• Online catalog computer with Internet access for 15 minute searches

3. Personal Computing

• 3 computers with word processing, CD-ROM software, and printers
• 1 computer in children's section with CD-ROM for fun and learning

Printing charge is 10 cents a page on library paper, 5 cents with your own paper.
Color printing charge is 20 cents a page on library paper, 10 cents with your own paper.

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• Programs for Adults and Children (see Gale Forecast, the library newsletter, for specific events)
• Community meeting room
• Coin-operated copy machine
• Tax forms
• Distribution of local information (sports registration, meeting notices, newsletters, etc.)

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