About
University Park Public Library

The University Park Public Library is an independent public library owned and operated by the Friends of the Library for the Park Cities. We opened our doors to the public on June 7, 2001 for four hours a week with all donated materials. Since that time, we have increased our open hours to 45 per week, and the library has been transformed. Standard library shelving replaced bricks and boards shelves full of books and boxes on the floor. We bought computers to provide Internet service and an online catalog of our holdings. Volunteers have almost completed the project of cataloging the collection.

The library continues to accept donations of materials, which meet the guidelines of our Material donations policy, and we actively purchase a wide variety of new items. We have over 50,000 cataloged items in the collection now, and continue to update and fill in gaps in all areas. Your suggestions for purchase are welcomed. Just stop by the check out desk and tell the associate on duty what items you would like to see in the library.

We offer a variety of programs, especially for children. The story time on Thursday mornings draws a small group of preschoolers each week. Special story times and tours of the library for large groups may be arranged by calling the Library. (Click here for phone number.) The Summer Reading Club, which is held for two months each summer, gives youngsters of all ages the opportunity of reading for pleasure and winning prizes supplied by area merchants. (Click here to learn more.) We hold a fall and a spring program for adults, which may be an author appearance, a book review, a talk on an important topic of the day, or some other type of entertainment. (Click here for list of previous programs.)

We have a very active volunteer program. The library’s progress would not have been possible without our many wonderful volunteers. Volunteers shelve books; prepare materials for circulation by cataloging, labeling, and covering them; plan and implement programming; raise the dollars we use to fund the operation; and many other tasks. (Click here to learn how you can help.)

We have several different types of materials for your use. Besides our large collection of fiction and non-fiction books, we also offer videos, DVDs, audio books, and music CDs and cassettes. Our video section includes movies for all ages, PBS’s Masterpiece Theatre, sports, and a variety of other subjects. Our extensive audio section offers books on both cassette and CD. We even have a small number of audiocassettes and videos to help you learn another language. (Click here to view Just Added to the Collection, which lists some of the newer acquisitions of the Library. For a closer look at special sections of the collection, click here to view Speaking Volumes.)

We are proud of the progress UPPL has made during our short existence. We think you will be, too. We invite you to visit us (location) to see for yourself the many ways your library can serve you.

Getting a Library Card
We are a free independent public library and there are no residency requirements. Please present current official identification, such as a driver's license, showing your name and address and we will issue you a free library card. Your library card links you to our computer system that keeps a record of the items you have checked out on loan. Your library card means that you are now a Member of the Library. If you want to become a member of the Friends of the Library, click here to learn more about them.

Checking Out Books
Please present your library card to the associate at the front desk when you are ready to check out materials. If you lose your library card, we can issue you a replacement card for
$1.00.

All materials in the library may be checked out for three weeks. You may renew your items one time, in person or by telephone, during business hours, unless your items are overdue. A fine of 25 cents per day, per item, is charged on overdue materials. Fines begin to accrue the day after the due date. Your record must be cleared before you can check out additional items.

Because of the limited collections, you may check out only two children's award-winning books (Newbery, Caldecott & Bluebonnet) at one time.

If you lose library material - a book, audio book, video, or CD - you must pay the library the cost of the item and any applicable processing charge. We cannot refund this processing payment if you later find and return the item. Since many of our books are irreplaceable, we would be happy to have you donate the item back to the Library.

Note:  A $10.00 processing fee will be added to the replacement cost of each lost item checked out after 09/04/2005. Thank you for returning your items on time.

Returning Books
The outside return book drop is located at the top of the outside stairs, next to the west building entrance, and is available for your use 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

If you return library material to the wrong library - a book, audio book, video or CD - you are responsible for contacting the other library and retrieving the material. Be aware that University Park Public Library is not a branch of the Dallas Public Library.

Checking Your Record/Renewing Books/Books on Hold
You can use our online function to renew books, place books on hold, view due dates, update contact information, and change the PIN number. Just click the My Account button. You will need your library id number that is on your card and a PIN number. To obtain a PIN number, either call or visit the circulation desk. You can later use the online function to change your PIN number.