Effective August 1, 2024, the Durham Public Library will cease charging late fees on most library materials, joining with public libraries across the country in a movement to reduce barriers to library access.

What does this mean for borrowers? 

1. With the exception of physical museum passes and library equipment, daily overdue fines have been eliminated.
2. Library items will still have due dates. Please bring your books and movies back on time so that other residents may enjoy them.
3. We will continue to charge replacement fees for lost and damaged items.
4. A bill for the replacement cost of overdue items will be generated automatically once an item is more than one loan period overdue. However, as soon as you return the item, the bill will be canceled and no fines will remain on your card.
5. Patrons with more than $25 in billed items on their accounts will not be able to check out additional materials until the items are returned or paid for.
6. We will remove old late fees from your account.  
7. Please note that our fine-free status only applies to Durham items. If you check out an item belonging to another library (example: item borrowed through a system hold) at Durham Public Library, you’ll be charged fines based on the policy of the loaning library. 

Questions? Learn more about why we’ve decided to go fine free here or call or email us for more info.

Click here for a full list of Loan Periods, Renewal, and Fees

Try our Periodical Reading Room!

The the original library room has now been set up for silent reading or working. Comfortable chairs invite you to sit down and spend some quiet time with a book, or with the newspapers and magazines which are now located in this space.

Absolutely no conversation or phone calls allowed in this space.

Due to rapidly increasing monthly usage fees, the Durham Public Library has made some difficult decisions regarding the Hoopla service. Due to rapidly increasing monthly usage fees, the Durham Public Library has made some difficult decisions regarding our Hoopla account, resulting in service changes for Hoopla users. Starting May 1st, we are reducing the number of hoopla checkouts you can make each month from six to four and we are instituting a monthly budget cap.

We know that hoopla is a popular service with our patrons, who enjoy the ability to check out ebooks, eAudiobooks, eComics, videos and music albums from the service. We also love offering hoopla to patrons and will continue doing so. Unfortunately, the cost of hoopla and other digital materials continues to rise.

The Library pays for each item downloaded from hoopla, and increased popularity is rapidly driving up the cost. Hoopla costs have increased almost 70% over the last year. To make the service sustainable within the confines of the library’s budget, we’ve had to lower the maximum number of monthly borrows and cap our monthly costs.

We apologize for the inconvenience this will cause. Please note that there will be no changes to the Libby/Overdrive service, which also offers downloadable ebooks and eAudiobooks.

Introducing Letters Are Characters

This program and coinciding text is an innovative play-based program designed to get every type of learner ready to read, all while having fun!

We will have a group kick-off Thursday June 20th with the creator, Dr Caroline Ugurlu at 6 pm.

Join us for a fun event and to collect your free kit.

According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, two-thirds of fourth graders are not meeting fluency benchmarks. However, engaged parents and caregivers can be the game-changers. Engage with your child by using Letters Are Characters.

This captivating book brings the alphabet to life, tailored for both parents and children. By transforming letters into characters, young learners engage in what comes most naturally—playing, laughing, and exploring the characters and their stories. Simultaneously, they unravel the phonemic code—the crucial first step towards reading.

Too frequently, bright and capable children experience a dip in self-esteem and enthusiasm for learning because they lag in acquiring early reading skills.

In “Letters Are Characters,” Dr. Wilcox Ugurlu combines her unique perspective as a scientist, educator, and parent to fashion a playful, compassionate, and well-informed program. It equips parents to assist their children in developing critical reading readiness skills. —Paul B. Yellin, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, NYU School of Medicine, Director, The Yellin Center for Mind, Brain, and Education.

Participants will receive a comprehensive “Letters Are Characters” kit, including:

• A fresh set of scented crayons and a “Letters are Colors” coloring book
• The “Letters are Characters” Book (to be returned to Durham Public Library upon completion)
• Letter Dough Powder with a storage bag for the created dough

Additionally, every parent will receive a weekly instructional letter and video, alongside unparalleled access to the creator of “Letters Are Characters,” Dr. Caroline Ugurlu, available via email or phone. Amazing, right?

If you’re unable to enroll in the live class , you can explore segments of this course through the “Letters Are Characters” textbook, accessible at the library.

Why the Emphasis on Literacy Acquisition?

By the age of six, a child’s familiarity with letter sounds stands as the most critical predictor of future reading ability. “Letters are Characters” primes kids for reading dynamically and enjoyably, ensuring they embark on the right path. Moreover, it empowers parents through awareness and understanding of the science of reading and the brain.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress reports that over two-thirds of American children lack proficiency in reading by the fourth grade. Together, we can alter this course.

Reading to our children yields manifold benefits:

• Enhanced performance in school
• Heightened empathy
• Increased happiness
• Strengthened bonds with caregivers
• Enhanced imagination, creativity, and language skills
• Improved cognitive abilities, critical thinking, and problem-solving
• A framework to discuss challenging topics
• A greater likelihood of reading for pleasure

You are your child’s foremost and most influential educator. Ensuring children read well, frequently, and profoundly stands as one of the finest gifts you can bestow upon them. If a child encounters difficulties in learning to read, do not delay intervention. The most valuable gifts you can offer children are time and attention.

Funded by a generous donation from Jayne Bentzen.