The Chicopee Public Library is a member of the CW MARS network. You may use a Chicopee library card or a library card from any other CW MARS member library to access select resources and borrow materials. To obtain a free library card, visit any Chicopee Public Library location. You will be asked to fill out a brief application form and present a valid picture ID and proof of your current address.

Children aged 5 through 12 may obtain a library card by visiting with their parent or legal guardian. The parent or legal guardian must present a valid picture ID and proof of current address. You will be asked to fill out a brief application form and will receive a copy of our guidelines for use of a children’s card. Teens aged 13 through 17 may apply for a library card with a picture ID and proof of current address. If you do not have a picture ID, you can come in with your parent or legal guardian, who can show their own ID and proof of address on your behalf. If a parent or legal guardian is not present at the time you apply for a card, a notification letter will be mailed to your home.

College students or military personnel may obtain a library card with a school/military ID or other picture ID with your permanent address and proof of current local address. If you do not have proof of your current address, we will mail a postcard to your address. Once you receive it, you may bring it in as your proof of address. You will also need to bring in your picture ID at that time.

All applicants must be present in order to apply for and receive a library card. You will be allowed to check out up to 3 items upon receiving your new card. Cards are not transferable. This means that no one other than the cardholder may use the library card to access the public computers or check out items.

If you are already in the CW MARS system but have lost your card, we’ll be happy to provide you with a replacement. You will need to show a picture ID to get a replacement card. Children must be with their parent or legal guardian in order to get a replacement card. Library cards are blocked when your fines/bills reach $10.00. You may print and fill out a library card application prior to your
visit: Gettng a Library Card to print out an application.

Notify us by phone or in person as soon as you notice that your card is missing, lost, or stolen. We will not hold you responsible for items that are checked out after your card is reported lost or stolen, but you will be responsible for any items checked out before we are notified. A note will be added to your account as soon as we are notified. You must show photo ID in order to be issued a replacement card. Children must be present with their parent or legal guardian, who must present photo ID and fill out a new application form, in order to be issued a replacement card. Once you obtain a replacement card for any reason, the old card(s) will be invalid and cannot be used by the cardholder or anyone else.

A valid card is necessary in order to borrow and reserve materials and is also required to use public access computers. You can borrow materials from any CW MARS public library in Central and Western Massachusetts. You may use your library card to access Chicopee Library Online Resources and borrow Museum Passes.

We strongly encourage you to have your library card with you whenever you use the library and its services. Alternatively, you may pre-load your library card barcode into a loyalty App on your smartphone to be scanned in lieu of your physical card.
There are more than 1 million registered borrowers in the CW MARS system, and your card number allows us to pull up your account quickly and accurately. You need to have your physical card with you in order to use our computers and to enjoy full borrowing privileges. We also ask that you have your card with you when you call us to renew items or ask questions about your account. You must show photo ID or a smartphone barcode if you do not have your physical library card. We are not able to give out your card number even if you present photo ID.

The maximum number of checkouts per visit are as follows: Adult’s & Children’s DVDs (10 Adult, 10 JUV) Adult’s & Children’s music CDs (combined total of 10) Adult’s & Children’s audiobooks (limit 10) Adult’s & Children’s Magazines (combined total of 10)
The CW MARS network checkout limits per borrower are as follows: DVDs and Blu-ray (limit 20) CDs (limit 20) audiobooks (limit 20) Video Games (limit 20). Up to 50 items may be checked out on a card at one time.

Yes. If the item is held by any library in the CW MARS system or in many cooperating Massachusetts libraries, we can request it for you to be picked up at the Chicopee Public Library. You may also request items from other CW Mars libraries by logging in to your online library account. The Reference Department can request items from out of state, which costs $4.00 for postage. If you need help, ask a Librarian, or call the Reference Desk at 594-1800×3

Materials are now automatically renewed. Most items will be renewed one time and some may be renewed twice. You can Call, Text, Email or check Your Online Library Account to see how many times your items will be renewed. Your receipt will also show the number of renewals available. Museum passes, 14 day loan items, and items on hold, as well as some other selected items, may not be renewed. You will need to provide the barcode number of your library card or the barcode number of the item(s) for phone renewals. Long overdue materials that have reached billed status cannot be renewed.

For your convenience, a book drop is located at the entrance to the Main Library.

Computers and printers are available for the public at the Main Library and Fairview branch. Both locations have access to the Internet and the Library’s online catalog. Patrons may reserve time on the Internet by signing in at an available computer with a valid library card. Patrons are allowed 1 session per day, up to a total of 2 hours if there are no other patrons waiting to use the computers. At the Main Library and branches, all computer reservations are handled through the library’s PC reservation software. Printing is available at both the Main Library and Fairview Branch for 10 cents per page for black and white and 50 cents per page for color. Files may be saved through e-mail accounts, cds or USB drives. USB drives are available for purchase at the Reference Desk for $4.50. Please be aware that downloaded files may contain viruses. The Chicopee Public Library is not responsible for any damage incurred to a patron’s disk, home computer, or for any loss of data, and advises patrons to have virus-checking software on their home computers. For more information regarding computer usage please read the Internet Policy.

The library has a self-service FAX machine on the lower level of the Main Library. The cost is $1.00 per page.

Thank you for supporting the Chicopee Public Library! We appreciate your cooperation and attention to the following guidelines.

Donations are accepted at the Chicopee Main Library.
Donated items may be added to our collection or sold at our book sale to raise funds for library programming and supplies.

CPL will happily accept:

• Hardcover fiction in good/saleable condition
• Recent (within 2-3 years) hardcover non-fiction on timely or popular topics (i.e., cooking, biographies, bestsellers)
• Paperback fiction in very good condition
• Children’s books in very good condition
• DVDs and audio materials (music and books on CD) in good condition

Acceptable items should be clean and without mold, mildew, markings, damaged bindings or yellowed, torn or missing pages.

CPL does not accept:

• Encyclopedias
• Textbooks
• Directories, almanacs or non-Chicopee yearbooks
• Reader’s Digest condensed books
• Computer, health, finance or diet books more than 2 years old
• Single issues of magazines or other periodicals (including National Geographic)
• Records (LPs, 45s, etc.)
• Cassette Tapes
• Videos (VHS)
• Board Games or Card Games

Items will be reviewed by library staff prior to acceptance and the library reserves the right to decline a potential donation based on these criteria.
Items of a historical nature or of local interest will be reviewed separately by the Reference Staff for addition to the Chicopee Room collection.

Please do not bring more items than you can carry!
The library will provide a donor letter for tax purposes; however, we do not assign monetary value to donated items.

Approved: Board of Library Trustees: 06/13/11, Modified 10/25/21