
Library Hours
Directions
Borrowing Policy
Loan Periods
Technology
Policy
Mission Statement
Home Service
Interlibrary Loan
Museum Passes
Exhibits
Where the Books Are
Annual Report
Library Board Members
Library Staff
Town of Guilford
Connecticut Libraries
Winter: September 10, 2007 - June 14, 2008. Monday through Thursday 9-8; Friday 9-6; Saturday 9-5; Sundays (October through April) 1-4
Summer: June 16, 2008 - September 6, 2008. Monday and Thursday 9-8; Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 9-5; Saturday 9-1
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From I-95: Take Exit 59. At end of ramp take a left. After the turnpike entrance take your first left onto Carter Drive. Library is the first driveway on the left (20 Carter Drive). (Large brown building).
From Route 1: Turn North onto Goose Lane (this is the road to I-95). After the turnpike entrance take your first left onto Carter Drive Library is the first driveway on the left (20 Carter Drive). (Large brown building).
Click here to get directions through
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Any resident of Guilford may obtain a library card. Your Guilford card allows you to use any Connecticut public library. We honor library cards from residents of other Connecticut towns. Materials may be returned to any other public library in Connecticut.
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Best Sellers, Foreign Films and DVDs - 1 week.
All other materials - 3 weeks.
Any item with the exception of Best Sellers may be renewed by telephone, in person or online (select Our Online Catalog), if no one else has reserved it.
Fines are ten cents a day for all items, except Best Sellers, which are $1.00 a day
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Electronic Resources
The library offers the latest in no-fee information technology. A total of 17 public workstations (including one with a scanner) and one laptop offer Internet access, online databases, word processing and other programs. Special databases include iCONN, a full-text index of periodicals, and the Historical New York Times (full-text articles from 1851-2001) Access Science (online version of the McGraw Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology). Workstations may be used for up to one hour.
The Online Public Access Catalogs (PACs) display the holdings of the Guilford Free Library and the 21 others in the LION (LibrariesOnLine) system. Our Online Catalog also offers indexing of past issues of the Shoreline Times and Guilford Courier (Newspaper Index), a listing of Guilford civic and business organizations
(Community Information) and New York Times best seller lists. Access to Connecticut library holdings outside the LION system, and best seller lists. To access our catalog online, Click Here.

InfoAnyTime
InfoAnyTime is a real-time, free online reference service with live librarians. It is offered statewide. InfoAnyTime reference librarians can assist you late at night and at 5 am, when the library is closed. Click on the InfoAnyTime link, enter your name and email address (optional). A reference librarian will help you via online chat, and provide answers and further resources in the form of web sites and online database citations. These online resources appear directly on your screen, next to the chat session window. You may interact both with the web sites provided and with the librarian until your question has been answered satisfactorily. At the end of each session, you will receive a transcript of the session via e-mail.
Computer Classes
Staff members conduct one-hour classes in Basic Internet Use and use of the library's online Public Access Catalogs. Check at the reference desk for sign-up information. One-on-one computer instruction is always available: call the Reference Department at 203-453-8282 for more information.
Copiers
The library has two public copiers, one located in the downstairs lobby and one in the Reference area upstairs. Copies are fifteen cents a page.
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Library staff is available for help with computers. If possible, users should have basic computer skills, including the ability to use a mouse. Access to any workstation may be limited to one hour per day per person including time required to print/and or copy files. Please plan time accordingly.
Only one person may use a workstation at a time.
Please use PC compatible floppy disks if saving files is necessary. Floppy disks and compact discs are available at the Reference Desk for $1.00 each.
The Internet offers unlimited global access to information. The Guilford Free Library does not monitor or control the content of material available through this medium. Parents or guardians of children under 14 are responsible for their children's use of the Internet (as they are for all books/materials used by children in their charge). Please refer to our library pamphlet, Information for the Concerned Citizen, adopted by the Guilford Library Association Board of Directors, November 1993. Revised May 1996.
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The mission of the Guilford Free Library is to provide the greatest possible diversity of books, media, information and programs to meet the recreational, cultural and educational aspirations of all members of the Guilford community.
This mission is aimed at enhancing love of learning and enjoyment of the written word. The library serves through a welcoming and warm environment, friendly and highly professional services, and continuing outreach to those who are unable to visit the library facility.
The mission is supported by community groups and other libraries, and by new information technologies to ensure access to other collections and to information resources in Connecticut, the nation and the world.
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Available for Guilford residents, anyone, any age, home-bound for any reason and for any length of time, including the children of those who are home-bound.
Volunteers will pick up and deliver.
Library professional staff will work with you to select and /or recommend books and other materials to your taste.
Includes books, audio tapes and videos.
Call the library Reference Desk (453-8282) if this service would be assistance to you.
This service is provided by the Friends of the Guilford Free Library
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Guilford residents can borrow items from any library both within and outside Connecticut. Click here to access the statewide catalog or call the Reference Department at (203) 453-8282.
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The library schedules exhibits in two places: the walls of the larger meeting room (used for hanging artwork), and the glass case located in the lobby (used for sculpture, decorative objects, crafts and collectibles. These exhibits change monthy or bi-weekly, and are often related to programs currently being held in the library.
Call the library for more information (203) 453-8282.
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Adult Department
Fiction is shelved alphabetically by the author's last name. There are some additional designation to note:
New fiction is in the "New Books" area.
Mysteries have an "X" on the spine and are shelved in their own area within fiction.
Science Fiction is marked with "SF" on the spine and has its own area within fiction.
Large Print, labeled "ZZ" has its own room for fiction and nonfiction. Large Print nonfiction is shelved outside the Large Print Room.
Also available are courtesy paperbacks, which do not need to be checked out. They can be returned when you are finished with the book.
Best Sellers in both fiction and nonfiction are 7-day nonrenewable loans. They carry a $1/day fine. These are marked on the spine and front cover with "Best Seller" and are shelved on a tall bookcase in the New Books Area.
Young Adult fiction and nonfiction is marked "YA" and shelved in its own area. New YA books are in the "New Books" area.
Nonfiction is shelved according to the Dewey Decimal System.
The newest nonfiction is in the "New Book" area
Biographies are in the 92 section, alphabetical by subject.
Children's Department
We have several subdivisions, but every call number begins with a "j" for "juvenile."
Picture Books: shelved by a "jj" and the first initial of the author's last name.
"New" picture books: located on the "New Books" shelf.
Board Books: for the youngest patrons are located in a bin near the "W's".
ABC: alphabet books are located just before the "A" author's.
Counting: Counting books are located next to the ABC books in a red book cart.
Mother Goose: these are located next to the ABC books.
Easy Readers: shelved in a separate section with an ER on the titles of authors with last names from A - L, and ER on the titles of authors with last names from M - Z.
Fiction:
New Fiction is located on the "New Books" shelf.
Fiction: have a "j" and shelved alphabetically by the author's last name.
(Babysitter's & the Mary Kate and Ashley series books are shelved above the "B" authors, and the R.L. Stine series books are shelved above the "S" authors.)
Mysteries: have a "j" and "X" and shelved alphabetically by the author's last name (Nancy Drew and Hardy Boy's are separated, but shelved nearby on a window shelf because of lack of shelf space.)
Large Print: have a "j" and labeled "ZZ" and shelved by author's last name on a window shelf in the fiction area above the "C" authors.
Nutmeg Children's Book Award: books are located on a shelf above the Reference area.
Courtesy: these are gift paperbacks that can be taken for any length of time without being checked out. They are located on a window shelf in the fiction area above the "C" area and have red tape on the spine.
Non-fiction:
New non-fiction: is located on the "New Books" shelf.
Non-fiction: is shelved according to the Dewey Decimal System. They have a "j" and classification number.
Biographies: have a "j" and 92 and are alphabetical by the person's last name.
Beginning Chapter books: are indicated with yellow dots on the spines and are shelved within the fiction area by author.
Parent's Shelf: A shelf is dedicated to parents for information on parenting. It includes picture books, fiction, non-fiction and videos. The call number begins with a "j" and has "Parent Shelf" and the Dewey Decimal number.
Magazines: Current issues of children's magazines are shelved in the magazine rack, and back issues for one year are in magazine box holders in the non-fiction area.
Audio/visual formats for videos and cassettes are shelved on spindles near the non-fiction area. Books and cassettes are located in red zippered cases above the ABC books in the piciture book area. DVDs are in the picture book area on top of the "S" author books.
CD roms are also in the picture book area on top of the "A" & "B" author areas. Books on CD are in the fiction area on the window sill above the "H" & "M" authors.
Reference: materials are marked "j Reference" and do not circulate, except for older "World Book Encyclopedias."
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Guilford Library Association Board of Directors for 2007-2008
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