Residents and property owners in Bethlehem, Bethlehem Township, Fountain Hill, and Hanover Township (Northampton County) can obtain library cards at no cost. Others may qualify for an Access card. If you don’t know where your home library is located, consult our Service Area chart.
As a member of the Bethlehem Area Public Library, you may borrow books, CDs, audiobooks and magazines for three weeks and, DVDs, games and Playaway Views for one week. There are specific checkout limits and special policies for some materials.
Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton public libraries operate a collaborative collection sharing effort known as Lehigh Valley Library System.
Materials may be renewed twice by phone, online, or in person, unless they are on reserve for another patron. If something you want has been checked out, you may reserve it. Extra copies of recent best sellers are available as rental books. If BAPL, Allentown or Easton public libraries doesn’t own a book you want, we’ll purchase it or borrow it on interlibrary loan for you.
To return items, you may bring them in to either of the libraries when open, return at bookmobile stops, or you may use the two book drops on the sidewalk near Church Street (open 24 hours) or the one at the South Side Branch (open when the branch is closed). As a result of the new Lehigh Valley Library System cooperation, you also may return items to Allentown Public Library and Easton Area Public Library. If items are returned late the Library charges overdue fines.