FAQ - City of Yellowknife

How Can I Borrow Materials?

You must present your card each time you borrow material. Please consider using our easy-to-use self-checkout.
You may not check out material or use the public computers with someone else's card.
You are responsible for returning material on time, and for paying overdue fees.
Items can be renewed twice. Items with holds cannot be renewed.
Your account will be blocked if fines are over $10, if you have lost or damaged items, or if you have 3 or more items overdue.
You are responsible for all material checked out on your card.

Loan Periods and Borrowing Limits

Loan Periods and Borrowing Limits Per Item
Item	Adult & Teen Item Limit	Child Item Limit	Shelter, New to YK and Non-Resident's Limit	Loan Period
Books	20	20	1	3 weeks
DVDs	5	5	1	1 week
Audiobooks/CDs	5	5	1	3 weeks
Kits	3	3	1	3 weeks
Magazines	5	5	1	1 week
Interlibrary Loans	3	3	No loan	Up to lending library

Please check our Fees for the current charge

Lost and Damaged Items

You will not be able to borrow until payment is made or lost material is returned in good condition
Lost/damaged material is invoiced at replacement value + $5 processing fee. Items overdue for more than 6 weeks are considered lost.

Renewals

2 renewals allowed except when another patron wants the material or if it is an Interlibrary Loan
Online renewal is available via the catalogue page. Please visit the online catalogue:

click on the Catalogue tab (menu bar on the left)
select catalogue and then my account
renew my materials
enter your library card and pin number
Note: only material that is not overdue can be renewed this way.

Email the library requesting a renewal
Phone the library to renew
Renew with our self-check computer

Claims Returned

Feel you have returned an item and are getting overdue notices?

Please take one more look at home for it
Contact the library to have us search for it here
If we find the item, we will check back in and remove the fines for item
If we don't find the item, we will be in touch

Can I Donate Materials?

The Library welcomes good quality donations. If donated items meet collection standards they will be added; if not, your donations will be placed on the free rack or contributed to the book sale. Please no more than 25 items per household per drop-off.

Due to limited space we do not accept

Nonfiction published prior to 2020.
Magazines, specialized journals, newspapers, catalogues, colouring or workbooks.
Encyclopedias, abridged books, textbooks or Reader's Digest condensed books.
Books with broken bindings or missing pages.
Books marked with highlighter pen or containing handwritten notes or gifting dedications.
Books with yellowed or brittle pages.
Smoke or mildew affected materials.
Cassettes, VHS tapes.
Computer software.
Scratched CDs and DVDs.
Federal and territorial government reports.
Travel books older than 2023.
Books written in any non-official language of the Northwest Territories

Types of items that will be accepted

Fiction or non-fiction books in all genres in good condition and on timely or popular topics.
Children's books in good condition.
Young adult books in good condition.
Large print books in good condition.
Local history materials and works by local and Canadian authors.
DVDs, CDs, recorded books, and language kits in good condition.

Donation Delivery

Your donations may be delivered to the library during regular hours. Items must be in boxes marked as donation for the Library.

Tax Receipts

We do not issue tax receipts for donated material.

What Computing and Printing Services Do You Offer?

Computers

8 public access stations
Your library card gives you access to one hour of free Internet use per day
You may purchase additional time provided there is no one waiting.
The computers connect to a black and white printer. Please check our Fees for the current charge

Wireless

The Circulation desk will provide you with a username and password
You will get access to two hours of free wireless per day.
You may purchase additional time. Please check our Fees for the current charge
The network is called YPLNet and a username and password is required

Photocopier

The library has a black and white photocopier
Please check our Fees for the current charge

Do You Offer Exam Invigilation?

Invigilation (proctoring) of both online and handwritten exams during library hours
Check our Fees for the current charge
For online exams, ensure you test that our/your computer will access the site you require beforehand
Check that your learning institution recognizes the library as a provider of this service

How Can I Borrow Materials From Other Libraries?

You can't find what you are looking for at our library? Saw it in the catalogue but in another community? Did not see it in the catalogue? Try requesting an interlibrary loan.

Northern Interlibrary Loans

Need a library card to make a request
Libraries will lend books, DVDs, and CDs
Lending library may so no to the request due to popularity at their library

No fee for the loan but late charges will be applied if not returned on time. Please check our Fees for the current charges

Southern Interlibrary Loans

Need a library card to request
Library will lend books, microfilm
Will not lend CDs and DVDs
Lending library may not fill the request due to popularity at their library
If library charges a fee, we will pass on that fee to you to pay and late charges will be applied if not returned on time. Check our Fess for the current charges

How Do I Get a Library Card?

Library cards are free to Yellowknifers and can be used in any library in the NT. There is a replacement charge for lost or damaged cards. Check our Fees for the current charge

Types of membership:

What you need to bring to get a card:

Adult & Teen (14 and up)

One piece of valid photo ID with your current Yellowknife address, or
One piece of ID and a bill that has your current Yellowknife Address

Child (13 and under)

A Parent or guardian must be a member of the library
Parent or guardian must fill out a member card for the child and sign that they are responsible for any materials borrowed

Shelter Residents

Current contact information
Letter from your shelter or temporary housing

Please note card is good for 3 months and may be renewed if needed. Card is limited to five items.

Internet User

ID - photo or no photo

Please note this card is for using the computer only. No borrowing on this card.

CELA users

Card is for those borrowing audiobooks provided by the CELA Library. This card is for patrons who have a print disability only.

Report lost or stolen cards right away. You are responsible for any materials borrowed on your card.

New to Yellowknife and Visitors to the Northwest Territories

For residents who have not yet acquired proof of address yet or are visiting the Northwest Territories, all we need is your name and address information. You can borrow one item for one week. Also this card can be upgraded to full access card with proof of residency. Residents from other Northwest Territories communities can use their community library cards.

Do You Have Rooms for Rent?

Meeting Room

Our meeting room's capacity is 130. It is 1310.75 sq. ft.
Rental of the room includes access to kitchen, wireless (one hour), tables (12) and chairs (65).
Profit groups are required to pay to use the room. Please check our Fees for the rental rates.
Non-profit groups may use the room free of charge.
We only book three months in advance.

Audiovisual and coffee making equipment are NOT available.
Library reserves the right to refuse or cancel bookings based on availability and scheduling of Library or City programs and events.
To book the meeting room please email library@yellowknife.ca or phone 920-5642

Can You Help With My Research Project?

General Reference

EBSCO Host - Canadian Reference Center - offers online access to the largest collection of full-text Regional Canadian and International content including Maclean's, Canadian Geographic, the Toronto Star, La Presse Canadienne, and many more.
Canadian Oxford Dictionary
Reference books (in-library use only) including dictionaries, multi-language dictionaries, thesauri, almanacs, manuals, themed encyclopedias, and more. These are complemented by our extensive non-fiction collection which can be borrowed.
8 public computers and free wifi for online research and printing
Stop by our information desk where our friendly and informative staff would love to assist in all your research and school assignment inquiries

News

Current northern newspapers from regions across all three territories.

Northern Interest Publications

Up Here
Above & Beyond
The Circle
We also have a large reference collection of northern themed books that may be useful to your local and northern research needs

What Services and Resources Do You Offer to People Who Are Brand New to Yellowknife?

Yellowknife Public Library welcomes all newcomers to Yellowknife, whether you are a short term visitor or potentially making the city your new home. We can set you up with a "New to Yellowknife" membership card to tie you over until you have a permanent residency or issue a visitor's card (see Membership). Plus, our programs are a great way to meet new people with a common interest (see Programs).

For other services and information that is especially helpful to newcomers (including assistance applying for health care cards, access to counseling for culture shock, help with housing applications, enrollment in schools, and more), we recommend the following:

Aurora College Integration Office

Northern Frontier Visitors Centre

And, of course, the City of Yellowknife website has a special section just for newcomers (see the Newcomers tab at the top of this page).

Are You Looking For Volunteers?

Would you like to help out at the library? Volunteers are asked to sign up at the front desk of the library from there the librarian will be in touch if we require help.

Are you, or do you know an Indigenous Elder that would like to volunteer to share their wisdom, stories, skills, or history with our community?

Do you have a unique travelling experience or skillset you'd like to share with the community?

Contact us to become involved in our Travel Talks program and inspire your fellow globetrotters with ideas for their next adventures!

I Have A Great Idea For A Program. Will You Help?

The library is looking for Yellowknifers and Yellowknife non-profit groups who may want to partner with the library on a program. The library will consider partnering on programs that are educational in nature and/or have a literacy focus or those that seek to grow, strengthen, or unite communities. Some of the programs we have done are:

Been There, Done That Narrated Traveler Slideshows
Local author events
Opera Screenings
Family Violence Awareness Week Display and Film Night
Ptarmicon Display and Giveaway
Zine writing
PRIDE Week display and picture book resources
International Literacy Day Breakfast

What are the benefits of partnering?

Venue
Cross-promotion
Reach
Resources

If you have a partnership idea, contact John at (867) 669-3452 or email jmutford@yellowknife.ca

Do You Have Any Fees or Charges?

Most resources and services at Yellowknife Public Library are free with the following exceptions:

Meeting Room & Writer's Room

Meeting Room

Registered non-profit groups may use the room free of charge.

Public Library Room Rental Fees
Meeting room	Fee Effective September 1, 2024	Fee Effective September 1, 2025
Non-profit group	No charge	No charge
For-profit group	$547.00/day $273.50/half day $68.25/hour	$563.50/day $281.75/half day $70.25/hour
Adult	$27.75/hour	$28.50/ hour
Adult/Youth	$20.75/hour	$21.25/ hour
Youth	$14.25/hour	$14.75/ hour
Writer's Room - For Profit User	$14.75/hour	$15.25/hour

Writer's Room

Tutors (that are charging their clients) and Profit Groups will be charged for using the room.

Public Library Writer's Room Fee
Writer's Room	Fee Effective September 1, 2024	Fees Effective September 1, 2025
For Profit User	$14.75/hour	$15.25/hour

Non-profit and individual students/writers are able to use free of charge

Others

Overdue Book Fines
Overdue Book Fines	Fee Effective September 1, 2024	Fee Effective September 1, 2025
Yellowknife Public Library books	No Charge	No Charge
Inter-Library Loans	$1.00/day	$1.00/day
Videos/DVDs	No Charge	No Charge

Other Library Fees
Others	Fee Effective September 1, 2024	Fee Effective September 1, 2025
Internet use City computer for use in excess of 1 hour Mobile devices for use in excess of 2 hours	$7.00 $6.75	$5.00 No Charge
Membership card	No Charge	No Charge
Replacement card	$1.00	$1.00/each
Photocopying (black and white)	$0.25/copy	$0.25/copy
Computer printing (black and white)	$0.25/black and white copy	$0.25/black and white copy
Lost materials	Replacement Cost + $5.25	Replacement Cost + $5.25
Exam invigilation	$57.25	$59.00