Membership

Please click on the following sections to find out more about becoming a member of the old library.

Joining The Old Library is simple.

All you have to do is come in person to the library and speak with one of the librarians. They will ask you for one piece of photo ID and the annual membership fee, which is 231dhs (non refundable). Once they have received these two items, you will be asked to fill out a registration card. After this is complete, it takes about 10 minutes for your new library membership card and account to be set up. In the meantime you can browse our book collection.

You can take books out the same day you get your membership!

Yes, the Old Library sells Gift Cards. Each Gift Card can be redeemed for an annual membership at the Old Library.

Purchase:

  • Gift Cards can be purchased in person at the Old Library.
  • Gift Cards can be purchased online by sending us an email. Our administrator will respond with purchase instructions and bank details.
  • A Gift card costs the same as one standard membership (231aed - non-refundable).

Redeem: 

  • Gift cards are valid for 1 year from the date of purchase.
  • To redeem the gift card, the recipient will bring the gift card and photo ID into the Old Library to complete the registration process.
  • Membership is valid for one year from the date of registration.

 

A Library membership is deemed to be a family membership. Books may be borrowed by the spouse or children of the adult taking out a subscription.

However, the primary subscriber (Member) is responsible for the care and return of all books borrowed under their membership.

Library membership cards are NOT transferable and transfer of Library Cards to non-family persons will result in immediate cancellation of the card.

Only members in good standing can borrow books from The Old Library. If your account has outstanding fines, you may not be able to borrow books.

Members can borrow up to 8 books.

Borrowing period is 28 days. Please read our section about fees and fines to find out about overdue charges.

Although there is no additional required cost beyond the annual membership fee, there are times when a member might incur some fees or fines on their account.

If books are kept beyond their due date, the account will be fined 1aed per book per day, up to a maximum fine of 50aed per book.

You can find your book's due date by looking at the stamped insert at the beginning of your library book, by calling The Old Library, or by checking the Old Library App.

Fines
Late fine per book per day 1 aed
Maximum late fine per book 50 aed

Members will be Blacklisted after three months for failure to pay fines and/or for not returning books. Members will be notified by e-mail and will only have the blacklisting rescinded by application to the Library Committee at the next Committee meeting.

You can hand the books to a librarian during library open hours.

There is a drop box outside the library for after-hours returns. This is a convenience for members, dropping books into the box does not exempt a member from overdue fines; any overdue fines will be entered onto the member’s account.

The Library reserves the right to recall borrowed items at any time before or after their due date.

Members can renew books once.
This will extend the due date by 28 days starting from the date the book was renewed.

  1. Renewals are not permitted if a book has been reserved.
  2. Renewals are not permitted if a book is marked "SPECIAL."
  3. Renewals can be done via phone, email, and in person.
  4. Only one renewal period per book is permitted.
  5. No further renewal/reissue of the same book is permitted for the next 7 days.

 

All items borrowed shall remain the property of the Library at all times. If a book is lost or damaged a replacement book must be paid for in full before more books can be borrowed.

Charges for lost or damaged books are as follows:

  1. Replacement value of book OR
  2. Replacement copy of lost book to be supplied by member (new book only, not used)

Overdue fines will be applied to lost books.

No refunds will be given for lost books which are found after the book has been processed as lost.

Replacement of a lost or damaged Library Membership Card is 10 Dirhams.

Membership is renewed yearly from date of joining on payment of the annual subscription fee. Memberships that have not been renewed will be deleted after three months. Once a membership is deleted a new membership will have to be taken out i.e. payment of annual membership fee and a new Subscription Card filled in.

Children under 14 are not to be left unattended in the Library as the librarians cannot be responsible for their welfare. Children must be supervised by a responsible adult (parents or other adult) at all times. Running, jumping, skating, climbing on the reception desk or shelving, shouting and pulling books off the shelves are inappropriate behaviors in the Library.

Pre-school children should not be left unattended in the Children’s section at any time.

  • Smoking is not permitted in the Library at any time.
  • Food and drink should not be brought into or consumed in the Library.
  • Mobile phones should be kept on silent when in the Library and calls should be taken or made outside the library.
  • Don't leave your children unattended.

The Library is staffed entirely by volunteers, so we ask members to respect this and replace books removed from the shelves to their correct position on the shelves. We also ask that members leave promptly at closing time. Librarians will encourage any members still in the library at closing time to come to the check-out desk to complete their visit.

Click here to download the Membership Privileges and Responsibilities PDF.