Renewing Materials

You may renew eligible materials in person, by telephone, or online. Not all materials are eligible for renewal. Some limitations apply.

Renewing Online and Viewing Your Checkouts

Doing your own renewals is a contract between you and the Jefferson County Library Cooperative's Libraries that you accept a new level of responsibility for material you have checked out.

If you renew item(s), you are confirming that you still have each item.  Therefore, before renewing, you are responsible for:

  • Carefully matching material (on the next screens) that you plan to renew against library material in your possession.
  • Immediately reporting any discrepancy to the library from which the material was checked out.

If you are using AOL, CompuServ, or WebTV, or an older version of Microsoft Internet Explorer, you may have trouble renewing your items.

To renew online, go to https://vulcan.bham.lib.al.us/patroninfo/

  1. Click in the box labeled "Your Name:"
  2. Type in your name
  3. Click in the box labeled "Type in your barcode number:"
  4. Type in the number on your library card under the barcode
  5. Click on the button that says "Submit"
  6. Your name, address, and telephone number will appear. If you have any items checked out, a button that says "X items currently checked out" will be visible on the screen
  7. Click on this button
  8. Your record of currently checked out items will appear
  9. To renew all items: click on the button that says "Renew all"
  10. To renew some items: click in the box beside the item you wish to renew then click on the button that says "Renew selected items"
  11. After clicking "renew," you must examine the STATUS column for each book to determine IF it has actually been renewed. 
    1. If it has been renewed, note the new due date for your records.
    2. If it did not renew (limitations), return the material promptly.
    3. NOTE: Even if you do not notice that an item did not renew, you are responsible for any overdue fines.

Renewing in Person

To renew in person, go to any public library in Jefferson County

Renewing by Telephone - The Jefferson County Renewals Line

To renew by telephone, call The Jefferson County Renewals Line. You may use the renewals line to renew materials checked out from any library in the Jefferson County Library Cooperative. The Jefferson County Library Renewals Line is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

  • To renew by telephone, call the Jefferson County Renewals Line at (205) 226-3790.
  • Have your Library Card Number ready. You may not renew materials without your Library Card Number.

From the Renewals Line you can also find out the titles you have checked out, the titles of overdue materials, titles that you have on hold, and a list of your outstanding charges.

Limitations on Renewals

Some materials are not eligible for renewal. You may not renew items:

  • if you do not have your card number
  • if you have material that is long overdue
  • if the item has been reserved by another patron
  • if it is less than 7 days since you first checked out the material
  • if the item is a video or popular book that the home library has designated as no renewal
  • if the material has already been renewed once

Your Responsibilities Regarding Renewals

When you received your library card to use Jefferson County Library Cooperative Libraries, we explained your responsibilities. A current copy of these http://www.jclc.org/info/card/membership.aspx