How To Borrow, Hold, Renew

Guide to the Circulation of Library Materials

*A total of 50 items may be checked out on a single library card.
Of these 50 items, 20 items may be children’s books.
There are specific limits that apply to the various media as described above.

Get Library Notices and Renew Items on Your Phone!

With the library’s Shoutbomb text messaging service, you can use your mobile phone to:

• Receive text notices about holds and reserved items that are available for pickup, items that are due soon, overdue items, and fines.
• Send a text to request renewal of an item.
• Easily manage your family’s library accounts by associating multiple cards with a single phone number.

To get started, text the message SIGNUP to 844-225-9458, then reply to the messages from Shoutbomb asking for your library card number (ten digits, Dxxxxxxxxx) and PIN.

If you don’t know your PIN, have questions, or would like to learn more about the service, please visit or call the library at (309) 497-2000.

Additional information can also be found here.

Once your Shoutbomb registration is complete, you will automatically get text notices around 9am about holds, items due in the next 3 days, overdues and more.  Texts are only sent when activity in your library account triggers them.

Shoutbomb Text Message Alerts
Your Library’s Shoutbomb text messages allow you to use your mobile phone to:
• Receive text notices about: holds that are available, items that are due soon, overdue items, and fines.
• Send a text to renew a loan. If the item is eligible for renewal, it will renew. If the item is not eligible for renewal, it will fail. Either result will be reported by text message.
• The Library does not charge a fee for this service, but your mobile plan’s regular text-messaging rates apply.

Basic Keyword Commands
You can text the following commands to 844-225-9458; follow any instructions that are texted back to you:

MYBOOKS
Sends a snapshot of the status of all your items including unfilled holds and fees.
ADDCARD
Register an additional Library card for text messages on your phone.
DROPCARD
Cancel text notices for a card added with ADDCARD.
TEST
Test your connection to Shoutbomb.
SWITCHPHONE
If you change your phone number/mobile carrier, this text will update your profile.
ZIPCODE #####
(Substitute your 5-digit zip code for #####.) Add your zip code to match your phone with your home library. For future features.
IOWEU
Returns information about your current fee amount. If you have multiple cards registered, you will receive information about each card.
TEST
Test your connection to Shoutbomb.
HELP
Get information about all Shoutbomb commands.
RESEND
Get the last message from Shoutbomb again.
QUIT
Delete your mobile device from the Shoutbomb notice service.

Replying to Notices
Your account notices will prompt you to respond with optional commands, including:
HL
Get a list of holds that are ready for pickup. (Holds notice.)
RL
Get a list of items you can renew. (Courtesy notice.)
RA
Renew all eligible items. (Courtesy notice.)
OL
Get a list of overdue items. (Overdue notice.)

Message Settings
To view and change your Shoutbomb message settings, text these commands:
NOTICES
See your current on/off status for each type of notice. Do this first!
HOLDS
Toggles your holds notices off/on.
RENEW
Toggles your courtesy notices (about items that are due soon) off/on.
OVERDUE
Toggles your overdue notices off/on.
FEES
Toggles your notices about fines and fees off/on.