The answers to most of the questions that the PINES staff receive are listed on this page. If you have a question about a fine or an item listed on your account, please Contact Your Local Library.

If you any other questions that are not answered here, then please contact us using our Contact Form.

• How do I use the PINES catalog?
• Does PINES lend e-books or downloadable audiobooks?
• Who do I contact to request that a library purchases a book for its collection?
• Is there a mobile app for the catalog?

• How can I get a PINES card?
• Where can I use my PINES card?
• Can I get a PINES card if I live in a non-PINES county?
• Can I get a PINES card if I live outside of Georgia?
• What do I do if I've lost my PINES card?
• Can I get a PINES card for my child?
• Do I need to have my PINES card with me to check out a book?

• I have a question about fines on my account. Who do I contact?
• I do not know the password/PIN to my PINES account. How do I get it?
• How do I get an online PINES account?
• Can I get a list of items that I've checked out in the past?
• I'm getting a message that my card has expired. How can I renew it?
• Can I renew my account online?

• Is there a limit on the items I can have out at one time?
• Do I have to return items to the same library I checked them out from?
• I turned in a book, but it is still showing on my account. Who do I contact?
• I can't renew a book I have checked out. Why not?

• Why am I not able to place certain books on hold even though the system says they are available for check out?
• Is there a limit on the number of hold requests I can have placed at one time?
• How do I place holds on specific volumes of a multi-part series of books or DVDs?

• How do I use PINES to log in to GALILEO?
• I have a problem with a PINES library policy. To whom do I direct my comments, questions, and/or suggestions?
• How do I reserve a room for use at the library?
• How do I donate books to the library?

We have an interactive tutorial that will help you to become an expert at using the PINES catalog! You can go through each lesson in order, or you can use the menu at the right side of the page to go to a specific topic. Get Started Now!

PINES does not lend e-books or downloadable audiobooks, but many individual PINES-member library systems do. Please click here for more information about these services or contact your local library to find out what they are able to offer you and how you can access it.

Each library system that is a member of the PINES network of libraries makes its own purchasing decisions. Please contact your local library if you wish to request that a particular book be purchased. Contact information for all of the PINES libraries is available here.

Yes, PINES is pleased to offer dedicated mobile apps for both Android and iOS devices so that cardholders may search the catalog and manage their accounts from their phone or tablet! Download the PINES app for Android here or for iOS here.

Use the app to:

• Place hold requests
• See what you have checked out and renew items
• Search the catalog
• Check on fines
• Get information about participating libraries
• Get any PINES library's address and contact info

Special features include:

• Light and dark modes
• Digital card / barcode replica
• Multi-account management

Library cards are free to all residents of Georgia. If you work in Georgia or go to school in Georgia, you may also obtain a free library card. There are two ways to register for a PINES library card:

Option 1) Fill out the online application. You will be asked to use a Georgia address and enter your ID number. If you have a Georgia Driver's License, simply enter the number. If you do not have a Georgia Driver's License, you may use another form of ID such as a state ID card or a military ID card - enter the ID number followed by a description of the card. For example: “FL-123456789 (Florida DL)” or “123456789 (Military ID)” or “12345678 (GNG utility).” Upon successful completion, you will be issued a PINES e-card number that gives you immediate access to your library's online resources. In order to upgrade your e-card to a full PINES card and be able to checkout library books, DVDs, and other materials, visit any participating PINES library to fill out an application form and present your ID (see below).

Option 2) Visit any participating PINES library. You will be asked to fill out an application form and present your ID (see below).

Acceptable ID
Acceptable ID for receiving a PINES card include:

1. photo ID showing current local address, OR
2. photo ID which does not include current local address plus one item from the list of acceptable address verification documents, OR
3. TWO (2) items from the list of acceptable address verification documents.

Acceptable Photo ID:

• Valid driver’s license
• Valid passport
• Valid US Military ID
• Valid matricula consular
• Valid Georgia Weapons Carry License

Acceptable Address Verification Documents (must show applicant's name and current address):

• Valid Georgia voter registration card
• Recent utility bill (e.g., gas, electric, cable, internet, water/sewer, waste management)
• Recent tax receipt or other piece of mail that shows the user’s name and present address
• Recent pay stub
• Current lease/rental agreement
• County tax assessor records
• Official base assignment documentation (for current military and family members)

Original documents are required with the exception of utility bills: if you pay your utilty bills online and do not receive a paper statement, you may present your online bill or statement on your mobile device or printed from your utility’s web site.

By signing the library card application form, you are accepting full responsibility for all fines and fees, including late fines and fees for lost or damaged materials.

You may use your PINES card at around 300 libraries and affiliated service outlets in 51 library systems covering 146 counties throughout Georgia. There are several counties (for example, Fulton County) that do not participate in the PINES network but have their own independent library systems. If you are a resident of one of these areas, you may still obtain and use a PINES card, but you will have to travel to a participating PINES library to do so. See the directory of all participating PINES libraries.

Library cards are free to all residents of Georgia. Persons who attend school, own property, or are employed full-time in Georgia are eligible for a free PINES card. Patrons of both PINES and non-participating Georgia public libraries may receive a PINES card. Users from non-participating Georgia libraries have the same privileges as PINES users. Most PINES cards are valid for 2 years. Please visit your nearest PINES library facility with a picture ID and proof of address (or proof of employment, school enrollment, or property ownership as appropriate).

If you live in another state but attend school, own property, or are employed full-time in Georgia, you are eligible for a PINES card at no charge. Property owners who do not reside in Georgia are required to show proof of Georgia property ownership, such as a tax bill or deed. Non-Georgia residents who are employed in Georgia or attending school in Georgia are required to show proof of that employment or enrollment.

If you live in another state but do not meet one of the above criteria, you may get a PINES library card that is valid for one year for a $25 fee. Temporary residents of Georgia are eligible for a 6-month library card for $12.50. If neither of these options is appropriate, PINES library materials may be borrowed via your local library's interlibrary loan service. Please contact your local library for details.

You are responsible for any items checked out on your card, so if you lose it or it is stolen, please report it to your local PINES library immediately. The library staff will be able to block your card so that if someone else finds your card, they will not be able to use it. To request a replacement card, visit a PINES library in person with your proof of ID. You will receive a new card with a different card number and your old card will remain deactivated. Any outstanding fines and fees, as well as records of currently checked out or overdue items, will be automatically associated with your new card number.

There is no minimum age for a child to receive a PINES card. The process is the same as it is for obtaining an adult card, except a parent or legal guardian's proper identification will be used. The parent or guardian who signs the application form accepts full responsibility for all late fines or fees for lost or damaged materials.

The Georgia PINES app displays your library barcode and can be used at PINES libraries in lieu of your physical card. If you do not have your physical card or the PINES app, then you will be asked to show current ID or otherwise confirm your identity to ensure that the correct account is retrieved.

If you have lost your physical card, library staff can issue you a new card and disable your old account to prevent potential use of the lost card.

Please direct questions or concerns about the status of your PINES library account to your local library. A list of PINES libraries and their contact information is available here.

You have several options:

1. If this is a brand new card, try entering the last four digits of the phone number on your account.*
2. If your account information includes your email address, you may use the Forgot your password? link on the login screen to reset your password. The system does this in batches, so it may take a few minutes for you to receive the password reset email.
3. You may go into any PINES library with your card and your ID to request that the library staff reset your password for you. Please be sure to test it while you are there.

*Please note this would not apply if you self-register and choose your password, OR if you are a student with a PLAY card through your school. In these cases, follow options 2 or 3 above. PLAY card account holders may also contact their school for account information.

Your online account is automatically created when you register for a library card. Once you have a card, you can manage your account by following these instructions.

Click here for a printable PDF Cheat Sheet!

For your own privacy, PINES does not automatically retain a history of which items you have checked out in the past. However, if you would like PINES to begin storing a list of the items you have checked out (or items you have placed on hold), you can turn this feature on:

• Log in to My Account (http://gapines.org/login)
• Click on Account Preferences.
• Click on Search and History Preferences.
• Check the box next to “Keep history of checked out items?”
• Click Save.

The next time you check out an item, it will automatically add it to a list. To see the list:

• Go to My Account.
• Click on Items Checked Out.
• Click on Checkout History.

If you decide you no longer want PINES to store your checkout history, you may clear your list by going into your account settings and unchecking the “Keep history of checked out items?” box and clicking the Save button.

You may also use the My Lists feature to keep a list of items for your own use. There are also free online services such as GoodReads that allow you to track and rate all of the books you've read.

PINES library cards expire after two years and require you to visit your local PINES library facility with picture ID and proof of address (or employment, school enrollment, or property ownership in Georgia) to renew. You will also need to resolve any fines or fees that are present on the account. Contact information for all of the PINES libraries is available here.

If your account is within 30 days before your expiration date and is in good standing, you may renew your account online. To do so,

• Go to the PINES online catalog site: http://gapines.org
• Click on My Account.
• Under My Account Summary, click on the button “Click here to renew your account.” (This option will only appear if you are eligible to renew your account online.)
• This will lead you to a form to update and/or confirm your current information. Please note that if your address has changed, you will be given a temporary 30-day renewal so you have time to go into the library and show your current proof of address.
• Once you have filled out the form, click Submit.
• Once the form has been submitted, you will be led to a screen that confirms your renewal and provides your new expiration date.

If your card has already expired, or if you have outstanding bills on your account, you will not have the option to renew your account online.

A typical PINES library cardholder can have up to 50 items out at one time. Some other types of PINES users may have further restrictions. Some types of items have additional limits. For example, DVDs are currently limited to 15 out at one time.

No, you can return PINES items at any PINES library, no matter where you checked the items out from.

Please contact the library that you returned the book to about the problem and ask them to do a 'shelf check' to check for the missing item. If the book belongs to a different library than the one you returned it to, you may wish to contact that library as well. A list of PINES libraries and their contact information is available here. PINES library patrons can return materials in person to any PINES library.

There are several reasons why you would not be able to renew an item (or items) you have checked out. The main reasons are:

• You have reached the maximum renewals allowed on an item.
• Another patron has placed the item on hold.
• There is an issue with your account (such as the account having expired or owing more than $10.00 in fines and fees).
• Some special types of items such as passes or kits may have restrictions on renewals.

Please direct questions or concerns about renewals to your local library. A list of PINES libraries and their contact information is available here.

PINES libraries optionally restrict hold placement on recently acquired materials, such as current bestsellers. If you attempt to place a hold request on an item that has one of these restrictions, you may receive the message “No items were found that could fulfill the requested holds” even when it appears that the items are available. Please note that this restriction only applies to hold requests. Reference materials and certain other materials may only be used within the library and not checked out. PINES library patrons can check out materials in person at any PINES library.

A typical PINES library cardholder can have up to 50 holds placed at one time. Some other types of PINES users may have further restrictions.

There are some items in PINES that are cataloged as a multi-volume set (such as the Full Metal Alchemist series), which does not allow you to place a hold on a specific volume. At this time, placing holds on a specific volume of such a set requires you to contact your local PINES library. Contact information for all of the PINES libraries is available here.

GALILEO (GeorgiA LIbrary LEarning Online) provides online access to many magazines, journals, and other resources not available on the public web. You can use your PINES account to access this resource. Log in to your account by following these instructions.

Once logged in, click on the “GALILEO” link at the top-middle of the page and you should be directed to GALILEO's start page.

PINES policies are created and changed by the PINES Executive Committee, a group of nine member library directors who represent all of the PINES libraries. Please contact the Director of your local PINES library system if you have questions, comments, and/or suggestions about PINES policies.

Please contact your local PINES library to reserve a room. Contact information for all of the libraries that are members of the PINES network is available here.

Please contact your local PINES library to inquire about their policy on donations. Contact information for all of the libraries that are members of the PINES network is available here.