Handling Library Materials Safely

Our book drop is open 24/7.

You may return materials from any Milwaukee County public library (including City of Milwaukee public libraries) at Shorewood Public Library.

All library materials returned to Shorewood Library are quarantined for at least 24 hours after they are returned and before they are checked in. This is the best way to ensure that they are free of any contagions, safe for you to check out and safe for our staff to handle.

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Public Library Development team, in consultation with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services have determined that a 24 hour quarantine of returned library material is adequate. More information can be found here.

Library staff wash their hands frequently and wear a mask when working with library materials.

Frequently Asked Questions

I returned materials a few days ago and they have not been checked in. What should I do?

Please wait another two days before alerting us. You can check your account online or call us to see if your materials have all been safely checked in and removed from your account.

Due to volume, we may not check items in exactly 24 hours after they are returned.

Will I get an overdue fine?

As long as you put your materials in the book drop on or before their due date, or within the three-day grace period if applicable, then you will not get an overdue fine.

We backdate returns to the date before they were removed from the book drop. This means that if you return materials on January 15 and we remove them from the book drop on January 15, we will check them in as though they were returned on January 14.

I want a receipt when I return my materials.

We recommend you use your CountyCat account online or the mobile app to keep track of which items have been returned. To get a receipt for returned materials, bring them to the front desk and staff will check them in to ensure they are off your card. Then, we will ask you to put them in the book drop so they enter quarantine.

Please contact us if you have questions or concerns at 847-2670 or shorewood.circ@mcfls.org