Reserve a Study Room
Reservations may be made through the Reference Department (973-377-0722 ext. 212)
Borrow a Nook
The library has three Barnes and Nobles Nook eReaders available for circulation to valid Madison cardholders 18 or older. Two Nooks are available in the Adult Department and one is in the Children’s Department. The Nooks are pre-loaded with a selection of both fiction and nonfiction bestsellers. The Nook allows users to change text to accommodate readers of both regular and large print books.
To borrow a Nook, visit the Circulation Desk and present a valid driver’s license or other form of government ID. A $25.00 refundable deposit is also required. Nooks are loaned out for two weeks and can be reserved by valid Madison cardholders.
Volunteer at the Library
Volunteer with the Madison Public Library
Volunteers are needed for a variety of library positions including:
- event support
- shelving & shelf reading
- clerical assistance
- reading partners
- homework help
- Read to a Dog
- local history & archives
- gardening/property maintainence
- special projects
- computer training
- teen advisory board
- advertising
- fundraising (see Friends of the Madison Public Library)
To volunteer please fill out a volunteer application listing your hours
of availability and preferred volunteer work.
Get a Museum Pass
Valid Madison Public Library card holders can receive free admission and benefits to the following exciting museums in the area:
- Brooklyn Botanic Gardens
- Montclair Art Museum
- Children’s Museum of Manhattan
- Morris Museum
- Frick Collection
- Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
- Museum of Early Trades and Crafts
- Grounds for Sculpture
- Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts
- Guggenheim Museum
- Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms
Visit the Circulation Desk to pick up a pass for the museum of your choice. A $20.00 refundable deposit is required. Museum passes have a 4 day loan period and are available on a first come, first serve basis. Museum passes can't be reserved. The number of guests allowed free admission varies by museum. The Museum Pass Program is sponsored by the Friends of the Madison Public Library in honor of Drew University.
Click here to find out more.
Donate memorial books
For more information please contact the Administrative Office (973-377-0722 ext. 221).
Get or renew a library card
Presentation of a library card (or NJ driver’s license for registered borrowers) is required to borrow materials from the Madison Public Library. The Library honors Madison Public Library cards, as well as those from other
M.A.I.N., Inc. Public libraries, the Morris Union Federation (MUF) libraries and
Open Borrowing Program libraries.
- Obtaining a Library Card Madison taxpayers and residents are eligible for a free library card, offering full service in the Madison Public Library, as well as borrowing privileges in other libraries belonging to M.A.I.N., Inc., Morris Union Federation and the Open Borrowing Program. The library requires identification showing proof of address (e.g. current tax/rent/utility bill; valid NJ driver’s license). A PO Box address is NOT acceptable as proof of residency. A resident library card is valid for three years. A library card may be renewed upon proof of current address.
- College Students (Undergraduates) College students living in University residence halls at Drew University, Fairleigh Dickinson University or the College of St. Elizabeth are eligible for borrowing privileges at the Madison Public Library and the Morris County Library only. Students will be issued a courtesy card. A college student may request holds for pickup at the Madison Public Library. However, other M.A.I.N libraries reserve the right to limit items sent for courtesy card holders. The library requires proof of current college enrollment (e.g. tuition bill; current student ID). A student library card is valid for one year and may be renewed upon proof of continuing enrollment.
- Graduate Students Graduate students and their families living on or off campus are entitled to full library privileges and receive a regular library card. Employees of Madison Businesses including the Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey, Au Pairs, Nannies, and Aides
Employees of Madison businesses are entitled to a courtesy card. Courtesy card holders are entitled to borrow material at the Madison Public Library and the Morris County Library only. They may also place holds for pickup at the Madison Public Library but other libraries reserve the right to limit items sent for courtesy card holders. The library requires proof of employment (e.g. letter from your employer or a pay stub.) Courtesy cards are valid for one year and are renewed upon proof of continuing employment. Individuals who live in communities participating in M.A.I.N., Inc., MUF, or the Open Borrowing Program must apply for a library card in their home library.
Make a donation
Opportunities are available for patrons to support the Library financially. The Friends of the Madison Public Library is a 501c3 nonprofit that raises funds to support the Library. A Memorial/Honor Book Program is available for patrons who would like to remember someone with a gift to the Library.
Click here to learn more about the friends or the memorial/honor book program or make a donation through the Friends website.
Madison Public Library, Inc. is a separate 501c3 corporation that oversees the Library’s endowment. Bequests and other gifts are used to increase the Library’s endowment which supports the library budget on an annual basis. Contact the Director of the Library to make a donation to the Madison Public Library, Inc.
Download audio books and eBooks
We offer a collection of free downloadable eBooks and audiobooks to download onto your Kindle, Nook, Sony reader, iPod, iPad, Smartphone, and other eReaders and mobile devices. Be aware that the books do have expiration dates and popular titles have waiting lists.
To download book,
click here to access NJ Digital Library's website.
Get Homework Help
For Adults and University Students please visit our
For students ages 0-18 please visit:
Donate books
The following are guidelines for donating books to the library.
Please limit book donations to:
- 1-2 bags
- fiction published in the last 10 years
- Nonfiction published in the last 5 years
- Legal, medical, travel, and computer books published in the last 2 years
Books that do not meet these criteria that have limited resale value will be discarded and recycled. Moldy, yellowed, smelly or water damaged books will also be discarded.
Reserve the Chase Auditorium
Reservations may be made through the Administrative Office (973-377-0722 ext. 221)
Get a College Student card
College students living in University residence halls at Drew University, Fairleigh Dickinson University or the College of St. Elizabeth are eligible for borrowing privileges at the Madison Public Library and the Morris County Library only. Students will be issued a courtesy card. A college student may request holds for pickup at the Madison Public Library. However, other M.A.I.N libraries reserve the right to limit items sent for courtesy card holders. The library requires proof of current college enrollment (e.g. tuition bill; current student ID). A student library card is valid for one year and may be renewed upon proof of continuing enrollment.
Find out about loan periods
- New Books (most recent year): 2 weeks
- Adult Books: 4 weeks
- Adult Magazines (except current issues): 2 weeks
- DVDs, Wii video games and videos: 1 week
- Audiobooks 2 weeks
- Nook eReaders: 2 weeks
- Museum Pass: 4 days
- Children's Fiction (J* and J) and Non-Fiction: 4 weeks
- Children's Board Books, Picture Books and Easy Readers: 2 weeks
Renew materials
- Present the item(s) at one of the Library’s circulation desks.
- Log onto the Library’s website (www.madisonnjlibrary.org), click on Catalog on the left sidebar and log in with your barcode number (no spaces) and PIN/password. Click on My Account.
- Contact the Library (973-377-0722)
Use a library computer
The library has public Internet computers with the full Microsoft Office 2007 Suite. Users need a library card from any library in Morris County or any Open Borrowing library to log on to use the computers. Sessions are 2 hours and then 3 one hour sessions if enough PCs are available with a total of 5 hours per day.
Visitors without library cards can get a temporary pass from the Information desk after showing ID. Printing costs 15 cents a page after the first two free pages.
Find My Account
You can view and maintain your library account online through the MAIN catalog. You can view the items you have out, renew them, or place and manage holds.
To find your account, click
Search our Catalog at the top left of the page. Once you’re in the catalog, click on
Patron Account at the top of the page. Enter your library card number and your PIN/password then click
Log In.
You can also find your account by going to
http://catalog.mainlib.org and clicking on
Patron Account.
Ask a Librarian
Get my pin number
On the Patron Account login page of the library catalog, click the link that says Forgot your PIN? then sign in with your library card number. Your PIN/password will be sent to the email address that is on file in your library record.
If you’d rather, you can bring your library card to the Circulation Desk where your password can be reset to a new one of your choice.
Replace a stolen library card
A lost or stolen library card must be reported to the Library Circulation Desk immediately. A replacement card will be issued with a $1.00 charge imposed upon the second replacement card thereafter.
Get a Temporary Employee Card
Employees of Madison businesses are entitled to a courtesy card. Courtesy card holders are entitled to borrow material at the Madison Public Library and the Morris County Library only. They may also place holds for pickup at the Madison Public Library but other libraries reserve the right to limit items sent for courtesy card holders. The library requires proof of employment (e.g. letter from your employer or a pay stub.) Courtesy cards are valid for one year and are renewed upon proof of continuing employment. Individuals who live in communities participating in M.A.I.N., Inc., MUF, or the Open Borrowing Program must apply for a library card in their home library.
Place holds on materials
You may reserve the book, in person, by phone or at the library. You may also reserve it (place a “hold”) online through the library web catalog. In order to place a hold/reserve a book, you must LOG-IN to the website using your library card number and PIN/password. Your PIN/password may be the last four digits of your telephone number. If you do not know your PIN number, call the library.
Find a book in another library
If the book (or item) you want is checked-out, you may place a “hold” for a copy of that book. When the book becomes available, the library will contact you with, your choice of, a call to your preferred telephone number or a notification via e-mail. You will then have 5 days to pick-up the book (3 days for new DVDs) from the library.
Use Wi-Fi
Unsecured Wi-Fi is available throughout the building. Just connect to the Library Wireless network for free Internet access on your personal device. We do not offer the ability to print at this time.
Become a Friend of the Library
To become a Friend of the Library visit the Friends website by
clicking here.
Use online databases
To access databases online you will need your library card number (the 13 digit code from the back of any Morris Area Information network (M.A.I.N) library card).
Click here to view the online databases available.
For further help call the Reference Desk at (973) 377-0722 ext. 212 or 213.
Borrow from other libraries
M.A.I.N.
Borrowing by residents of surrounding communities is welcome. The Madison Public Library is a member of the Morris Automated Information Network (M.A.I.N., Inc.), which includes the Morris County Library, public libraries in Morris County, and Bernards Township Library which offers reciprocal borrowing by patrons of these libraries. Patrons are required to register for a library card at their home library and may use it at any of the M.A.I.N., Inc libraries. Many of the circulation policies are common to all the network libraries.
MUF
The library is also a member of the Morris Union Federation (MUF); a reciprocal borrowing arrangement with the public libraries in Chatham, Morristown, New Providence, Berkeley Heights, Summit, Long Hill, Bernards Township and Bernardsville. Patrons carrying library cards from these libraries are welcome to borrow materials at the other MUF member libraries.
Open Borrowing
The public libraries in Morris County also participate in an Open Borrowing program, which includes most libraries in northern New Jersey counties. Patrons from these libraries are eligible to borrow from all participating libraries using their hometown library card. A list of the member libraries is available at the Open Borrowing website, and a copy is kept at the Library Circulation Desk.
