top of page

The elevator will be out of order from August 10 to October for necessary repairs. Learn more and request accommodation at rhpl.org/renovations

Books By Mail - The Library at Your Doorstep

  • 6 days ago
  • 3 min read
Books by mail application - a bi-fold brochure with an image of mailboxes on the cover

Here at RHPL, we try to make it easy for patrons to get their books and library materials, whether it’s using the hold shelf, the drive-up window, or the community bookmobile. But for some patrons, they need a little extra help, and that’s where our Books By Mail program comes in. 


Who is eligible?

Books By Mail services are available for our Rochester Hills, Rochester, and Oakland Township resident patrons who are physically unable to come to the library because of a permanent or temporary disability, illness, or health department orders. Our Oakland Talking Book Service (OTBS) patrons are also automatically eligible for this service as part of their application approval process.


How to apply?

If you think you or someone you know may benefit from our Books By Mail program, have a chat with one of our Outreach librarians. They will help you determine eligibility and can give you an application form. If eligibility includes other limitations that make print materials difficult, our librarians may also refer you to the Oakland Talking Book Service, which gets you access to audiobooks in addition to our Books By Mail service.


What can we send?

Residents who qualify for Books By Mail (including through OTBS) can receive almost anything from our collections, including books, DVDs, music, audiobooks, and puzzles (certain items are unable to be mailed, such as hot spots and items from our Innovative Items collection). We can even order materials from another library through Melcat to send to your home. Our non-resident OTBS patrons, on the other hand, are only able to receive RHPL materials approved to send via Free Matter for the Blind through USPS, which includes large print materials, descriptive DVDs, and most youth materials. 


You’re approved! Now what?

Once a patron is approved for Books By Mail, whether through our RHPL application or through OTBS, one of our Books By Mail librarians will contact them to discuss their preferences. These librarians will be the patron’s main contact person and will personally mail items to them. Some patrons prefer to place their own holds, while others like books selected for them based on genre or author preferences. Patrons can choose to use this service on demand or have us send books on a send-and-receive basis. We want this service to work for our patrons, so we do our best to communicate what works best for them!


The Books by Mail zipper pouches, a larger green bad with the RHPL camperdown elm tree logo and address in the corner and a smaller, burgundy bag with "Free matter for the blind and physically handicapped" and the OTBS/RHPL return address on the front.

Once materials are selected and checked out to a patron’s account by our librarians, they will be mailed out in zipper pouches through USPS. Books By Mail materials have extended due dates, so patrons are able to keep them for a little while longer to account for transit time. When a patron is done, materials can be returned in the pouch through the mail. Postage is either covered by RHPL or is covered by Free Matter for the Blind, so there is no cost for a patron to use this service. 


Want to learn more? Contact us!

Books By Mail can be such a lifeline for our homebound patrons. We’re happy to be able to support our patrons by offering an alternative way to use our library services. If you think you or someone you know might benefit from this service or just want to know more, reach out to us at booksbymail@rhpl.org or 248-650-7150, and we will be happy to help! 


Check out the most popular books read this year by our Books by Mail readers!


This post was written by Caitlin Klotzer, Outreach Services Librarian at RHPL


bottom of page