Guide to the Popular library
at Central Library

The Popular Library Collection offers the most frequently used resources at Central Library. Entertainment videos, new release DVDs, books straight off the bestseller lists, plus fiction audio-books, magazines, and the hottest music CDs and cassette tapes can all be located in this collection found on the Lobby Level of Central Library.

Entertainment Videos:   

Entertainment videos are one of the most widely used portions of the Popular Library. Videos are organized by category labels including comedies, westerns, foreign films, musicals, horror, holiday, children's, and general entertainment.

Plus, renting videos is affordable! Video fees are $2.00 per title/episode, and the checkout period is for three nights (four on Thursdays). The Popular Library staff is also happy to help you locate videos by using and perusing Videolog, a comprehensive catalog of videos in "current release." 

DVD:   

DVD is quickly becoming the standard for movie-watchers, and the Popular Library has begun adding DVDs to its collection. Like the entertainment videos, you can find a wide selection of both new releases and older, classic films that have been digitally re-mastered and released on DVD. The rental fees and time periods are the same as those of the entertainment videos

Compact Discs:  

Compact Discs are one of the most highly requested and checked-out sections in Popular Library. The CDs include the most-requested music types, including Soundtracks, Popular, Rhythm 'n Blues, Country, Jazz, New Age, Rap, Blues, and Gospel/Religious. You can find an impressive selection of musical artists, from the smooth sounds of Frank Sinatra to the most up-to-date releases.

The checkout fees for CDs are 50 cents per CD, maximum $3.00 per item) and the checkout period is three weeks (21 days). Library users looking for classical music items are invited to the Humanities Department on Level Two, where they can find classical, folk, international folk, holiday, and sound effects CDs.

Music Cassettes:  

In addition to Fiction audio-books, the Popular Library collection also houses a large selection of music on audiocassette. The most requested areas, which include Soundtracks, Popular, Rhythm 'n Blues, Country, Jazz, New Age, Rap, Blues, and Gospel/Religious, are all available for checkout. The cassette fees are the same as those for CDs (50 cents per cassette, maximum $3.00 per item) and the checkout period is also three weeks (21 days).

Library users can also find classical music, folks, international folk, holiday, and sound effects cassettes on Level Two in the Humanities Department.

Book Bestsellers:

If you love reading the bestsellers as soon as they appear on the New York Times Bestsellers List, the Popular Library is the place to go. Fiction and non-fiction bestselling titles are well-represented, and multiple copies are usually available at both Central Library and around the library system. Books featured on the Oprah's Book Club (a part of the Oprah Winfrey Show) are also ordered for Popular Library because of their high demand.

The checkout period for Popular Library books is seven (7) days.

Fiction on Audio:  

Fiction books are available on both audiocassette and compact disk, and are some of the most frequently requested and widely-used items in the Popular Library collection. From classic reads to up-to-the-minute new releases, fiction on audio offers a large selection of titles available for checkout.

Titles are available in two lengths: abridged (shortened version) or unabridged (full-length) and are available in both cassette and compact disc formats. The fees for these items are 50 cents per CD/cassette, with a maximum charge of $3.00 (a real bargain, especially for unabridged titles!). The checkout period for Popular Library audio items is three weeks (21 days).

Magazines:  

Magazines, periodicals, and journals are located throughout Central Library, and Popular Library is no exception. The Popular Library magazines, however, can be checked out! Heavily requested titles including People, Time, and Rosie are among many magazines available for checkout.

The checkout period for magazines is seven (7) days, and there is no charge.

E-Audio Books  

The Memphis Public Library E-Audio Books is a digital collection of hundreds of audio book titles that can be downloaded for a borrowing fee of $5 per title. E-audio books can be listened to on a desktop computer or laptop computer, on portable devices like PDA's and smart-phones, and in many cases can be copied to compact discs.