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OLIS Library Card Policy

The Office of Library and Information Services (OLIS) is a member of the Ocean State Libraries (OSL) consortium. Cards are available for the following user groups:

  • State of Rhode Island employees which are non-RI residents.
  • School libraries that are certified members of the Library of Rhode Island (LORI) but do not belong to the OSL consortium.

OLIS Library Card for State Employees

State Employees may obtain an Ocean State Libraries card through the Office of Library and Information Services. Rhode Island residents are strongly encouraged to apply for a library card at their local public library but may use OLIS to pick up and return materials obtained with their locally issued card. 

Eligibility and Conditions

  1. Applicants must be current employees of the State of Rhode Island and provide a state email address in their application.
  2. Card is valid for one year form date of issue; cards must be renewed annually.
  3. State employees who are non-RI residents may be issued an OLIS Library Card for work purposes only and to access AskRI.org databases for work purposes.
  4. OLIS Cards for non-RI residents may not be issued or renewed at public libraries.
  5. Cardholders agree to adhere to all terms and conditions of Ocean State Libraries in their application for an OLIS Library Card.
  6. OLIS reserves the right to suspend cardholder privileges of any individual found in violation of these terms and conditions.
  7. OLIS Library Cards will be suspended when the holder departs state service.

To apply for a card, please complete the online application using your work address and email address. Or complete the paper application form and submit it to the OLIS LORI Team or stop by OLIS on the 2nd floor at the Department of Administration, 1 Capitol Hill, Providence, RI 02908. Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

OLIS Library Card for School Library ILL

An OLIS Library Card enables school libraries to initiate an interlibrary loan request on behalf of a patron for materials accessible through the OSL online catalog. Cardholders may place holds in the catalog, allowing both the requesting and supplying library to track the requests and monitor the loan status online.

Eligibility and Conditions

  1. Libraries must be current members of the Library of Rhode Island (LORI) and in good standing (not owning billed items to any other LORI library).
  2. Card is valid for one year, expiring on July 1 and must be renewed annually.
  3. OLIS ILL Library Cards may not be issued or renewed at public libraries. 
  4. Cardholders must comply with the LORI Interlibrary Loan Code.
  5. OLIS reserves the right to suspend the burrowing privileges when the library fails to respond to invoices for lost or damaged items within 60 days.

School librarians may apply for an OLIS ILL Library Card by completing the OLIS ILL Library Card Application. 

OSL Title Request Procedures

  1. Authorized card users may place holds on materials accessible through the OSL catalog, selecting the pickup location (OLIS or public library of choice).
  2. Items received at OLIS will be checked out and sent to the requesting library through LORI delivery. A due date slip will be included.
  3. Items delivered to a public library can be picked up and checked out by the authorized card user.
  4. The loan period begins when the item is checked out to the requesting library.
  5. Follow internal ILL procedures once the item is received.
  6. Return borrowed materials to the owning library in the LORI delivery using the correct 3 letter LORI delivery code on the delivery slip 

Items that are not available in the OSL online catalog but are in the collection of another LORI library may be requested using the LORI Book and Article Request Form. If the items are not in the holdings of a LORI library, the item may be requested through the OLIS ILL Clearinghouse. For more information, please see Interlibrary Loan Requesting Procedures.