If you have questions about the Books by Snail service, you may find an answer in the list below. If your question does not appear on this page, please call our direct line at 573-817-7092 or the Columbia Public Library at 1-800-324-4806. You can also email us at [email protected].
Who can participate in Books by Snail? Books by Snail welcomes participants who are students entering kindergarten through twelfth grade and live in the following school districts: Hallsville, Harrisburg, New Bloomfield, North Callaway, South Callaway or Sturgeon. All students must be 5 or older by August 1, 2024.
How do I register? Please fill out our online registration form and tell us what you want to read. You may also call us directly at 573-817-7092, and we can sign you up over the phone.
How does BBS work? After registering on the website, the Books by Snail team double-checks all your information to make sure you qualify, and then we start selecting your books. During registration, we ask for information about what kind of books you like and if you have any specific requests. We check those books out to your library card and send them to you in the mail in a special blue bag. Once you finish reading your bag of books, complete the reorder form. Put the reorder form and the books back in the bag, flip the mailing label and put the bag in the mailbox. Once we get your bag of books and reorder form back, we'll send you more books!
I participated last year, but I have moved. Can I do BBS again? That depends on where you moved to. If you have moved to one of the school districts listed above, you can participate again. If you're unsure, email us and we will help!
I forgot to return my books from last year! Can I still participate in the program? Of course! The neat thing about our library is that we don't have overdue fines. So, if you return any long-overdue books, all charges will be taken off your account. If you lost a book from last year, please contact us, and we will work with you.
How should I send books back when I have more than one bag? If there's room, then you can stuff everything into one bag, including your additional bag. Otherwise, you can split the difference between the bags and mail them all separately.
I mailed a bag but the books haven't been checked in yet. The post office takes a few days to return your books to us, so don't worry! If it's been more than a week, you can call or email us and we will take care of it.
My sibling and I sent our bags back on the same day, but they got their reorder back first. Why? Sometimes when looking for the perfect book to send you, we have to transport it from a different library branch, which can take an extra day or two. If your books are taking a little longer, that just means they're going to be extra special.
My books are almost due, but I'm not done. What should I do? The library will automatically renew your checked out items on their due date if they are eligible for renewal. This means any item that’s not on hold for another patron or hasn’t already been renewed three times will be renewed for you. You will get an email notification with a list of your automatic renewals and items that can’t be renewed and will need to be returned soon. You can also actively renew your items three ways:
A book has been purchased for me to check out. How long will it take for it to be mailed? It can take a few weeks from the time we place the order to its delivery at the library; then, the book must be processed into the library’s catalog before finally making its way to you in the mail. However, we'd love to send you some similar titles while you wait for your special copy!
What if I don't like my books? Then let us know, and we will try again! The more descriptive you can be with your return sheet about what you like and what you don’t like the better our selections will be. There's nothing more exciting for us than figuring out what your personal “style” is and finding your perfect books!
When do I get my hold? If your hold arrives and we're already working on a bag for you, we'll add it. If your hold arrives afterward, we'll send it as a special delivery!
Why am I getting the same books as last year? Oops! Sometimes, if you request books like “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” we'll send you a similar series like “Big Nate” without realizing that you read the whole “Big Nate” series last year! Let us know when you return your bag, and we'll find you something new instead.
What if I get books that aren't on my reading level? Oh, no! We're sorry about that. When you send back your books, please tell us more on the reorder form about which books you didn't like or which books were too challenging, not challenging enough or somewhere in-between. We'd also love to know about some titles you've enjoyed reading that are on your reading level. If you're not sure where your reading level is exactly, please get in touch so we can discuss which books will work best for you. We're happy to help!
If you have a question that did not appear on this list, please call our direct line at 573-817-7092 or the Columbia Public Library at 1-800-324-4806. You may also email us at [email protected].
