Having a block on your account basically means there's something that the computer thinks either you or the library staff need to notice. Blocks in general aren't inherently good or bad; they're just things that may need your attention.

The following are just some of the things that can cause you to have a block on your account:

• An item that you requested is being held for you at the library, and you need to come pick it up.
• You requested an interlibrary loan, but we were unable to get it for you :-(
• We need to check your address and phone number. (This happens every year or two at least.)
• You have items checked out that are overdue.
• You owe the library money (e.g., for overdue fines).
• The library owes you money (e.g., because you overpaid).
• You reported your library card lost
• We think one of the items in the Lost & Found may belong to you.
• Your parents have placed restrictions on what you can check out.

Unfortunately, the software that runs our web catalog (where you can renew online) doesn't know the difference. As far as it's concerned, you either have blocks, or you don't. If you don't have any blocks, it figures there's nothing special going on and lets you renew online as usual, but if you have any blocks at all, no matter what they are, it figures you'd better call the library (or come in) and talk to someone on staff, to see what's going on. So in that case it blocks you from, among other things, renewing online.

We'd like to be able to have it give you a little more information, and we'd like to have it distinguish between different kinds of blocks and allow you to renew in some cases, but the software does not have that option, so for now, if you have blocks, you should call the library (or come in) and renew, and while you're at it find out what the blocks are about. We're sorry if this creates some inconvenience. There's a request pending with the software vendor to improve this, but I'm afraid such things move slowly.