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Unlock Endless Possibilities: Explore Our Library Catalog!
Discover your next favorite book, album, or movie. Our Library Catalog is your gateway to over 135,000 items in circulation, featuring, but not limited to:
- Books: Bestsellers, classics, and everything in between
- Audiobooks: Listen on-the-go with our vast audiobook collection
- Music: CDs and digital music to satisfy every musical taste
- Movies & TV: DVDs, Blu-Rays, and streaming options for endless entertainment
- Video Games: Challenge yourself with our collection of video games. Consoles include PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, and more.
Plus, don’t miss out on our Digital Collection, offering ebooks, digital audiobooks, and streaming media at your fingertips!
Make the Library Catalog your first stop for all your entertainment and educational needs.
Can't Find It Here? We Can Borrow It!
Help Shape Our Collection: Suggest a Purchase!
Is there a new release or a favorite title that you think should be in our collection? We want to hear from you!
Our Suggest a Purchase form allows you to recommend items to add to both our physical and digital collections. Our librarians review each suggestion carefully, and we do our best to acquire the items that will be of greatest interest and value to our patrons.
By suggesting a purchase, you’re helping us build a collection that reflects the diverse interests and needs of our community. So don’t hesitate – fill out a form today!
Book Club Kits Made Simple
Book Club Kits for Your Book Club
It’s never been easier to start a book club – Manhattan Public Library wants to help! With our kits, you can borrow kits from other libraries with multiple copies of the same title. Choose from over 800 titles, ranging from timeless classics to the latest bestsellers, and discover something new with our regularly updated selection.
To make sure your kit arrives in time, please request it at least 2 weeks in advance. We also recommend picking a backup title, just in case your first choice isn’t available. Kits requested with less than 2 weeks’ notice may not arrive on time.
Ready to get started? Fill out the Interlibrary Loan Request Form and request “Book Kit” from the dropdown, and we’ll let you know when your kit is ready or if there are any issues.
Explore History Through Microfilm at Your Library
Discover historical newspapers, archives, and documents preserved on microfilm – a photographic method used to store and protect important records in a compact format. To view our complete list of available in-house microfilm, visit our complete list down below.
Through our Interlibrary Loan service, you can access fascinating microfilm collections from the Kansas Historical Society and beyond. Requesting microfilm is simple: visit our Interlibrary Loan Request Form, choose “Microfilm” under the “Interlibrary Loan Type” menu, and select up to 4 reels at a time. Your microfilm selections will be ready for you at the second-floor Reference Desk for convenient in-library viewing.
Unlock the past today – history is waiting for you!
Differences between ILL and Suggest a Purchase
Interlibrary Loan (ILL)
ILL lets you borrow items from other libraries if they’re not available at Manhattan Public Library. We’ll search Kansas libraries first, and if needed, expand the search nationwide.
ILL cannot request:
- Items in our collection that are less than two weeks overdue
- Very new or highly popular items
- Unreleased books or media
- Rare, expensive, or digital content
- Textbooks
Suggest a Purchase
If the item you need isn’t available through ILL, you can suggest it for purchase by the library. We’ll consider adding it to our collection based on availability, demand, and budget.
Suggest a Purchase exceptions:
- Multiple seasons or volumes in a series at one time
- Items that have not been released yet (New movies, TV shows, literature, etc.)
- Exclusive materials, such as Audible Originals, Kindle Unlimited, etc.
- Materials readily available through ILL
- Typically, exceeding 3 submissions per month will result in delays
How to search with Interlibrary Loan
Frequently Asked Questions
Patrons must have less than $10 in fees on their account to submit an ILL or Suggest a Purchase request, but there is no fee to request items. Out-of-state libraries may charge a fee to borrow items via ILL. We will not borrow an item from charging libraries unless you agree to pay the borrowing fee.
Patrons can have no more than 10 active ILL requests at any time. Requests are considered active from the time they are submitted until the items are returned to the lending library. Patrons are limited to 1 book club kit and 4 microfilm reels per library card. Suggest a Purchase requests are typically limited to 3 requests per month.
All general ILL items will be placed on hold through your library account. You will be notified via your preferred notification method. Digital items, book club kits, and microfilm will receive an email or phone call.
Generally, requests will be filled within 1 to 2 weeks. Out-of-state ILL requests can take 4 or more weeks. If you have questions about the status of your ILL, please contact the Interlibrary Loan Department at (785) 320-5369 or ill@mhklibrary.org. Questions about your suggested purchase can be directed to our Collection Services Manager at (785) 320-5383 or chicks@mhklibrary.org.
For a variety of reasons, not all requests can be filled. If the item you requested is unavailable, you will be notified.
All ILL items check out for a standard borrowing time, identical to MPL’s items. Books, audiobooks, and music CDs check out for 3 weeks. DVDs, Blu-Ray, and video games check out for 2 weeks. Book club kits, cake pans, and microfilm have special loan periods determined at the time of the request and will be discussed with the Interlibrary Loan Coordinator.
ILL items can be renewed at least 1 time for their original loan period, and may be renewable 2 more times after that, depending on the lending libraries’ policies. Items that cannot be renewed will be marked as such. ILLs cannot be renewed online. To renew an ILL, contact the library at least 3 days before the due date.
Manhattan Public Library must remain in good standing with other lending libraries by honoring their due dates and rules in order to remain in the interlibrary loan circuit and provide items to our patrons.
Patrons who return ILLs without the identifying band will be charged $5 for vinyl bands. This charge will be waived when the band is returned.
If any items are lost or damaged, you will be charged a replacement cost, plus a $5.00 processing fee. For additional information, please review our “Lost or Damaged Materials” policy on our policies page.