At the Library – Getting a Library Card

Scene: A quiet public library. Omar walks up to the information desk holding a small stack of books.

Conversation

LIBRARIAN: Hello. How can I help you today?

OMAR: Hi. This is my first time here. I’d like to get a library card.

LIBRARIAN: Welcome! We’re happy to have you. Do you live in this city?

OMAR: Yes, I moved here last month.

LIBRARIAN: Great. I’ll need a photo ID and something that shows your address, like a bill or rental agreement.

OMAR: I have my driver’s license and an electricity bill. Are those okay?

LIBRARIAN: Yes, that’s perfect. I’ll just make a copy. Please fill out this short form and sign at the bottom.

Omar fills out the form and hands it back.

OMAR: Here you go.

LIBRARIAN: Thank you. Your card will be ready in a minute. With this card, you can borrow up to 20 items at a time.

OMAR: Nice. How long can I keep the books?

LIBRARIAN: Books are due in three weeks. You can renew them online or at the desk if no one else has a hold on them.

OMAR: Okay. And what about DVDs?

LIBRARIAN: DVDs are due in one week, and there is a small late fee if you return them after the due date.

OMAR: Got it. I’m also looking for English novels that aren’t too difficult. Where should I start?

LIBRARIAN: Our fiction section is on the second floor. For easier English, look for the “ESL & Easy Readers” shelf near the elevator.

OMAR: That’s helpful. And if I can’t find a specific book, can you order it?

LIBRARIAN: Sometimes, yes. We can request it from another branch or order it for our collection. Just tell us the title and author.

OMAR: Great. Do you also have computers I can use?

LIBRARIAN: Yes, computers are in the back on the first floor. You can log in with your library card number. Sessions are 60 minutes, and you can print for a small fee.

OMAR: Perfect. One last question: Is it okay to take a phone call in here?

LIBRARIAN: We ask people to keep their phones on silent and take calls in the lobby, not in the reading area.

OMAR: No problem. I’ll remember that.

The librarian hands Omar a small plastic card.

LIBRARIAN: Here’s your library card. Your PIN number is on the back. You can start borrowing books right away.

OMAR: Thank you so much for your help.

LIBRARIAN: You’re very welcome. Enjoy the library!

— THE END —

Vocabulary List

Library card /ˈlaɪbreri kɑːrd/ (n.) a card that lets you borrow books and other items from a library. Example: I’d like to get a library card.
Information desk /ˌɪnfərˈmeɪʃn desk/ (n.) the place where you ask questions and get help in a library or public building. Example: Omar goes to the information desk.
Borrow /ˈbɔːroʊ/ (v.) to take something and promise to return it later. Example: You can borrow up to 20 items at a time.
Due date /ˈduː deɪt/ (n.) the last day you can keep a book or item before you must return it. Example: Books are due three weeks from the checkout date.
Renew /rɪˈnuː/ (v.) to extend the time you can keep a borrowed item. Example: You can renew books online if no one else has a hold.
Hold (on a book) /hoʊld ɑːn ə bʊk/ (n.) a request to save a book for someone when it is returned. Example: You can’t renew a book if someone else has a hold on it.
Branch /bræntʃ/ (n.) one location of a library system in a city. Example: We can request the book from another branch.
Fiction /ˈfɪkʃn/ (n.) stories that are not true, like novels and short stories. Example: The fiction section is on the second floor.
Overdue /ˌoʊvərˈduː/ (adj.) returned later than the due date. Example: There is a small fee for overdue DVDs.
Quiet zone /ˈkwaɪət zoʊn/ (n.) an area where people must speak softly or not at all. Example: Please take phone calls outside the quiet zone.

At the Library: Getting a Library Card

Characters:

Conversation

Vocabulary List