The store

Terms

The short version of how the store works.

1. Rentals

Films, books, and records on our shelves are public domain or licensed. A free loan never needs a card. Books go out for 7 days. Films and records go out for 72 hours. The Free shelf can be watched, read, or heard with no sign-in and no borrow. A borrowed copy still follows the loan length below.

2. Bringing it back

Bring a loan back early from your account (Bring it back). A picture can also be rewound after it plays and returned there. Returning early stops the loan.

3. Late fees

After the loan length, a late fee builds up on your account: $1 for each started day, and it stops at $30. Nothing is charged to a card for a free loan. The fee sits on your account balance only.

Late fees are never charged automatically. While you have a balance of 50¢ or more, you can't borrow again until you pay it yourself with Pay balance.

4. Snacks, merch, and tips

Snacks and merch are optional and are paid at the counter. Tips ($1, $3, or $5) are voluntary and go straight into the jar. Tips are not refundable.

5. Payments

Payments go through Stripe. We never see or store your full card number. Paying a balance, a tip, or a snack is a one-time payment. We don't save your card for later, and we don't charge a card for late fees.

Jukebox picks are $1 to add a song to the queue or $3 to play it next. If your pick can't play, we refund it.

6. What's on the shelf

Titles are public domain or used under license. A story can show the language and ideas of the time it was written. If you hold rights to something on our shelves, see Copyright & takedowns.

7. Your town

We note your town (from your internet address or your choice) to show local weather and understand where our members are. We never ask for your exact location.

8. Questions

Write to [email protected] and a person will answer.

These terms can change. When they do, the date below changes too.

Last updated: October 31, 2026.