Printing costs are $.10 per page for black and white, $.25 per page for color

Printing with a Library Computer

We have computers available for anyone to use (minors require the presence of a responsible adult to give permission). If you do not have a library card, you can get a guest pass from the front desk, good only for the day they are created. Printing must be paid for in advance at the front desk; we attach the funds to the card or guest pass, and the cost of printing is automatically deducted when pages are printed.

Print jobs in the adult computer lab are sent to the print release station in the back of the room. Log on to the print release station using the same information you logged on to the computer with to view and confirm printing; there are instructions at the print release station. This is also when you choose to print in either black & white or color, and how many copies to print. You will see the costs of printing here as well. Do not confirm printing if anything looks wrong!

When printing from a children’s computer, the pages go to the staff workroom; inform the circulation desk that you have printed, and they will get the pages for you.

For help with printing, please see a staff member.

Please note that guest passes only work on the day they are issued. If you have any print funds remaining on one, ask staff at the front desk to reimburse it; staff will not be able to verify the amount remaining after the end of the day, and will deny the request.

Printing via Email Request

We now offer the option to send documents to a Southgate Veterans Memorial Library email address for printing. Compose a new email, or forward an existing one, addressed to print@southgate.lib.mi.us. Make sure the documents you want us to print are attached before sending the email.

Please note these restrictions.

• There is a 10 document limit per patron, per day.  There is no limit on number of pages per document.
• Library staff will print what you send, and are only able to make quick, simple edits, such as changing the size or selecting specific pages to print. 

If you need to print more than this, or make significant changes, our public computers are available.

When you are ready, speak to library staff at the circulation desk, who will print the documents for you, and take payment at the same time. After printing your documents, staff will delete the email, so your information remains secure.

The library has one copier available for public use. It can make black and white or color copies. The cost is the same as printing, $.10 per page for black and white copies, and $.25 per page for color copies.

Staff will be happy to help you make your copies, if you are unsure how to use the copier. It is capable of making single sided and double sided copies, singly or as a group. The paper sizes available are letter (8.5 x 11) and legal (8.5 x 14). A special function also exists for making copies of both sides of cards, such as a driver's license.

Payment for copies goes in a cash machine attached to the copier, and must be paid before copies print. The cash machine accepts coins (except pennies), as well as bills up to $20. Change can be dispensed from the cash machine in coins.

Ask at the front desk for faxing service, we send the fax for you in the staff workroom.

The cost of sending a fax depends on the area code it is being sent to. Local area codes (734, 313, 586, 248, 810, 679) are $1 for the first page, and $.10 every additional page. Long distance area codes are $1 per page.  We do not send faxes to locations outside the United States. You will only be charged once a fax is sent successfully, and a confirmation page will print verifying that success.

All pages must be one sided, the fax machine cannot read both sides of a page. If you need to send both sides of a page, a copy will have to be made of one side. A copy may also need to be made of pages that are too small, or pages that are torn, excessively wrinkled, or an odd shape, as the fax machine will not be able to read them, and could cause damage to the originals if they do not feed in properly.

If a fax fails, due to a busy number, poor connection, or other issue, the information will automatically be sent again a few minutes later. If failure reoccurs, staff can keep trying, but only a few times; continuous failures are outside of our control.

The library copier is capable of scanning documents onto a USB flash/thumb drive. There is no cost associated with scanning documents. If you need to scan documents, but do not have a drive, the library can provide one for use in the building. We do not sell them, and you cannot take ours with you. We will delete any files saved on ours when you are finished with it.

Scanning directly to email is not possible. The option does appear on the copier, but is not functional. If you would like to email a scanned document, you may use one of the public computers to do so.

We now offer a Hygiene Station, a collection of basic supplies free to anyone who needs them. Washcloths, shampoo, deodorant, soap, band-aids, and more are all available in the lobby, right where you enter the building. No need to ask, take what you need!

The library will rely on donations to keep the station stocked, and will accept donations of new, unopened items; ask staff at the front desk for details. You can also view our Amazon wish list to see what kinds of items we offer, and you can purchase items directly from the list to be sent to us.