Email your comments, suggestions or questions to Richardson Public Library or submit a contact form here. Questions will be answered within 48 hours.

For faster assistance, please call 972-744-4350 during open hours.

Books, Magazines and Other Materials

Due to the Library's move to a temporary location during the renovation, we will not be accepting donations for books, magazines, or other materials.  

Gifts

Richardson Public Library gratefully accepts monetary donations. For book dedications, donors may recommend areas of interest. Accordingly, staff will select materials that complement the existing collection. If desired, book plates will be prepared acknowledging the donor and/or honoree.

For more information or to arrange for a monetary donation, please call 972-744-4350.

Your PIN is the last four numbers of your telephone number — the one you gave the Library when you set up your account. If you need help or need to reset your PIN, please call Circulation at 972-744-4363.

Submit a book title request here. 

ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (ESL)
Richardson Adult Literacy Center (RALC) Offering Basic Literacy, ESL and Conversation classes.  Serving residents of RISD. Call for location - services offered in  many  locations,  including Richardson Public Library.	To register, please email literacy@ralc.org, call 972-644-5119
Building English Skills Together (BEST) Woodcreek Church 3400 E. Renner Road, Richardson	972-238-8722
Collin County Adult Literacy Council	To contact, please email: collincountyadultliteracy@gmail.com
Aspire Classes in many DFW locations	214-824-2000
Collin College Adult Education and Literacy	469-365-1952
BASIC LITERACY
Collin County Adult Literacy Council	To contact, please  email: collincountyadultliteracy@gmail.com
Humanitarian Hands Charities 10935 Estate Lane South 395 (635 and Plano Road)	972-331-6098
Literacy Instruction for Texas (LIFT) Serving residents of RISD. Call for location - services offered in many locations, including Richardson Public Library.	214-824-2000
Plano Family Literacy - PISD 1300 19th Street, Plano	469-752-2252
Dallas Public Library English Practice Available at various locations	214-670-1400
GED
Collin County Adult Literacy Council	To contact, please email: collincountyadultliteracy@gmail.com
LearningExpress Library GED practice tests. Richardson Public Library Card required.	Click on "High School Equivalency Center"  button; select "Prepare for the GED Test".
National GED Information Hotline	877-392-6433
Dallas College High School Equivalency Program Held at various locations	972-378-1500

For accommodation requests for persons with disabilities, please contact Lindsay Turman, ADA Coordinator, by phone at 972-744-0908 or email ADACoordinator@cor.gov.

The Richardson Public Library is committed to providing equal access to Library materials, services, and resources for all patrons.  Library services are provided in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities.  The Library strives to make its services relevant, inclusive and responsive to community needs.

The mission of the Richardson Public Library is to make freely and readily available to the members of the community materials that will aid them in the pursuit of education, information, and recreation.  The Library seeks to promote activities and ideas which will stimulate, enrich, and expand interests of both children and adults and to cooperate with other educational, cultural, social and civic groups in the community in areas of mutual interest.

The Library is an ADA compliant facility.  There are designated parking spaces for the exclusive use of the disabled with ramps at the front entrance that provide access for patrons with mobility issues and for patrons who use assistive devices.  There are automatic doors, elevators, wheelchair accessible drinking fountains, tables and catalog/computer workstations.  The Library shelves allow mobile access for patrons in wheelchairs seeking direct access to Library materials.  ADA compliant stalls and handrails are found in restrooms on every floor.  Service animals are permitted in all areas of the Library where patrons are normally allowed.

The Library provides well-lit areas for the users as well as table lamps for people who require a higher amount of lighting.  The Library signage is clearly readable and incorporates high contrast and large print.  In addition, there are two large illuminated magnifiers available at the Library.

Services and materials that the Library provides to people with disabilities include:

The City of Richardson will make all reasonable modifications to policies and programs to insure that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to enjoy all City programs and services.

Q: How do I submit a job for 3D Printing?

A: Save your 3D objects as an STL file on a USB flash drive and take it to Questions Desk at the Library for submission.

Q: What is an STL file?

A: STL is short for STereoLithography. It is a standard file format for CAD (Computer-Added Design) software. STLs are a very compact file and only contain data on the dimensions of an object and nothing else.

Q: How big can an object be?

A: The printing area is roughly an 8x8x8 inch cube or around 200x200x200mm. (It is the same size as the default workplane in Tinkercad.)

Q: Can I print multiple objects at the same time?

A: Yes. While it is best to submit every object as a separate STL file, multiple STL files can be loaded on the same print job. The more objects you try to print the greater chance for errors. (Staff will advise.)

Q: How much can I print at one time?

A: You can submit a maximum of 5 jobs at a time. Each job can potentially be made up of multiple STL files.

Q: Mechanical Stock vs. Art Stock

A: The difference between the two settings is that the layer thickness for Art Stock is half that of Mechanical. Mechanical prints twice as fast and has a lower chance for errors, but the layers are more easily seen on curved surfaces. Art Stock prints out twice as slow and has a greater chance of errors, but the layers are much smoother.

Q: How large can a file be?

A: The slicing program can, in theory, handle sizes up to a maximum of 10Mb/10,000kB of STL files per job. The larger the file the higher chances of error and/or causing the 3D printer’s computer to crash. Example: a 10 kB STL file sliced at Mechanical Stock Settings with 20% infill becomes a 4640 kb GCODE, while the same STL sliced at ART Stock Settings at 20% becomes a 8768kB GCODE. Most STL files are less than 1000kB.

Q: What is a GCODE?

A: GCODE stands for G Programming Language and is a commonly used file format for computer automated manufacturing machines such as 3D printers. GCODEs contain the instructions for how a 3D printer must move in order to construct a 3D object. STLs are turned into a GCODE by using a slicing program such as KISSlicer.

Q: What density of infill should I use for printing my object?

A: Each object is different and staff will advise. Generally 20% is standard and is a good mix of economy and strength. 10% is weaker, but cheaper, and is best used for boxy or display only projects. 33% is very strong, but pricier, and is best used for object that will see some stress and wear-and-tear. (Most of the plastic parts inside of the 3D printer are 3D printed at 33%.)

Q: Can I print at a density higher than 33%?

A: While you can print up to 100%, it is generally never necessary and massively increases the cost.

Q: Can I print gun parts, knives, etc.?

A: No. If we even slightly suspect we are printing a weapon, or parts of a larger weapon, we will cancel the job, and destroy the object if it has already started printing. Continued submission of jobs that violate our policies can result in a ban from using C-tech materials.

Q: What about models or toy weapons?

A: We evaluate on a case-by-case basis. For instance, we have allowed people to print prop science fiction ray guns that were solid and in no way could be used as an actual weapon casing. But we have also canceled a job where a patron was printing a model sword for a figurine. Even though it was small, it still could have been used as a knife.

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