Borrowing Materials

Physical materials

• Books
• Express books
• Children's speaker books
• Playaways
• Books on disc
• DVDs
• Music CDs

Digital materials

• Overdrive/Libby eBooks
• Overdrive/Libby eAudiobooks
• Overdrive/Libby magazines

Find more information about using Overdrive & Libby for digital materials.

• 7 days for DVDs and Music CDs
• 21 days for:
  • Books
  • Express books
  • Books on CD, Playaways and children's speaker books
  • Overdrive/Libby eBooks
  • Overdrive/Libby eAudiobooks
  • Overdrive/Libby Magazines 

Item limits

• Up to 50 books may be checked out at one time.
• The following categories of items have a 10 item maximum checkout limit: books on CD, DVDs, music CDs, Overdrive/Libby eBooks and Overdrive/Libby eAudiobooks.   

Renewal periods

• All physical materials with the exception of Express Books are auto-renewed up to 5 times if there are no holds, or can be manually renewed up to 5 times.
• Overdrive/Libby Magazines can be renewed.
• Overdrive/Libby eBooks and eAudiobooks can be renewed. 

Renewals are for the same time as the original loan period. For example, books have a 21 day loan period, and can be renewed for up to 5 additional 21 day periods.

The renewal policy does not apply to Educator cards.

Your items may not be renewed if: 

• They are on hold for another person
• They have been renewed 5 times
• They are extremely overdue
• You have significant unpaid lost item or replacement fees
• Your card has expired

You can place holds on items that are checked out to another customer, or to have an item sent to your home library from another location. We will email you when the item is ready to be picked up - make sure your email address is up-to-date in your account! 

Holds

• Holds can be placed on all physical materials with the exception of Express Books, reference materials, or items in the People's Archive. 
• Holds can be placed on Overdrive/Libby eBooks and eAudiobooks. 
• Holds cannot be placed on Overdrive/Libby magazines. 
• You can place up to 25 physical items on hold and for OverDrive/Libby titles, you may place up to 15 digital items on hold.

Placing holds

To place a hold, log in to your account. Once logged in, search for what you want in the catalog search box at the top of the page. Then click the “Place Hold” button next to the item you want to hold. 

You’ll get an email or text notification when your hold is available for pickup, and items will be held for 5 days at your preferred pickup library. 



For digital holds, you’ll have 3 days to checkout your item once you receive your email notification. You can also choose to deliver your digital hold later. Learn more about managing available digital holds with “deliver later.”

Suspending a hold

If you’re going out of town and know you won’t be able to pick up items (or you have a lot of holds you know you won’t be able to enjoy all at once), you can “suspend” your holds. This way your hold won’t be filled while you’re gone but you’ll still keep your spot in the waiting list. 

Here’s how to do it:

• Log in with your library card number and PIN.
• Click on the “My Account” button. Once in your account, click the Holds tab.
• Select the items you wish to suspend by clicking the box to the left of the title.
• Click the “Suspend Hold” button above or below your list of holds.
• A pop-up will appear. You’ll need to choose the dates for the beginning and end of your suspension period.
• Click Suspend. Once you’ve done that, a calendar icon will appear next to the titles you’ve suspended.

Canceling a hold

If you have holds you know you won’t be able to pick up or don’t want any more, please be sure to cancel them! You can do that the same way you suspend holds - see above - but you’ll click the “Cancel Hold” button instead. 

Not available for hold

There are a few reasons why something might not be available for holds. 

If it’s a reference item or it’s in the People’s Archive at Martin Luther King Jr. Library:

• For these items, you may be able to use the item while in the library but not check it out. 
• For something labeled “reference,” visit the branch location where it’s held. 
• For People’s Archive access, please contact them at (202)727-1213 or peoples.archive@dc.gov

If your library card has expired:

• Library card accounts expire every 3 years. Once expired, you will not be able to place items on hold. 
• Getting them renewed is easy - visit your nearest library in person with a photo ID.
• Once your privilege is renewed, you’ll be able to place holds as usual (except for the reasons mentioned above!).

Return borrowed items to any DC Public Library location 24/7. All locations have outdoor book returns. 

All digital materials (eBooks, eAudiobooks) are returned automatically at the end of their lending period. 

BACKGROUND

The DC Public Library strives to be customer-centered, equitable, and open to all. Yet overdue fines create barriers to access for the very populations the library works to serve - low-income residents - and are not an effective tool to encourage on-time return of library material.

Removing overdue fines will help dismantle inequity and improve access to those who need it most. The Library recommends that the Board of Trustees vote to eliminate the imposition and collection of all overdue fines for late return of library materials. In 2015 the Board voted to eliminate fines and fees on youth accounts only (19 years of age and under).

The Library further recommends that it continue to charge adults replacement fees for lost or damaged materials and equipment. 

NEW POLICY LANGUAGE

DC Public Library assesses and collects fees for materials and equipment that must be replaced. Replacement may be required when items are returned damaged. Damage may include but is not limited to water damage and/or missing parts. Normal wear and tear is expected and will not be included in the assessment of damaged items. Normal wear and tear may include loose pages, loose book jackets or bindings, and missing media cover art. 

Replacement fees:

• Hard cover books - $20.00 each
• Paperback books - $15.00 each
• CDs and DVDs - $15.00 each

Adults (20 years of age and older) with more than forty dollars ($40) in replacement fees will have their borrowing privileges suspended until the fees are paid or items are returned.

The librarian or designee can at his/her discretion forgive replacement fees for library materials. This option can be utilized when the borrower provides reasons such as: hospitalization, death in family, incarceration, fire, flood, or other catastrophic personal hardship.

The librarian or designee is authorized to cancel replacement fees when the borrower claims that the library material was returned undamaged and it is found in the library or the library was closed due to an emergency.

View the Library Fines Policy in other languages