Who may have a card
Anyone who lives, works, or goes to school in Montgomery
County, or who is eligible for a card in Maryland,
the District of Columbia, or Northern Virginia.
We
issue cards to everyone with official identification
with their current name and address. Official identification
includes things like a driver's license, a check
with pre-printed address, or a postmarked letter
addressed to you.
The card is free, and there are
no age restrictions. Users do not need to apply
for cards for each library. Your library card can
be
used at any Montgomery County public library.
Also, you can use your card at libraries throughout
the state of Maryland, the District of Columbia,
and Northern Virginia.
MCPL Library card style – the MPOWER card
The library card issued by Montgomery County Public
Libraries is a combination key chain and credit card
style and is called the MCPL MPOWER card (Montgomery
County Public Libraries My Maryland Public Libraries
Card). It is used for all of the “kinds of
library cards” listed below, except for household
cards (which require the same barcode on multiple
cards issued for family members). Users of this card
may register with other Maryland public library systems
to check out circulating materials. Read
more about the MPOWER card.
Kinds of cards
Regular
Cards
Users of this card may check out any circulating
materials in the adult and children's collections
of the library system. |
Restricted
Cards
Parents or guardians may request restricted
cards for their children under age 13. This
card limits the child to borrowing only from
the children's collection. The restrictions
apply only to
the borrowing of materials and not to
the use of materials in the library. |
Household
Cards
Some library users prefer a Household Card
where all members of a household living at
the same address (limit of six) share one library
card bar code number, and have access to each
other's borrowing records. All household card
applicants must appear in person at the time
of registration for the card. |
Nonresident
Card
If you don't meet the requirements for a
free card, you can get a nonresident card.
Just present official identification showing
your name and current address. Official identification
includes things like a driver's license, a
check with pre-printed address, or a postmarked
letter addressed to you. A $10.00 non-refundable
fee is charged when you apply for the card. |
Homebound/Mobile
Services Card
This card is for those who use our Service
to the Homebound or who register for a library
card at a site visited by the
community liaison van. |
Teacher/Child
Care Provider Card
Upon presentation of official documentation
showing employment at a public or private school
or day care, teachers will receive a card which
provides for extended six week loans of books
for classroom use from the children's collection.
The borrower is responsible for the payment
of overdue fines and charges for lost or damaged
materials. |
How to apply for a library card
Download and fill out a library
card application and
bring it to the check out desk of any Montgomery
County Library branch.
Or
Fill out a library card application at the checkout desk of any Montgomery County Library branch.
Please bring official identification with name and current address. If you don't have a driver's license, you can use a check with a pre-printed address or a postmarked letter addressed to you. If you don't have official identification, the card will be mailed to you at the address you provide on the application. Once you get your card in the mail, you may check-out materials.
OR
Apply now.
Please ask staff at any branch for further information about library cards if you have additional questions.
Your card information is private
Library borrowing records are confidential. By
law, we can only discuss your borrowing record with
YOU. This is to safeguard the privacy of each card
holder and is true for both adults and children.
We recognize the difficulties this policy may present
for parents. We will do everything we can to help
parents maintain their children's accounts and avoid
unnecessary fines. For example, we can provide print-outs
of what you borrow at check-out.
Every library card holder is encouraged to check
the status of their record online by accessing Your
Account on the Department's website. You will need
a PIN and your library card number to use Your Account.
Stop in any branch and ask staff to add a PIN to
your library card record. You can also renew materials
online through Your Account or through telephone
renewal and self service line, at 240-777-0007.
Expiration Date for Library Cards
Library cards are issued for three years. We ask
customers to update the address, phone, and email
information for their library card record every three
years so that we have the most current contact information
for the notices and newsletters we send and so we
can run programs to remove library cards that are
no longer used.
If your library card has expired, the message “privilege
expired” will appear when placing a hold on
a title in the catalog.
Currently, the only way we have for you to update
your library card is if you do it IN PERSON at one
of our library branches.
