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Answers About the Library Catalog and Your Account... |
How do I get a Baltimore County Public Library card or an MPOWER CARD?
To apply for a Baltimore County Public library card or an MPOWER CARD, visit the Circulation or Borrower Services Desk at any Baltimore County Public Library branch or any Mobile Library Services bookmobile stop and bring your valid identification showing your current mailing address. If you are 17 years of age or under and do not have valid identification, a parent/guardian must be present to show a valid photo ID and sign a registration form to allow you to get a permanent library card.
Register Online
If you do not already have a library card, you can register for one onlineby completing the Online
Registration. ★ Out-of-state residents, please see information about out-of-state cards and fees before registering online.
After you register online, you will then be sent a Baltimore County Public Library e-card number which can be used immediately to:
In order to to check out material from the library and to use other library services, you will need to apply for a permanent library card in-person at any Baltimore County Public Library branch.
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Can I get a library card registration form in a language other than English?
Paper registration forms may be printed in Korean [PDF], Russian [PDF] and Spanish [PDF]. Fill out the form and take it to your library to get a library card.
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What do I need to get a library card? What is valid identification?
Adults, ages 18 years and older:
You must have a current Maryland driver's license, learner's permit, provisional license or Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration identification card showing your current address. If you have changed your address, a Motor Vehicle Administration update must accompany your driver's license or identification card.
If you do not have a photo ID showing your current address, you must show one additional piece of valid identification showing your current address.
If the above forms of identification are not available, you will be mailed an identification postal, which must be returned to any Baltimore County Public Library Branch within 30 days. You will need to bring one piece of valid identification showing both your current name and address along with the identification postal. Your library card will be issued when you present the postal and valid identification.
Examples of additional forms of valid identification that can be used along with a photo ID or identification postal
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Current vehicle registration
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Current vehicle insurance card
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Official mail, for example utility bill, bank statement, insurance bill, et cetera, with postmark not older than one month
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Lease dated within the last month
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Check book with printed address
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For children in group homes, verification of identity and address by the staff of the home is acceptable
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Can a child get a library card?
Child between the ages 14 to 17
You can get a library card if you have a valid ID - a current Maryland driver's license, learner's permit, provisional license or Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration identification card showing your current address. If you have changed your address, a Motor Vehicle Administration update must accompany your driver's license or identification card.
If you do not have a photo ID showing your current address, you must show one additional piece of valid identification showing your current address. You may sign your own library card.
If you are 17 years of age or under and do not have valid identification, a parent or guardian must show a valid photo ID and sign a registration form to allow you to get a permanent library card.
No Parent or Guardian Present:
You may be given a registration form to take home for parental signature. You will be limited to checking out two print items until your parent or guardian presents a valid ID at the library.
Checking out DVDs and Video Games:
Parental permission and signature is required at the time of registration in order to check out DVDs and video games other than those rated for children. Children's DVDs and video games are identified with a J before the call number.
Child under 14 years old
A parent or legal guardian, 18 years or older, must apply for a library card for a child under 14 years old. The child must be present at the time of application. The parent or guardian must show valid ID and must sign the card before it may be used. The person signing the card is accepting financial responsibility for materials borrowed or any charges incurred on a child's card.
No Parent or Guardian Present:
You may be given a registration form to take home for parental signature. You will be limited to checking out two print items until your parent or guardian presents a valid ID at the library.
Non-custodial Guardian Accompanying the Child:
The guardian (including grandparents, aunts and uncles, adult siblings, foster parents) must live at the same address and be 18 years old or older. The guardian must show identification as noted above that verifies the address on the registration form and must sign the child's card.
Checking out DVDs and Video Games:
Parental permission and signature is required at the time of registration in order to check out DVDs and video games other than those rated for children. Children's DVDs and video games are identified with a J before the call number.
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Does my library card expire? Do I have to renew my library card?
All Baltimore County Public Library cards become inactive every few years. In order to reactive your library card, you must update your address and contact information by going to the Circulation / Borrower Service Desk at any Baltimore County Public Library branch or any Mobile Library Services Bookmobile stop and present your a Maryland Driver's License or Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration identification card. If there has been a change of address, a Motor Vehicle Administration update must accompany your driver's license or Identification card. If identification is unavailable, please bring one of the following valid identification items along with your library card.
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What should I do if my name or my address changed?
Use any of the following methods to update your contact information in your library account:
If you edit your contact information online of call to update your information by phone, you will need to show a valid identification at any BCPL branch to verify the new contact details before you will be able to check out materials on your account.
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What do I do if my library card is lost, damaged or stolen?
If you lost your library card, you should report it lost immediately in-person or by phone at any Baltimore County Public Library branch. Press 3 for library account information. You are responsible for any items checked out on your library card until it is reported.
To get a replacement card, you will need to complete a library card application form at the Circulation or Borrower Services Desk when you visit the library. You will need valid identification. Replacement cost for a lost or damaged library card is $2.00.
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Can I use my library card from another Maryland public library systems at BCPL?
To use a library card from another Maryland public library system at any BCPL branch, it must be registered at the Circulation or Borrower Services Desk. Once your card is registered you may borrow our materials or use our subscription research databases.
A new library card will be issued only if your current library card's identification number is not compatible with our circulation software. Valid identification is required. Online registering of another public library's card is not available.
What is an MPOWER Card?
The MPOWER card is a statewide public library card. It allows holders to check out materials from any Maryland public library. The MPOWER card can eliminate carrying multiple library cards.
You must register your MPOWER card at each Maryland public library system you wish to use. Since all public library systems in Maryland use different circulation systems with their own user database, each library system needs to add your MPOWER card identification number and your name to its user database. Once registered as a user of that library system, you should be able to check out items from that library system as well as use most of their subscription research databases.
You are not required to have an MPOWER card to borrow material at another public library system. You can also register your permanent Baltimore County Public Library card or any library card from another Maryland public library system.
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I do not live in Maryland, I live out of state. Can I still get a library card?
Out-of-state Library Card Fee / Library Cards for Non-Maryland Residents
Beginning July 1, 2010, customers who are not residents of Maryland may obtain a BCPL out-of-state library card with valid ID and payment of an annual $50.00 out-of-state fee. Current BCPL cardholders who live out-of-state must pay the $50.00 fee to continue using their library card.
This fee is an annual fee and must be paid in full before an out-of-state library card will be issued. BCPL cannot accept partial payments for this fee. If customers are not able to pay the fee in full, they can opt to have their material held for up to three days.
Out-of-state library cards expire one year from date of payment.
Out-of-state residents who have paid this type of fee to any another Maryland library system are not exempt from the BCPL fee.
Exceptions -
1. Students who attend a Maryland school (but their permanent residence is out-of-state) do not have to pay the fee if they can provide a current Maryland school ID. These cards expire one year from date of registration.
2. Maryland property owners who live out-of-state can obtain an out-of-state card without paying the fee if they provide their current year Maryland Property Tax Bill and a valid ID (their out-of-state license or other ID) showing their current, permanent, out-of state address. These cards also expire one year from the date of registration.
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How do I request a title / place a hold?
You must first have a library card from Baltimore County or have an M-Power Library Card that is registered with Baltimore County in order to place a request for a hold. You can register for an e-card number by registering online. All eligible material may be requested (placed on hold) at any Baltimore County Public Library branch either in-person, by phone or online using the BCPL catalog. ★
There is no charge for placing a hold on an item, with the exception of "On Order" items. You will be notified when your material is available at your pick up location. Requests are held for seven days following notification. If an item is not picked up within seven days following notification, there is a $1.00 charge per item which is not picked up. There is an additional $1.00 fee for each item placed on hold through the Book Ahead service or through the Interlibrary Loan service. There are several ways to check the status of your requests (holds).
To place a request (hold) - if you already have a library card number (barcode number) then you can log into your account ★, search for a title and click on the Place Request button. Your password is the last four digits of your phone number. You can change your password after you log into your account at least once using the last four digits of your phone number.
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How do I cancel, postpone or suspend a title I have requested?
There are several ways to cancel a request for a hold. The Information Desk staff at any Baltimore County Public Library branch can help you cancel your requested items.
If the items have not yet arrived at your branch, you can cancel by logging onto your library account and canceling your request. To do this, you will need your library card number (barcode) and password. The password for an account created prior to Dec. 10, 2009 will default to the last four digits or your phone number until you change it.
If the items you requested are "ready for pick up" or are in transit, then you cannot cancel the hold online but must call the branch to which you requested the item be sent. When you call the branch, after the recording picks up, press 3 to speak to someone about your library account information. Have your library card number ready.
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How do I get a title not owned by Baltimore County Public Library?
| Direct Loan Service | Interlibrary Loan ILL Service |
Direct Loan Service
Public library Systems offering Direct Loans: Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Cecil County, Frederick County, Harford County and Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore City.
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There is no charge for Direct Loan service.
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Some materials are not eligible for Direct Loan such as books on the New York Times or Publishers Weekly best seller lists.
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Direct Loan is available only for materials that are available (on shelf) when you call the library.
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If a title is not currently available at any of the above libraries, please contact the Information Desk staff at your library for help with placing an Interlibrary Loan (ILL) request.
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To get a Direct Loan, search the catalog of any of the library systems listed above.
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Once you find what you want, write down the title, author, and the call number. Then call the owning library branch and ask for a Direct Loan. Calls to some of the participating library systems could be long distance for you.
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Give the title, author, and the call number to the staff member at the owning library and they will search for it on their shelves.
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If the material is available, you can go to that library and pick it up or have it sent to any branch in one of the participating public library systems listed above.
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Allow three to seven business days for delivery, excluding weekends and holidays.
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You will not be notified when the item arrives. The items will be held for five days. We suggest that you call the receiving library to see if your material has arrived.
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Books may be returned to ANY branch in the above listed public library systems.
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Direct Loaned items cannot be renewed.
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Fines for late return are collected at the branch to which the material is returned, according to that library system's fine rules.
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Audio-Visual materials and Direct Loans:
Enoch Pratt Free Library's Sights and Sounds Department may agree to Direct Loan videos or DVDs from their Video / DVD Reserve Collection to a Baltimore County Public Library branch. Contact the Sights and Sounds Department of the Enoch Pratt Library at 410-396-4616 to request an available video or DVD. See the tutorial on how to find audio- visual materials in the Pratt online catalog for more information.
Baltimore County Public Library will not Direct Loan CDs, DVDs or video games to other library systems.
Interlibrary Loan (ILL) Service
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You must have a valid library card from the Baltimore County Public Library in order to request material through our Interlibrary Loan service.
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Fees: each item received through Interlibrary Loan is subject to a $1.00 BCPL processing fee plus any additional costs charged by the lending agency.
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If Baltimore County Public Library does not own the material you want, see or call your branch's Information Desk to request the item through our Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service.
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Information on requesting audio visual items owned by the Enoch Pratt Free Library/ State Library Resource Center is found below.
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The request may take 7 to 14 business days to fill.
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You will be notified when the item is available at your pick up location. Unless a shortened loan period is set by the owning library, items are held to be picked up for 7 days. There is a $1.00 per item charge if a held item is not picked up within the time period specified.
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The usual loan period is 21 days, but the length of the loan period is determined by the lending library. Some lending libraries may require a shortened loan period or other restrictions on use of their material.
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Some Interlibrary loans may have additional fees that are set by the lending library. Every attempt is made to find a lender that does not charge any borrowing fees. At the time you make the request, you will be asked if you want to pre-authorize additional charges up to a stated amount, for example, "up to $10.00". You may choose to limit our search for the item only to those libraries which have no fees. The Baltimore County Public Library Interlibrary Loan staff will contact a customer before submitting any request for material with a lending fee over $10.00.
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All unfilled Interlibrary loan requests are cancelled after 30 days. You will be notified of the cancellation. You may resubmit the request.
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Items received through Interlibrary Loan cannot be renewed.
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Baltimore County Public Library will lend books through Interlibrary Loan to other library systems as long as they are not in high demand in Baltimore County and are older than one year. We do not lend any non-print materials.
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This service is available to Mobile Library Services' bookmobile customers.
Audio-Visual Material from Enoch Pratt Free Library and ILL Service
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The Baltimore County Public Library's Interlibrary Loan Department will attempt to acquire the following from the Enoch Pratt Free Library/ State Library Resource Center's Sights and Sounds Department: 16 mm films, slides, videocassettes and DVDs (from their Video/DVD Reserve Collection only), audiocassettes and CDs.
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A valid library card from the Baltimore County Public Library is required to request audiovisual material. Enoch Pratt requires that customers be age 18 and over to borrow 16 mm films and videos and DVDs.
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Search the Enoch Pratt Free Library catalog to find the title. See these tutorials on how to find audiovisual materials in the Pratt online catalog and how to find audiobooks in the Pratt catalog.
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See or call your branch's Information Desk to request the item through our Interlibrary Loan service.
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Items may be requested for a future showing one or more weeks in advance.
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You will receive phone confirmation if your request can be filled.
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Items must be picked up and returned to the same Baltimore County Public Library branch.
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Items received through Interlibrary Loan cannot be renewed.
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Length of loan period and maximum number of items available for borrowing is determined by the Enoch Pratt Free Library.
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Many of these titles are purchased with "public performance rights," which means that they can be shown at free public programs where no admission is charged or no fund raising is taking place. These titles cannot not be shown on television unless clearance is obtained by the copyright holder.
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How many items may I check out and how long can I keep library materials?
Customers may check out up to 100 items at a time with the exception of video games, which are limited to 3 at a time.
Library materials are loaned to you for 21 days, with the following exceptions:
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Entertainment or feature DVDs -- 2 days
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Video games, TV series, and classic films on DVD -- 7 days
Most materials are eligible for 2 renewals.
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Can I return items to another Baltimore County Public Library branch?
Yes, you can return Baltimore County Public Library materials to any Baltimore County Public Library branch. All branches except the Loch Raven Library have a Book Drop. Items must be returned by closing time on the due date to avoid late fines. Entertainment or feature DVDs checked out on Friday are due at a branch or in a Book Drop by 5 p.m. on Sunday.
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Can I return items to a Maryland public library system other than BCPL?
Yes, all public library systems accept materials borrowed from any Maryland public library systems for return subject to that library's current fines and fees, policies and procedures. It is recommended that you ask for a receipt showing the date, what materials you returned and what fines were paid, if any. Since the item must be sent from the other library system back to Baltimore County Public Library before it can actually be checked in, your library account may reflect that delivery delay.
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How do I renew material and how many times can I renew it?
Renewals allow you to extend the original loan period for an item already checked out to you. Renewals are for the same length of time as the original loan period. The new due date is calculated from the date of renewal. Items eligible for renewal may be renewed two times. If your item is already late when you renew it, appropriate late fines will be applied to your library account.
Materials can be renewed online or through automated phone system, SHELF HELP.
To renew online, log into your account ★ or click here for renewal directions. ★
An item is not eligible for renewal if
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You already renewed that item twice.
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You have fines and fees over ten dollars on your library account.
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Another customer has placed a hold on the title.
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The item belongs to another library system, including those made available through the Interlibrary Loan service or through the Direct Loan service.
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The item was checked out through a Teacher Loan Card.
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The item is Reference and can not be borrowed.
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If the item is a two-day entertainment or feature DVDs (adult's or children's) it can only be renewed in person at a branch. Shelf Help and online renewal are not available for these types of materials.
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How do I check my library account? How can I review my fines and fees?
You can check your library account by calling or visiting any BCPL branch, by using the automated phone system, Shelf Help or log into your library account online.
To call a branch, see the BCPL Hours and Locations page to find the branch phone number. Once the recording starts, press 3 for library account information. To protect the confidentiality of your library account, you will need your library card number and you may be asked additional identification information.
To check your account online, click on the My Account tab ★ located at the top of any BCPL web page. Enter your library card number (barcode) and password, then click the Log In button. The default password is the last 4 digits of your phone number until you change it. For security reasons, you are encouraged to change your password the first time you log into your account.
Click on the tabs near the top of the page to see Items Out and Requests. If you have any Overdue items, they will be listed in the Items Out section and the due date will be listed in red. To review any fines or fees, click the Fines & Fees tab.
To use the automated phone system, SHELF HELP, call 410-494-9063 then press 1. You will need your library card number to get to your account information.
What is my password? How do I change my password?
A password is needed to log into your library account online, in addition to your library card number (barcode). Both password and barcode number are used in order to safeguard your privacy. The password defaults to the last four digits of the phone number the library has listed in your account until you change it.
You may change your password by logging into your account and clicking on the My Account tab located at the top of any BCPL web page. Then enter your library card number (barcode), your password (Default is the last four digits of your phone number) and click the Log In button. If you have not changed your password previously, use the last four digits of your phone number. If you cannot log onto your account, call any BCPL Branch and ask for assistance with resetting your password.
Once logged into your account, click on the Change LOGON button at the bottom of the screen. Now click on the Change PASSWORD button, also at the bottom of the screen. Type in your old password (Default is the last 4 digits of your phone number), type in your new password twice and then click the SUBMIT button.
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What is the SHELF HELP automated phone service, and what can I do if it's not working?
Baltimore County Public Library’s automated phone service, SHELF HELP, allows you to get the following information about your library account or to renew items by dialing 410-494-9063 on a touch-tone phone. You will need your library card identification number.
Once the recording starts:
Press 1
For library account information and access to renewals. You may check your account for any overdue items, fines and reserves.
Press 2
For library hours.
Press 3
For Current library announcements and holiday closings.
If for any reason SHELF HELP is not working, it is your responsibility to renew your materials online or by visiting or phoning a branch.
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★ = Connects to the catalog
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