What can you do with a library card?
- Borrow books, movies, CDs, audiobooks, magazines, and other material from any of our libraries.
- Use our collection of research databases from home, school, or work.
- Place holds on material in our collection.
- Access the Internet from any of our libraries.
Who can get a library card?
Library cards are free to anyone who meets any of the following criteria:
- You are a resident of the State of Ohio
- You are associated with the Southwest Ohio and Neighboring Libraries regional library system as a cardholder from a member library, a student, a faculty member or other approved capacity
- You are a resident of an adjacent county with a reciprocal borrowing agreement between the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County and a local public library system
- You are a temporary/transitional resident of Hamilton County
If you do not meet any of the criteria outlined above, a library card can be purchased at the price established by our Table of Fines and Fees.
How do I apply for a card?
Apply online or in person at any of our neighborhood branches or the Main Library’s Circulation Services Department. Customers with disabilities who are unable to visit the Library can apply for a card by mail. Please contact Circulation Services at 513-369-6913 for additional information about applying by mail.
Applications, in English or Spanish, can be downloaded from our website.
Parents submitting an application for a child must be accompanied by the child when the application is processed. A child may bring to the Library a completed application signed by a parent or legal guardian.
What kind of identification will I need to provide?
Applicants over the age of 18 must provide picture identification, verification of their name, a current address, a birthdate, and a signature.
Residents of Boone, Kenton, or Campbell County in Kentucky or Dearborn County in Indiana must present a library card from their local library to get a free card.
Customers applying for a card with an Educator profile will be asked to verify their employment with one of the following: employee/organization ID, paycheck stub, letter signed by school/organization head on school/organization letterhead, or homeschooling certificate.
Are there different kinds of library cards?
No, only one kind of card is available; however, that card will have one of the following profiles:
| Unlimited | access to all circulating materials |
|---|---|
| Educator | access to all circulating materials for customers who live or work in the State of Ohio who use library materials in an educational setting and whose personal use cards do not exceed established fine limits |
| Non-Resident Unlimited | access to all circulating materials for customers who purchase a library card |
| Limited Juvenile | access limited to Juvenile catalogued material, for customers under the age of 18, at the request of a parent or legal guardian |
| Limited No Video | access limited to any Juvenile, Teen, and Adult catalogued material except videocassettes and DVDs, for customers under the age of 18, at the request of a parent or legal guardian |
| Non-Resident Limited Juvenile | access limited to Juvenile catalogued material, for customers under the age of 18 who purchase a Library Card, at the request of a parent or legal guardian |
| Non-Resident Limited No Video | access limited to any Juvenile, Teen, and Adult catalogued material except videocassettes and DVDs, for customers under the age of 18 who purchase a Library Card, at the request of a parent or legal guardian |
| Visitor | access limited to print materials for temporary/transitional customers |
| Visitor Juvenile Limited | access limited to Juvenile catalogued material for temporary/transitional customers under the age of 18, at the request of a parent or legal guardian |
How long will it take for my card to be active?
Applicants who provide the appropriate identification will be able to use their library card immediately.
If you use our online application form, an inactive library card will be mailed to you. You will be able to use this card to access our collection of research databases. To check out and place holds on library material, you must activate your card by visiting one of our agencies, where you will be asked to verify your identity and home address, and sign our borrower’s agreement.
When will my library card expire?
All library cards must be renewed annually. Ohio residents can renew their cards in person or by phone. All other cardholders must renew in person.
Library card information and customer circulation records are considered confidential as outlined in our Confidentiality of Library Patron Record Information Policy.
Please contact Circulation Services (513-369-6913), your local library, or consult our Library Card and Circulation Policy for additional information about applying for a library card.
