General Borrowing Information

Customers 13 years or older are eligible to borrow DVDs. We rely on parents or legal guardians to monitor minors’ borrowing and viewing of these materials.

• Request titles that are checked out or in use, and we’ll hold a copy for you at your branch when available.
• You can request items via the catalog or at your local branch, with a limit of 99 items.
• If your email address is on record, we will email you when your request is available to borrow or you may choose to receive your notice via phone message or U.S. mail. You may add an email address to your record by logging into your account or calling your local branch.
• You may renew an item twice unless another borrower has requested it or your account has an unpaid balance of $25 or more in fees or fines.
• Materials automatically renew three days before their due date, if not requested by another customer.
• Book drops are located at each branch and are open 24 hours. If a book drop is jammed or full, please do not force the materials into it or leave them unattended. You will not be charged fines if you return the materials to the Customer Service Desk as soon as possible and inform staff of the problem.
• Most materials may be returned to any Howard County Library System branch.
• Some Library of Things items have specific return locations, see the item’s collection page for details.
• If needed, most materials may be returned to any public library in Maryland.

HCLS is fine-free, with the exception of items in the Library of Things.
For those items, a fine is charged for each day they are overdue. No fines are charged for days when HCLS is closed.

• If your account has $25 or more in fees or fines, you will not be able to borrow or renew materials until the charges are cleared.
• Pay fines at any branch’s desk or at a self-checkout machine.

Note:  

• All customers are responsible for replacing lost or damaged materials, including those exempt from fines.
• Exact replacement copies may be accepted for books; processing and required packaging fees still apply.
• Some Library of Things items cannot be replaced, see the item’s collection page for details.

Questions? Contact your local branch, we’re happy to help.

• Suggest an addition to the collection
• One-on-one help form