Borrowing Materials
Loan Periods and Renewals
| Item | Loan Period | Renewals |
| Books, CDs | 21 days | 3 times |
| DVDs | 7 days | 3 times |
| Magazines | 7 days | 1 time |
| Bookmobile items | 14 days | No renewals |
| Laptop and Hotspot Loans | 21 days | 3 times |
You can check out up to 50 items on your library card.
Materials can be renewed on or before the due date. They cannot be renewed if there is a waiting list. To renew items, log into My Account or call a LA County Library location. You can return your items to any LA County Library location or bookdrop.
Fines & Fees
| Type | Overdue Fine |
| Adult Library Card | .30 per day, per item |
| Children’s Library Card | .15 per day, per item |
| Bookmobile items | No Charge |
| Maximum fine for any one item | $10.00 |
Fines/fees can be paid by cash or check at a LA County Library location. Alternatively, you can pay the entire balance of your account in our online catalog with a credit card.
When an item is 14 days overdue, customers are sent an overdue notice. After an item is 28 days overdue, customers are sent a bill requesting that they return the item and pay the overdue fees or pay the replacement cost of the item.
LA County Library uses a collection agency to secure outstanding bills in excess of $50 from customers who have not responded to notices. A $15 fee is added to all accounts sent to the collection agency.
Library Notices
Library notices for holds and overdue materials are sent to customers either by phone or email. To update your telephone number or email, log into My Account or call a LA County Library location. The next time you check out library materials you will be asked to show a valid ID. To sign up for email notices, complete this form.
Hold an item
Please note: Items that become available on or after April 5, 2021 will have a 7-day hold period. More information can be found in the FAQ at the bottom of this page.
To place a hold, call your local LA County Library location or log into the online catalog (top-right corner), search for the item and click “Place Hold.” If you are going on vacation, enter the dates you will be gone and we will delay your hold until you return. To view, modify or cancel your hold, go to My Account. To change the default location where your items are delivered, you must call a LA County Library location.
If an item is not available or is located at another library, you can place a hold on it. When available, it is delivered to your LA County Library location and is held for you for 14 days. The time it takes for your hold to arrive varies depending on where the item is being shipped from and if there is a waiting list. You will receive a phone call, or a mail or email notice when your hold is available for pickup. You can place up to 50 holds.
Interlibrary Loan
If an item is not in our LA County Library collection, we can request it for you from another library system through Interlibrary Loan. It is at the discretion of the owning library whether to loan the item. Be aware that many libraries do not loan audiovisual or recently published materials. A $3 fee per item is charged to your account when you receive the item, which can take several weeks to arrive. Loaning libraries may charge additional fees; you can indicate a maximum fee you are willing to pay. To use Interlibrary Loan, contact one of our open LA County Library locations.
The Great Read Away
Fine Reduction for 21 years and under
LA County Library cardholders age 21 and under can get rid of library fines by reading them away. For every hour spent reading in the library, $5 in fines will be removed from your account. Visit The Great Read Away for more information about this unique program.
7-Day Holds Frequently Asked Questions
Items already on the holds shelf will not be impacted. They will have a 14-day hold period. However, any items that become available after April 5 will have a 7-day hold period even if the hold request was placed before April 5.
Holds that become available after April 5 will have a 7-day hold period even if they were placed before April 5.
Yes, the 7 days is calendar days, including days the library would regularly be closed. This includes Sundays and holidays.
It does not affect the 50-item limit. Customers can still select which holds they want to pick up during their visit. Leaving holds behind for another pickup visit does not extend the shelf expiration date of the items still on hold that are left behind.
No, bookmobiles do not visit every service site each week so a 7-day hold period won’t work. Right now, the bookmobiles are not in service. When bookmobile service starts again, we’ll implement a hold period that makes sense for their service routes.
