Sidewalk Service
Holds Pickup Locations
Holds are currently available for pick up at the 46 libraries listed below. Holds may be picked up Monday – Friday, 10 am – 5 pm. Libraries are closed to the public, but staff are available to answer questions by phone 9 am – 6 pm.
CURRENT SIDEWALK SERVICE LOCATIONS:
A C Bilbrew Library
Acton Agua Dulce Library
Agoura Hills Library
Angelo M. Iacoboni Library
Artesia Library
Avalon Library
Baldwin Park Library
Carson Library
Claremont Helen Renwick Library
Compton Library
Culver City Julian Dixon Library
Diamond Bar Library
Duarte Library
East Los Angeles Library
El Monte Library
Gardena Mayme Dear Library
Hacienda Heights Library
Hawthorne Library
Huntington Park Library
La Cañada Flintridge Library
La Crescenta Library
La Mirada Library
La Puente Library
La Verne Library
Lancaster Library
Lawndale Library
Leland R. Weaver Library
Lennox Library
Malibu Library
Manhattan Beach Library
Montebello Library
Norwalk Express Library
Pico Rivera Library
Quartz Hill Library
Rosemead Library
Rowland Heights Library
San Dimas Library
San Fernando Library
San Gabriel Library
South Whittier Library
Stevenson Ranch Library
Temple City Express Library
Topanga Library
View Park Bebe Moore Campbell Library
West Covina Library
West Hollywood Library
How it Works
1. Call the Library once you have received notification that your hold is available or once you have uploaded your print job to let them know when you will pick up your holds and/or document.
2. Park in a space designated for Sidewalk Service pickup. Please bring a face covering with you; you must use one while picking up your holds or print job.
3. Call the Library at the number listed on the parking sign.
4. Follow staff instructions. You’ll be asked to wait in a designated area, wearing a face covering, while your holds and/or document are brought to a table for you to pick up.
5. Pick up your items and enjoy at home!
6. Return items to a bookdrop by the due date. Laptop & Hotspot Loans must be returned in person; please call the owning library to arrange a return.
Printing Pickup
Now available at all Sidewalk Service locations! Print up to 10 pages daily (Monday – Friday) from your device to our printers using our wireless printing service, and pick up with no contact. After uploading your document(s), please call the Sidewalk Service library closest to you to arrange pickup. Print jobs will immediately be placed in an envelope for confidentiality. For more information, see FAQs below.
Laptop & Hotspot Loans
Do you know anyone without internet or a computer at home who would benefit from borrowing them—to apply for jobs, access homeschooling resources, or simply stay connected to information? You can now check out a kit with a Chromebook and wireless hotspot to access the internet (plus chargers) inside a handy carrying case, from the select locations below. Borrow for 3 weeks, with the option to renew, if available. We are working to add more devices and locations in the future.
Please call one of the libraries below to place a hold on a kit.
Bookdrop Returns
- Bookdrops are open for item returns.
- Due dates on new item checkouts will follow standard borrowing schedules – 3 weeks for Books and CDs, 1 week for DVDs. Please check your account to make sure your materials are returned by their due dates.
- All returned materials will be quarantined at least 96 hours before being reissued again, as recommended by health and safety officials.
- Please note that, due to items being quarantined, you may not see them removed from your account for a few days, but all return dates will be backdated to reflect the day you dropped items off.
- Do not return Laptop & Hotspot Kits in the bookdrop. Please call the library to arrange a return.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is the first step of a phased reopening, with additional locations to be added at a later date. Please check back on this page for updates. Those interested in picking up materials from a sidewalk service location that is not their local library should call for assistance.
We are following Department of Public Health guidelines and are setting materials aside to quarantine for at least four (4) full days. After the quarantine is over, items will be checked in and removed from your account.
For customers who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, please send an email to Ask A Librarian at least 2 business days before you want to pick up your holds. Be sure to identify the Sidewalk Service Library you are using. We’ll forward the request to staff at that library who will contact you by email and make pickup arrangements directly with you.
This is the first step of a phased reopening, with additional hours to be added at a later date. Please check back on this page for updates.
Yes! Customers with existing holds will be notified of availability.
New holds can be placed starting June 8 using our online catalog or over the phone.
If you do not have access to a mobile phone, please call before coming to the library to arrange a timed pick up. Library staff will have your holds out on the table at the designated time and will leave the items on the table for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, staff will return the items to the library for safe-keeping. If you miss your pick up time, please call library staff to arrange another time.
Due to space constraints, we must move holds out to customers as quickly as possible and cannot store them.
At this time, LA County Library’s buildings are still closed to the public, and our limited services—including printing—are available for contactless pickup only. We will continue to adapt our services as permitted by Public Health guidelines.
Yes, we ask that you call ahead to verify that your documents were uploaded and are available to print. Staff will confirm over the phone that your print job was sent successfully and will then arrange a time for you to pick up your items.
You’ll need a library card or digital library card in good standing in order to have documents printed. You will also need to visit our Wireless Printing page for the printing link or download the SmartAlec app to print from a mobile device. Once you upload your document you will need to call the library and provide them with your library card number so staff can retrieve your print job from the print station inside the library and arrange a pickup time. Documents will be placed in an envelope for privacy and delivered using Sidewalk Service. Staff will not be able to discuss your print job during the pick-up process so if you have questions or concerns please call the library and speak to staff over the phone.
Printing pickups can be arranged during Sidewalk Service hours, Monday – Friday, 10 am – 5 pm.
At this time, print jobs can only be picked up at libraries that offer Sidewalk Service.
At this time, this is the only way to provide printing services and follow Public Health distancing guidelines. Your privacy is important to us, and our staff will handle your information in a professional manner as confidentially as they are able. Documents will be placed in an envelope immediately, upon printing. The library cannot be held responsible for any items a customer chooses to print through this service, so if you still have concerns, this may be a service you choose not to use.
In order to keep submitted documents as confidential as possible, we use the SmartAlec app, which automatically converts print files to PDF and deletes them 24 hours after they are uploaded. This automatic process is not available through regular library email accounts, and we will not print documents submitted in this way.
At this time, customers are limited to 10 pages per day.
Staff cannot discuss printing issues during the pick-up process. Please call the library for reprinting options.
Staff at the library can print items from publicly accessible websites for customers as part of regular library reference service (limit of 10 pages per day). We are, however, unable to print items from personal accounts (such as a customer’s personal email).
Unfortunately, we are currently unable to make copies for customers. If you need multiple copies of a print job, please let staff know when you call. Staff can make multiple copies if it does not exceed 10 pages per day.
Adults with a standard adult library card in good standing will be able to check out a Chromebook kit at a participating library.
Requests for Laptop & Hotspot Loan kits can be made over the phone, like any of our other materials. At this time requests are site-specific so please call one of the libraries offering the service (listed above). If a kit is available, staff will arrange a same-day checkout. If a kit is not available, staff can place a hold for you. Once a kit is available, you will be notified. If it is not picked up within 7 days of becoming available for you, the kit will go to the next customer on the waiting list.
Call the owning library and arrange to pick up your kit during Sidewalk Service hours, Monday – Friday, 10 am – 5 pm.
The kits can be borrowed for 3 weeks. If no other customers are on the waiting list, the checkout can be renewed up to 3 times. The renewal needs to be made before your checkout period ends.
Chromebooks must be returned in person to the owning library during Sidewalk Service hours (Monday – Friday, 10 am – 5 pm). They cannot be returned in the bookdrop. They cannot be returned to any library other than the one where the kit was checked out. Please call the owning library to arrange a drop-off time and call again once at the library to alert staff. Staff will bring out a box labeled Laptop Return to the Sidewalk Service table. You’ll be instructed to remove all items – the Chromebook, the wireless hotspot, and both charging cables – from the carrying case. Put the case into the box first, on the bottom, and then put all other items in on top. Staff will check the box to make sure all items are inside and that they look fine. All items will be quarantined for 4 days and confirmed to be working properly before being checked in. Staff will contact you if there are any questions or concerns. Please remember that the loan will still show on your account until the quarantine and check-in process is complete.
Late fees will be assessed the same as all other library materials. The Chromebook will become disabled once the loan period has ended.
Yes, fees will depend on the type of damage.
All documents are deleted once the Chromebook is shut down. This will happen even during your 3-week checkout period, so we advise you to back up your documents on a flash drive or in Google Docs if you are working on something you want to keep.
- Adobe Acrobat Reader
- DocuSign
- Google Calendar
- Google Drive/Docs
- Skype
- WordPress
- Internet
A wireless hotspot device is included when you check out the Chromebook. This will give you access to the internet.
Yes, you can use our Wi-Fi printing service on the borrowed Chromebook and send your documents wirelessly to any library that offers Sidewalk Service.
A basic instruction sheet will be provided explaining how to turn on and connect the equipment. If you have further questions, please call your local library, Monday – Friday from 9 am – 6 pm.
Library staff is able to provide basic help with your computer—like how to turn it on, connect the wireless hotspot, or how to locate programs. For help, please call your local library, Monday thru Friday from 9 am – 6 pm.
