• Getting a Card

  Library cards are free and may be used at Santa Clara City Library locations -- Central and Mission Library Family Reading Center.

  To obtain a library card, please bring picture identification plus a second piece of identification to the library. If you are under 18 years, your parent or guardian must sign your library card application and present two valid forms of identification.

  Library card applications are available online and at Santa Clara City Library locations. Please complete the application and bring it, in person, to the library to receive your card.

  Please read over the library's Borrower's Agreement before signing and submitting a library card application. Library card applications are available online; please select the appropriate form below (please note: PDF files require Adobe Reader for viewing):
  age 18 and over
  age 17 and under

• Use and Replacement of Cards

  Please bring your card on each library visit.

  Report lost or stolen library cards immediately. Picture identification is necessary to replace a lost or stolen library card. Parents/legal guardians must provide picture identification to replace the card of children under 18.

  Let us know when you have changed your mailing address, e-mail address, or telephone number. It will help us serve you better.

  Under California State Government Code 6267, the library may not give information about your library record to anyone but you. Please read our Confidentiality Policy for more information. You can check your library card online from this site.

• Expired Cards

  Library cards have a two-year expiration date, at which time you will be asked to verify/update your address and phone number. You may do so in person or by telephone. Cards that are not used for two or more years are deleted from the system.
  

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Parents, please share with your child the importance of his/her library card and the responsibility it entails. A library card entitles your child access to all library materials, including videos, CD-ROMs, and magazines. Your child's library card is confidential. Please see the Library's Confidentiality Policy for more information.

While in the library, your child is allowed access to library services, including youth programs, a computer with children's games, and the Internet. Please ask a Youth Services librarian (408-615-2916) for more information on these services. To ensure their safety, please accompany your children on all library visits. Please see the Library's Policy for Children Visiting the Library for more information.

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Return materials to the Santa Clara City Library's locations. After hours bookdrops are available at the Central Park Library (located on the wall to the right of the front entrance) and Mission Library (located curbside at the rear of the building).

Library materials are checked-in in real time. To avoid late charges, please return or renew materials before midnight on the due date.

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As a reminder, a due date receipt is given at check out. You may also check your library card from this site to see when your materials are due.

 
You are charged daily fines for each item not returned by its due date. The Library will attempt to notify you when material is overdue. Payments made by check or in cash are accepted at the Circulation desk. You may also mail your check to the library. Please make the check payable to the City of Santa Clara.

You cannot check out materials if you have fines or fees totaling $15.00 or more, or have an incorrect address and/or telephone number on your library record. Please phone the library at
(408) 615-2970 or stop at the check-out desk for more information about your library record.

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Most library materials are renewable unless:

• The item is on hold for another person.
• The item has been renewed the maximum times allowed:
     DVDs, Videos, CD-ROMs, Magazines, Music CDs and    Pamphlets—one (1) renewal
     Books and Audiobooks—three (3) renewals

It is very important to verify that your renewals have been completed successfully by noting the new due dates.

You may renew your items in person at the library, or by one of the following methods:

• By Phone

  You may renew your items by calling 408-246-9359 (requires a touch-tone phone). Renewal by telephone is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please have your library card and item barcode numbers ready.

• By Computer

  You may renew your items by computer at the library (during open hours) or from home (at anytime).

  For step-by-step instructions on renewing by computer, click here. To skip the instructions and renew your materials now, click here.

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You may place requests for checked-out materials by telephone (408-615-2900), by visiting the library, or from this Website.

Requests are shelved under your full name or an alternative name, which is called an “alias.” You may provide Circulation staff with an alias to add to your patron record. The alias will be printed on the hold (request) slips. To activate this option, please provide an alternative name or word to staff at the Circulation Desk.

Please be aware that there are some limitations on requesting materials:

• Reference materials, music CDs, feature films, magazines and pamphlets may not be requested.
• Only items that are checked out or on order can be requested.
• Something you request may not necessarily be returned by the due date.
• There is a limit of 10 requests per library card at the same time.

The library will notify you when your requested items are ready for pick-up. You can choose notification by e-mail by visiting the library and filling out a short form.

You must use the same library card to request and check out your requested item.

For step-by-step instructions on placing requests from this Website, click here. To skip the instructions and place a request now, click here.

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