Borrowing Policies

By the Numbers

Phoenix Public Library customers can check out up to 35 physical items at any given time, per the following:

Maximum Number of DVDs (at any one time): 15
Maximum Number of Blu-Rays (at any one time): 15
Maximum Number of CDs or Audiobooks (at any one time): 15
Maximum Read Alongs (at any one time): 5
Maximum Number of Video Games (at any one time): 1
Maximum Number of Devices (at any one time): 1
Maximum Number of Culture Passes per household (at any one time): 1 (2 maximum per month)
Maximum Seed Packets (at any one time): 3
All 35 physical items may be Books.

Most books and media items are available to be checked out for 3 weeks and are eligible to be renewed up to 6 times. Library devices, Video Games, items with a hold request and/or items which are part of a special collection, magazines and periodicals are not eligible for renewal.

Loan Periods

Books, CDs, Audiobooks, DVDs, Blu-Rays, Read Alongs and Video Games have a loan period of 21 days.

Renewing Materials

Autorenew

Your eligible physical materials will automatically be renewed on the due date. These items will be automatically renewed as long as no holds have been placed on them by other library customers. Physical items may be renewed a maximum of 6 times.

Renewals may be done in person at one of our 17 locations or online.

Physical library items may be renewed as long as no holds have been placed on them by other library customers. Most items may be renewed a maximum of 6 times.

Library devices, Video Games, items with a hold request and/or items which are part of a special collection, magazines and periodicals are not eligible for renewal.

Requesting a Hold - Physical Items

Using the Library's online catalog, you may request up to 15 circulating physical items at a time to be delivered to the Library location of your choice. Read Alongs are the exception; ony 5 can be held at one time. You may also place requests with the assistance of a Library staff member.

All requests for materials are on a first-come, first-served basis and are subject to availability.

Using your Library account, you may cancel or postpone your requests.

You will receive notification once your items are available for pickup. The items must be picked up by the date indicated next to the item listed in your account. Please pick up all items as soon as possible.

eLibrary Checkout Limits and Holds

Additionally, eLibrary items have the following hold limits:

Greater Phoenix Digital Library

Customers may borrow 10 items at one time and have 8 hold requests at one time. Magazines do not count against checkout limit.

Hoopla

Fifteen checkouts a month. No holds.

Kanopy

Customers receive 45 tickets at the beginning of every month. Each title in Kanopy is worth between 1-5 tickets. No holds. Unused tickets do not roll over to the next month.

Freegal

Five song downloads you get to keep every week. Unlimited streaming.

Press Reader

Unlimited checkouts. No holds.

Flipster

Unlimited checkouts. No holds.

Returning Materials

With the exception of Interlibrary Loan materials, physical materials may be returned to any one of our 17 locations. Book drops are available for after-hours returns. Payments may also be made at any Library location.

Please return WiFi hotspots and Video Games to an indoor library service desk during open library hours.

My Account Management and Access

Phoenix Public Library’s My Account feature enables account holders to place holds and renew their print and audiovisual items, update their contact preferences, and otherwise manage their Library account. Phoenix Public Library’s various eLibrary resources have similar account management features.

Library Account Holders can view their total items out, see due dates, and place up to 15 hold requests through My Account on the Phoenix Public Library website or app. Read Alongs have a maximum hold count of 5 as only 5 can be checked out at one time.

Library Account Holders are responsible for keeping online accounts secure by creating strong passwords, changing them at least once a year, and not sharing passwords with anyone, including Library staff.

Library Account Holders have the option to track their reading history through My Account. This feature is not enabled by default.

Phoenix Public Library will not provide account access to another account holder’s account (including accounts that are associated). The exception is that legal guardians of children under 13 may have access to their children’s accounts.

Library Account Holders should report any suspicious activity on their account to a staff member immediately. See the Library’s ePrivacy policy to learn more about how Phoenix Public Library safeguards personally identifiable information. 