Borrowing From SDCL FAQs

  • General Questions

    Please visit our Get a Library Card page for current information on how to sign up.

    Material Type Checkout Length & Renewals Late Fee
    Books, Audiobooks, Magazines & Music CDs 21 days; 10 renewals No late fees
    Movies 10 days; 10 renewals No late fees
    Hot. Right. Now. 10 days; no renewals No late fees
    Circuit & Link+ 21 days; 1 renewal
    *Selected Link+ media is loaned for 7 days.    		 No late fees
    Interlibrary Loan (ILL) 21 days; no renewals 50¢ per day late

    Always check your receipt for due dates. Renew materials online or by contacting your local branch library.

    *Certain types of items may have different checkout periods, but they are clearly marked.

    **Items may not be renewed if the item is "on hold" for another customer.

    Verified accounts:

    • Limited to 500 total items at a time
    • Limited to 50 combined DVD and BluRay checkouts at a time

    Limited accounts:

    • Limited to 5 items at a time

    Certain types of items, such as Hot.Right.Now. books and DVDs, have checkout limits, but they are clearly marked.

  • Renewals & Returns

    San Diego County Library will attempt to automatically renew your borrowed item three days before the due date. If successful, your loan period will be extended for 21 days from the existing due date. If unsuccessful, you will continue to receive notices about overdue items. You may wish to try to renew manually before you return the item.

    There are a few ways to find out an item's due date:

    An item won’t Auto Renew if:

    • Another library user has requested it.
    • The item has reached its maximum number of renewals (up to 10 times for most items).
    • Your account has an item overdue by 28 days or more.
    • Your account is expired.
    • The item is a digital item, such as an eBook from Libby.
    • The item is checked out through LINK+, Circuit, or Interlibrary Loan.

    Auto renew is an automatic process that applies to all San Diego County Library cardholder accounts. If you don't wish to keep an item, please return it when you're finished.

    San Diego County Library utilizes an auto-renewal program.

    • Automatic renewals: Three days before they are due, items will be automatically renewed from their original due date if they are eligible for renewal. Items with active holds and no available copies, already renewed ten (10) times, or belonging to the categories listed below are not eligible for renewal. Please verify your due dates by logging into the online catalog.
    • Renewing online: You can renew materials by logging into your MySDCL online account.
    • Renewing over telephone: Please call a library branch near you to renew by telephone (library card number required), or call the 24-hour renewal line: (858) 514-4765
    • Renewing in person: Materials can be renewed by presenting a valid library card in person at any San Diego County Library location during regular hours of operation.

    *The following items cannot be renewed: Items with outstanding holds, billed items, Hot.Right.Now. books and DVDs, interlibrary loan materials, laptop computers

    If you’re not finished with the items you’ve borrowed, you may want to renew them instead of returning them to the library before they are due.

    You renew the items you’ve borrowed from the Checked Out page. By default, titles on the Checked Out page are displayed in order of due date, so overdue items are listed first.

    To renew a single item:

    • Log in to your MySDCL account.
    • On the menu, click Checked Out.
    • Find the title you want to renew.
    • Click the Renew button below the item.

    A popup message will let you know if your renewal was successful.

    To renew multiple items:

    • Log in to your MySDCL account.
    • On the menu, click Checked Out.
    • If necessary, filter your checkouts by clicking Overdue, Next due, or Due later under the My Borrowing summary on the left of the page.
    • Do one of the following:
      • Click the checkbox next to each item you want to renew
      • Click the checkbox above the items to select all of the items on the page.
    • A bar appears at the bottom of the page. Click Renew selected. The number of items affected appears in brackets on the menu.

    A popup message will let you know if your renewals were successful.

    Notes:

    On a tablet or smart phone, the Renew selected option is on the Manage items menu.
    You can renew up to 10 items at a time.

    Items may be returned to any San Diego County Library branch. Book drops are available for after hours returns.

    If an item has become damaged while checked out and was returned, the value of the item plus a $5.00 non-refundable processing fee will be assessed to the account. To resolve, you may either provide a payment for the item cost and non-refundable processing fee, or, provide a New condition replacement of the same item, plus $5.00 payment for the non-refundable processing fee. If you have any questions, please call a library branch near you and dial 3 for staff assistance.

  • Requests

    If a book, movie, or music CD is owned by one of the San Diego County Library branches, you may request this material be sent to your local branch. You may place your own request using the online catalog, or ask a library staff person to assist you in making the request. There is no charge for this service.

    If SDCL doesn't own the item, you may place a request via Circuit or Link+ if a copy is available.

    You will be notified when the requested item is available for pickup. Email, text, and print notices will be sent within one business day once available.

    If SDCL doesn't own the item, you may place a request via Circuit or Link+ if a copy is available.

    The library offers a special service called Interlibrary Loan (or ILL) for books or periodical photocopies not owned by the San Diego County Library, Circuit or Link+. SDCL does not charge for this service. However, the lending libraries may charge a fee.

    Ask library staff for more information about this service; they can help you fill out a request.

  • Request & Overdue Notices

    Type of Notice When It Will Arrive How It Will Arrive
    Requested Item Ready for Pickup Within 1 business day of arriving on the holdshelf Email*, Phone Call, or Postal Mail
    • If email, please look for a message titled:
    • San Diego County Library item ready for pickup
    Due Date Courtesy Reminder / Item Renewed 3 days before the due date Email
    • If email, please look for a message titled:
    • San Diego County Library Courtesy Notice
    First Overdue 7 days after the due date Email, Phone Call, or Postal Mail
    • If email, please look for a message titled:
    • 1st Overdue Notice
    Second Overdue 14 days after the due date Email, Phone Call, or Postal Mail
    • If email, please look for a message titled:
    • 2nd Overdue Notice
    Billed Notice** 28 days after the due date Postal Mail Only


    **Billed notices are sent when an item is presumed lost, and the value of its replacement has been assessed to the account.

  • Fines & Fees

    Eliminating overdue fines leads to an increase in library usage, saves staff time, and promotes equitable access.

    Eliminating fines means that we will no longer charge the late fines that accrue daily for keeping County Library owned and consortia (Circuit, LINK+) materials beyond their due date. Materials must still be returned to the library or the customer will be charged for the item and a processing fee.

    While daily late fines are going away, library materials are on loan and customers will still need to return items or they will be charged the item cost and processing fee. Accounts with a balance of $100 or more may be referred to collections and assessed a $10 Collection Agency fee. Customers owing more than $20 will continue to be blocked from checking out. If a lost item is found and returned in good condition within 90 calendar days of the date the item was paid for, the customer may apply for a refund of the item cost. The processing fee is non-refundable.

    No, all overdue fines were eliminated during the computer upgrade. Please contact your local branch if an overdue fine remains on your account.

    Consortia (Circuit, LINK+) materials will not be assessed overdue fines.

    • Circuit materials – For lost or damaged items, the charge is $100
    • LINK+ materials – For lost or damaged items, the charge is $115

    Interlibrary Loan (ILL) materials overdue fine is $.50 per day with $25.00 maximum.

    Materials are the property of other institutions. All costs and fees for lost or damaged materials will be the responsibility of the customer and costs will vary based on institution and item.

    Three days before items are due, items will be automatically renewed from their original due date if they are eligible for renewal. If an item cannot be renewed, the customer will receive a notice 3 days prior to the due date advising them of such. If the item is not returned on time, the customer will be sent an overdue notice via email, phone, text or USPS mail at 7 days and another notice at 14 days. If the item is overdue for 28 days and goes into billed status, a billed letter will be mailed to the customer’s address on file.

    If an item has become damaged while checked out, you may either provide a payment for the item cost plus a $5.00 non-refundable processing fee, or, provide a New condition replacement of the same item, plus $5.00 payment for the non-refundable processing fee. If you have any questions, please call a library branch near you and dial 3 for staff assistance.

    Library fees may be paid online through your MySDCL library account at sdcl.org or using the SDCL app.

    Fees may also be paid at your local branch with cash and/or check, or by mailing a check made out to San Diego County Library to the following address:

    San Diego County Library
    Attn: Account Services
    5560 Overland Avenue, Suite 110
    San Diego, CA 92123