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Borrowing Policies

What can I borrow from Washington County Cooperative Library Services (WCCLS) libraries?   

Your Washington County Cooperative Library Services library card is your key to over one million items ranging from books, magazines, music and spoken tapes and CDs, videos, DVDs, non-English language materials, story kits, passes to local cultural destinations, and more! In addition to all of that, cardholders may also access a variety of indexes and full-text magazines, newspapers, and reference sources online.

How much can I borrow from WCCLS libraries?

Generally, cardholders may borrow up to 100 items at a time. However, certain types of materials have special limits. For example, cardholders may only borrow up to 25 DVDs and 25 CDs at any given time.

What is the loan period?

Most books and audio items are loaned for 21 days, most videos and DVDs for 7 days, and Cultural Passes for 24 hours. Other special materials may have different loan periods.

Refer to your check out receipt provided when you check out materials for a list of each item and when it is due. If you don't have your receipt, you may also review a list of all items checked out on your card and when they are due:

Cardholders in good standing may renew most items for two additional loan periods if other library users are not waiting to use the materials:

Certain conditions prevent item renewals, so don't wait until the last minute to renew.

What happens if I don't return items on time?

Most items have a fine of 15 cents per day for each day that the item is overdue up to a maximum fine of $5.00.

Videos, DVD's and most 7-day loan materials have a fine of $1.00 per day for each day that the item is overdue up to a maximum fine of $5.00.

Special items may have different fines applied. Cultural Passes, for example, have a fine of $10.00 per day for each day that the pass is overdue up to a maximum of $30.00. Ask your library if you have a question about a special item.

Cardholders will be charged replacement costs and a processing fee for lost items, and may also be charged for damages to items borrowed from the library.

Borrowing privileges are suspended on accounts with $10.00 or more outstanding in fines and fees.

WCCLS notifies cardholders by phone or mail when items are overdue. Bills are sent when items are overdue for 25 days. Be sure to pay fines and return materials promptly to avoid referral to a collection agency. Cardholders may also monitor their account:

Where can I return materials?

Return materials to any Washington County Cooperative Library Services member library. The WCCLS Courier delivery system will return them to the owning locations.

A notable exception to this are the Cultural Passes to Adventure which must be returned to the lending library.

Who is eligible for a Washington County Cooperative Library Services (WCCLS) library card?

If you are a Washington County resident or property owner you are eligible for a free WCCLS library card. Bring identification when applying for your card at any WCCLS member library. An application is also available online if you wish to complete it at home and bring it with you to the library.

You may also register for a temporary card online by clicking on the option to "register now." Registering online allows you to request items before you receive your library card. You can then pick up your permanent card and check out your reserved items when you visit the library.

Residents of some neighboring counties may also obtain a WCCLS library card without a fee through the Metropolitan Interlibrary Exchange (MIX) agreement. This reciprocal agreement means that if you work in one county, shop in another, and go home to still another, you can use any library that you find convenient. Residents who live in Multnomah, Clackamas, or Hood River counties in Oregon, or reside in the Fort Vancouver Regional Library District or the City of Camas in Washington, may obtain a WCCLS library card without paying a non-resident fee. And Washington County residents, in turn, are eligible to obtain library cards without fee at any of the public libraries in the systems listed above.

If you reside outside of Washington County or any of the MIX jurisdictions listed above, you may obtain a WCCLS non-resident library card for an annual fee of $70. This entitles you to use the collections and services of any WCCLS member library.