Important information about your Library Card and Account

Your library card is free and allows you to borrow materials from all 25 community libraries of the Contra Costa County Library.  You need only one card.  Your Library card is valid for 3 years from the date of issue.  Expired cards can be renewed for free in person at any Community Library upon presentation of valid ID and proof of current address.

The Library requires address verification when applying for or renewing a card.  You may use a current Driver’s License or California I.D. Card or two of the following:

  • I.D. with name plus a proof of current address
  • California Auto Registration
  • Printed bank check
  • Piece of first class mail postmarked within 30 days
  • Voter registration card
  • Utility bill

A parent's signature is required on applications of children under 13 years of age.   

Jump to: Fines | Materials Recovery | Notifications

LOAN PERIODS

  • The loan period for books, books on CD, kits, music CDs & CD-ROMs is three weeks.
  • The loan period for DVDs, videos, magazines & holiday materials is one week.

Loan periods may only be extended through routine renewals.

RENEWALS

  • Books will be allowed two (2) renewals.
  • Videos, DVDs, books on CD, music CDs, CD-ROMs & kits are allowed one (1) renewal.
  • Magazines, items checked out on an institutional card, and some kits cannot be renewed.
  • LINK+ loan periods are available here. LINK+ items can be renewed no sooner than 3 days before the item is due; and only if the item has no holds placed on it by the owning institution.

Materials can be renewed in person, by telephone (800-984-4636 - press option #1), or through your online account at ccclib.org. 

Materials cannot be renewed if:

  • Another borrower has placed a hold and is waiting
  • Your account is blocked because of a lost item
  • Your fines are $10.00 or more
  • Your Library card is expired
  • You have already renewed the item as many times as allowed

FINES

It is the policy of the Contra Costa County Library to charge fines on overdue, lost and damaged library materials to encourage their timely return, thereby making returned material available to others.

Borrowing privileges are suspended if:

  • you have overdue items or fines of $10.00 or more, and/or
  • your account has be sent to a materials recovery agency and has not been paid in full.

Materials must be returned by the date due.  Fines include Sundays, Holidays and closed days.

A bill for lost items is sent when materials are 30 days overdue.

Materials can be returned to any of the 25 community libraries of Contra Costa County Library.  Materials returned to a library other than a Contra Costa County Library, may accumulate fines.

You will not be notified of fines.  Fines and fees are listed on your online borrower account or inquiries can be made by calling or visiting your local community library.

SCHEDULE OF FINES & CHARGES - EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER 1, 2005

 TYPE OF MATERIAL

DAILY
FINE

MAXIMUM FINE
PER ITEM

REPLACEMENT
COST

PROCESSING
FEE (LOST)*

MATERIALS RECOVERY

Adult & Young Adult Cataloged Material (Fiction, Non-Fiction, CD's, Cassettes)

$ .25

$5.00 per item or cost if less

Item price plus processing fee

$5.00 fee per lost item *

$10.00 fee added to account when sent to materials recovery

Adult & Young Adult Uncataloged Material (Paperbacks, Magazines, Pamphlets)

$ .25

$2.00 per item or cost if less

Juvenile Cataloged Material
(Fiction & Non-Fiction, CD's, Cassettes)

$ .10

$1.00 per item or cost if less

Juvenile Uncataloged Material (Paperbacks, Magazines, Pamphlets, Pictures)

$ .10

$1.00 per item or cost if less

Videos, DVD’s & CD ROM Products

$1.00

$5.00 per item

Kits

$1.00

$5.00 per Kits

Equipment
(Projectors, Cassette Player, Engravers, etc.)

$1.00

$5.00 per item

* Processing fees charged on lost items are non-refundable if the item is later found and returned

OTHER CHARGES

Missing portions of sets & kits

$8.00

Faxes:

 

Major Damage

$5.00

     First Page

$3.00

Minor Damage

$1.00

     Each Additional Page

$ .25

Photocopies

$ .15 per page

Books by Mail

$3.00 - $5.00

Computer Printout

$ .10 per page

Non-refundable Meeting Room Fee:

 

Lost Card – Adult

$1.00

     Small Room

$10.00/hour

Lost Card – Child

$ .50

     Large Room

$40.00/hour

MATERIALS RECOVERY

The Contra Costa County Library has contracted with Unique Management Services (UMS) to act as our materials recovery agency to recover identified overdue materials and fines.  Accounts sent to UMS are assessed a $10.00 fee to cover the cost of doing business with the agency.

After 60 days past due, delinquent accounts with a balance of $35.00 or more in fines and/or fees will be sent to UMS.

Those borrowers under 18 years of age will not be contacted directly.  All correspondence will be directed to the “parent or guardian of….”.

When an account is sent to UMS, a note regarding the activation with UMS is automatically posted to the account and any borrower sent to UMS is blocked from checking out further materials.  The account must be resolved and all items returned and/or paid in full before borrowing privileges are re-instated.  Once an account has been cleared the note regarding the UMS is automatically deleted from the account.

Payment plans may be set-up. 

NOTIFICATIONS

The Library will notify you by email, phone or U.S. mail when holds are ready for pickup and when items are overdue.  The Library does not notify you if you owe fines unless you have items that are also overdue.

Notices are provided as a courtesy; borrowers are responsible for returning materials on-time.

Overdue notifications are sent as follows:

  • 10 DAYS OVERDUE: Library sends overdue notice by e-mail or phone or U.S. mail

  • 30 DAYS OVERDUE: Overdue items are now set to Lost. Library sends a bill by U.S. mail for lost items

  • 60 DAYS OVERDUE: Account balances of $35.00 or more are sent to materials recovery agency Unique Management Services (UMS); a $10.00 material recovery fee added to accounts. 

  • 184 DAYS OVERDUE: If borrowers have taken no action to remedy their accounts, UMS reports accounts to a national credit bureau.  This can affect borrower's credit ratings for up to seven years.

For more information about your library card and account, see our Answer Me This service online at ccclib.org.