Borrowing Policies
| Item Type | Loan Period | Checkout Limit | Renewal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Books, Audiobooks, Large Print Books | 21 days | No limit | 2 renewals |
| Print New & Notable Collections | 21 days | No limit | 2 renewals |
| Digital New & Notable Collection | 14 Days | 5 | No renewals |
| DVDs | 21 days | 10 | 2 renewals |
| Music CDs | 21 days | No limit | 2 renewals |
| Magazines | 21 days | No limit | 2 renewals |
| Graphic Novels | 21 days | No limit | 2 renewals |
| OverDrive (ebooks, digital audiobooks) |
21 days | 20 items | Unlimited |
| hoopla digital: ebooks, digital audiobooks, ecomics | 21 days | 20 items per month | Unlimited |
| hoopla digital: movies & TV | 3 days | 20 items per month | Unlimited |
| hoopla digital: music | 7 days | 20 items per month | Unlimited |
| Kanopy Streaming | 3 days | 20 items per month | Unlimited |
Renewing Materials
Items may be renewed online via your account, in-person at your local Branch, or over the phone by calling your local branch library.
Kansas City Public Library materials may be renewed up to two (2) times except when there are other customer requests for the material or when the material is owned by another library system.
RETURNING LIBRARY MATERIALS
Returning books, DVDs, or CDs to the Library? Please deposit all items in an outdoor return box outside any Library location. During the COVID-19 pandemic, returns are not accepted inside Library buildings.
Safety precautions have been implemented for all handling of Library materials. Returned items are taken directly from outdoor boxes to quarantine areas, where they sit untouched for at least 5 days before additional processing.
This safety process may result in items you have already returned temporarily showing as overdue in your account. No need to worry; items will eventually be removed from your list of current loans once they have passed the quarantine period and staff can check them in. And remember: the Kansas City Public Library does not charge late fines.
Hold Requests
Cardholders can place holds in the Library Catalog or by contacting library staff.
You'll be notified by email when the item is ready to pick up. The pick up date also displays in your catalog account for all available holds. Telephone and postal mail notifications are not available. You have 10 days to pick up an item once it becomes available.
Holds are placed on a dedicated shelf at each location. Each item is marked with your initials and the last four (4) digits of your library card number. Held items are alphabetized according to the first letter on the sticker.
If you need to change the pickup location, call us at 816.701.3449 and we can change the location for you. If your hold is available but you no longer need it, please call us to cancel the hold.
* Note: holds cannot be placed on New & Notable items.
Overdues & Fines
As of July 1, 2019, the Kansas City Public Library no longer charges late fines on overdue materials.
Lost Materials
- At 14 days, overdue materials are assumed lost and the replacement cost is billed to your account. If the assumed lost materials are returned, the replacement cost will be removed from the account.
- At 42 Days, accounts with assumed lost materials and $50.00 or more in fees are sent to a collections agency in an attempt to recover lost materials. A $10.00 collection agency fee will be placed on the account.
- If assumed lost materials sent to collections are returned, the replacement cost will be removed from the account, but the $10.00 collections agency fee will remain. The account will remain blocked until the fees balance is zero.