Borrowing Materials

As of Oct. 1, 2021, some digital checkout limits that were temporarily expanded during the past year will be scaled back. This measure is an effort to balance cost with our careful reopening of library buildings and access to physical collections.

Borrowing Policies

Item Type Loan Period Checkout Limit Renewal
Books, Audiobooks, Large Print Books 21 days Varies 2 times
Print New & Notable Collections 14 days Varies No renewals
DVDs 21 days 10 2 times
Music CDs 21 days Varies 2 times
Magazines 21 days Varies 2 times
Graphic Novels 21 days Varies 2 times
Hotspots 14 days 1 3 times
OverDrive
(ebooks, digital audiobooks)		 21 days 15 items Unlimited
OverDrive "Lucky Day" 14 Days 15 items No renewals
hoopla digital: ebooks, digital audiobooks, ecomics 21 days 10 items per month Unlimited
hoopla digital: movies & TV 3 days 10 items per month Unlimited
hoopla digital: music 7 days 10 items per month Unlimited
Kanopy Streaming 3 days 10 items per month Unlimited

Renewing Materials

Items may be renewed online via the online catalog, in-person at your local Branch, or over the phone by calling your local branch library.

Most 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 Materials

Please return all materials in the drop boxes conveniently located outside and inside of each branch.

Pop In / Pick Up Holds

Our Pop In / Pick Up service is available at most locations.

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.

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.

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.