Get Your Library Card Today!
Your WCFL library card is the key to borrowing materials, downloading e-books, audiobooks, music, using our research databases and online learning tools, and much more. You can do so much!
- Read, listen, and watch all kinds of things with your card. The library catalog has a wide range of books, audiobooks, magazines, newspapers, movies, music, and more.
- Borrow and stream even more from anywhere and at any time with our Digital Library services.
- Use free public computers by signing in with your library card and password.
- Research using our premium digital resources to find answers from trusted informational sources.
You do not need a library card to attend library programs or reserve rooms!
WCFL library cards are free to anyone who lives or owns property or goes to school in Maryland. Out-of-State Library cards are also available for a fee of $25/year; in-person visit required. Bring your ID and proof of address to any branch and apply for your card today.
What You Need
Bring your Photo ID and proof of address (see below for details) to any WCFL branch or Bookmobile stop and fill out a Library Card Application. You may also fill out this printer-friendly application and bring it with you on your visit.
Accepted photo ID:
- Maryland Driver’s license
- Other State photo ID with current address
- U.S. Passport
If your photo ID does not have the current address, please present the photo ID and one of these forms of proof of current address:
- Maryland voter's registration card
- Rental receipt, lease or deed
- Official postmarked mail (e.g. utility bill)
- Vehicle registration
- Checks imprinted with name and address
- Washington County tax bill with correct address
- Current pay stub
What to Know
- During the sign-up process, you will be asked to choose a method for how you would like to receive notifications (overdue materials, holds, renewals, billing, library account expirations, etc.), either by text, email, or phone. If you choose texting for library notifications, please be aware that message and data rates may apply and the frequency of messages may vary.
- You may switch your notification method at any time by signing into your library account, or by visiting the closest WCFL branch, or calling your home branch.
- If you are getting a card for a child or teen under the age of 18, both a parent or legal guardian and the child or teen getting the card need to be present.
- Parents or legal guardians are responsible for any lost or damaged materials borrowed on their child or teen’s (age 17 years or younger) library card.
- There is no charge to obtain a library card; the lost card replacement fee is $3.00. Please report lost or stolen cards immediately, failure to do so means you are responsible for any materials charged out on the card. The lost card will be deactivated, and a new card will be issued.
- You can view your library account online. You will need your library card barcode number and PIN (personal identification number).
- Accounts are deleted after three years of inactivity.
Types of Library Cards
Children's Cards (Ages 0-12)
Children age 12 and under will be issued a Children’s Library Card. To receive a card, the child must be accompanied by a parent/legal guardian with the required ID.
Additional information:
- The library card application will also require the signature of a parent or legal guardian. This is the person who will be financially responsible for any lost or damaged materials.
- Juvenile cards are restricted to movies and television shows cataloged as Juvenile (JDVD). All other movies and television shows will need to be checked out on an adult or teen library card.
- Cards must be renewed every three years and proof of current address provided.
If you have any questions, please ask at any public service desk.
Teen Card (Ages 13-17)
Minors between the ages of 13-17 will be issued a Teen Library card. To receive a card, teens must be accompanied by a parent/legal guardian with the required ID.
Additional information:
- The library card application will also require the signature of a parent or legal guardian. This is the person who will be financially responsible for any lost or damaged materials.
- Teen Library Cards are restricted from checking out video games. These must be checked out on an Adult Library Card.
- Cards must be renewed every three years and proof of current address provided.
If you have any questions, please ask at any public service desk.
Adult Card (Ages 18+)
For adults 18 years and older. A state-issued photo ID and proof of address must be presented to receive a library card.
Additional information:
- An additional Library of Things Account is required to check out items from the Library of Things (LOT) collection.
- Cards must be renewed every three years and proof of current address provided.
If you have any questions, please ask at any public service desk.
Student RAIL Cards
All Washington County Public School students have special WCFL accounts that work just like a regular library card, only there is no plastic card to carry.
All Washington County Public School students have special Washington County Free Library accounts! Students can check out up to six items and use most digital online resources.
What is RAIL?
RAIL(Raising Access to Improve Literacy) will put you on the right track to finding a world full of information and learning tools available from the public library.
With the RAIL card, students can:
- Check out books!
- Access Digital Library services to use some of our digital resources. (RAIL cards are excluded from using Hoopla, Kanopy, and Libby.)
- Access Washington County Free Library premium online resources including:
- Literacy and curriculum resources
- College and career resources
- Language learning resources
- Test prep resources
- Free homework help
- and MORE!
Hoopla access is excluded for RAIL accounts. All RAIL accounts are fine free, but you still need to return the books!
How does it work?
RAIL works just like a regular library card, only there is no plastic card you have to carry. It is a virtual card. Your RAIL number is made up of a prefix and your student ID number (see example below).
How do I use RAIL at the library?
It's easy! When you check out a book, just tell the WCFL staff that you are a WCPS student and tell them your student number. You can also show them your student ID card if you have one.
How do I use the library's catalog, digital library, and other online resources?
Your RAIL card works just like a regular library card. Any time the library's website asks for your library card number, just enter your RAIL number. The password is set to the student lunch card number.
Prefix + Student Number (Example: rail123456)
r a i l _ _ _ _ _ _
For more information, call your branch library or visit the WCPS Department of Library Media LibGuide.
Out-of-State Borrower Library Card
Don’t live in Maryland? Out-of-State Borrower Library Cards are available for a fee of $25/year.
What to Know
- You must apply in person at one of our eight branches.
- Families may share one card or purchase separate library cards for additional family members.
- All family members wishing to apply for a library card must be present at the time of application.
- Cards may be renewed, but a $25 fee must be paid annually.
If you have any questions, please ask at any public service desk.
Active-Duty Military Library Card
WCFL is happy to support active-duty military personnel and their families by offering free library cards for any active-duty military members or their families who are residing in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, or West Virginia.
To get an Active-Duty Military Library Card you will need to fill out a library card application and a current Active-Duty Military ID and proof of address at any of WCFL’s eight branches. Proof of residency for temporary addresses will be accepted
Additional Requirements:
- All members of the family who wish to get a library card must be present at the time of application and separate library card applications must be filled out for each family member.
- Cards must be renewed annually and proof of continued military affiliation and current proof of address provided.
If you have any questions, please ask at any public service desk.
Classroom Educator Library Card
Classroom educators outside of the public schools have the opportunity to sign up for a Classroom Educator Library Card that can be used to check out classroom materials.
Classroom Educator Library Cards are meant as an opportunity to provide additional classroom materials for student use at an elementary level. Materials should remain at the institution where they are checked out until they are returned to a library branch or to the Bookmobile.
To qualify, teachers/educators must be employed at a school or educational institution in Washington County that is willing to meet the following requirements:
- The person applying for the card must fill out the Classroom Educator Library Card application, show their school/institutional identification at a WCFL branch.
- The library must be provided with an official letter written on school or institution letterhead from a principal or other authorized administrative personnel stating that the school authorizes the teacher to apply for a Classroom Educator Library Card in the name of the school or institution, and that the school or institution takes financial responsibility for all lost and/or damaged materials checked out on that library card. Continued failure to return materials may result in the revocation of the library card.
- Classroom Educator library cards must be renewed at the beginning of each school year, or on an annual basis as applicable, and new documentation with a current date must be provided to library staff.
- An individual applying for a Classroom Educator Library Card must also have a personal library card, unless they do not meet the residential requirements, and library materials for personal enjoyment or personal educational needs must be checked out under the individual’s regular library card.
The loan period for the Classroom Educator Library Cards will depend on where the materials are checked out. Items checked out from the Bookmobile will have a four-week loan period, with three renewals. Other locations will have the standard three-week loan period with three renewals. Materials checked out on Classroom Educator Library Cards are also eligible for automatic renewal.
Library of Things (LOT) Accounts
Anyone 18 or older who lives, works, or goes to school in Maryland may apply in person at the LOT Desk on the second floor of the Fletcher Library in Hagerstown.
What to Know
- A regular WCFL library card in good standing is required before you can sign up to borrow items from the Library of Things. You will also be asked to sign a liability waiver on an annual basis.
- Your Library of Things library card number will be the barcode number on your regular WCFL library card, with the letters LOT added in front of the number.
- Your regular library card account will be blocked if you accrue $30 or more in fines or fees on your LOT account.
If you have any questions, please ask at any public service desk.
Borrowing Information
Visit any one of our eight branches and check us out! The Washington County Free Library offers a variety of materials and items for checkout.
Physical Materials: Books, graphic novels, audiobooks, DVD/Blu-ray movies and television shows, music CDs, and video games. Video games may only be checked out on an adult library card. Most of these items will renew automatically up to three times. See below for more information.
Digital Materials: You can also visit our Digital Library online and borrow materials for your smart devices. Limits on number of digital items per card may vary by borrowing platform.
Library of Things Collection: We are proud to offer a Library of Things collection exclusively available at the Fletcher Branch in Hagerstown. The collection primarily things across various categories that you might not use regularly but would find helpful for specific projects or occasional needs. Please be aware that most items in the collection are available for checkout without consumables—meaning that items like saw blades, sandpaper, thread, and other expendables used during a project will not be included.
Loan periods, renewal limits, and item limits on specific type of items are below:
| Item | Loan Period | Renewal Limit | Item Limit per Card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Books | 3 weeks | 3 automatic renewals | |
| Library of Things | 1 week | No renewals | 4 items per card |
| DVD/Blu-rays | 1 week | 3 automatic renewals | 10 DVD/Blu-rays (Limit of 2 Anime DVD/Blu-rays) |
| Audiobooks | 3 weeks | 3 automatic renewals | |
| Music CDs | 2 weeks | 3 automatic renewals | 6 Music CDs |
| Videogames | 2 weeks | 3 automatic renewals | 2 Videogames |
| Interlibrary Loan (Marina) | 2 automatic renewals | ||
| Interlibrary Loan (OCLC) | No renewals |
The Washington County Free Library is pleased to offer automatic renewals for our patrons. This means that specified types of items are renewed automatically, instead of it being done by you or manually by library staff.
- All patrons are automatically enrolled in automatic renewals.
- Most eligible items will automatically renew up to 3 times.
- Interlibrary Loan items borrowed through Maryland libraries will only automatically renew 2 times.
- OCLC Interlibrary Loan items are not eligible for manual or automatic renewal.
The new due date will be calculated from the original due date, meaning that you will not lose any borrowing time. You will receive a courtesy notice stating which items on your account did or did not renew, and the corresponding due dates.
Some types of items are not eligible for automatic renewal:
- Items that are Reading Express materials.
- Items that are part of a digital collection, like Libby or Hoopla.
- Items that have a hold, meaning someone else is waiting for it. Items that have reached their renewal limit (in most cases, 3 renewals).
- Items that do not allow renewals, like OCLC Interlibrary Loan items and Library of Things items.
Items also may not automatically renew if your card has expired, you owe $6.00 or more in fines or fees, or you have a lost book or other materials on your account. If items on your account cannot be renewed, you will receive a courtesy notice with due dates. You can renew items by visiting your branch library or calling your library. You will need your library card number.
Borrowed materials, with the exception of Library of Things items, which must be returned to the Fletcher Branch, may be returned at any location or book drop. There are book drops at every branch and in the North Pointe and South Pointe Shopping Centers.
- Each cardholder can borrow up to 100 physical items per library card.
- Checking out Library of Things items requires an adult library card and a picture ID, along with an up-to-date signed liability waiver.
- Checking out video games requires an adult library card.
- Juvenile cards can only check out movies cataloged as Juvenile (JDVD) and Family DVDs.
- If you accrue fines or fees of $6.00 or more, borrowing privileges may be suspended. More information about fines and fees is available under Frequently Asked Questions below.
If an item is checked out or unavailable at your branch, you can place a request for the item to be held for you when it becomes available or delivered to your local branch for pick up. There is no charge to place an item on hold.
If you do place a hold, please be aware holds are pulled from the shelf at varying times and it is likely that your hold will not be pulled until the following day.
To place a hold online:
- Find the item in the Catalog
- Select "Place Hold" under the item you wish to request
- Enter your library card number and password then select "Log in"
- On the next screen, select your pick-up library from the drop-down menu, and if you have a date that you will not need the request after, select it from here. Then select "Confirm Location
You will receive notification that your hold is available for pick-up via email, text, or phone call, depending on your choice of notification method. Please sign into My Account or contact your local branch to change your notification options.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can still renew your items on your own if you wish by visiting the online catalog and logging in with your library card number and password.
- After logging in, you will see a summary of checkouts, holds, and fines on the account. Select your name again to see your Bookshelf.
- Under the My Bookshelf tab, you will see Checkouts, Holds, Fines and Fees, and Profile. Select the Checkouts tab for a listing of items currently checked out.
- Choose the items that you would like to renew and select Renew.
Please report lost or stolen card to library staff immediately. We can issue a new card immediately or you may use your ID to check out material if you think it was just misplaced. When a new card is issued, you will be charged a replacement fee of $2.00.
Library cards expire every three years in order to make sure that we have your current contact information. In order to renew your card, visit your nearest branch, and have your library card and proof of current address handy. There is no charge to renew your card for Maryland residents.
Non-Maryland residents within the tri-state area (Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia) will have to update their cards annually and pay the $25 renewal fee.
When you receive your library card, you selected a password. The password is typically 4 digits. If you have forgotten your Password, first try the last 4 digits of your phone number.
To reset your password, use the "Forgot your Password?" link from the account page and enter your library card number. An email will be sent to the email address on file for your account. If we have your correct email address on file, you will receive an email within 30 minutes containing your password.
If you do not have an email address or you do not receive an email with your password within 30 minutes, please call your local branch to reset your password and update your record.
If you do not know your library card number or the email associated with your account has changed, please contact your local branch to assist you.
Although the library no longer charges overdue fees on most materials, there are still fees for items that are lost, damaged, or never returned. If you have an outstanding balance on your account, you may be denied use of library services.
Fees for damage to materials vary based on the type of material and the extent of the damage, up to and including the full replacement cost of the item, plus a processing fee of $7.00. Items 21 days overdue are automatically assumed to have been lost, and a Lost status is added to your account. When paying for a lost or damaged item, you are responsible for paying the replacement cost of the damaged, lost, or missing item. The library does not accept substitute materials to replace damaged or lost items.
We want to make sure you are getting your email notifications in a timely manner. If notifications are not coming through, please take the following steps to make sure your email program is set up to receive messages from us:
Step 1: Make sure your email address is correct in our system:
- Call or visit your local branch -or-
- Update your contact information by going to website and select My Account > Log in with your library card number and password > Select on "Contact Information and Preferences" to update your contact information.
Step 2: Check your Spam Folder -- Sometimes our messages get filtered as Spam
- If a message from donotreply@washcolibrary.org is in your Spam folder, click or check the message and choose the "not spam" option to send it back to your inbox and prevent similar messages from going to Spam in the future
- Refer to your email service's help pages for specifics
Step 3: Add donotreply@washcolibrary.org to your contacts or safe senders list
- In most cases, this will prevent messages from being blocked or sent to Spam
- Refer to your email service's help pages for specifics
Your email provider may have more tips regarding not getting messages. Here are some common providers and links to their relevant help sections:
AOL -- AOL help
Yahoo! -- Yahoo help
Gmail -- Gmail help
MSN/Hotmail -- MSN help
Ask A Librarian!
Have a question? Chat with us, email, or call your preferred branch during business hours. Send us an email anytime.