You need to have a full-access library card in order to borrow materials.
To borrow items, you can take them to the circulation desk and have staff check out your materials. Please provide your library card or a photo ID.
Alternatively, you can use the self-check machine to check out items yourself. Self-check machines can only work with your library card.
At any given time you may borrow up to 100 physical items as long as your account is in good standing. Special kits may have their own limits. Lucky Day items are limited to 5.
For eBooks, the limits are:
The checkout period for all materials is three weeks.
The Kindle eBook format for titles previously available through OverDrive/Libby may sometimes be removed by Amazon. When this happens, patrons who are trying to return their eBooks via Amazon, will receive the following error message: "Sorry this book is not currently available. Please return to your library to see if you can check out the book in a different format."
Titles are automatically returned to the library on their due dates. When titles are returned, they are also removed from your Shelf and deleted from your device (if downloaded).
Please let library staff know when you get this error message so the issue can be brought to the attention of OverDrive and Amazon.
You can use a digital copy of your library card to check out material on many of the library's self-check machines.
To create a digital copy of your library card, you can try one of the below methods:
Capture a photo on your mobile device
Create a digital card in a wallet app
If the red beam on a self-check or scanner has a large green dot, then it is programmed to read digital images. If the shelf-check you are using cannot read the digital image of your Library card, you may go to the service desk for assistance. For transactions involving confidential information such as Library card registrations, replacement cards, and discussing titles of materials checked out to your account, a physical Library card or photo ID is required.
To request a title from the Library catalog, follow these steps:
1. Visit ccclib.org and login using your library card number and PIN
2. Search for items by format or using the search bar at the top of the home page
3. Check the search results to see the availability of the item
4. Select “place a hold” or “request this item”
5. Confirm the location where you’d like to pick up your items
6. Wait for notification that your items are ready
For details, see Placing Holds: https://help.bibliocommons.com/005borrowing/005holds/
You can place up to 100 items on hold at a time.
You will receive an automated telephone call or email, depending on your preference, when you have an item waiting to be picked up. You can also check your online Library account by going to our homepage and logging in with your Library card number and PIN under Log In/My CCCLib. Check the status of items in the ON HOLD category.
You may also call your local community library or Contact Us for assistance by phone, text, email or chat.
If you no longer want an item you have requested, you can cancel your hold. Please see: https://help.bibliocommons.com/005borrowing/008cancelling-holds/
If you don’t want an item to become available when you’re unable to pick it up, you can pause the hold. Please see: https://help.bibliocommons.com/005borrowing/007pausing-holds/
Search the Library catalog for the magazine you would like to place a hold on. Click on “Place a Hold.” You will be given a list of all available issues for that title. Select which issue you would like, scroll down to the bottom of the list and click on “Confirm.”
Materials checked out from a Contra Costa County Library branch can be returned to any branch. Do not return our materials to other library systems. Return LINK+ materials checked out at a Contra Costa County Library branch to Contra Costa County Library, not the owning library.
Items can be returned at the circulation desk during Library open hours and through the outside book drop during closed hours. All Contra Costa County Library materials can be returned to any other Contra Costa County Library location.
LINK+ items may be returned to any Contra Costa County Library branch. It is recommended that LINK+ items be returned directly to library staff, so a return receipt can be provided to show that the item was returned.
Please return any items you find. Even if the associated lost charges and processing fees have been paid, the item remains the property of Contra Costa County Library. If you paid by cash or check, either inside the Library or by mail, you may be able to get a partial refund.
You may return Contra Costa County Library materials at the outside book drops located at:
Antioch:
Bay Point:
Brentwood:
Clayton:
Concord:
Crockett:
Danville:
Dougherty Station:
El Cerrito:
El Sobrante:
Hercules:
Kensington:
Lafayette:
Moraga:
Martinez:
Oakley:
Orinda:
Pinole:
Pittsburg:
Pleasant Hill:
Prewett:
Rodeo:
San Pablo:
San Ramon:
Walnut Creek:
Ygnacio Valley:
OverDrive/Libby made a change that prevents users from being able to return titles from the Library catalog if they have been checked out to a Kindle device. This change was made in June 2024 to fix an issue where Kindle loans could appear out-of-sync with Amazon's systems.
Patrons who try to return one of these titles from the catalog will see the following message: "This title cannot be returned from this device."
To return Kindle eBooks borrowed through the Library catalog, you will need to return them through the Amazon website or the Kindle app. You cannot return them directly through the Library catalog. The catalog vendor has been notified to not display the return action for these titles and to provide instructions for how to return a title from a device.
The Kindle eBook format for titles previously available through OverDrive/Libby may sometimes be removed by Amazon. When this happens, patrons who are trying to return their eBooks via Amazon, will receive the following error message: "Sorry this book is not currently available. Please return to your library to see if you can check out the book in a different format."
Titles are automatically returned to the library on their due dates. When titles are returned, they are also removed from your Shelf and deleted from your device (if downloaded).
Please let library staff know when you get this error message so the issue can be brought to the attention of OverDrive and Amazon.
Recently, OverDrive removed the ability to early return Kindle eBooks through the library catalog, the Libby app, or the library's OverDrive website. This change was made to fix an issue where Kindle eBook loans could appear out-of-sync with Amazon's systems.
Users can still return Kindle eBook loans early. If users finish Kindle eBook loans early, they can return them through their Kindle eReader, Kindle app, or Amazon’s website. Here are two help articles with instructions:
All eBooks are automatically returned at the end of their lending period.
Library materials are automatically renewed two (2) days before the due date. If an item cannot be renewed, an email courtesy notice is sent alerting you the item is due soon. Items cannot be renewed if there are no available copies and another Library user has placed a hold on the item, if the item's renewal limit has been reached, your library card is expired, or your account is blocked.
NOTE: Auto-renewal does not apply to eBooks, eAudiobooks, or streaming video.
Items may also be renewed through your online account, using the self-check kiosk available at select library locations, or by contacting the library directly for assistance.
Books, DVDs, Audiobooks, music CDs and some kits can be renewed twice.
Lucky Day items park passes, magazines, and some kits cannot be renewed.
Materials cannot be renewed if:
Renewals are not guaranteed and not all items can be renewed. You may not renew an item if:
Auto-renewal is a service for the Library that automatically renews materials that have available copies on the shelf. Items will automatically be renewed two days before their due date as long as the account is in good standing. The new due date will be extended from the original due date, so you will still enjoy a full loan period after each automatic renewal. Items that have other holds and no other available copies, that have been renewed two times, eBooks and eAudiobooks are not eligible. Auto-renewal allows you to enjoy materials for a longer period of time without worry.
LINK+ items can be renewed one time, for an additional 3 weeks, upon approval of the owning library system.
The park passes are available for one three-week checkout. They are not eligible for renewal.
Anyone who has a Contra Costa County Library card can borrow a park pass at no charge. Park passes are displayed in the Library catalog, opens a new window and may be requested by placing a hold, opens a new window, visiting a community library service desk, or contacting, opens a new window Library staff for assistance.
If you don't have a Library card, you can apply for one here, opens a new window.
Please contact us to let us know your pass was lost or stolen.
No, the pass is only valid within the 200+ participating state parks.
No.
No. Also, the pass is not valid for per-person entry or tour fees (such as museums), boat use, group use or sites, special events, additional/extra vehicle fees, sanitation disposal use or for supplemental fees.
No. The Library Parks Pass is valid for vehicle day use at 200+ participating state park of the California State Park System operated by State Parks.
List of participating and nonparticipating parks
The California State Library Parks Pass program provides a free vehicle day-use entry for one passenger vehicle with capacity of nine people or less or one highway licensed motorcycle at 200+ participating state parks to library cardholders.
