Collection FAQs

  • General Questions

    If you are unable to find a title after searching the library catalog, you may suggest that we add the item to our collection. For eBooks and eAudiobooks, please follow the instructions for Libby listed further down this page.

      1. Log in to your Library account
      2. Select your username on the top right of the screen and go to “My Library Dashboard” from the dropdown menu. 
      3. Choose "Submit a Suggestion” and complete the form.

    You may submit up to 5 suggestions per month. Due to the high volume of suggestions we receive along with other factors, we are unable to respond immediately to a suggestion, nor can we add every title or alert patrons when their suggestion becomes available.

    You can monitor our response by going to "Suggested Purchases" when logged into your Dashboard. Please continue checking the catalog to see if your suggested title has been added.

    For suggesting eBooks and eAudiobooks in Libby:

    Log in to Libby and use a "Notify Me" tag to suggest a purchase. Your interest in the title is anonymously shared with all of your saved libraries. If a title you have tagged with Notify Me is purchased, you will get a push notification via Libby and have the option to borrow it or place it on hold right away.

    View Libby Help for more information on Notify Me.

    We consider adding works which are:

    • within the general selection criteria guidelines of our Collection Development Plan, AND
    • handled by a professional publishing and editing firm, AND
    • reviewed in a library journal, national publication, OR local media (Bay Area newspaper, television station, radio station, etc.)

    If your authored work meets the above criteria, please submit the review and press release information with the subject line “Attn: Collection Development Manager” to your local Library and/or email to colldev@library.cccounty.us

    Thank you for considering the Contra Costa County Library.

    The Library is no longer hosting an Annual Book Giveaway.

    Library materials removed from the collection are processed by Better World Books at their warehouse in Reno, Nevada. They evaluate each item for condition and resale value. Items are put in their online store for 12 months. If sold, the Library receives a portion of the proceeds. If they are not sold, Better World Books donates the items to support literacy efforts. Items with no resale or donation value are recycled. Nothing goes to landfill.

    Library materials removed from the collection are processed by Better World Books at their warehouse in Reno, Nevada. They evaluate each item for condition and resale value. Items are put in their online store for 12 months. If sold, the Library receives a portion of the proceeds. If they are not sold, Better World Books donates the items to support literacy efforts. Items with no resale or donation value are recycled. Nothing goes to landfill.

    Newspapers are available online and at the library.

  • Searching

    You can find information on our Community Languages page at: https://ccclib.org/community-languages/

    The collection includes the following languages:

    • Spanish
    • Russian
    • Farsi
    • Filipino
    • Chinese (Traditional)
    • Chinese (Simplified)
    • Hindi
    • Vietnamese
    • Korean

    While browsing the catalog, you have the option to filter by languages. On the left side of the search results you will find under Languages a number of options, including some not in a specific collection.

    We offer access to Novelist Plus which provides "read-alikes," reviews of both fiction and nonfiction titles, plot summaries, book discussion guides, recommendations, articles, and more. Novelist Plus includes selections for kids, teens, and adult in both print and eAudio formats. 

    The Library also offers personalized reading recommendations based on your responses to our online questionnaire. See details about our Personalized Picks service. Take the guesswork out of finding a good book and let us do the work!

  • Lucky Day

    The Library’s Lucky Day collection includes many popular, new and bestselling titles. What makes this collection unique is that these items may not be requested or put on hold. They are placed in a special location at each community library waiting for a lucky customer to check them out.

    To keep a supply of titles available for all Library patrons to check out and enjoy, this collection has a few special borrowing conditions:

    • Lucky Day items have a three week loan period.
    • Lucky Day items cannot be renewed.
    • Lucky Day items cannot be requested online or over the phone and cannot be held for pick up. They are available on a first-come, first-served basis only.
    • Patrons may check out a maximum of five Lucky Day items at a time.
    • Lucky Day collections are not displayed in the online public catalog.
    • Charges and fees for lost or damaged Lucky Day items are the same as for regular Library materials.

    The Library updates the collection with new titles on a regular basis.

  • Audio/Visual

    If discs are damaged or otherwise unplayable, please bring them to the attention of Library staff. We will do our best to find a replacement copy for you. We will attempt to repair or clean the damaged items and if that does not work, we will make an effort to either replace materials or acquire them in similar formats.