Frequently Asked Questions

To sign in to your library account or to your OverDrive account, you will need to enter all 8 digits of your library card number (if your card number has less than 8 digits, add enough zeros to the front of your number until it is 8 digits long) or if your card number starts with ecard, enter that word along with the 7 trailing digits. The password will be your full last name. If your last name is hyphenated or has a space or apostrophe, you will have to enter that hyphen, space, or apostrophe and if that doesn't work, try your last name without the hyphen, space, or apostrophe and let us know if you would like us to correct your name.

To sign in to your library account: At metrolibrary.org, click the My Account button at the top. (If using a smartphone, tap the Find Books link instead.) 

NOTE: After clicking My Account, if you see a blank page that never loads, you are probably using an outdated browser that is incompatible with our catalog. As of 2017, our catalog supports the 2 most recent versions of Internet Explorer (10 and 11), Edge, Chrome, Firefox, and the 2 most recent versions of Safari.

To sign in to your OverDrive account: Visit metrolibrary.overdrive.com and click the Sign in button or the 3 books icon at the top.

Anyone who lives, attends school, works at a school, or pays property taxes in Oklahoma City or Oklahoma County can receive a Metropolitan Library System card for free. If you meet one of these qualifications, you can apply for a card online (and begin using it immediately) or you can apply for a card at any Metro Library location. If you apply for a card online, you will not be issued a physical card unless you visit a Metro Library location and ask for one.

Anyone enrolled in Oklahoma City Public Schools can use their student ID to access Metro Library resources. Additionally, anyone who lives, works, or attends school in Cleveland County, McClain County, or Pottawatomie County or students who live in Grady County and attend school in the Blanchard School district can receive a Metropolitan Library System card for free. If you meet one of these qualifications, you can apply for a card online (and begin using it immediately) or you can apply for a card at any Metro Library location. To apply in person, please bring proof of ID, including proof of current address (an up-to-date driver's license would satisfy both requirements). Parents or guardians must provide address verification for minors (16 and under). Examples of acceptable identification:

• Any photo ID issued by the U.S. Federal, Tribal, or any State Government (examples include a driver’s license, Tribal ID, current passport, green card, state employee ID card)
• Birth Certificate
• Current vehicle insurance verification form
• Student ID card with a photo of the student on it
• Acceptable evidence of current school, college, or university enrollment or employment (examples include an official transcript or registrar’s receipt for students; examples for staff include a pay stub or staff ID card)
• Social Security card
• Medicare or other medical plan card
• Current credit card
• Military ID card; include rank and serial number on the application
• Voter registration card
• Personal check with printed name
• Parent or guardian’s identification for students under age 17 who are unable to provide proof of eligibility, provided the parent or guardian meets eligibility requirements
• Oklahoma County ad valorem property tax statement
• Utility bills or receipts postmarked within 30 days
• Copy of current lease
• Mortgage paperwork within 90 days of notarization

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We have various types of library cards. Learn which one is right for you.

Primary Card
If you live in or own property in Oklahoma City or Oklahoma County, you can get a card for free. If you are 16 or younger, a parent or guardian must be present to co-sign the application and card.

ONEcard
If you are a student in Oklahoma City Public Schools, you are eligible for a free card and can use your student ID to access Metro Library resources. Note: a physical card will not be issued.

Reciprocal Card
If you live, work, or attend school in Cleveland, McClain or Pottawatomie counties or are a Blanchard school district student living in Grady County, you can also get a Metro Library card for free.

School Card
Students and school employees who do not qualify for a primary or reciprocal card may be eligible for a School card if their school is in Oklahoma City or Oklahoma County. School cards are valid for 1 year and eligibility must be verified annually. School cards provide access to all Metro Library services except interlibrary loan. Students must present proof of enrollment and teachers must present proof of employment.

Annual Fee Card
If you don't meet the qualifications for one of the cards listed above, you can purchase an Annual Fee Card for $70 per year. This single card allows everyone in your household to use the Metropolitan Library System. If you use our library value calculator to tally the cost of purchasing books, CDs, magazines, music, DVDs, eBooks, eAudiobooks, newspapers, and internet access, you will see the value of the $70 fee. You can apply for a card in person at any Metro Library or by contacting us.

Internet Access Card
If you're a visitor to our system or are otherwise unable to show proper proof of residence, you can request an internet access card which will provide limited library service such as internet and database access.

Note: If you are a resident of Oklahoma County and are home bound, you might be eligible for our Library-by-Mail Service. Call 405-606-3295 to consult with the Library-by-Mail Specialist to determine your eligibility.

If there are no holds on an item, it can be renewed up to 8 times at 3 weeks each time. When you recheck an item, it is due back 3 weeks from the end of the current lending period and not 3 weeks from day you renew the title unless you renew it on the day it is due or you renew it while it is overdue. Interlibrary loan items cannot be renewed.

Directions for your smartphone:

1. Visit catalog.metrolibrary.org, tap the menu icon at the top left, and then tap Sign In. Enter all 8 digits of your library card number (if your card number has less than 8 digits, add enough zeros to the front of your number until it is 8 digits long) or if your card number starts with ecard, enter that word along with the 7 trailing digits and your full last name (or sign in with your EZ Username and Password), and tap Log In.
2. After you have signed in, tap the menu icon at the top left, tap My Account, tap on Loans, and tap on the orange Renew button for each item you want to renew.

Directions for your desktop, laptop, or tablet:

Renew a Single Title

1. Visit catalog.metrolibrary.org and click Log In at the top right.
2. In the window that pops up, enter all 8 digits of your library card number (if your card number has less than 8 digits, add enough zeros to the front of your number until it is 8 digits long) or if your card number starts with ecard, enter that word along with the 7 trailing digits and your full last name (or sign in with your EZ Username and Password), and click Log In.
3. On the Account Summary page, click View Loans.
4. Locate the title you want to renew and click Renew Loan.
   

Note: Overdue items can also be renewed. If there is a problem with a renewal, a pop-up message will advise The following title(s) could not be renewed: [selected title]. 

Renew Multiple Titles

1. Visit catalog.metrolibrary.org and click Log In at the top right.
2. In the window that pops up, enter all 8 digits of your library card number (if your card number has less than 8 digits, add enough zeros to the front of your number until it is 8 digits long) or if your card number starts with ecard, enter that word along with the 7 trailing digits and your full last name (or sign in with your EZ Username and Password), and click Log In.
3. On the Account Summary page, click View Loans.
4. Check the boxes next to the titles you want to renew and click the Renew link.
   
   NOTE: if you have more than 20 titles checked out, you will first need to scroll to the bottom of the page, click the Show More Loans button to display all of your checked out titles, and then proceed to renew them all. 
    
5. A green banner will display a message at the top of the screen advising, The following title(s) were successfully renewed. [selected title(s) listed]. New due dates will display for each of the items renewed.

Not Able to Renew?

If you tried to renew a title and see the message Item cannot be renewed at this time, it could be because: 

• Another person has placed a hold on this item.
• You have reached your maximum number of allowed renewals (8).
• Your library card has expired.
• You have fines on your account that are preventing the renewal.

1. Visit metrolibrary.org/ill and if you haven't created an account, click the First Time Users link.
2. Complete the New User Registration form, using your library card number as your username and your last name as your password. Note: ILL notifications will only be delivered via email or postal mail.
3. After you complete registration and sign in, in the New Request menu at the left, select the type of material you wish to borrow.
4. Complete the request form then click Submit Request. If your title has an ISBN number, providing the ISBN will expedite your request so use a search engine to search for the phrase your title isbn to find its ISBN. Note: After submitting your request, if you are directed to the sign in screen, your session has timed out but your request should have successfully submitted. You can sign in and click All Requests to ensure your request was received.

Note: The interlibrary loan service is not available for reciprocal, ONEcard, and school cardholders.

If you don't have your card on you and need to know your number, please contact us and we'll be happy to assist you. If you have lost your card, please contact us as soon as possible so we can put a block on your card to prevent anyone else from using it.

If you are enrolled in Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS), your library card number is the same as your student ID.

Due to the Coronavirus/COVID-19, we are having to quarantine all items for at least 96 hours before we can check them in, and we are also experiencing some backlog with processing materials. We will backdate the item to credit you with the day it was returned.

If it has been longer than a week, please contact us and we can start the search for the item.

Starting on July 1, there will be no overdue fines on juvenile (children's) materials. Lost/damaged juvenile materials will still incur charges.

OVERDUE FINES

• $0.10 per day with a maximum of $3.00 per item
• iPads (MediaSurfer) - $5.00 per hour to a maximum of $60
• Interlibrary loan items are $.50 per day up to the replacement cost of the item 
• WiFi hotspots are $.50 per day to a maximum of $30
• Experience passes are $1 per day to a maximum of $30

LOST/DAMAGED ITEMS

Once an item is 60 days overdue, the item is considered lost. The borrower who damages, loses, or does not return an item must pay the replacement cost as determined by the library system.

• Book, Magazine or Electronic Device - List price at the time of purchase
• Audiovisual Materials (CD & DVD) - Replacement cost if lost or damaged due to carelessness or neglect
• Audiovisual Materials, Liner Notes or Guide – No charge

If your account has a balance of $50 or more, you will be prevented from borrowing materials until the balance is below $50.

 

If you don't want to sign in to your library account each time with your library card number and last name, you can instead create an EZ Username and EZ Password. To do so:

1. Visit metrolibrary.org and click My Account at the top.
2. Enter all 8 digits of your library card number (if your card number has less than 8 digits, add enough zeros to the front of your number until it is 8 digits long) or if your card number starts with ecard, enter that word along with the 7 trailing digits and your full last name and click Log In.
3. Click on Your name's Account at the top right and then click on EZ Username. Your Username is not case-sensitive, can be a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols, and must be at least one character long.
4. Enter your EZ Password. Your Password is case-sensitive, can be a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols, and must be at least one character long. 

If you ever forget your EZ Password, you can sign in with your library card number and your last name in order to reset it. If you have a valid email address on record, the "Forgot your EZ password?" link on the catalog's login page will email you directions on how to reset it. Be sure to check your spam folder for this email as we know that some email providers like Gmail mark it as spam.

If you don't have a valid email address on record or enter an incorrect EZ Username, you will see the error message 'An error has occurred. See your library staff for assistance.'

Your hoopla PIN is your full last name.

A soft block (which doesn't prevent you from using the library) results from events like you having updated your physical address online, we sent you an email/text message/physical mail which bounced back to us, or we don't have a date of birth (DOB) on record for you. Please contact us so that we can investigate this issue for you.

Physical Titles

All physical titles (books, CDs, DVDs, Playaways, topographical maps [only available at the Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library], etc.) check out for 3 weeks. WiFi hotspots (only available at Choctaw, Harrah, Jones, Luther, and Nicoma Park) can be checked out for 4 weeks.

Renewals
If there are no holds on a physical title, it may be renewed up to 8 times. Titles borrowed via interlibrary loan (ILL) cannot be renewed. When you renew a physical title, it is due back 3 weeks from the end of the original loan period and not 3 weeks from the day you renewed it unless you renew it on the day it is due or you renew it while it is overdue.

Example: A book is checked out on the 1st and is due back on the 22nd. If the book is renewed at any point between the 1st and the 22nd, it is due back 3 weeks from the 22nd.

 

Digital Titles

eBooks and eAudiobooks from OverDrive can be checked out for 1 or 2 weeks. You can select the checkout period for each OverDrive title at the time of checkout. You can change your default lending period in your settings. OverDrive titles can be renewed unless there is a hold on the title. You can also renew items through the Libby app.

eBooks from EBSCO have no lending limit if they are read in the browser. If you wish to download an eBook from EBSCO, you can choose a lending period of 1 to 21 days.

eBooks and eAudiobooks from Odilo can be checked out for 3 weeks.

With hoopla, movies and TV shows can be checked out for 72 hours, music albums can be checked out for 7 days, and eBooks, eAudiobooks, and comics can be checked out for 21 days.

With Kanopy, movies and TV shows can be checked out for 72 hours.

eMagazines from RBdigital have no lending limit.

1. Visit metrolibrary.org and click My Account at the top.
2. In the window that pops up, enter all 8 digits of your library card number (if your card number has less than 8 digits, add enough zeros to the front of your number until it is 8 digits long) or if your card number starts with ecard, enter that word along with the 7 trailing digits and your full last name (or sign in with your EZ Username and Password), and click Log In.
3. On the Account Summary tab, click View Fines, check the fines you want to pay, and then click on the words "Pay Fines."
4. In the window that opens, enter your payment information and click Pay Now.

A receipt of your payment will be emailed to you and you can also choose to print the Payment Successful page.

NOTE: If you're paying to renew your annual fee card, you must contact us after paying the balance so we can update the expiration date on your card.

Study rooms and meeting rooms are not available to book until further notice.

If we don't own a title in a physical format (e.g. book, DVD, CD etc.), you can suggest we purchase it using this form which is found at the top left corner of our catalog, and in the Can't Find It? section on the Browse and Borrow page.

If we don't own a title in a digital format (i.e. eBook or eAudiobook), you can search the OverDrive catalog for the title and in the Didn't find what you were looking for? section on the bottom of the search results page, you may click Recommend for us to considering adding this title to our collection. You can make up to 4 recommendations for purchase every 30 days. If the title isn't available in the Didn't find what you're looking for? section of our OverDrive catalog, this means that either the publisher has not made this title available in a digital format, or OverDrive has not acquired the rights to the title in this format. This most often occurs with eAudiobooks in that publishers will release a title as an eBook but not as an eAudiobook.

You can visit (and bookmark) metrolibrary.org/newdvds or you can follow the directions below:

1. Visit metrolibrary.org and in the search menus at the top, select Search Catalog (Books, Movies, Music) in the drop down menu, type video recordings in the search box, and click the magnifying glass icon or press Enter.
2. On the search results page, in the Format search filter on the left, click Visual Materials:
   
   
    
3. You can use the Sort By... menu at the top of the search results list to further refine your search results:
   
   

To place a single hold using a desktop, laptop or tablet:

Visit catalog.metrolibrary.org to begin your search. After performing your search, click the Place Hold button next to the item you want to put on hold:

If you aren't signed in, you will be prompted to do so. After you sign in (or if you are already signed in) you will be prompted to select your pickup location.

 

To place multiple holds:

After performing your search, select the check box on the right for each item and in the Select Action drop-down menu, select Place a Hold:

If you aren't signed in, you will be prompted to do so. After you sign in (or if you are already signed in) you will be prompted to select your pickup location. You can have a maximum of 50 holds at one time on your library card.

To place a single hold using a smartphone:

Visit catalog.metrolibrary.org and tap on the magnifying glass icon at the top to begin your search.
After performing your search, tap on the title you want to place on hold then tap on the Place Hold button:

If you aren't signed in, you will be prompted to do so. After you sign in (or if you are already signed in) you will be prompted to select library where you want to pick up this hold. You can have a maximum of 50 holds at one time on your library card.

You can browse our eBooks (EPUB, Kindle, and OverDrive Read) and our downloadable eAudiobooks from OverDrive by category. To do so, visit metrolibrary.overdrive.com. Once on that page, you can click on Subjects at the top of the page (on a mobile device, click the menu icon next to the 3 books icon) OR to browse the categories of a specific format (like Kindle):

1. Click the magnifying glass icon at the top and then click Advanced, select your format in the All Formats drop down menu, then click Search.
2. On the search results page, use the search filters to narrow your search results.

To browse our always available eBook collection from EBSCO, visit the collection and browse by category on the left, the featured collections on the right, or by using the search box at the top of the page.

To browse our always available eBooks and eAudiobooks from hoopla by category, click the Browse menu at the top of the page, select your desired format, and then click the Categories link.

To browse our always available eBooks and eAudiobooks from Odilo by category, visit the collection to see the various genres.

For your Kindle that isn't in the Kindle Fire family (e.g. Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Voyage, etc), check out the directions in our How-to Guides for enjoying eBooks from our OverDrive collection.

To enjoy our always available eBook collection from EBSCO on your Kindle that isn't in the Fire family, you can use Amazon's Send to Kindle option.

There are never any late fees on our eBooks and downloadable audiobooks and they automatically check themselves in at the end of the lending period. However, if you wish to return a title early:

This page has directions on how to return eBooks and audiobooks from our OverDrive collection.

To return eBooks or audiobooks using OverDrive's Libby app, go to your Shelf and tap Actions next to the cover of the title you want to return. Then tap Return Title to Library and then Return!

To return an eBook or audiobook borrowed from our hoopla collection, click the Return Now link on the borrowed title's information page.

To return an eBook borrowed from our always available eBook collection from EBSCO, open Adobe Digital Editions and view your bookshelf. Right click on the eBook you want to return and select Return Borrowed Item.

To protect the privacy of our customers, Metropolitan Library does not maintain a history of checked out items. However, you can opt to keep a record of your checkout history of physical (i.e. not digital) titles from this point forward:

1. Visit metrolibrary.org and click My Account at the top.
2. In the window that pops up, enter all 8 digits of your library card number (if your card number has less than 8 digits, add enough zeros to the front of your number until it is 8 digits long) or if your card number starts with ECARD, enter that word along with the 7 trailing digits and your full last name (or sign in with your EZ Username and Password), and click Log In.
3. On the Account Summary page, click the Opt-In & Notifications link.
4. Check the box next to Save my loan history.

You can access your Loan History on the Account Activity tab.

OverDrive digital titles are added to your history each time a title is borrowed. You will see an empty history until you borrow a title, or manually add it. You can add titles manually by clicking on the context menu and selecting Add to History or from the title details page by clicking Add to History. 

For more information, visit the OverDrive help page, or visit the Libby help page if you are using the Libby app.