Setting Up a New Account

To work with your account online, you must sign in to establish your identity. You need a password and either a library account barcode number or a username to sign in. Your library might allow you to register for a new account online if you are at least 13 years old.

Depending on your library's setup, you might receive a temporary barcode number that you can use to request materials and do other operations online, but not to check out materials. If you receive a temporary barcode, your registration must be confirmed by library staff before you receive a permanent account number to check out materials.

When you set up your new account, you select a library branch for your home library. This library’s policies determine what account functions (for example, checking out certain materials, renewing items, or placing a request) are available to you. If you place a request for materials, you pick them up at this library unless you specify a different location.

Set up a new library account

To set up your new library account

1. Select Log In at the top of the page, or select My Account or Log In/Register on the My Account menu.

   The login form appears.

2. Select here to register now.

   The home library selection form appears.

3. Select a home library. The branch you select becomes your registered library branch.

   Note: If your library requires a registration fee, an alert message appears. You can cancel your registration or continue. If you choose to continue, the registration fee is added to your new account when your registration is completed. If your library accepts online credit card payments, you can pay the fee online (go to My Account > Fines & Fees). Otherwise, you must pay the fee at the library before you can check out items.

4. Enter your country and postal code:
   • If you live in the US, type your five-digit ZIP code in the Postal Code box.
   • If you live in Canada, select the country box, select Canada, and type your postal code in the Postal Code box. Type the postal code in the format A1A 2B2. You must include the space between the two groups of characters, but do not type a hyphen.
   • If your address does not require a state, province, or county, leave the State/province and County boxes empty.
5. Select Continue.

   If more than one city is associated with your postal code entry, the city screen appears. Select the correct city or city/county combination and select Continue.

   The registration form appears.

6. Enter your information. Boxes marked with an asterisk (*) are required.
7. In the Personal Information section, enter your preferred name. All your library print and phone notices are addressed to this name.
8. In the Name on Identification section, if the name you entered in the previous step is different from the name that appears on your identification, enter the first and last name as it appears on your identification. The library might use this information for duplicate detection or billing.
9. Select Use name on ID for print / phone notices if you'd rather receive library notices addressed to the name as it appears on your ID.
10. Enter your other information.

    Tips:

    • Phone numbers - Type your telephone area code, prefix, and number in the Phone1 box. You can type any additional numbers in the remaining Phone boxes. If your library delivers notices, receipts, or other messages by text message and you want to receive text messages, select TXT for the phone number that should receive the messages, and select your carrier for that phone number.
    • E-mail address - Type your email address if you want the library to have your email address for notices and other messages. You can specify plain text format, if you prefer, after your account is set up.
    • Notification preference - If the library offers this feature, select your preferred method for receiving notices about your requests and overdue items, or other communications from the library.
      • Email: If you select email, supply an email address.
      • Phone: If you select phone, select the phone number from those you supplied in the Phone boxes.
      • Text: If you select TXT, select the TXT button for the phone number that should receive text messages, and select your carrier for that number.
    • Ereceipts - If you would like to receive receipts (such as check-out and renewal receipts) by email, text message, or both, select an eReceipt option.
      • Email: If you select email, provide an email address.
      • Text: If you select text message, select TXT for the phone number that should receive the receipts, and select your carrier for that phone number.

        Note: You can select one phone number for text messages (notices and receipts).

11. (Optional) If your library offers the username feature, type a username in the Username box. You can supply your username instead of a library account number to sign in. (You always need a password.)

    The username must be a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 50 alphanumeric characters, and cannot contain spaces. It must begin with a letter. The following special characters are also allowed: dash ("-"), underscore ("_"), period ("."), and at ("@"). The username must not contain two special characters next to each other, and cannot match an existing library account barcode.

12. Type a password.

    The password must be a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 64 characters. Passwords can contain any printable ASCII character except the pipe ("|") character. This includes numbers, letters, spaces, and most special characters.

    Note: Your library might require numbers only.

13. Type the same password in the Verification box.
14. Select Submit.

    A message displays either a permanent or a temporary barcode. You can use the permanent barcode just like a library card. The temporary barcode is valid for some actions until the library issues your permanent account number.