Curbside Pick-Up FAQ

What is OC Public Libraries doing to protect the public and its staff?

In addition to State and County health guidelines, OC Public Libraries handles all library materials in accordance with the California State Library COVID-19 guidelines. All staff members are required to wear a face mask and are practicing physical distancing from other staff members and members of the public during contactless curbside pickup. Library items are quarantined for 96 hours after return.

Patrons entering the library: Wear a cloth face covering which covers your mouth and nose. To help prevent the spread of droplets containing COVID-19, all county residents and visitors shall wear face coverings in certain high-risk situations, as required by the Guidance for the Use of Face Coverings issued by California Department of Public Health (CDPH) on June 18, 2020. The Guidance is attached as Exhibit A and also available at: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/CDPH%20Document%20Library/COVID-19/Guidance-for-Face-Coverings_06-18-2020.pdf.

Please refer to this link or Exhibit A for a list of high-risk situations wherein county residents and visitors shall wear a face covering, and for a list of individuals who are exempt from wearing a face covering.

Contactless Curbside Pickup is available for current full-service library cardholders. If you have an electronic library card (eCard) or your library card is lost or expired, please call any library branch for assistance.

Grab & Go services, limited browsing, and distanced single-user computer stations by reservation are available Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Contactless Curbside Pickup is offered Tuesday through Thursdays from 12-6 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  

* Laguna Hills Technology Library (Curbside and Grab & Go Services):  Monday -Friday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

* Laguna Woods Library (Curbside Pickup Only): Monday -Friday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Overdue fines will be waived until further notice; however, fees for lost items cannot be waived unless the item is returned.

If your library card is expired, please call any library branch for assistance.

During contactless Curbside Pickup, materials may be borrowed for the regular loan period, which for most items is three weeks.

You can reserve most titles in the online catalog found at catalog.ocpl.org. If you need assistance placing a hold, please call any library branch.

You will receive a notification when your hold(s) are available according to your selected preference: email, text, or phone. Please refer to your hold pickup notification for the deadline date to pick up your items. After that date, your item(s) will be placed back on the shelves.

You may place 25 holds per library card. Due to safety and quarantine requirements, holds may take longer than normal to process.

You may check out a total of 50 items per library card of the following: Any combination of Books, Best Sellers, Magazines, DVDs, CDs & Audiobooks. You may check out a total of 10 each per Card of the following: Non-Fiction DVDs, Entertainment DVDs, CDs, & Audio Books.

We are unable to request library materials from other library systems at this time.

Any designee may pick up your holds; however, they must give staff your library card number over the telephone to pick up your items. Staff will not release items to people without a library card number.

Yes. Please wait until you receive notification as holds may take longer than normal to process due to safety and quarantine requirements.

You may cancel your hold at any time through the catalog at catalog.ocpl.org or by calling any library branch for assistance.

For your convenience, most items will be automatically renewed on their due date if they are eligible for renewal up to five times. Items with holds, items renewed five times, Interlibrary Loan items, Homebound patrons and Lucky Day books are not eligible for renewal. Please verify your due dates by checking your account online or call any library branch for assistance.

You can return library materials in the book drop at any OC Public Libraries branch of your choice.

To ensure the safety of our staff and patrons, all returned library materials will remain on your record for a minimum of 96 hours during a quarantine period. Please allow at least a week for returned items to be cleared from your account.

We are unable to accept materials from other library systems at this time.

Walk-Up Service is available. When you arrive, find the designated signage and waiting area for Walk-Up Service. Call the number listed on the sign, and give staff your library card number. Staff will retrieve your items and place your materials on the Curbside Pickup table. Do not approach the table to retrieve items until staff are back in the building.

When you arrive, please call and let staff know you need assistance retrieving your holds.

Before leaving your home, call your pickup branch and tell the staff you do not have a mobile phone. Read them your library card number, and give them an estimated arrival time. Staff will check out your items and place them on the Curbside Pickup table at the estimated arrival time given.

Friends of the Library Bookstores are not open at this time. Please check ocpl.org for updates.

Neither the library nor the Friends of the Library are accepting book donations at this time.

The library is not accepting volunteers at this time. OC Read, a program helping Orange County residents with basic reading and writing, is still accepting volunteers.

For information and updates related to COVID-19 in Orange County, please visit the OC Health Care Agency’s COVID-19 webpage at https://occovid19.ochealthinfo.com/

Following State and County guidelines, OC Public Libraries has instituted a reopening plan to incrementally add additional physically distanced in-person services to protect the health and safety of the public and staff. OCPL is continually evaluating facilities, programs, and services according to the criteria, and readying facilities for when State and County guidelines allow welcoming patrons back on-site.

As part of the reopening plan, library facilities are now open at a limited capacity with hold pick-up, a limited browsing area of popular materials, and public internet for 1 hour per day per person by appointment with printing capabilities. In addition, OC Public Libraries continues contactless Curbside Pickup service at all libraries. Wi-Fi continues to be left on for use outside the library building. Library staff is continuing online services including eBook checkout as well as many many Virtual Programs including virtual storytime, Zoom book clubs, digital craft classes, and more.

All computer usage will be by appointment and is limited to one 60-minute session per person each day. Contact your local library to make an appointment. Please be on time. There is a ten minute grace period but your appointment will be canceled after ten minutes.

Currently services are restricted to using library computers at this time. Personal laptops are not allowed. Wi-Fi continues to be left on for use outside the library building.

How many sessions can a person have per day?

Each patron can have one (1) session per  can a patron have a day?

Can I make an appointment days in advance?

Yes, you can make an appointment seven days in advance, but only one appointment at a time.

Can I make more than one appointment at a time for computer use?

You may make one appointment at a time. You may make an appointment for another session after you finish your session.

We will be providing unlimited, free printing during this time. You can print from the public terminals or through wireless printing from your own device. (include link to wireless printing page?)

Study spaces are not available at this time. Traditional library public spaces are now used for items being quarantined. Please plan ahead as seating and restrooms will not be available at this time.

Restrooms are not available at this time.