With a public library card, you can access books, movies, music, and databases that you may not be able to find through our library or extra services. Residents of California can get a library card at any library in California for free! The Fresno County Public Library is made up of 34 branches throughout the community. There is even a branch less than five minutes from the Fresno Pacific campus, the Mosqueda Branch Library. You can sign up for a Fresno County Library card online and get immediate access to all their electronic resources (https://www.fresnolibrary.org/card/instant.html). You will then need to visit a physical library location to get a permanent card, or your borrowing privileges will expire in 6 months. Several other public libraries in California will allow you to sign up for a library card online and get access to their online resources. The amount of time you can use your card is listed below. You will need to check with the individual libraries to find out their renewal policies. There is no limit to how many library cards you can hold at one time*.
Long-Term Borrowing Privileges:
Oakland Library: (3 years) https://oaklandlibrary.org/get-a-library-card/get-a-library-card-english/
Salinas Public Library: (1-year) https://catalog.salinaspubliclibrary.org/cgi-bin/koha/opac-memberentry.pl
San Bernardino County Library: (2 years) https://sbclib.polarislibrary.com/polaris/custom/pages/sanbernardinouseragreement.aspx?ctx=1.1033.0.0.3
Short-Term Borrowing Privileges:
City of Orange Public Library: (30-day limit) https://www.orangepubliclibrary.org/visit/library-cards/get-a-library-ecard
Pleasanton Library: (6-month limit) https://www.cityofpleasantonca.gov/gov/depts/lib/account/card.asp
Riverside Library: (3-month limit) https://www.rivlib.net/services/ecard-frequently-asked-questions
San Jose Public Library: (available due to pandemic, no expiration listed) https://www.sjpl.org/membership
Sonoma County Library: (120-day limit) https://sonomalibrary.org/get-a-library-card
Stanislaus Public Library: (1-month limit) https://www.stanislauslibrary.org/about_cards.shtm
Here are some additional libraries that have very large collections but require you to visit in person to get a card. Once you sign up, you will be able to access online resources from anywhere you are.
Berkeley County Library
Los Angeles Public Library
Sacramento Public Library
San Diego County Library
San Francisco Public Library
If you are not a resident of California and are wondering how you can get a library card from your home state or have any other questions, please contact the library for help.
*Fresno County Public Libraries are part of the San Joaquin Valley Library System. Within this group, you may only have one library card. Here is a list of all the counties in this library system https://www.sjvls.org/library-locations. Outside of this system, you can hold as many California library cards as you choose.