Montgomery County Public Libraries Will Begin Auto Renewing This Monday

Montgomery County Public Libraries Will Begin Auto Renewing This Monday

Beginning this Monday, Montgomery County residents won’t have to worry about returning or renewing their books and media to the library by the due date.

Previously, you needed to either call your local library or log onto your online library account to renew rented materials. Now, with some exceptions, they will renew automatically. Full details from MCPL.blog:

Effective Monday, March 22, Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL) will begin renewing customer materials automatically. Customers will no longer need to access their accounts online or call the library to renew their materials, with some exceptions. Materials not eligible for automatic renewal are:

• Express Books (bestsellers identified by a red Baker & Taylor or “B&T” spine label)
• Go! Kits
• Mobile hotspots
• Online Computer Library Center (also known as OCLC) interlibrary loan items
• eBooks
• e-Audiobooks
• Musical instruments
• Materials for which holds have been placed by other customers

Eligible materials will be automatically renewed a maximum of three times, with the exception of interlibrary loan materials borrowed through Marina, which can only be renewed twice.

“We are very pleased to be offering this exciting new customer service improvement to Montgomery County residents,” said MCPL Director Anita Vassallo.

All eligible customer materials will renew automatically three days prior to the respective due date.  The new due date will be calculated from the original due date so customers do not lose any of their borrowing period.

When materials are automatically renewed, customers will receive a notice via email. They will also receive a notice if items on their accounts are not eligible to renew so they will know to return them to the nearest library branch.