Joining a library
Library membership is free to Brisbane City Council ratepayers and anyone who lives, works or studies in Brisbane.
To join, visit a Council library. Show proof of your current address and photo identification or proof of signature. If you're under 18 years old, a parent or guardian must provide their identification. You must agree to the terms and conditions of library membership.
Children's cards are available for members 12 years and under.
Digital Library membership
Brisbane residents (with a permanent Brisbane address) aged 18 years and older are eligible to apply online for a temporary Digital Library membership. Temporary digital membership options for residents under 18 years of age are also available.
Temporary Digital Library membership is valid for three months and provides residents with free access to the library’s full range of e-collections and digital resources only, including a great range of e-books and audiobooks, digital magazines, streamed music, films and documentaries, online games, activities, stories and learning programs for kids via the online library catalogue (eLibCat) from the comfort of your home.
To apply, visit the online library catalogue, eLibCat.
To convert a temporary Digital Library membership to full library membership, the applicant must visit any Brisbane City Council library and produce photograph identification within three months.
Standard conditions of membership apply.
Current Brisbane City Council library members do not need to apply, because full library membership already provides members with access to the library’s e-collections and digital resources.
Borrowing and returning items
Library members can borrow up to 20 items at a time for four weeks (28 days) at all Council libraries using their library card. You must show your library card each time you borrow an item.
Find out about renewing library items.
If an item is not available or at another library, you can place the item on hold (reserve) using eLibCat. Alternatively ask a library staff member for help. You can have up to 20 items on hold.
You may be able to access unavailable items through Libraries Australia and use the interlibrary loan service. See library staff for details.
FastBack books
A FastBack book loan is for seven days. You cannot renew these books. This shorter loan period allows a high turnover of popular material. If you don’t think you can return the book within seven days, you can borrow or place a hold on other copies of the book as a standard 28 day loan.
FastBack books must be returned to the same library they were borrowed from.
After hours returns
You can return your library items to any Council library, 24 hours a day at all libraries except for:
- Mt Coot-tha (library hours only)
- Toowong (shopping centre hours only)
- Sunnybank Hills (shopping centre hours only).
Fees and charges
For the benefit of all library members, library items are due for return on or before the due date. One 28 day renewal period is available for borrowed items (excluding the seven day Fast Back collection), providing the item has not been requested by another customer. No renewal is available for the Fast Back collection.
Customers with overdue items will receive notifications to alert them that their item is overdue, and requesting that the item be returned as soon as possible. If an item is overdue for more than 30 days, you will be unable to borrow another item until the overdue item has been returned.
| Details of charges | Fee |
|---|---|
| Lost and damaged library cards | $4.80 replacement fee |
Lost or damaged library item or material Details of Council's lost item fees are as follows:
| The value of the item plus a $5 admin fee per item |
| Photocopying and printing (black and white) - A4 page | $0.20 |
| Photocopying and printing (black and white) - A3 page | $0.30 |
| Overdue loans | No fee |
| Holds | No hold fee |
| Interlibrary loans | No hold fee. Loan request fees may apply. Contact your local library for more information. |
Library notifications
All emailed notifications regarding your library account will be sent from library.brisbane@bccl.sirsidynix.net.au. To ensure you receive your library notices, please add library.brisbane@bccl.sirsidynix.net.au to your safe sender list.
Update personal details
Advise Council if your personal details have changed by:
- phoning 07 3403 8888
- visiting your local library
- visiting libraries and selecting:
- Library catalogue
- Find out about your Library Membership
- How do I update my contact details?
To verify a change to your address, you will need to:
- show library staff proof of your residential address; and
- photo identification; or
- proof of signature.
To verify a name change, you will need to:
- show proof of your previous name and new name.
Other facilities
All Council libraries provide members with free word processing and internet.