Library Cards

Get a Library Card

Sign up online for a library card and get instant access to many of our online resources! In order to accommodate Manatee County residents and students while the libraries have limited capacity due to COVID-19, we have extended the temporary library card from 30 days to 90 days.

APPLY: Temporary library card registration form

Please note:

- within 90 days, you will be required to show proof of Manatee residency, employment, or school enrollment to get continued access. See list below.

- do not fill out this form if you already have a library card. If you cannot remember your PIN, go to this page and click on Forgot your PIN? link.

- if you are having trouble, email [email protected] or text us at 941-234-0394

Library card information

Resident library cards are FREE to people who reside, own property, go to school, and/or work in Manatee County.

Bring one of the following showing your Manatee County address to the Central Library or any of the branches:

Florida Photo ID
Florida Driver’s license
Local School ID (16 and up)

OR use another form of photo ID and at least one item from the list below:

Utility bill
Voter registration
Tax document
Property Appraiser document
Vehicle registration
Lease (must be at least 6 months + 1 day)
Military ID
Mortgage
Pay stub with a local address
Consulate ID with a Manatee address
Supervisor of Elections address
Federal mail, such as IRS or Social Security
Letter from shelter on their stationery

Applications for children 15 and younger require the signature of a parent/legal guardian. Proper I.D. is required for everyone age 16 and up. When necessary, the library will mail a card for address verification.

Non-Residents

Non-residents may get a library card upon payment of a $25.00 annual fee. Anyone making a one-time donation of $100 or more to the Library Foundation will receive a Lifetime library card.

Reciprocal Borrowing

A free library card can be obtained by showing a valid card from a library in the following counties: Citrus, DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Okeechobee, Pasco, Pinellas, and Sarasota. While reciprocal borrowers are entitled to check out books, CDs, DVDs from Manatee Libraries, there is no access to electronic resources or specialty items like telescopes. All materials must be returned to Manatee Libraries.

Your PIN is a four digit number that you would have chosen when you registered for a library card. If you have forgotten your PIN you will need to come into any of the Manatee County libraries with picture identification and we can reset it for you. If you have an email address associated with your account, you can also reset your PIN online from the library account log in page by clicking the "Forgot your PIN?" link.

LOAN PERIODS

Entertainment DVDs: 1 week
Museum passes: up to 1 week
New books: 2 weeks
Telescopes and fishing poles: 2 weeks
Most books, audiobooks, music CDs, and periodicals: 3 weeks
Cake pans, binoculars, musical instruments: 3 weeks
Non-fiction DVDs: 3 weeks
STEM/Early Literacy kits, Playaways and Launchpads: 3 weeks
Book Club in a Bag: 4 weeks

Digital content from OverDrive or Hoopla have varying due dates. Digital content items automatically expire.

RENEWALS AND RETURNS

Manatee Libraries’ system is enabled with Auto-Renewal, which means that all items checked out to a patron will automatically be renewed up to 3 times except: some special items such as museum passes, items requested by another patron, for accounts blocked by fees, interlibrary loans, and digital items.
Materials may be borrowed from one Manatee County Public Library location and returned to any other.
Please return specialty items, such as telescopes, directly to the circulation desk.
Please return items such as cake pans and fishing poles in clean condition.

FEES

If damaged or lost, fees for repair or replacement of library materials will be assessed.
Some specialty items, such as telescopes, carry higher replacement and damage fees than books and require a signed agreement form upon checkout.
Borrowing privileges will be suspended for any account that is not paid down to $5.00. Borrowing privileges will also be suspended for any account that has unreturned overdue items.
The library will notify per patron’s preference (U.S. mail, email, or text) any accounts that are past due.
Non-resident library card: $25.00 per year
Processing fee for lost materials: $3.00 per item
Reference-by-mail: $2.00/$5.00 (in/out of county residents) includes first 20 pages, then 25¢ per page thereafter
Replacement charge for lost card: none
Printing fee from public computers: 10 cents per page
Copy fee from public copiers: 15 cents per page
CD-RW: $1.07 (incl tax)
Headphones: $5.00 (incl tax)
8 MB Flash Drive: $8.56 (incl tax)

CONTACT US +

Downtown Circulation Department
(941) 748-5555 ext 6323
Email Us