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Irvine Public Library cards are free and available to California residents. To receive an Irvine Public Library (IPL) card, you will need:
- A valid government-issued photo ID
- Proof of California residence
A California Driver's License or state issued ID is acceptable. If your government-issued identification does not reflect a current California address, a piece of mail or online order delivered within the last six months of the current date is acceptable.
Please note:
- A parent or legal guardian must be present to register their child for a library card.
- The library card applicant must be present to receive their library card.
Apply for your library card in person at any Irvine Public Library location or apply online (Open in new window) and pick up your card at the IPL location of your choice. Online preregistration saves time when picking up a card at a library brand. The digital card does not allow patrons to check out any materials until the card is verified.
Library Card Online Registration (Open in new window)
Library accounts may be updated in person at any Irvine Public Library location or over the phone.
Irvine Public Library Cardholder Benefits and Guidelines
Standard card
These will be issued to library users of all ages who are able to provide photo identification and proof of California residence. A parent or legal guardian’s presence and/or signed library card application is required for applicants ages 17 and under. This card provides full access to borrowing materials as described below and will expire after 5 years.
Computer Use card
Users ages 13 and older may register for a Computer Use card to get immediate access to public computers. Computer Use Cards may be converted to standard cards by providing photo identification and proof of California residency, in person at any branch. Computer Use Cards expire after 5 years.
Limited Access Teen card
Teenagers, aged 13- 17, may register for a limited-access teen library card without a parent or legal guardian’s presence. The parent or legal guardian’s signature on the library card application is required. The parent or legal guardian will have access to the library card and library use information of the teen patron. These cards are subject to borrowing restrictions as described below.
Educator card
Educator cards are available to applicants with proof of employment with a school in the Irvine Unified School District, or a private school or state-licensed childcare facility, including family-based childcare, with an Irvine zip code. Educator cards are also available to applicants who work at Tustin Unified School District locations that serve Irvine residents. Educator cards are subject to extended borrowing privileges as described below and expire after 5 years.
Loan/Reserve limits for Standard library cardholders are as follows:
- 50 total items
- Three Library of Things items
- Three Wonderbooks/Vox books
- Three Lucky Day items
- Limits for digital resources vary by vendor and licensing
- 20 holds
Loan/Reserve limits for Teen cardholders are as follows:
- Five total items
- Zero Library of Things items
- Zero Wonderbooks/Vox books
- One Lucky Day Item
- Limits for digital resources vary by vendor and licensing
- Two holds
Loan/Reserve limits for Educator cardholders are as follows:
- 50 total items
- Five Library of Things items
- Three Wonderbooks/Vox books
- Three Lucky Day items
- 20 holds
- Extended checkout period of 60 days, for select items
The Irvine Public Library is actively working to expand our book collection, with new items added each week. We appreciate your patience as we continue enhancing both our selections and the online catalog following the recent service transition.
Books, magazines, DVDs, and a variety of other items can be checked out for free with your Irvine Public Library card.
If a title you’re looking for isn’t available in our catalog, you can submit a Request for Purchase. We review all suggestions based on availability and how they fit within our collection, and we appreciate input from cardholders to help us better serve the community.
Suggest A Purchase (Open in new window)
All items may be returned to any Irvine Public Library branch location. Bookdrops are available for after-hours returns of standard library materials. Items from the Library of Things collection must be returned directly to a library staff member during operating hours.
Item checkouts will automatically renew up to 5 times if not on hold for another patron. If the item is on hold, it must be returned by the final due date.
Courtesy reminders of due dates will be sent to the email address on file. Cardholders are responsible for materials checked out on their card whether or not they received the notification.
Items kept out three weeks after the final due date are considered lost.
The Irvine Public Library is pleased to be a fine-free library; there are no charges for overdue items. In the case of lost or damaged items, replacement costs and processing fees still apply.
Please inform the library as soon as possible if you think you have lost an item.
When an item is lost, the borrower will be charged for the full cost of the item plus processing fees as described above. Please note that the library cannot accept donated items as replacements for lost items. The user’s library card will be blocked until the lost material is returned or fees have been paid. No refunds will be given for items returned after they are paid for.
The library recognizes that borrowers may at times require access to materials that are not held in the Irvine Public Library collection. Irvine residents with a Standard card in good standing may request an item from another library in person, by phone, or by submitting an online form (Open in new window). Only one interlibrary loan may be requested at a time. The library cannot guarantee fulfillment of all requests.
Irvine Public Library does not charge a fee for interlibrary loan services. Loan periods, fees, postage, and other usage restrictions may apply depending on the policies of the lending library.
For more details on Irvine Public Library’s guidelines for borrowing items, see our Circulation Rules for Library Materials.