Borrowing FAQ

Visit any of our fourteen branches across the County with photo ID and proof of address to receive your free Wellington County Library card.  Children 13 years and under may get their own card with parent or guardian permission. Child and Teen cards cannot check out mature-rated content or select tech items, such as iPads.   

You can fill out our online registration form for a temporary teen or adult card. To confirm your membership, you will need to visit one of our branches with photo ID and proof of address within one month. If accessibility is an issue, please contact your local branch supervisor.

Free WCL cards are also available to educators, book clubs, and residents of Southgate Township. 

Non-resident library cards are available for an annual fee of $240.00 or $20.00 per month. This is in alignment with municipal tax contributions by Wellington County households.  

Residents of East Garafraxa may be entitled to some compensation from their local township office.  We also have reciprocal borrowing agreements with the library systems listed below. You may be entitled to a free Wellington County Library card if you live in the area of, and pay taxes that fund, one of these library systems:

• Cambridge Libraries and Galleries
• Guelph Public Library
• Halton Hills Public Library
• Hamilton Public Library
• Huron County Library
• Milton Public Library
• Perth County Information Network (North Perth, Perth East, St. Mary's, Stratford, West Perth)
• Region of Waterloo Public Library (not including City of Kitchener or Waterloo)

Please note that as of December 15, 2026, current reciprocal cards will no longer have access to online resources. Reciprocal cardholders who wish to continue accessing these services, including Libby, may purchase a non-resident card.  

Your library card expires every two years (one year for non-residents). This is so we can confirm your contact details. To renew your card, please visit any of our fourteen branches with photo ID and proof of address.

If we have your email address on file, you will receive a notice that your card is going to expire 30 days ahead of the expiration date.

You are responsible for all materials borrowed on your card, so let us know as soon as possible if your card is lost. There is a $2.00 replacement fee to get a new one.

Your Personal Identification Number (PIN) was assigned when you registered for a library card. Speak to library staff if you need assistance. Your library card number and PIN are required to access your online account, enjoy many of our online resources, such as eBooks, or use one of our self-checkout kiosks.

Sign up for an account through our online catalogue to view your personal library information. Your online account allows you to place holds, check due dates, and renew items. You can also see any fees owed, create personalized lists of library items, or suggest purchases. Click here to get started.

My Account also provides access to a digital library card. Download the MyWCL app from Apple or Google Play to search our catalogue and access your personal library information on the go.

You can borrow up to 50 physical items on a single library card. There are no limits on the type of item (book, magazine, DVD, etcetera).

You can also borrow 10 eBooks or eAudiobooks at a time through OverDrive or the Libby app and use 30 tickets per month towards streaming in Kanopy. 

Loan periods vary depending on the item. Late fees are no longer charged, however long overdue or damaged items will be charged a replacement fee. Renewals can be made online through My Account or by speaking to library staff. Items that have been requested by another person cannot be renewed for a second or third loan period.   

Your due dates are printed on your checkout receipt and can be found under My Account in the library's online catalogue or the MyWCL app. You can also ask library staff in person or by phone. Please make sure to have your Wellington County Library card at hand to make a request.

Courtesy overdue email notices are sent 1 days in advance and 1 day following the due date. Items may be renewed up to 3 times. Cards with 25+ overdue items or $5.00 owing will be blocked.

No, library items can be borrowed, renewed, or returned at any Wellington County Library branch. Afterhours book drops are available at each branch. Please note, technology, board games, and other specialty items must be returned in-branch to avoid damage.

1. Log into My Account.
2. Click on Checked Out.
3. Click Renew under each item or select the box to the left of each item to renew multiple items at once.
4. You will either get a green popup bar with confirmation or a red popup denying the request and why (such as a holds list or a blocked account).

Digital content cannot be renewed through the online catalogue but can be checked back out or renewed in the resource (such as the Libby app or Kanopy app).  You can also ask library staff to renew physical items in person or by phone. Please make sure to have your Wellington County Library card at hand to make a request.

Physical items can be requested from any Wellington County Library branch and sent to your local branch for pick up within five days of arrival. Our courier service delivers materials around the County six days a week. 

Items that cannot be placed on hold include Lightning Loans, Park Passes, and items that are for in-branch use only.

To place a hold online:

1. Log into My Account.
2. Find the item you want in the online catalogue.
3. Click on Place Hold.
4. A popup will confirm the hold and your place in line.

Your pickup location will default to your home branch. To change the pickup location, go to My Account and click On Hold for your list of requests. Library staff can also place holds for you in person or by phone. Please make sure to have your Wellington County Library card at hand to make a request.   

Digital content like eBooks and eAudiobooks can be requested through our online catalogue or directly through OverDrive or the Libby app.  

1. Log into My Account.
2. Click On Hold for your list of requests.
3. Click Pause Hold or Cancel Hold.
4. If pausing, choose the new date you want to resume the hold.
5. Confirm your pause or cancellation.

Library staff can also manage holds either in person or by phone. Please make sure to have your Wellington County Library card at hand to make a request.  

If you have 25 or more items overdue or $5.00 or more in replacement charges, borrowing privileges will be suspended until the items are returned and any outstanding fees are paid. You can see your items and payments owed through My Account.

If you lose or damage a library item, you will be charged the cost of replacing the item, plus GST and a $3.00 processing fee. You can be refunded the cost of the item if it is found and returned in good condition within 30 days and with the original receipt. 

Lightning Loans are new books that are in high demand. They are available on a first-come first-served basis and have a shortened loan period of 7 days. They cannot be renewed or placed on hold.

Click here to search Lightning Loan adult fiction books.

Yes! You can keep track of your borrowed items in My Account. Borrowing History must be manually enabled under My Settings to automatically track returned items. Tracking will only begin once you have enabled Borrowing History. You can also use the shelf option under My Collections to create personalized lists. 

Checkouts of digital titles are automatically saved in your personal OverDrive or Libby account. You can also save personalized lists in online resources like Kanopy and Creativebug.

Yes, we can! 

Please check the online catalogue first to confirm we don’t have the item. If the item is brand new (published in the last six months), you can submit a suggestion for purchase through My Account. Each month, you can submit up to two requests.  If we decide to purchase the item, we will place it on hold for you.  

Items older than six months may be borrowed through our Interlibrary Loan (ILLO) system, which sources items from other public libraries in Ontario. You can request up to three items at a time and loans can take up to eight weeks to arrive. Please visit our ILLO page for more information.

Of course! Library staff are able to help with many things, including providing recommendations for what to watch or read. Staff can assist you in person, over the phone, or by email. 

To get a personalized bundle of library items, click here to fill out our Just for You form. 

We also offer reference services, which means helping find information such as research tools, community resources, government information, or how to access our online resources. We'll do our best to offer guidance to the most suitable sources for your information needs.