Library Cards
A Prince George Public Library card is available for free to all City of Prince George residents and most residents of the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George. Apply for a library card online by completing the registration form.
You need a library card to borrow materials from our collection or to access Digital Library items like eBooks and audiobooks. When borrowing library materials, please present your library card at the service desk.
See the Library Card Terms of Use for more information.
Library cards are available for free to all City of Prince George residents and for most residents in the areas of the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George covered under our service agreement.
Those living outside the library’s service area may purchase a library membership for $170 per year.
Temporary residents of the City of Prince George may also join the library for a fee of $15 per month.
To get a library card, complete and submit an online application form, or visit any of the service desks at either branch and present one piece of identification showing your name and current address. Examples of accepted ID include:
- Driver's license with your current address
- Any piece of personal identification (like a status card or BC Services Card) combined with proof of address (like a piece of mail with your name and address)
If you have just moved to the Prince George area and do not yet have a piece of identification that includes your new address, simply present one piece of personal identification and we will issue you a card and then you will have three months from the registration date to provide proof of your new address.
For children under 12, the child’s parent or guardian must present the following at time of registration:
- A copy of the child’s birth certificate or BC Services Card
- Personal ID for the parent/guardian which includes a current address.
- The child under 12 must be present at the time of card registration to be issued a card
- Children under 12 do not need to be present to renew their library card
The parent/guardian assumes responsibility for items borrowed by their children and is required to sign a statement of responsibility at the time of registration.
A parent/guardian whose own library account is expired or suspended cannot sign for a child’s library card.
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At the age of 12, teens become responsible for their own cards and privacy legislation protects their use. Teens 12-18 may complete and submit an online application form, or visit any of the service desks at either branch and present one piece of identification showing your name. Examples of accepted ID and proof of address include:
- Services BC Card, Birth Certificate, School ID, embossed Debit Card, etc.
For those who need to pick up holds or pay fees on behalf of others - whether it is a family member, friend, or neighbour, we offer a convenient option to provide consent to use each other's account.
This service gives consent for multiple individuals to access each other’s account so that your group can manage library business more easily. To add this status to your account, simply complete a consent form at either PGPL branch.
View Family/Group Card Terms Hide Family/Group Card Terms
- By signing the “Family/Group User Consent” form, you consent to the disclosure of your personal information, including items borrowed, holds placed, and bills owing, to all of the other current and future members of the Family/Group.
- Members of a Family/Group may use the library card of any other member of the group in order to borrow materials, manage holds, or pay bills on behalf of that group member. Due to privacy legislation, library customers are not permitted to access the personal information of account holders who have not consented to join their Family/Group account, and may not borrow materials or manage holds on behalf of other library customers. A parent/legal guardian may access the account information of a child under the age of 12 years if he/she provides proof that he/she lives at the same residence as the child and the other parent/legal guardian.
- One member of the Family/Group may be designated to receive hold and bill notices for all members of the Family/Group.
- Holds must be checked out using the same card that was used to place the hold. Any member of the Group may check out the hold as long as they present the card that was used to place the hold at the time of checkout.
- The “Parent/Legal Guardian” designation is used for adults with one or more child cardholders in the Family/Group account.
- Those members with the designation “Parent/Legal Guardian” are linked to the bills of other Group members. The “Parent/Legal Guardian” inherits the account status from the “worst-case” user who is included in the Group. This means, for example, if a Child card is Blocked, the Parent/Legal Guardian card will also be Blocked. “Blocked” status suspends borrowing and Internet privileges at the Library until the situation is resolved.
- The “Spouse/Partner” designation is used for two Adults with no linked Child Cardholders.Those members with the designation “Spouse/Partner” are not linked to the bills of the other “Spouse/Partner”. This means that a “Spouse/Partner” is not affected by the account status of the other.
- The “Child” designation is used for all persons under the age of 19 linked to a “Parent/Legal Guardian” within a Group.
- All members of the same “Group” must sign the “Family/Group User Consent” form except for children under 12 years of age. Once a person turns 12 years of age, he/she may contact the Library either to provide signed consent to continue being a part of the Group or request that he/she be withdrawn from the Group. Until instructed otherwise, the Library assumes the individual turning 12 wishes to remain in the Group.
- All members of the same Group aged 19 years or older are responsible for their own charges and materials. Once a person turns 19 years of age, he/she may contact the Library to indicate whether he/she wishes to remain a part of the same Group. If so, his/her designation will change to “Spouse/Partner” to ensure he/she is responsible for his/her own charges and materials. Until instructed otherwise, the Library assumes the individual turning 19 wishes to remain in the Group with his/her existing designation.
- The addition of any new member to the Group must include signed consent from the Group Contact and the new member (see Family/Group User Consent form).
- A Group member’s account must be clear of all bills before it can be removed from a Group. Deceased persons will be removed from the Group on notification. The withdrawal of any member from a Group needs the signed consent of the member leaving the group or of the member’s Parent/Legal Guardian as applicable. Persons younger than 12 years of age must have signed permission of the Parent/Legal Guardian to withdraw from the Group.
If you don't need to borrow library materials and only need access to a computer, and do not have an existing card, the Internet Card may be the perfect fit.
With an Internet Card, you can use the library's public computers for up to two hours each day.
Still need access but owe money? We will still update your card even if your regular library account is suspended due to outstanding fees, so you can still access the Internet.
For more details or to register, stop by the service desk at either PGPL branch.
Do you periodically travel within BC? Would you like to borrow books from other libraries in the province while you are visiting? Consider signing up for a BC OneCard.
Here's how it works:
- Bring your valid PGPL card and current ID with your name and address to any participating public library in BC. Ask them for a BC OneCard.
- Once you receive your BC OneCard, you can borrow materials at that library! Please note that each public library has different rules about what you can borrow. They will provide details when you register.
- Return your items to any participating public library in BC. Your books are considered "returned" once they arrive back at their home library.
BC OneCard holders visiting Prince George Public Library:
- Maximum of 10 items checked out on your BC OneCard at one time.
- DVDs, Video Games, Kits, Chromebooks, Book Club Sets, and Northern Routes Discovery Passes cannot be borrowed.
- Items may be renewed once if eligible for renewal.
- PGPL online resources are not available.
- Interlibrary loan service and holds are not available.
- You may return your items to any participating public library within BC.
- Your borrowed items are considered "returned" when they arrive back at PGPL. Any materials damaged/lost en route from another library are the responsibility of the cardholder.
If your library card is lost or stolen, please notify us right away so we can protect your account from unauthorized use. Any material borrowed using your card is your responsibility until the card is reported missing. There is no charge for replacement library cards.
If you have forgotten your library card, you may still borrow items by presenting a piece of identification to a staff member at the service desk.
It is important to keep your account information up to date. If you have moved or your personal information has changed, please notify a staff member at the service desk.
Loan periods, renewals, and checkout limits may vary depending on the type of item. Explore the options below to find more information.
There is no limit for most items, with the following exceptions:
- Board games: 2
- Chromebooks: 1
- DVDs, videogames: 20
- Interlibrary loans: 5
- Northern routes discovery pass: 1
- Story kits, KEVA kits, tech kits, cognitive kits: 3
Most items have a 21 day loan period, with the following exceptions:
- Book club items: 42 days
- Chromebooks: 7 days
- DVDs: 7 days
- Interlibrary loans: 14 days
- Northern routes discovery pass: 14 days
- Radon kits: 28 days
- TV series DVD: 14 days
Most items can be renewed twice, with the following exceptions:
- Board games: No renewals
- Book club items: No renewals
- Chromebooks: No renewals
- DVDs: 1
- Interlibrary loans: Varies (click here for more information)
- Northern routes discovery pass: No renewals
- Radon kits: No renewals
- Story kits, KEVA kits, tech kits, cognitive kits: 1
There are no late fees at Prince George Public Library. We encourage everyone to return their items by the due date, but you won’t be charged a fee for returning materials late.
If items are more than 28 days overdue, or if unpaid fees exceed $15.00 on a library account, library privileges are temporarily suspended. Patrons must pay outstanding fees before their library privileges can be reinstated. If you forget to return an item before its due date, you will be notified by email, phone or mail when the item is 7 days overdue. An invoice for the replacement cost of the item will be sent when the item is 28 days overdue. The library may use a collection agency when our efforts have failed to encourage the return of borrowed items and the payment of outstanding fees.