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Library eBooks for Non-Residents: Where to Get eBooks if Your Library is Lacking

September 22, 2011 by Nathan

OverDrive

Here’s a list of public libraries that offer library cards to non-residents so that you can barrow library ebooks for a Kindle, Nook, Sony Reader, or a multitude of other devices even if your local library doesn’t have ebooks or if it is lacking in selection and availability.

This list comes from the How To Get Free eBooks From Libraries Using Overdrive page. I updated the section about getting library cards for non-residents and added some more libraries to the list and thought it deserved its own post.

Make sure to check what kind of ebook selection each library offers before paying for a library card. Some have more than others, and some have longer waiting lists too.

Library Cards for Non-Residents

Fairfax County Library – Library Card Fee: $27 per year – more info

Free Library of Philadelphia – Library Card Fee: $50 per year – more info

Los Angeles Public Library – Library Card Fee: $50 per year – more info

Houston Public Library – Library Card Fee: $40 per year – more info

Atlanta-Fulton Library – Library Card Fee: $40 per year (it looks like they require you to activate the card in person, however) – more info

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library – Library Card Fee: $45 per year/$35 for seniors 62+ – more info

Monroe County Library – Library Card Fee: $25 per year – more info

Brooklyn Public Library – Library Card Fee: $50 per year – more info

Austin Public Library – Library Card Fee: $120 per year/$35 quarterly – more info

If you know of another library that offers cards to non-residents please leave a comment and I’ll add it to the list.

Filed Under: eBooks, Free eBooks Tagged With: library ebooks

Disclosure: This website is monetized through Skimlinks and Amazon's affiliate program.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Stephen says

    September 23, 2011 at 5:52 am

    The Austin (Texas) Public Library offers cards to non-residents for $60 a year and non-residents over 65 for $27 a year. Not sure of their online selection though.

    Steve

  2. eAnagnostis says

    September 23, 2011 at 9:49 am

    Nathan, great post!

    Does non-residents includes non-US residents too? Or is it limited in US only?

    • Nathan says

      September 23, 2011 at 9:55 am

      Good question. I’d assume they are limited to US only but don’t know for sure.

      Thanks, Steve! I’ll check ’em out and add it to the list.

    • Sarah says

      March 21, 2015 at 1:16 pm

      I know Houston Public Library will give a library card to any Texas resident and treat anyone who lives outside of Texas as a Non-Resident, regardless of state or country its the same thing, not Texas. for more info you can email questions to circinfo@hpl.lib.tx.us

  3. eAnagnostis says

    September 23, 2011 at 10:05 am

    Well, everyone of the libraries in the list above requires state, zip code, county and does not include a question for country. I suppose this means lending is not available outside the US (or maybe they are not updated to reflect ebook lending as it is not very much possible someone outside the US to want to borrow a printed book from a US library)

  4. eyespy says

    September 23, 2011 at 10:31 am

    The Brooklyn Public Library also accepts out-of-state applications for a $50 annual fee.

    • Nathan says

      September 23, 2011 at 1:01 pm

      Thanks! I added the Brooklyn Library to the list, and it’s a good one. They have more ebooks than anyone else on the list at over 13,000.

  5. Amber says

    November 26, 2011 at 11:57 am

    San Diego offers one for $30 a year

  6. Rob says

    December 6, 2011 at 11:27 pm

    Salt Lake City offers non-resident cards for a steep $80/year $20/quarter $10/month

  7. Daniela says

    December 28, 2011 at 4:45 am

    If you live in NY state, you can get a free card from the Brooklyn Library. You do not have to show up in person as stated in their requirements–you will have to fax or email them your NYS ID and a current NYS utility bill with your name on it. After I did that I was set up and an image of the card emailed to me within 15 minutes! (They will also mail your actual card to you).

    • Nancy says

      December 3, 2014 at 7:54 am

      I did this and love their selection. Well worth $50/ year!

  8. Hiram Lester says

    October 4, 2012 at 10:55 pm

    Two that I’m aware of that aren’t on the list:

    Nashville Public Library: $50/yr, but only for Tennessee residents
    http://www.library.nashville.org/about/abt_policies.asp

    Huntsville-Madison County Public Library: $20/yr individual, $35/yr family
    http://hmcpl.org/policies (under Membership and Circulation)

    The HMCPL collection wasn’t huge, but they had a different selection than either of my two home library consortiums, so I tried it for a year.

    I think both require in person application s, though.

  9. Suzanne says

    October 12, 2012 at 3:00 pm

    The Hawaii State Public Library system offers a non-resident card for $25.00, and the card is good for 5 years. Our eBook selection isn’t huge, but it is adequate, and you can’t beat the price for the non-resident card when comparing to other libraries! They also offer a 3-month non-resident card for $10.00.

  10. Sherian Caporossi says

    October 24, 2012 at 6:57 am

    The Austin, Texas Library requires library patrons to apply in person.

  11. Reta West says

    December 14, 2012 at 7:42 pm

    The Bell Whittington Library in Portland, TX let me have a library card that I applied for online. I was charged $0.00.

    I did not have to appear in person. This is the way libraries should be working.

    • Janet Martin says

      March 18, 2013 at 6:36 am

      Most libraries charge a non-resident annual fee that is about equal to the tax bill paid per person in their library district–sounds fair to me!

  12. Andrew says

    February 1, 2013 at 4:35 pm

    The Chattanooga public library offers “online patron cards” for $30 per year.
    http://www.lib.chattanooga.gov/librarycards.html#online

  13. Ingrid says

    March 16, 2013 at 4:10 pm

    The Austin Public Library does not charge for non-resident cards; neither does the Houston Public Library.

  14. Cathy Konas says

    July 7, 2013 at 5:36 pm

    Old info, but in 2012 I checked into nonresident library privileges for the Queens Public Library with reciprocal privileges at the New York Public Library. At the time, the fee was $50, and a phone call confirmed that ebook lending was included (as well as by NYPL). My local librarian, however, suggested that more research was required because ebook lending was sometimes limited to the local tax base. I took this no further, but someone might be interested enough to do more/current research.

  15. Melissa says

    August 10, 2013 at 3:03 pm

    The philadelphia public library provides free out of state
    cards to seniors. Since we only use it for e-books, it has worked
    out well for us when we can’t find what we’re looking for at our
    local library.

  16. Mary says

    October 27, 2013 at 12:07 pm

    Free Library of Philadelphia fee is now $50.00 per year.

  17. Martha Greneback says

    November 19, 2013 at 6:03 pm

    Omaha Public Library offers a distance subscription for $75 a year or $25 for 4 months. http://www.omahalibrary.org

  18. Susan says

    July 17, 2014 at 12:12 pm

    Hillsborough County in Tampa, Florida charges $100 for a non-resident library card, as does Fort Worth, Texas.

  19. Kiersten says

    October 3, 2014 at 1:46 pm

    Alachua county library in Florida has free cards for any Florida resident. Non-residents can get a card for a $40/year fee, but they have to apply in person. Here is the link: http://www.aclib.us/cards

    • Nancy says

      December 3, 2014 at 7:53 am

      Florida residents have to apply in person, however.

  20. t Soave says

    November 2, 2014 at 6:13 am

    Virginia beach. $35/year. $10/3 months

  21. Eileen says

    November 24, 2014 at 9:10 am

    Houston Public Library offers FREE library cards to all residents of the great state of Texas and the ability to apply by mail. Go here: http://hpl.lib.tx.us/find-it/my-link

  22. Grace O'Neil says

    February 9, 2015 at 1:47 am

    Enoch Pratt Free Library of Baltimore MD has a nonresident account for $50 a year; looks like it gives access to the Maryland’s state ebook consortium (which uses Overdrive).

  23. Kat says

    April 25, 2015 at 3:21 pm

    Los Angeles City Library will let you get a non-resident card for $50 annually.

    Also, Santa Monica library allows any Californian to get a card for $25 annually.

  24. Richard says

    June 17, 2015 at 11:27 am

    New York Public Library offers cards to out-of-state residents free, but one must apply in person, and the cards expire in 90 days. A great excuse to head to NYC!

  25. J says

    June 23, 2015 at 1:42 pm

    I have checked a number of libraries that offer non resident library cards but all I’ve checked require coming in person. Anyone know of any that allow it to be done online? I have checked Fairfax/Virginia Beach/Philadelphia/Brooklyn.

    • Kristy says

      June 29, 2015 at 12:07 pm

      The Free Library of Philadelphia has an online application.
      freelibrary.org

    • L. DiIonno says

      July 1, 2015 at 7:48 am

      I have a non-resident card from Fairfax County and Philadelphia, and I didn’t have to apply in person to either.

  26. Cathy says

    August 10, 2015 at 8:34 pm

    If you reside in Ohio, you can apply to any Ohio Public Library. Free, no annual fee. It is based on how property taxes are distributed to all the libraries in Ohio. Youngstowns/Mahoning was free online for digital loans. They will snail mail my card to me.
    Cincinnati, I applied on-line, received a three week temp card, but then had to drive to a Cinci branch w/ picture ID, current address. Worth it as card is good for five years.

  27. Karen says

    August 29, 2015 at 11:12 am

    Philadelphia fee for non-residents is now $50

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