Direct Loan allows you to borrow books from some other public libraries in Maryland if you can’t get them at FCPL. It is an agreement directly between you and the lending library, although you can pick up and return the books to an FCPL branch.
To request a direct loan:
- Call the library branch owning the book you would like. Tell them you would like a direct loan. (Phone numbers listed could be long distance for you.)
- Give the title and author and the library’s call number, if you found it in the library catalog. (A librarian can help you with this.)
- If the material is available, you can go to the library and pick it up or have it sent to any branch of a participating public library system for your pickup.
- Allow 5-7 days for delivery, excluding weekends and holidays.
- FCPL notifies our patrons of the arrival of Direct Loans with the same system we use for FCPL holds (email if we have your email address, postal mail if we don’t)
Libraries will not send books from the New York Times or Publishers Weekly bestseller lists.
FCPL will not send new books (added to the collection in the last 6 months), music CDs, DVDs, electronic devices, or reference materials.
Direct Loans are not eligible for renewal.
The following library systems participate in Direct Loan: (All libraries except Baltimore County Public Library also participate in Marina)