Contact Info
Apply for a Manatee Library card today! A library card is required in order to check out materials, access many online resources and apps, and to use a library computer. Library cards are not required to visit Library locations, attend programs, obtain basic reference and referral services from library staff, book a study room, or use the library’s collections in-house.
Residents
Full-access Resident library cards are free to people who have a permanent residence, own property, go to school, and/or work in Manatee County. Bring one (1) of the following showing your Manatee County address to any location:
- Florida Photo ID
- Florida Driver's license
- Local School ID
OR
use one (1) form of photo ID and at least one (1) item from the list below with Manatee County address:
- Lease (term of 6 months or more)
- Utility or cable bill
- Bank statement
- Pay stub
- Voter registration or other Supervisor of Elections documentation
- Tax document
- Property Appraiser documentation
- Vehicle registration
- Military ID
- Mortgage documentation
- Consulate ID
- Federal mail, such as IRS or Social Security
Youth Resident cards: library card registrations for children 17 and under require the
signature of a parent/legal guardian. Parents may restrict the
types of materials their child may check out. Parents may also opt their children out of automatic school-based access through All-Access Pass. See the Library Circulation Policy or ask library staff for more details about Parent's Choice Cards, All-Access Pass, and parental responsibilities.
Non-Resident Card
- Full access with exception of OverDrive/Libby and Interlibrary Loan.
- Non-residents may get a Manatee Library card upon payment of a $25.00 annual fee.
- Presentation of photo ID and fee payment must be done in-person.
Lifetime Card
- Full access
- Anyone making a one-time donation of $100 or more to the Library Foundation of Manatee County will receive a Lifetime library card.
- Lifetime cards can be paid for in-person at any library location (cash or check only) or online on the Library Foundation website (credit card).
- If you pay online, please bring your payment confirmation to any library location. Your card will be issued in-person after completing a library card registration form.
- Presentation of photo ID must be done in-person.
All-Access Pass
- Limited access
- Currently enrolled Manatee County K-12 public school students have automatic access to some public library resources (restrictions apply) with their Student ID number.
- Parents may opt their children out of this automatic library access by contacting the School District of Manatee County.
Temporary Online Registrations
- Limited access
- If you apply online, visit any library location within 90 days to show proof of Manatee County residency or property, employment, or school enrollment to maintain continued access and pick up your physical card, which will be issued when you arrive.
- You may not apply online if you already have a Manatee Library card.
- If you cannot remember your PIN, reset it online from the Library Catalog by clicking Log In in upper right corner, then the I forgot my PIN link.
Welcome Card
- Limited access
- Provides public computer access and limited borrowing privileges.
- Presentation of photo ID must be done in-person.
Reciprocal Borrowing
- Limited access
- A Manatee Library card account may be obtained by showing a valid library card from the following Florida counties: Citrus, DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Okeechobee, Pasco, Pinellas, and Sarasota.
- While reciprocal borrowers are entitled to check out books, DVDs, and other physical items from Manatee Library, there is limited access to electronic resources.
- All materials borrowed from Manatee Library must be returned to Manatee Library locations.
Organization Card
Daycares, schools, assisted living facilities, places of worship, associations, businesses, or other organizations in Manatee County may be eligible for an Organization Library Card. Organization Cards are only issued by Library Outreach staff and cannot be issued at library locations.
- Access to borrow all print books, magazines, puzzles, paperback materials, movies, CDs, Library of Things, Kits, and Playaways at all Manatee Library branches
- One year of Library access to be renewed annually by designated contact. Not for personal use.
- The organization is financially responsible for all materials checked out on the card.
- How to register: requires an individual to register as a designated organization contact. The designee must complete an Organization Library Card Application, show their photo ID, and provide their business card, badge, letterhead, or other official documentation which indicates their association with the organization, and the organization’s contact information. Contact Library Outreach to register.
Service Output: Registration
Hours Available:
Online access 24/7 for temporary card registrations
Eligibility: Resident library cards are free to people who reside 6 months or more, own property, go to school, and/or work in Manatee County. Non-residents may obtain a library card upon payment of a $25.00 annual fee in person. Anyone making a one-time donation of $100 or more to the Library Foundation of Manatee County will receive a Lifetime library card. A short-term Welcome card with limited privileges is also available. Reciprocal borrowing with limited privileges is available for participating counties.
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Library Patron Privacy
In order to guarantee privacy to each individual, Florida law mandates confidentiality of your registration and borrowing records, and Manatee County Public Library System policies and procedures carry out that intent.
Read PostFrequently Asked Questions
Most Manatee Library materials are enabled with Auto-Renewal, which means that items checked out to a patron will automatically be renewed up to 3 times, excluding:
- special items such as museum passes and interlibrary loans
- items requested by another patron
- items on accounts blocked by fees
- digital items
If eligible, library materials may be manually renewed from your library card account:
- Visit the Library Catalog, click Log In in the upper right corner
- You will be prompted to log in with your library card number and PIN
- After logging in, click on your name in upper right corner, then Checkouts
- You will now see a list of your checked out items, with a Renew button
Otherwise, you may call any Manatee Library location or email us or send a text message to (941) 234-0394 to request a renewal of library materials.
Yes, daycares, schools, assisted living facilities, places of worship, associations, businesses, or other organizations in Manatee County may be eligible for an Organization Library Card, which are only issued by Library Outreach staff.
- Access to borrow all print books, magazines, puzzles, paperback materials, movies, CDs, Library of Things, Kits, and Playaways at all Manatee Library branches
- One year of Library access to be renewed annually by designated contact. May not be used for personal use.
- The organization is financially responsible for all materials checked out on the card.
- Organizations may also request a rotating mini-library collection for their site.
How to register:
- an Organization library card requires an individual to register as a designated contact.
- The designee must complete an Organization Library Card Application, show their photo ID, and provide their business card, badge, letterhead, or other official documentation which indicates their association with the organization, and the organization's contact information.
- Contact Library Outreach staff at library.outreach@mymanatee.org.
Manatee Library offers two services for accessing eBooks and eAudiobooks: Hoopla and OverDrive/Libby.
View our guide for more information on how to use these apps and more: eBooks & More
These services require a library card and PIN number and some require you to set up an account specifically for the service.
Yes! To access your Manatee Library card account, visit the Library Catalog, and click on Log In in the upper right corner. After logging in with your library card number and PIN, you will be able to see your current checkouts and holds under My Bookshelf, as well as saved searches and reading history (keeping a reading history is optional and can be selected under My Bookshelf>Profile).
For additional assistance, contact Ask a Librarian.
Yes! Manatee Library offers materials to permanently or temporarily homebound patrons through two service options:
- Books by Mail, where limited materials are mailed to the patron's home address by USPS and can be returned by mail.
- Homebound Delivery, where limited materials are delivered to the patron's home by library staff in-person.
For more information and to register, please see the Books by Mail or Delivery page.
To reset your Manatee Library card PIN:
- visit the Library Catalog, click on Log In in the upper right corner, then click I forgot my PIN (you must have an email address associated with your account to receive reset instructions by email)
- visit any of the Manatee Library locations with photo ID and library staff can reset it for you.
A Manatee Library card is encouraged, but is not required, to use the Archive Lab. Register for a library card in order to enjoy all the benefits of Manatee Library!
Library fees will be assessed for the following services or items:
- Meeting room use for businesses, organizations, and individuals that are not 501c3
- Repair or replacement of library materials that are damaged or lost
- Some specialty items, such as telescopes and tools, carry higher replacement and damage fees than books
- Processing fee for lost materials: $3.00 per item
- Non-resident library card: $25.00 per year
- Obituaries mailed: $2.00 (in county)/$5.00 (out of county) includes first 20 pages, then 25¢ per page thereafter
- Printing fee from public computers, per one-sided page: 10 cents B&W; 50 cents color
- Copying from public copiers, per one-sided page: 10 cents B&W; 50 cents color
- CD-RW: $1.00
- Headphones: $5.00
- USB Flash drive: $5.00
Library fees are not assessed for the following services or items:
- Materials returned late (though fees will be assessed for lost or damaged items)
- Meeting room use for local 501c3 organizations with proof of eligibility
- Replacement library card
- Faxing (local and long-distance); scanning; computer use
- Archive Lab, Makerspaces, Recording Studio, or Study Rooms
- Museum and attraction passes
- Events, classes, and programs
For more detailed information regarding Manatee Library fees, including item replacement costs: Library Circulation Policy
Materials may be borrowed from any Manatee Library location and returned to any other, with few exceptions. All Library locations have indoor and outdoor book return. Lakewood Ranch Library is the only location with a drive-thru return/pick-up window.
Library of Things items (such as telescopes, hotspots, literacy kits/games, and tools) must be returned directly to the circulation desk.
Items borrowed from other library systems via reciprocal borrowing (for example, Sarasota or Pinellas) must be returned to a location in that library system, not to Manatee Library.
| Attraction passes: | 1 day
|
| DVDs: | 1 week |
| New books: | 2 weeks |
| Most books, audiobooks, and music CDs: | 3 weeks |
| Library of Things items (tools, telescopes, musical instruments, etc): | 3 weeks |
| STEM/Early Literacy kits, Playaways, and Launchpads: | 3 weeks |
| Book Club in a Bag: | 4 weeks |
| Digital items: | varying due dates, automatically expire |
| Interlibrary Loan from other library systems: | set by lending library |