Reciprocal Borrowing Agreements

As of February 2020, Harris County Public Library has new and expanded reciprocal service agreements with three area library systems: Bellaire City Library, Montgomery County Library System and Pasadena Public Library.  

Bellaire City Library (BCL)  -- Harris County Public Library (HCPL)  Reciprocal Services

    1. Reciprocal holds and borrowing for HCPL customers on most BCL material is allowed.  HCPL customers may request holds on BCL material for delivery to any HCPL branch, and they may use their HCPL cards at BCL to check out most material.  BCL DVDs, New Books, and booklist titles may only be checked out at BCL.
    2. Reciprocal holds and borrowing for BCL customers on HCPL circulating material is allowed.  BCL customers may request holds on HCPL material for delivery to BCL, and they may use their BCL cards at HCPL branches to check out HCPL circulating material.
    3. Borrowing rules for the checkout location apply to checkout transactions.
    4. Restrictions:
      1. HCPL customers may not place holds on BCL DVDs, New Books or booklist titles, but they may check these items at Bellaire City Library.
      2. HCPL customers may not check out BCL electronic equipment items.
      3. Holds for customers of the item’s owning library system will always be filled before holds for customers of the reciprocal library.

Montgomery County Library System (MCML) -- Harris County Public Library (HCPL)  Reciprocal Services

    1. Reciprocal holds and borrowing for HCPL customers on most MCML material is allowed.  HCPL customers may request holds on MCML material for delivery to any HCPL branch, and they may use their HCPL cards at MCML branches to check out most material.
    2. Reciprocal holds and borrowing for MCML customers on most HCPL material is allowed.  MCML customers may request holds on HCPL material for delivery to any MCML branch, and they may use their MCML cards at HCPL branches to check out most HCPL material.
    3. Borrowing rules for the checkout location apply to checkout transactions.
    4. Restrictions:
      1. Holds for customers of an item’s owning library system will always be filled before holds for customers of the reciprocal library.

Pasadena Public Library (PPL)  -- Harris County Public Library (HCPL)  Reciprocal Services

    1. Reciprocal holds and borrowing for HCPL customers on most PPL material is allowed.  HCPL customers may request holds on PPL material for delivery to any HCPL branch, and they may use their HCPL cards at PPL to check out most material.  PPL New Books, New DVDs, Playaway Books and DVDs and Vox Books may only be checked out at PPL locations.
    2. Reciprocal holds and borrowing for PPL customers on HCPL circulating material is allowed.  PPL customers may request holds on HCPL material for delivery to any PPL branch, and they may use their PPL cards at HCPL branches to check out HCPL circulating material.
    3. Borrowing rules for the checkout location apply to checkout transactions.
    4. Restrictions:
      1. HCPL customers may not place holds on PPL New Books, New DVDs, Playaway Books and DVDs and Vox Books.
      2. HCPL customers may not check out PPL electronic equipment items.
      3. Holds for customers of the item’s owning library system will always be filled before holds for customers of the reciprocal library. 
  2. HCPL customers may select BCL or either PPL branch as the pickup location for HCPL holds. 
  3. Reciprocal Borrowing agreements between HCPL and other libraries apply only to physical materials.  eBooks, eAudiobooks and other electronic materials are not accessible to customers from reciprocal libraries.
  4. Material from any BCL, PPL or MCML library may be returned to HCPL.
  5. HCPL materials may be returned at any HCPL, BCL, MCML or PPL library.

Checkout, renewal and fine/fee policies for the various libraries differ (significantly, in some cases), so it is important for customers to understand that the rules for the checkout location apply to all materials checked out there, regardless of the material’s owning library, (for example, if you place a hold on book owned by Bellaire City Library to be picked up and checked out at Harris County Public Library’s West University Branch, the checkout, renewal, fine policies for Harris County Public Library will apply).  

Customers are responsible for keeping up with due dates of the items they check out.

[Updated: July 24, 2023]

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