Loans, holds, fees
Here is the basic information about what you can borrow from the library, how long you can keep things, and more.
| Item | Loan Period | Holds? | Renewals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art | 56 days | Yes* | 3 |
| Assistive Technology | 28 days | Yes* | 3 |
| Audiobooks (CDs and Playaways) | 28 days | Yes | 3 |
| Blu-rays, DVDs | 14 days | Yes | 3 |
| Board Games (limit 3) | 14 days | Yes* | 3 |
| Books | 28 days | Yes | 3 |
| Books, New | 14 days | Yes | 3 |
| CDs | 14 days | Yes | 3 |
| Discovery Kits (limit 3) | 14 days | Yes* | 3 |
| eReaders | 28 days | Yes* | 3 |
| Library Of Things (limit 3) | 14 days | Yes* | 3 |
| Magazines | 14 days | Yes | 3 |
| Maps/Pamphlets | 28 days | Yes | 3 |
| Memory Kits (limit 3) | 14 days | Yes* | 3 |
| Newspapers | 0 weeks | No | 0 |
| Preschool Kits (limit 3) | 14 days | Yes* | 3 |
| Quick Picks | 14 days | No | 0 |
| Reference | 0 weeks | No | 0 |
| Video Games (limit 10) | 14 days | Yes* | 3 |
*These holds are only available for pickup at Des Plaines.
Need to renew your items?
Renew them online or call our automated system at (847) 590-8706.
Need to renew your items?
Renew them online or call our automated system at (847) 590-8706.
We are Fine-Free!
The Des Plaines Public Library is Fine-Free. Fees are only charged for lost or damaged items.
If $10 or more has been charged to your account, you will be unable to check out materials, access electronic resources, or renew materials.
You can pay for any fees for lost or damaged items online with ePAY using your library account, or at the 1st floor information desk. We accept cash, check, and credit cards. Paying online requires a credit card. Pay fees online
Holds
Hold notifications, by default, come via a phone call to the requestor's phone number on record, unless you have enabled email notifications on your account. Items will be held for 4 days after the date of notification. Should you need a little more time to come pick up a held item, please contact our Circulation Department.
If you would like an item immediately and it is not a Quick Pick or checked out, please call the library and we will be happy to pull it for you.
Auto-renewals
Items checked out at Des Plaines Public Library will automatically be renewed on their due date for up to 3 renewal periods. The renewal happens automatically and there is NO action you need to take.
Items can not be auto-renewed if:
- The item is on hold for another patron;
- The three renewal limit has been reached;
- Your account is blocked; or
- It is an item from our Quick Pick collection on the first floor.
To help you keep track of your automatic renewals and other items, we highly encourage you to sign up for DPPL Account Email Notifications, if you have not done so already. This is not required for automatic renewals, but you will get an email telling you which of your items have been renewed and their new due dates and also a second email letting you know which of your materials have NOT have automatically renewed and are due that day. These email notifications go out around 7 am the day your item is due, so you still have until close of the day to return any unrenewed items.
Interlibrary Loans
Interlibrary Loans (ILL) are available to Des Plaines Public Library cardholders. Beginning January 1, 2020, a total of 30 ILL items can be checked out or requested per patron at any given time. For example, if a patron has 10 ILL items checked out, that patron may request up to 20 additional ILL items. For questions, please contact the 1st floor Customer Service desk at (847) 376-2788.
Need more time with those items?
We're happy to offer vacation loans on any holdable item, except for those on hold for other patrons. We can make the loan up to twice as long as its original loan period.