Curbside Pickup & Home Delivery at the Library: Get Books Without Going Inside

By the Public-Libraries.com Editorial Team · Updated October 5, 2026

Step 1: Place a Hold Online or in the App

The whole process starts before you leave your home. Log into your library’s catalog — most systems use a web portal or a free mobile app — search for any item in the collection, and click “Place Hold” or “Request.” You’ll usually be asked to choose a pickup location if your system has multiple branches. Don’t have a card yet? You’ll need one first — see our guide on getting a library card (many systems even issue digital cards instantly online).

Popular catalog platforms include BiblioCommons, Polaris, Sierra, and Koha. Some libraries also accept hold requests by phone if you prefer to call. Once placed, your hold joins a queue; wait times depend on how many copies the system owns and how many people are ahead of you.

Step 2: Wait for the “Ready for Pickup” Notice

When your hold reaches the front of the queue and staff pull the item from the shelf, you’ll receive an automated notification — typically by email, text (SMS), or a phone call depending on your account settings. Most libraries hold the item for 4–10 days (check your system’s policy) before releasing it to the next person on the list. You can usually update your notification preferences in your online account.

How Curbside Pickup Works

Curbside pickup — where staff bring your bagged items to your car or to a designated outdoor spot — became widespread during 2020 and many libraries have kept it permanently. The exact steps vary, but the common flow is:

Curbside hours are often narrower than regular open hours — typically a few hours on weekdays and sometimes Saturday mornings. Not all branches offer curbside; a library system may run it at select locations only. Check your library’s website or call ahead to confirm availability and hours.

Self-Serve Holds Lockers

A growing number of library systems have installed holds lockers — secure, self-serve kiosks where pre-bagged holds are stored for you to collect at any time the building (or lobby) is accessible, even outside staffed hours. Think of them like Amazon package lockers, but for library books.

When your holds are ready, you receive a pickup code or a notification tied to your library card. At the locker kiosk, you scan your card or enter the code, and the correct compartment opens. Lockers are typically located in library lobbies, foyers, or covered outdoor alcoves, giving 24/7 or extended-hours access at some libraries. Some systems also place satellite lockers in community centers, transit stations, or grocery stores. Availability depends entirely on whether your library has invested in this technology — check your library’s website for details.

Homebound Delivery Programs

Many public library systems offer homebound delivery (sometimes called “books to you,” “library to door,” or similar names) for patrons who are unable to visit the library due to a physical disability, chronic illness, recovery from surgery, advanced age, or a similar barrier. Trained library staff or volunteers select and deliver materials — books, audiobooks, DVDs, and more — directly to the patron’s home, usually on a regular schedule (monthly or bi-monthly). The service is typically free of charge for eligible residents.

Homebound programs are not universal — smaller libraries may not have the staff capacity, and some programs rely on volunteers whose schedules can vary. Call your local branch or browse by state to find your library system and look for a “homebound services” or “outreach” page.

Books by Mail for Rural Patrons

Some state library systems and regional library cooperatives operate books-by-mail programs specifically for patrons in rural areas who live far from a branch. In these programs, you request items, and the library mails them to you; you return them in the same prepaid mailer. A few states have long-running programs — the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS), administered by the Library of Congress, is the largest national example, offering free Braille and audio materials by mail to qualifying patrons with visual or print disabilities.

For general rural patrons without a disability, availability is patchwork: some states and multi-county systems offer it; most do not. If you live in a rural area and struggle to reach a branch, ask your county or state library whether a mail or delivery program exists in your region.

What You Can (and Can’t) Pick Up Curbside

Most curbside or locker programs cover the same circulating items you can check out inside: physical books, DVDs, audiobooks on CD, magazine issues, and sometimes “Library of Things” items (tools, activity kits, etc.). A few categories are typically excluded or handled differently:

Tips to Make It Go Smoothly

A few practical pointers that apply at most libraries, though every system is different:

Check curbside hours before you go. Curbside windows are often shorter than branch hours — arriving five minutes before close may not work. Most library websites post current curbside schedules separately from regular hours.

Have your library card or digital card barcode ready. Staff or locker kiosks will need it. If you’re new, get your library card first.

Don’t wait until the last day. Hold expiration windows (often 4–7 days after the notice) can be tight. If you know you can’t pick up in time, call to ask for an extension — many libraries accommodate one request.

Return items on time. Curbside pickup does not extend due dates. Most systems have outdoor book drops available 24/7 for returns; some also accept returns at curbside. Use our library search by city to find branch hours and contact info.

Real programs you can use today

These services are alive and well in 2026. For curbside, the Denver Public Library still offers holds pickup at all locations during regular hours — you place a hold, wait for the “ready” notice, then call the number on the posted curbside sign when you arrive, with a card or photo ID at pickup. For home delivery, the New York Public Library’s Books by Mail serves people “unable to leave home because of a temporary or permanent disability” (eligibility verified by a physician, nurse or social worker), mailing materials in a reusable, prepaid envelope. And the LA County Library runs a free Books by Mail for homebound residents, people in convalescent homes and rural residents — up to four books at a time, free shipping both ways.

Frequently Asked Questions