Your Library Account Frequently Asked Questions
Log in to your San Mateo County Library eBranch account. From the righthand menu you can view your fines, your checkouts, your holds, your checkout history and your bookbag. When you are finished checking your account, please remember to log out so that others will not be able to access it.
Your PIN (Personal Identification Number) helps to protect your library account from being used by others. Much like a bank ATM, the Online Catalog works best when you use a short PIN consisting of a few numbers – we suggest using the last four digits of the telephone number you gave us when you applied for a library card. If you cannot see your library account your library card may have expired. Please contact your local library to have your card renewed.
Log in to your library card account on the Peninsula Library System website. Then click on the words “Modify Your PIN”. You’ll be asked to enter your old PIN, followed by the new PIN you want to use. After entering the new PIN and verifying it, click “Submit”. You will then need to update your San Mateo County Library eBranch account with your new library card pin.
Log in to your library card account on the Peninsula Library System website. Then click on the “Modify Personal Information“ link, enter your email address, and click the “Submit” button. You will then need to update your San Mateo County Library eBranch account. After you add your email address to your library account, you will begin to get your notices by email.
Log in to your San Mateo County Library eBranch account. From the righthand menu click on View/Renew My Checkouts. Next to each item in the list will be a check box. Check the box next to any items that you want to renew by clicking on it, then click the “Renew Selected” button to renew only those items.
Please note: Some materials cannot be renewed! Usually these are audio tapes, videos, new materials, items on hold for someone else, or items that have already reached their renewal limit. If you are unable to renew an item please contact your local library and ask for assistance or use our Help with Your Account form .
Yes. If you have access to a touch-tone phone you can use Telecirc, a voice mail interface, to renew items over the phone.
Please see the Email Notification FAQs.
Log in to your library card account on the Peninsula Library System website. Then click on the "Modify Personal Information" link. If the box marked "Email" is empty, simply fill it in with your email address and click on the Submit button. You will now get your notices by email. For more information, see the Email Notification FAQs.
Log in to your San Mateo County Library eBranch account. Click on the My Fines link on the righthand menu. Select the fines/fees that you wish to pay and click the “Pay Selected Fines” button. For more information see the Online Payment FAQs.
My Reading History is a record of the titles you have checked out from the library. It is accessible online when you log in to your San Mateo County Library eBranch account and click on My Checkout History on the righthand menu.. The Reading History records the title, author, and checkout date for all items you check out. This feature also allows you to limit a search to items that are not recorded in your Reading History. Titles are stored in "My Reading History" until the Library no longer owns a title or you choose to delete a title from your list.
The Reading History feature begins saving titles you check out after you turn it on. Anything you checked out before Opting In to Reading History was not saved and cannot be retrieved.
You may turn your Reading History ON or OFF any time when you log in to your San Mateo County Library eBranch account. If you choose to activate your Reading History, and later turn it off, all stored records will be deleted from the system. Please be aware that if you elect to keep a Reading History, it may be subject to examination by law enforcement authorities without your permission. The default setting for Reading History for all patrons is OFF. Here's how to use Reading History:
To turn on "My Reading History," log in to your San Mateo County Library eBranch account and and click on My Checkout History on the righthand menu.. Next click on the green "Opt In " button to the left.
To turn off "My Reading History," log in to your San Mateo County Library eBranch account and and click on My Checkout History on the righthand menu. Next click on the green "Opt Out " button at the bottom of the page.
If you place a hold, the $0.75 hold fee will appear on your record at the time you place the hold. If you are canceling a hold, please contact your local library to see if the fee can be waived. For more on placing holds, please view our brief online tutorial on Placing a Hold .