Managing Your Library Account Using the Classic Catalog

Once you have registered for a card, you will be able to manage many of your account details online.  From the My Account section of our classic catalog, you may place, suspend or cancel holds on eligible materials. You can save searches and lists, view and renew on-loan items, pay fines and review important messages sent by the Library. To view information on managing your account using our other catalog interface, click here.

For more information on renewing your card, please visit this page.

Note that certain account functionality, including the ability to pay fines online, cancel holds & renew items is unavailable during the off-peak hours of (approximately) midnight - 4:00 a.m. EST due to required system maintenance.  Please keep that in mind when managing your account.

Some changes to your library account, such as an update to your mailing address or date of birth, must be made in person. The following screenshots illustrate what changes you can make to your account using our classic catalog and how to make them. There are five key navigation points in the classic catalog's interface that it is important for you to be aware of:

My Account: Once logged in, view the expiration date on your card & follow the links to change your e-mail address, telephone number & PIN/Password.  It is also your access point to your list of checked out items, holds, fines & Library messages.  Learn more here.
My Checked Out Items: From this tab, view & renew eligible checked out items. Learn more here.
Library Messages: View important messages from the Library about your account & the services we provide.  Learn more here.
My Holds: View, cancel or suspend holds or change your pickup location on active requests.  Learn more here.
Unpaid Fines: View & resolve unpaid charges on your account using your credit card. Learn more here.


When you have logged into your account, immediately beneath your name, you will see the Expiration Date on your card.  Your card expires periodically so that we can make sure that your patron information is accurate & up-to-date when it is validated during the renewal process.  You are expected to notify of any changes to your patron information promptly. If your card has expired, circulation privileges, including the ability to check out or renew items, including media downloaded through eNYPL, browse our databases & place holds, will be suspended until it has been renewed.

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Here, you may also change the e-mail address or telephone number we use to send important notices regarding your library account.  It is very important that information is kept up-to-date.  Change your notice preference or preferred pickup location by following the same link.  Make your desired changes by clicking Change Account Information & then click the Submit button to continue.

The Library strongly recommends selecting e-mail as your notice preference, as this choice also enables your receipt of courtesy notices, which you may find as a helpful reminder when a borrowed item is nearing its due date.  It's important to remember to allow e-mails from @nypl.org addresses through any filters you may have on your inbox.

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A password or 4-digit numeric PIN is required to login to your account, reserve a library PC, use many of our databases & self-service checkout machines.  If you know your PIN/Password & want to change it, you may do so from this page by clicking the Chage PIN/Password link.  Enter your old PIN/Password & enter & confirm your new PIN/Password. Then, click the Submit button.  If you do not remember your old PIN/password, you may change it by following the Forgot Your PIN/Password? link seen at the login screen.

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The remaining features of the My Account page use tab navigation to move between views of your your checked out items, items you have requested (holds), searches & lists of items that you've saved, unpaid fines or fees & library messages.

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The My Checked Out Items tab allows you to view & renew your current checkouts. The Title, Barcode & Status of each item are displayed.  Check the box next to an item to renew it.  Note that not all items may be renewed.  More information on renewals is available here.

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The Library Messages tab is used by the Library to communicate important messages related to your account, including the pending expiration of your library card, or in the event the library you have selected as your preferred pickup location is closing.  This tab will appear only if a message has been attached to your record.  Click the tab to view the message.

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Similarly, the Unpaid Fines tab will only display if there is a balance due on your account. Fines on overdue items still outstanding will not display here until the item is renewed or returned.  To learn more about how you can pay your fines online using either catalog interface 24/7, please view this brief video.

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From the My Holds tab, you may view, cancel or freeze items that you have requested.  

Once made, a hold request will remain active for one year or until filled, whichever comes first.  Note that you may change this time period by entering a Not Wanted After Date when placing your hold.

If you are going on vacation & feel you may not be back in time to collect a requested item, you may want to freeze your hold. You will continue to advance in the queue, but will be passed over until you return & re-activate your hold.  Please note that holds can only be frozen for up to six months.  Check the box next to the item under Freeze & then click Modify Selected.  You will be asked to confirm your change.  Requests cannot be frozen if there are more available items than holds, if you are first on the list & there are copies available, or if the requested item is already on the hold shelf or in transit to you.

Occasionally you may see the message This hold is too old to be suspended. It occurs when a hold was placed more than 255 days ago. If after 255 days a hold remains unfilled, it cannot be frozen. You can cancel the hold and place a new hold or allow the hold to remain active and it will expire automatically after 365 days.

You may change your Pickup Location until an item is sent in transit or is awaiting pickup at your originally chosen library.  Select your alternate pickup location from the drop-down menu & choose Modify Selected.  You will be asked to confirm your change.  A pickup location may be changed as long as the item has not arrived & is not in transit to your originally selected location.

The Status column will display your position in the queue, Ready Soon or Ready for Pickup. The status of Ready Soon is applied when an item is first checked in at your pickup location. It automatically changes to Ready for Pickup after staff have had sufficient time to place the item on the holdshelf.

Please cancel holds you are no longer interested in receiving so they may be enjoyed by another borrower.  Doing so will also free up space on your holds list, which is limited to 15 active requests at a time.  To cancel a hold, check the box next to the item under Cancel Title.  Then, click Modify Selected. You will be asked to confirm your change,

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