Borrow, Hold, Renew, and Return Materials FAQs

  • General Questions

    eBooks and eAudiobooks from OverDrive/Libby may be placed on hold when all copies are in use. You won’t always receive email notifications when they’re available, though. Here’s how to ensure you get the notifications you desire.

    1. Placing holds in the Library catalog or the OverDrive website will both request you enter or verify your email address for a notification, each time you place a hold.
    2. Placing holds in the Libby app will usually NOT result in email notifications (see the exception in #3, below), because the Libby app supports push notifications to your device, rather than email. You can set your preferred notification method for a variety of reasons. Here’s Libby’s instructions.
    3. Visiting the Libbyapp.com website allows you to set email notifications as instructed in the link above. These will be in effect for all future holds. In this way, you CAN receive email notifications on holds placed in the Libby app as well as elsewhere.

    Did you place holds in the Libby app or on Libbyapp.com before you set up email notifications in your settings? No worries! Log in to your account at OverDrive and visit your Holds shelf. There, you can edit the email address on each title, so you’ll be sure to receive an email when they’re ready.

  • Borrowing Materials

    Most accounts may have 50 physical items checked out at one time.

    Exceptions:

    • "Lucky Day": Two items (and they count as part of your total items)
    • Board games: Two items (and they count as part of your total items)
    • Limited Card: Three items
    • Educator Card: 100 items
    • Interlibrary Loan (ILLiad): Three items (includes requests and items checked out)

    You may keep most items for three weeks. Check your receipt for the exact date due.

    Exceptions:

    • Chromebooks for library use only: Two hours
    • Book discussion kits: 12 weeks
    • Educator Card checkouts: Six weeks
    • Bookmobile or Books by Mail checkouts: Four weeks
    • Interlibrary Loan (ILLiad) checkouts: Borrowing periods are set by the lending library. 

    • Libby (Overdrive): Borrow eBooks and eAudiobooks to read on the device of your choice. Check out up to 15 titles at a time for up to 21 days. 
    • Hoopla: Check out up to 20 films, TV episodes, music albums, eAudio, or eComics from Hoopla monthly and enjoy them on your computer, phone, tablet, or TV. Collections available in several languages, including español, 中文, and русский. 
    • Kanopy: Each library card holder receives 40 tickets to use each month. Tickets are used to play videos on Kanopy. As you browse for titles, you'll see the number of tickets required to watch each title and how long you have to watch it. Kanopy Kids is also available in your account and offers streaming movies and TV shows for children ages 2 and up. There are no tickets required for streaming while in the Kanopy Kids mode in your account. 
    • Freegal Music+: Stream up to 5 hours of music per day and download up to 5 days in MP3 format per week.

    You can't directly change the format, but there are ways to get around it. If there are no holds on the book, you can return it, check it out again, and pick the correct format.

    But if returning it would send you to the end of a holds queue, and you have a device with a browser, don't return it—try one of these methods:

    If you wanted Kindle but picked EPUB

    • Download the Libby app to your device (this won't work on a Kindle eReader), and read the book in the app. Or...
    • Go to fortvancouver.overdrive.com, sign in with your library card number and PIN, go to your loan shelf, find your title, and pick "Read now in browser." Or...
    • Go to libbyapp.com, sign in with your library card number and PIN, go to "Shelf," find your title, pick "Open in Libby."

    If you wanted EPUB but picked Kindle

    • Download the Libby app to your device, and read the book in the app. Or...
    • Get the Kindle app for your device. It's available for Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac. 
    • Go to fortvancouver.overdrive.com, sign in with your library card number and PIN, go to your loan shelf, find your title, and pick "Read now in browser." Or...
    • Go to libbyapp.com, sign in with your library card number and PIN, go to "Shelf," find your title, pick "Open with Libby"
    • To solve the problem for future checkouts, make sure the "Kindle preference box" in your OverDrive settings is unchecked. And if you've been using the OverDrive app, tap the main menu in the upper left corner, tap "Settings," and make sure "Read in Kindle" is turned off.

    You can use the “My Collections - Completed Shelf” feature in your library account to keep track of everything you’ve read, watched, or listened to. To find your Completed Shelf:

    1. At the top of the page, click your username to open the menu.

    2. Under “My Collections,” select “Completed Shelf.”

    3. This will show everything you’ve marked as finished—books, movies, and more.

    Additionally, if you’ve checked out digital books using OverDrive, you can find your checkout history in the app’s “History” section or on the timeline in the Libby app.

    If you can’t find what you’re looking for on your Completed Shelf, FVRLibraries staff are happy to help. Share any details you remember—like the author, characters, setting, or plot—to help us track it down!

    Please note: For privacy reasons, FVRLibraries doesn’t keep a record of the physical items you’ve borrowed once they’re returned in good condition. Only items with a fee—like those that are missing or damaged—stay in the system.

    For privacy reasons, FVRLibraries doesn’t keep a record of physical items you’ve borrowed once they’re returned in good condition. Only items with a fee, like those missing or damaged, remain in the system.

    If you’ve borrowed digital books using OverDrive, you can see your checkout history in the app’s “History” section or on the timeline in the Libby app.

    If you’re trying to remember a book you borrowed—like its title or author—FVRLibraries staff are happy to help. Share anything you remember about the book, such as:

    • Author or characters

    • Where or when it took place

    • The plot or key events

    • When you read it

    • What the cover looked like

    Every detail helps us track it down.

    How to keep track of what you’ve read using your library account:
    You can use your library account's “My Collections - Completed Shelf” feature to store everything you’ve read, watched, or listened to.

    To see your Completed Shelf:

    1. At the top of the page, click your username to open the menu.

    2. In the menu, look under “My Collections” and click on “Completed Shelf.”

    3. This will show you everything you’ve marked as finished—books, movies, and more.

  • Holding Materials

    "Placing a hold" is a way to reserve items in our catalog.

    • If all copies of the item you want are checked out, placing a hold puts you on the waiting list.
    • If a physical item you want is at a different FVRLibraries location, placing a hold tells us to send it to your library to pick up.

    How do I place a hold?

    Here's how to place holds for physical items (and digital items from OverDrive).

    Place holds in the FVRL catalog

    1. Go to the FVRL catalog and find something to borrow.
    2. Click the green "Place hold" button. (On a mobile device, tap the three green dots to find "Place hold.")
    3. Log in with your library account number and PIN, if you weren't logged in already.
    4. Select your pickup library (or email address for digital items). You may also need to pick a volume number or year for magazines, graphic novels, or other periodicals.
    5. Select "Place Hold(s)."
    6. You'll see a message verifying the success of your hold(s). Click "OK" (or for digital items, just click the X in the corner of the message window).

    Place holds in the FVRL app

    1. Open and find something to borrow.
    2. Tap the title you want.
    3. Tap "Place Hold."
    4. Confirm your pickup library (or email address for digital items). (You may also need to use "Select copy" to pick a volume number or year for magazines, graphic novels, or other periodicals.)
    5. Tap "Place Hold."
    6. You'll see a message that your hold was placed. Click "OK."

    Place holds in the Libby app, OverDrive website, or OverDrive app

    Place holds on eBooks and eAudiobooks through the OverDrive site or its apps by tapping "Place hold" or "Place a hold" next to the title you want.

    What if I can't place a hold?

    If you're having trouble placing a hold, or you get a "privilege is expired" notice, it probably means that you need to renew your account.

    Can I see my hold history?

    We don't keep a record of your holds on physical items.

    However, if you're using the Libby app, you can see your eBook and eAudio hold history in your "Timeline."

    How many holds can I have?

    Physical items

    Regular accounts have different limits:

    • Resident, Reciprocal, and Non-resident Accounts: 50 holds
    • Educator Accounts: 50 holds
    • Limited Accounts: 3 holds
    Digital items
    • eBooks and eAudiobooks from OverDrive: 15 holds

     

    Pause your hold

    Pausing a hold lets you keep your place in line, but the hold won't become available until after the date you set.

      1. Log in to your account.
      2. Select "On Hold" from the login menu.
      3. For editing a single title, select the “Pause Hold” button. 
      4. For multiple titles, check the box next to the cover image for each title, then select “Pause Hold” from the “Manage Items” menu in black at the bottom of the screen.
      5. Select the “From” and “Until” dates
      6. Select "Pause holds."

    Resume your hold

    1. Log in to your account.
    2. Select "On Hold" from the login menu.
    3. For editing a single title, select the “Resume Hold” button. 
    4. For multiple titles, check the box next to the cover image for each title, then select “Resume Holds” from the “Manage Items” menu in black at the bottom of the screen.
    5. You’ll see a Success message in green at the bottom of the screen.

    Cancel your hold

    1. Log in to your account.
    2. Select "On Hold" from the login menu.
    3. For editing a single title, select the “Cancel Hold” button. 
    4. For multiple titles, check the box next to the cover image for each title, then select “Cancel Holds” from the “Manage Items” menu in black at the bottom of the screen.
    5. Verify your decision on the next screen.
    6. You’ll see a Success message in green at the bottom of the screen.

    If your hold's status is "pending" or "placed," that means that it's not ready for pickup yet.

    • Maybe all the copies are currently checked out.
    • Maybe a copy is being sent to your branch for pickup.
    • Maybe your hold is on a new book that we haven't processed yet.
    • Maybe you haven't reached the top of the holds queue for that title.

    Depending on the circumstances and number of copies, it can take anywhere from days to weeks for the title to become available for pickup. You'll likely see a place in queue number listed. If it says one, that means you'll get the next available copy. If it says four, that means three people are ahead of you in the waitlist.

    Here's how you'll know your hold is available:

    You can check “My Account” to see if your holds are available. Just select “On Hold” from the login menu. You’ll see one of these labels:

    • Not ready
    • Paused
    • Ready
    Physical items

    We'll notify you by email, text, phone, or mail, depending on the contact information we have for you. If we have an email address or you have requested text messages, that's what we'll use. Otherwise we'll phone, but if we have no phone number for you, we'll mail your notice.

    eBooks and eAudio

    OverDrive/Libby users may be notified by email, in-app, or push notification, depending upon how the hold was placed.

    Mistakes happen and things change! The library is here to help. We can extend the deadline if no one else has requested them. Contact Us, and we'll see what we can do.

    In situations where you chose the wrong pickup location, please take the following steps:

    1. Log in to your account.
    2. Select "On Hold" from the login menu.
    3. Look for the title and a “Not Ready” or “Paused” label.
    4. Just below this, click on the branch and choose another pickup location from the drop-down list.
    5. You’ll see a green confirmation message at the bottom of the screen.

    If your hold is currently showing as “Ready” or “In transit”, please contact us with this information:

    • Your account number
    • Your PIN or birth date
    • Title of the item(s)
    • The location you want as your pickup location

    You can also change your preferred library at any time by logging into your library account going to “My Settings.” Under “Account Preferences” visit “Holds and Pickup Location” to change it.

    Physical items

    Check it’s open and visit the library where your holds are available.

    You have 10 calendar days from the notification date to pick up physical items before they are either sent to the next person in the hold list or put back on the shelf.

    If you can't get to the library to pick up a hold within those 10 days, you may ask a trusted friend or family member to do it for you (with either your card or your card number and PIN).

     eBooks or eAudio

    You have three days (72 hours) to log in to the Catalog, or OverDrive and borrow or cancel the title.

    If you don't check out the available title within that period, your hold will automatically suspend indefinitely, and you'll need to unsuspend it when you’re ready.

  • Renewing Materials

    Most physical items will automatically renew up to 11 times if no one else has placed a hold on them.

    Exceptions:

    • "Lucky Day" items, book discussion kits, Discover WA backpacks, or Grow a Reader kits: no renewals
    • Educator card checkouts: five renewals
    • Bookmobile or Books by Mail checkouts: eight renewals
    • Interlibrary Loan (ILLiad) checkouts: Renewals are set by the lending library. 

    In the Libby app
    If it's within three days of the due date, and there are no holds on the title, you may renew.

    • Open the app and go to "Shelf."
    • Tap "Loans" at the top of the screen.
    • Find the title to renew and tap "Manage Loan."
    • Tap "Renew Loan," then "Renew." 

    On the FVRL OverDrive website
    If it's within three days of the due date, and there are no holds on the title, you may renew.

    • Go to your Loans shelf. 
    • Select the "Renew" button under the title you want to renew.
    • Pick a renewal period, then select "Renew" again.
    • If a title has holds already, you'll see a "Request Again" button the last 3 days of the checkout period instead of a "Renew" button. Click to place yourself on the hold list.

    Note: The new checkout period begins the moment you renew, so if you had two days left on your original lending period and renew for 21 days, the new due date will be in 21 days, not 23.

    FVRL will automatically renew items, or you can renew them yourself, unless there's a reason why the items can't be renewed. Here’s how automatic renewal works, how to renew items yourself, and why some items might not renew.

    Automatic renewal

    On the due date, FVRLibraries will automatically renew your eligible physical checkouts.

    • If your account has an email address, you’ll get an email with the new due date. If an item can’t be renewed, the email will let you know it needs to be returned.

    • If you don’t have an email address in your account, log in online to see which items were renewed and which need to be returned.

    Renew items yourself

    You can also renew items at any time. The new checkout period starts on the day you renew, not at the end of your original loan period.

    Here’s how:

    1. Log in to your account.
    2. Select "Checked Out" from the login menu.
    3. For editing a single title, select the “Renew” button. 
    4. For multiple titles, check the box next to the cover image for each title, then select “Renew selected” in black at the bottom of the screen.
    5. You’ll see a Success message in green at the bottom of the screen.

    If you have any trouble, you can also renew items by visiting in person during open hours, or using another method to Contact Us.

    Why might an item not renew?

    Sometimes items can’t be renewed. Here’s why:

    • Another patron has placed a hold on them.

    • You’ve already renewed the item the maximum number of times.

    • “Lucky Day” items and some other special items can’t be renewed.

    • Interlibrary Loan items have a different renewal process.

    • Items overdue for more than 28 days and billed must be returned before they can be checked out again.

    • There might be another issue with your account.

    If you have questions, FVRLibraries staff are always happy to help!

  • Returning Materials

    Any eBook or eAudiobook you borrow will be returned automatically at the end of its checkout period. No overdues ever!

    However, if you'd like to return your digital checkout before the due date, here's how:

    You don’t have to! FVRLibraries materials and ILLiad (interlibrary loan) materials can be returned to any our branch, bookmobile, or book return locations.

    If you checked out items directly from another library system (like Camas Public Library, Multnomah County, or Hood River), you’ll need to return them to a location in that system.