Get a Card

In Person Registration

Kanawha County Public Library cards are free if you live, work, or attend school in West Virginia.
Library cards are good for 1 year and then can be renewed annually.
To get a permanent card come to your local KCPL location and you must have identification that shows your name and current address. It does not have to be photo ID.
Parents and Legal Guardians of children under the age of 18 must sign for their child’s library card.

Educator Cards

If you are a teacher, we have a special type of card you can use to check out materials for your classroom!
To register for an Educator Card, come in to any library, call 304-343-4646, or email Terri. Find more resources just for you on our Educators Page.

Online Registration

If you live in Kanawha County and are of the age 18 and older, you can register online.
This account is good for 14 days. You can place holds on up to 5 titles in our physical collection only. But you will need to come in and get a permanent card to check them out.
Some items, such as the Read-A-Louds, video games, and Tool Library equipment require having a permanent card before holds may be placed.

Visit any of the KCPL locations with your current identification, sign a user Responsibility Agreement, and you can pick up a permanent card with full borrowing privileges for physical and online resources. Permanent cards cannot be obtained via the Drive-Up Window at the Charleston Main Library location, you have to come in and complete the paperwork.

Each year library cards must be renewed. 
Call 304-343-4646 or visit any KCPL location to renew.

Just need to replace your card?
Visit any KCPL location and get a new one.
Replacement card is $1.

Did you once have a Library card? Not sure if you do? We can check! 
Call or visit any of our location to check and see if you have an account with us and update the information.
If your account has been removed you will have to make new account.

Lost your card?
Make sure to report lost cards by emailing Circulation.Services@kcpls.org or calling your local branch. When emailing, please include your library card number, your name and address, and state that your card was lost.

Responsibilities of a Library Card

You are legally responsible for all library materials borrowed on your card, whether the items were borrowed by you or another person using your card. Parents/Legal Guardians are responsible for materials that are borrowed on their children’s cards. Patrons must pay for any fees incurred on their cards and patrons will be blocked from checking out based on the amount of total fees.

If you lose or damage an item, it is your responsibility to pay for that replacement cost. KCPL does not allow for replacements or substitutions for lost or damaged items.

Library Card Pin/Password

The PIN (Personal Identification Number) is your personal code that is assigned to every user in our system when the library card is created. This PIN is be used in conjunction with your library card number to place holds, renew materials, check your library account, use the online databases, download digital resources, as well as use public PCs at the library.

If you forget your PIN, you can use the “Forgot my PIN” when attempting to login to your account and the system will send you a PIN via the email listed in our database for your card. However, if the library does not have an email on your account, you will need to call or visit the library.