Answered By: Cora
Last Updated: Dec 06, 2023     Views: 5022

Sarasota County resident library cards expire every two years to help keep accounts current. To renew your library card, please visit one of our library branches or call (941) 861-1110 during regular library business hours with your library card number to speak with library staff. You can view branch locations and hours by clicking here.

By visiting your library in person or renewing over the phone, we can verify your account details (such as your address, phone number, email) in a way that helps protect your privacy. If we were to verify your information online via chat, text, or email, due to the Florida Sunshine Law your information would become part of public record.

If you moved since you last renewed or obtained your library card, and you own your property, we are able to look up your Property Tax Records online to verify your residency.  If you rent/lease, please plan to come to the library in person and bring proof of residency (see the list of required documents that are accepted here).

Renewals of library cards are environmentally friendly, too!  You can keep the same library card number and use the same card, once it's renewed.

Non-resident and reciprocal borrowers' library cards are also renewable when their respective terms have expired. 

If you filled out our library card application form online and have been using a digital card, you will still need to come in to the library in person to confirm your identity and Sarasota County address. Digital library cards expire 30 days after creation. Digital library cards cannot be renewed, but we can change your digital card into a regular library card. This can be done in person at any of our branches. You will need photo ID and proof of Sarasota address. Your library card number will change, but you will still be able to access all of our digital resources, including ebooks, and we can get any ebooks or eaudiobooks you currently have on hold or checked out with your digital library card moved over to your new regular library card. Once you have a regular Sarasota County library card, your card will not expire for two years and the standard renewal policies detailed above will apply.

Comments (10)

  1. You did not answer the question. Please try again. "Can I renew on line or do I need to come to the library?"
    by Robert Kellaway on Sep 05, 2016
  2. You can renew your library card in person and over the phone, but not online. Please call (941) 861-1110.
    by Deirdre on Sep 21, 2018
  3. People should be able to renew their cards online. If you already have a library card you are in the system and you can individualize your info with the number of your card. Thank you!
    by Erika Moczydlower on Apr 03, 2020
  4. To clarify, you can go to our Ask Us! Portal (https://scgovlibrary.libanswers.com/) to find information about the library system and our resources and services. However, due to the Sunshine Law, you should call or visit a Sarasota County library (once the libraries have reopened) to renew your library card rather than using the Ask Us! Portal to renew your library card in order to keep your information private. For more information on the Sunshine Law, please visit this page on the Florida Office of the Attorney General’s website: https://myfloridalegal.com/pages.nsf/Main/DC0B20B7DC22B7418525791B006A54E4
    by Anna Kate Tippett - Sarasota County Libraries on Apr 16, 2020
  5. Can I renew a digital library card?
    by Lilly on Feb 12, 2021
  6. Hi Lilly, thank you for your question! Digital library cards cannot be renewed, but we can change your digital card into a regular library card. This can be done in person at any of our branches or by calling us at 941-861-1110. Your library card number will change, but you will still be able to access all of our digital resources, including ebooks, and we can get any ebooks or eaudiobooks you currently have on hold or checked out with your digital library card moved over to your new regular library card.
    by Anna Kate Tippett - Sarasota County Libraries on Feb 16, 2021
  7. I tried calling to renew. But if you don’t own your residence, then you have to renew in person. I wish that had been posted online.
    by EJ on Jun 24, 2021
  8. Hello EJ - thank you so much for your suggestion. The FAQ is updated to include information about renewing library cards if the patron's address has changed. You are right that if the patron's address is changed and they purchased the property, we can verify this online so the telephone renewal option works - but otherwise patrons are required to come in person to show proof of residency. We appreciate your feedback!
    by Cathay, Sarasota County Libraries on Jun 25, 2021
  9. I renewed my library card by telephone call 2weeks ago. I just received a email saying my card is expiring! I am not able to keep making phone calls to the library. You truly NEED to allow us to renew our cards on line so these errors don’t occur.
    by WAHL NADINE on Jul 04, 2022
  10. Hi Nadine, thank you for your comment! In order to protect the privacy of our patrons, we do not offer online renewals, as the information that we need to verify for renewal could be viewable through a public records request, as described in the Florida Sunshine Law (which is linked above in the FAQ). This is why we renew in person or by phone, since that information can be verified physically and verbally. It is likely that our system sent that message in error. As those messages are automated, it is likely that the expiration reminder was queued to send, and the system was not able to recognize the change in account status to cancel it. I apologize for the inconvenience. However, a way that you can confirm your expiration date without needing to call or come in is available through our catalog (https://sarac.scgov.net/). If you log in to the catalog using “My Account” at the top right of the screen, your expiration date is displayed on your main account page, and this is updated immediately when we renew your account, so if it looks good there, you’re all set! I hope that helps, and thank you for using our libraries! - Diego
    by Diego, Sarasota County Libraries on Jul 20, 2022

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