You may borrow an item for 21 days. Most items are eligible for up to 5 renewals of an additional 21 days each. See exceptions below, including LINK+ and InterLibrary Loan items.
Auto Renew
Eligible items renew automatically 2 days before the due date. If you select email as your notice preference, the Library will notify you of the new due date.
Renew Online
You can renew materials online by logging in to your library card account:
Renew By Telephone
To renew items by telephone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, call our Telephone Renewal line at (415) 376-7899. See Renew Items by Telephone for detailed information.
Why Can’t I Renew?
There are several reasons why an item can't be renewed:
- Outstanding holds (requests) on the item by other patrons.
- Your Library card account has a balance due of more than $50.
- Your Library card account is blocked or expired.
- The item was already renewed as many times as is allowed.
- It’s too soon to renew the item (no renewals sooner than 2 weeks prior to the due date).
- eBooks, LINK+ or ILL (see below for details).
LINK+ Renewals
LINK+ books will be automatically renewed once, for an additional 3 weeks, if not in-demand. LINK+ books cannot be renewed via the SFPL automated telephone renewal service. LINK+ books cannot be renewed any sooner than 72 hours prior to the due date. Overdue items might not be eligible for a renewal.
InterLibrary Loan Renewals
InterLibrary Loan (ILL) items may be eligible for one renewal, for an additional 3 weeks. Only ILL staff can renew items; contact the department directly at 415-557-4406 to request a renewal. Items that are non-renewable are identified on the information band. Overdue ILL items are not eligible for renewal.
