Curbside Services
While Library buildings are closed, you can still pick up and return Library items at many locations. You can also print up to 10 free black and white pages per day to pick up at our curbside service locations. Learn more about current Library services on our Road to Reopening page.
Curbside Pickup Service Locations and Hours
Curbside Pickup Service is available Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays - noon to 6 p.m. at:
- Central Library
- Ballard Branch
- Beacon Hill Branch
- Broadview Branch
- Douglass-Truth Branch
- Lake City Branch
- Southwest Branch
Curbside Pickup Service is available Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays - noon to 6 p.m. at:
Curbside Pickup Service is available Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays - noon to 6 p.m. at:
Curbside Pickup Service is available Tuesdays and Thursdays - noon to 6 p.m. at:
How do I return my books?
The Library is now accepting returns at 18 Library locations daily. You may drop off your items at any of these locations:
- Central Library
- Ballard Branch
- Beacon Hill Branch
- Broadview Branch
- Columbia Branch
- Douglass-Truth Branch
- Green Lake Branch
- Greenwood Branch
- High Point Branch
- Lake City Branch
- Magnolia Branch
- Northeast Branch
- Northgate Branch
- Queen Anne Branch
- Rainier Beach Branch
- South Park Branch
- Southwest Branch
- West Seattle Branch
How to Pick up Your Holds
We will notify you when your holds are ready to be picked up. Visit our Notifications page to learn how to choose email, phone or text notifications.
When you arrive to pick up your items, look for signs directing you to a curbside pickup table. The table may be outside the building or in the foyer, depending on the branch. At busy times, you may need to wait in line for up to 30 minutes. Please wear a mask and stay six feet from others while waiting.
No appointment is needed to pick up your holds. Just stop by anytime during curbside pickup hours at one of our curbside service locations.
If you are unable to stand in line or need help picking up your items, please call the number found on signs at the branch to let staff know you have arrived. We can bring you items to your vehicle or another nearby location
Curbside Printing
We are offering up to 10 free, black and white printed pages per person per day while Library buildings are closed. At this time we cannot offer color printing or print more than 10 pages a day.
Send your document using a web browser or email and pick up at one of our curbside printing pickup locations.
Curbside Printing Pickup Service is available daily Tuesday - Saturday - noon to 6 p.m. at:
- Central Library
- Ballard Branch
- Beacon Hill Branch
- Broadview Branch
- Douglass-Truth Branch
- Lake City Branch
- Southwest Branch
Curbside Printing Pickup Service is available Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays - noon to 6 p.m. at:
Curbside Printing Pickup Service is available Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays - noon to 6 p.m. at:
Curbside Pickup Service is available Tuesdays and Thursdays - noon to 6 p.m. at:
Peak Picks for Curbside Pickup
All curbside pickup locations have a selection of Peak Picks titles available on a first come, first served basis. You can choose any title shown on the daily menu to check out for two weeks. Peak Picks are best-sellers and popular titles available with no holds and no wait, and are available to check out during curbside pickup hours with no appointment needed.
Grab & Go Books
Our staff has selected books by genre for you to take home without needing to place a hold. Stop by any curbside pickup location and request Grab & Go fiction, science fiction, fantasy or thriller books. We also have books for teens and young readers, and board books for babies. Selection varies by location.
Common Questions about our Curbside Service
What are the safety precautions the Library is taking to prevent the spread of COVID-19 while providing curbside service?
Our curbside operations adhere to the Governor's requirements for libraries, as well as recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Public Health – Seattle & King County, and the REALM project.
Our Curbside Library services are designed to ensure a completely contactless checkout process and at least 6 feet of social distancing between staff and patrons at all times. Library staff are required to wear a mask and gloves at all times when handling materials. Patrons are also asked to wear a mask when using curbside services.
We quarantine all returned Library materials for 72 hours and patrons do not have access to materials for at least five days from their return due to staff processing, shelving and retrieval times.
When preparing materials for checkout, Library staff follow strict safety protocols to minimize the likelihood of introducing the virus to materials that will be checked out to patrons. Staff go through a daily health screening process before entering the building to work, and they are trained in best hygiene practices to ensure they are using masks and gloves properly.
If I signed up for a new e-card during the Library’s closure can I place holds on new materials?
Yes. If you registered for a new Library account during our closure, you can use this account to place holds on physical materials.
How can I get assistance with placing holds?
Call our Quick Information department at 206-386-4636 or contact us to request assistance with placing holds.
Why are some branches selected for Curbside Pickup Service while others are not?
In selecting locations for Curbside Pickup Service, we were sure to open a curbside library in each region of the city that is accessible by car, bus or on foot. Not every Library branch is a curbside branch due to safety concerns and staffing. Some branches are not large enough to safely allow staff to co-work at this time of required social distancing; others are not well-configured to do the work that needs to occur to make Curbside Pickup Service a reality. The Library continues to evaluate and expand curbside services.
Why are some Curbside Pickup locations outside of buildings and some are inside?
As the Library prepares to offer limited in-building services under the governor's new guidelines, many curbside locations have been established inside lobby spaces. These in-building setups allow for better efficiency in accessing and delivering Library materials to curbside patrons, they help staff and patrons stay warm and dry as we move into winter, and they enable the Library to identify any safety or operational concerns with in-building services on a limited trial basis.
For our indoor curbside locations, the Library has implemented several safety precautions including physical distancing markers, a limit on the number of patrons allowed inside, plexiglass barriers between Library staff and patrons, and the same contactless checkout experience as our outdoor locations.