Borrowing & Requesting Library Materials
Library Card Renewals
California State Library borrower cards expire every two years.
Need to renew your card? Email us at cslinfo@library.ca.gov.
Borrowing Library Material
California State employees who have an active California State Library card may borrow most materials directly from the California State Library.
The public can borrow California State Library material through the interlibrary loan program. Please contact your local public, academic, or workplace library to request an interlibrary loan.
Braille and Talking Books
Braille and audio books via download and on flash-memory cartridges, audio and braille magazines, descriptive DVDs, playback equipment and accessories are available for FREE loan to Californians unable to read conventional print due to a visual, physical, or perceptual reading disability.
- In Northern California, contact the Braille and Talking Book Library.
- In the City of San Francisco, contact San Francisco Public Library.
- In Fresno, Tulare, Madera, and Kings Counties, contact Fresno County Public Library.
- In Southern California, contact Braille Institute Library.
For more information about the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) visit loc.gov/nls, or to learn about NLS Network libraries in California, visit: pd.library.ca.gov
Interlibrary Loan
California State employees who have an active California State Library card can request items not available in the California State Library’s collections from other libraries through the Interlibrary Loan service.
Members and staff of the State Legislature and Governor’s Office may contact the California Research Bureau for interlibrary loan assistance.
How to Place an Interlibrary Loan Request
Submit requests online at Ask A Librarian. Fill out one form per request (e.g., if requesting two articles, two separate forms must be submitted).
A maximum of five requests can be placed at a time. Once all five requests have been fulfilled, another five requests can be placed.
Please allow ample time. Obtaining books and articles from other libraries can take from one week (journal article) to a month (book) depending on locating a library that can fill the request.
State Workforce Collection
The California State Library supports the State training community in its efforts to educate and develop the State workforce. We are committed to providing trainers and other workforce leaders with access to an extensive collection of books, videos, civil service exam study guides and other training materials on interviewing skills, supervision, motivation, communication skills, management techniques, teamwork, presentations, and many other workplace topics.
California State Library Resources
- Online Civil Service Exam Preparation
- Journal articles online
- O’Reilly for Higher Education
- Ebook Central
Additional Resources
California Network of Learning Professionals is a supportive alliance of learning professionals collaboratively networking to provide the California state workforce effective and timely learning solutions.
Contact Us
California State Library
Information Services
P.O. Box 942837
Sacramento, CA 94237-0001
(916) 323-9843
cslinfo@library.ca.gov
Ask A Librarian