Zip Books

About the Program

The Zip Books program provides library users with speedy access to books that are not available at their local libraries. A patron simply requests the item, the library purchases it from Amazon, and the book is shipped directly to the patron’s home. When finished, the patron returns it to the library, and the library adds it to the collection. Because Zip Books is a user-driven program, the library collection becomes more closely matched to the needs of the local community.

Zip Books began as a pilot project in 2011, funded by an LSTA grant from the California State Library. The program has proved to be extremely popular with libraries and library users throughout the state and has grown substantially over the past decade. In 2023-24, the number of participating libraries increased further to include 99 library jurisdictions.

Participating Libraries

  • Alpine County Library/Archives
  • Amador County Library
  • Azusa City Library
  • Banning Library District
  • Beaumont Library District
  • Belvedere-Tiburon Library
  • Benicia Public Library
  • Blanchard/Santa Paula Public Library District
  • Brawley Public Library
  • Buena Park Library District
  • Butte County Library
  • Calabasas City Library
  • Calaveras County Library
  • Camarena Memorial Public Library
  • Camarillo Public Library
  • Carpinteria Community Library
  • City Of Commerce Public Library
  • Colusa County Free Library
  • Corona Public Library
  • Covina Public Library
  • Del Norte County Library District
  • El Centro Public Library
  • Folsom Public Library
  • Goleta Valley Library
  • Hayward Public Library
  • Hemet Public Library
  • Humboldt County Library
  • Huntington Beach Public Library
  • Imperial County Library
  • Imperial Public Library
  • Inyo County Free Library
  • Kings County Library
  • Lake County Library
  • Lassen Library District
  • Lincoln Public Library
  • Lompoc Public Library
  • Long Beach Public Library
  • Loomis Library & Community Learning Center
  • Los Gatos Library
  • Madera County Library
  • Mendocino County Library
  • Merced County Library
  • Mill Valley Public Library
  • Modoc County Library
  • Mono County Free Library
  • Monterey County Free Libraries
  • Monterey Park Bruggemeyer Library
  • Monterey Public Library
  • Moorpark City Library
  • Moreno Valley Public Library
  • Murrieta Public Library
  • Nevada County Library
  • Ontario City Library
  • Orange County Public Libraries
  • Orland Free Library
  • Pacific Grove Public Library
  • Palm Springs Public Library
  • Palo Verde Valley Library District
  • Paso Robles City Library
  • Placentia Library District
  • Plumas County Library
  • Pomona Public Library
  • Rancho Cucamonga Public Library
  • Redwood City Public Library
  • Riverside County Library System
  • Riverside Public Library
  • Roseville Public Library
  • Sacramento Public Library
  • Salinas Public Library
  • San Anselmo Public Library
  • San Benito County Free Library
  • San Luis Obispo City-County Library
  • San Rafael Public Library
  • Santa Ana Public Library
  • Santa Barbara Public Library
  • Santa Fe Springs City Library
  • Santa Maria Public Library
  • Santa Monica Public Library
  • Sausalito Public Library
  • Shafter Library
  • Shasta Public Libraries
  • Simi Valley Public Library
  • Siskiyou County Free Library
  • Stanislaus County Free Library
  • Sutter County Library
  • Tehama County Library
  • Thousand Oaks Library
  • Torrance Public Library
  • Trinity County Free Library
  • Tulare County Free Library
  • Tuolumne County Library
  • Upland Public Library
  • Ventura County Library
  • Victorville City Library
  • Willows Public Library
  • Yolo County Library

Participant Library Expectations

Participating libraries are expected to:

  • Support the program goals and adhere to the project’s policies, procedures, and guidelines as established by the California State Library.
  • Provide statistics to the California State Library throughout the grant period.
  • Complete and submit any requested documents to the California State Library.
  • Regularly monitor program spending to expend grant funds fully. Libraries are asked to only request funds that they will be able to expend fully before June 30, 2023.
  • Maintain records and documents according to the library’s own auditing requirements (receipts do not needed to be submitted but should be available for review if needed).

For questions, email us with “Zip Books” in the subject line of the email. For information about the Zip Books grant, visit our Zip Books grant page.