Get Library Notifications
You can get notices from us by email, text or phone, or sign up for Library Elf to customize your notification schedule. We will notify you about your holds, items that are due or overdue, Library charges, and other account activity.
Account Notifications
Account Email Notifications
If you have an email address linked to your Library card, you will receive these notifications:
- Due date and overdue item notifications
- Holds ready for pickup notifications
- Lost item and billing notifications
- Other important account information
Check your Account Settings to see if you have an email linked to your account or to add an email address. Email services may place email notifications in your spam or junk mail folder. Please make sure your spam or junk mail folder is set to accept messages from notices@spl.org.
Emails are available in multiple languages. Contact us to update your language preference.
SMS Text Notifications
You can also sign up to receive your Library notices by text message. You will also be able to manage your holds and renew items by text.
To sign up for text notices, text SIGNUP to 844-406-2149. You will need your Library barcode and PIN.
It may take a few minutes to receive a confirmation, and you will begin receiving text notices as soon as the day after you sign up. After your account is active you will receive:
- Due date and overdue item notification
- Holds ready for pickup notification
- Lost item and billing notification
You will be able to reply to texts you receive to manage your holds and renew items you have checked out. These are other commands you can send once your account is active:
- HELP Get a list of valid help commands.
- ADDCARD Sign up to receive texts for an additional Library card.
- MYCARDS Get a list of cards registered with your phone.
- DROPCARD Stop receiving texts for a specific Library card.
- SWITCHPHONE Switch text notices to a different phone.
- QUIT Stop receiving texts for a specific Library card.
Phone (TeleCirc) Notifications
Our Telephone Circulation System - or TeleCirc - is available 24 hours a day at 206-386-9015 to help you access your account information. It also sends you telephone messages about overdue items or items placed on hold that are ready for pick up. TeleCirc service is available in English and Spanish.
To sign up, speak to Library staff or call Borrower Services at 206-386-4190. After you sign up, you will receive automated phone calls with information about:
- Overdue item notification
- Holds ready for pickup notification
Email Notification Schedule
| Notice | Schedule |
|---|---|
| First holds pick-up notice | One day after hold is available |
| Holds pickup reminder | Three days before hold expires |
| Due date reminder | Three days before item is due |
| First Overdue notice | Three day overdue |
| Second Overdue notice | 10 days overdue |
| Account suspension | 14 days overdue |
| Final notice before billing | 24 days overdue |
| Lost item billing notice | 31 days overdue |
| $25 balance notice | $25 account balance |
Text Notification Schedule
| Notice | Schedule |
|---|---|
| First holds pick-up notice | One day after hold is available |
| Holds pickup reminder | Three days before hold expires |
| Due date reminder | Three days before item is due |
| First Overdue notice | Three day overdue |
| $25 balance notice | $25 account balance |
Phone (TeleCirc) Notification Schedule
| Notice | Schedule |
|---|---|
| First holds pick-up notice | One day after hold is available |
| Holds pickup reminder | N/A |
| First Overdue notice | Two days overdue |
| Second Overdue notice | Six days overdue |
| Final notice before billing | N/A |
| Lost item billing notice | N/A |
| Collections warning by mail | $25 account balance |
Library Elf
You can choose to get extra reminders for you and your family before an item is due with Library Elf. Library Elf is a tool for keeping track of what's due, overdue and ready for pickup. You can keep track of one or more Library accounts in one place and receive notifications when you want to receive them.
You can sign up with Library Elf to receive overdue and hold notifications.
- Choose your own notification schedule
- Get notifications by email, SMS (text message), iCalendar (to add to your online calendar), and RSS (for feed readers)
- Combine multiple accounts to receive notifications in one place (examples: your Library card, a family member's Library card, a King County Library System card, etc.)
See Library Elf privacy policy and FAQ.
Catalog Notifications
RSS (Really Simple Syndication)
You can receive alerts when new items on your favorite topics or authors become available in our catalog using RSS. Search for an author, subject or keyword in our catalog and select the orange RSS symbol at the top of the results to get the link to copy into your RSS reader.
New Content Notifications
You can sign up to receive weekly emails about new materials added to our catalog. After you log in:
- Click the drop down menu that shows your username and choose My Settings
- In the left column click New Content Notifications
- Check the categories you’re interested in and then click the Update Subscriptions button
Library News and Events Notifications
Email Newsletters
You can sign up to receive Library news and emails on topics that interest you. Use our sign-up form to sign up for our general newsletter. After you receive your confirmation, you can manage your subscriptions to choose which emails you want to receive. We currently offer:
- Library News: A twice-monthly message featuring current Library programs, important updates and featured upcoming events.
- Kids & Families: A monthly selection of programs, events and staff picks for kids and families.
- Authors & Books: A monthly selection of author programs, new releases and staff picks for adults.
Calendar Notifications
Click Subscribe on any calendar page to sign up for updates about new events added to that calendar by email, iCalendar or RSS. For updates on a specific event, select ‘More Event Actions’ at the bottom of the event page to choose email or text notifications.