The ReciproCard Report: California
Overview
California runs on agreements, and there are a lot of them.
California has 68 separate Libby catalogs, which means 68 different collections of books sitting in the same state. Libraries here have struck reciprocal agreements with each other so their cardholders can cross over, and I've confirmed 3,795 new card opportunities as a result.
Libraries and Libby Participation
Library systems: 193
On Libby: 173 (89.6%)
Not on Libby: 20
The ones not on Libby: Bernard E. Witkin Alameda County Law Library, Calabasas City Library, Cerritos Public Library, Corona Public Library, Downey City Library, Glendale Library, Arts & Culture, Hemet Public Library, Los Gatos Library, Murrieta Public Library, Ontario City Library, Palmdale City Library, Pomona Public Library, plus 8 more. ReciproCard only tracks Libby, so I can't say what those libraries use instead.
Not every library system uses Libby. Some offer digital borrowing through other services, and a few haven't adopted a digital platform yet. This report only covers libraries that are on Libby.
Unique Catalogs
California has 68 different shared digital catalogs. Every one you can reach through a partnership, an agreement, or a non-resident card is a different library of books on Libby. The collections really do differ from one system to the next, so every new card here is a real upgrade.
A shared digital catalog, sometimes called a consortium, is a collection of ebooks and audiobooks that multiple library systems fund and share together. Each catalog listed below is a separate collection. Libraries that belong to the same one are all drawing from the same pool of books.
Ten Largest Catalogs
| Catalog | Library systems |
|---|---|
| NorthNet Library System | 26 |
| Southern California Digital Library | 24 |
| Northern California Digital Library | 18 |
| Serra Cooperative Library System | 10 |
| Peninsula Library System | 8 |
| MARINet | 7 |
| Black Gold Cooperative Library System | 5 |
| Sonoma County Library | 4 |
| Beverly Hills Public Library | 2 |
| Pasadena Public Library | 2 |
Plus 58 more, 49 of which serve a single library.
A shared catalog is what happens when a group of libraries pool their money and buy one collection together. ReciproCard hides libraries that share a catalog you already have, because a second card for the same collection just shows you the same books twice. Everything counted below is a collection you don't already have.
New Card Opportunities
New card opportunities: 3,795
Through agreements: 3,543
Through Libby Partners: 252
Every one of California's 173 Libby libraries has at least one new card opportunity attached to it.
A new card opportunity is any time a library system's cardholders can access a Libby catalog they don't already have, as identified by ReciproCard. These come from Libby partnerships (where your existing card works at another library's catalog), reciprocal agreements (where you apply for a free card at another system), and statewide programs (where a library is open to all residents regardless of location). ReciproCard filters out duplicate catalogs, so each opportunity listed here represents access to a genuinely different collection. Keep in mind that ReciproCard only tracks agreements that include Libby access. Many libraries have reciprocity for physical books but not Libby, and those aren't counted here.
The partner ones are the easy wins, since your current card already works on them. Chase those first, then work on the rest.
Open to everyone in the state
23 libraries in California will give a card to any resident of the state, not just people in their own town or county. 0 let you apply online and 23 want you to come in.
It's easy to miss, because you'd assume an agreement only covers the next county over. In California a lot of these reach the whole state.
How California Compares
- 16th of 51 for number of library systems (193).
- 1st of 51 for separate Libby catalogs (68).
- 3rd of 51 for new card opportunities (3,795).
- 6th of 51 for opportunities through Libby Partners (252).
- Largest catalog: NorthNet Library System (26 libraries).
Explore Other States
Haven't Searched Your Own Library Yet?
This report gives you the statewide picture, but your results depend on your local system. If you haven't already, enter your home library system in the search above to see what cards you might be eligible for.