The ReciproCard Report: Maryland
Overview
Maryland runs on agreements, and there are a lot of them.
Maryland has 4 separate Libby catalogs, which means 4 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 105 new card opportunities as a result.
Libraries and Libby Participation
Library systems: 25
On Libby: 24 (96.0%)
Not on Libby: 1
The ones not on Libby: Takoma Park Maryland Library. 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
Maryland has just a handful of shared digital catalogs, 4 in total. Most libraries are grouped into a small number of collections, so a second card from the same group won't add anything. But there are a few other catalogs here, and reaching one of them means a genuinely fresh set of books.
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.
Catalogs
| Catalog | Library systems |
|---|---|
| Maryland's Digital Library | 21 |
| Baltimore County Public Library | 1 |
| Montgomery County Public Libraries | 1 |
| PRINCE GEORGE`S COUNTY MEMORIAL LIBRARY SYSTE | 1 |
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: 105
Through agreements: 105
Every one of Maryland's 24 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.
Open to everyone in the state
25 libraries in Maryland will give a card to any resident of the state, not just people in their own town or county. 6 let you apply online and 19 want you to come in.
It's easy to miss, because you'd assume an agreement only covers the next county over. In Maryland a lot of these reach the whole state.
Across State Lines
Agreements don't always stop at the border. Maryland reaches into Virginia (35), Washington, D.C. (2), 37 agreements in total.
A card from across the border is a completely separate collection with its own copies and its own hold lines, so if you live anywhere near the state line this is worth a look.
How Maryland Compares
- 46th of 51 for number of library systems (25).
- Tied for 34th of 51 for separate Libby catalogs (4).
- 20th of 51 for new card opportunities (105).
- Largest catalog: Maryland's Digital Library (21 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.