Program Description
Library Services to the Public
MCPL consists of library sites including the Noyes Library for Young Children, the Montgomery County Correctional Facility Library, and the Collection Management Center.
Library services are available to all County residents, Maryland residents, and those working or attending school in Montgomery County, free of charge. Library customers use MCPL services including information services for children and adults delivered in person, over the telephone, and outside the walls; a Public Access Catalog for access to indices and full text materials; downloadable content and streaming services; automated renewal, online catalog, and customer account access hours, days a week); programming for children, teens, seniors, and adults; technologies such as Launchpads, wireless hotspots, and in-house laptops; and meeting rooms and collaboration spaces for public use. MCPL is a fine free library system.
The Collection Development Unit provides for the selection, acquisition, cataloging, processing, and delivery of library content and materials, including electronic resources, ebooks, eaudiobooks, and streaming services. It is responsible for planning and inclusion of new formats and the evaluation of collections in relation to community information needs. Collections are purchased for English learners, as well as collections in world languages.
The materials delivery service delivers new materials, customer requested items, and returned materials among MCPL branches.
The Cataloging and Processing Unit prepares all library materials for use in the branches.
The inter-library loan service provides opportunities for Montgomery County cardholders to use materials from public library systems throughout Maryland, from out-of-state public libraries, and from academic and special libraries throughout the world.