Catalog, Website, and App FAQs

  • General Questions

    Here are some strategies for searching for eBooks and eAudiobooks in our catalog.

    Basic Search

    Enter your search term along with the name of your preferred service (Libby, Freading, or Hoopla) in the search bar, then click the magnifying glass icon (blue background with white outline).

    Here is a sample result. Clicking the link indicated by red arrow in the screenshot below takes you to the vendor's website where you can download the title.

    Direct Search Through the Vendor

    If you prefer to use a particular service (Libby, Freading, or Hoopla), you may want to search directly through that service. For direct links to our eBook and eAudiobook services, please visit our Stream & Download page.

    Questions?

    Please contact our Virtual Information Center by phone at 513-369-6900. Our staff will be happy to assist you.

    We work with many third-party vendors to provide library services. BiblioCommons is a library software company who follows best practices for library confidentiality and privacy. Your borrowing information is not stored in this system. Any information related to your account is kept confidential and cannot be used for purposes other than providing library services.

    We are only actively maintaining our main website, but if you decide not to register an account on the new site at this time, you can still access your account information in the Classic Catalog.

    Our new website is built on a new platform. In order to take full advantage of everything the site can do, all library accounts need a unique username.

    An easy-to-remember username gives you quick access to your account if your library card isn’t handy. After you register, you can log in with either your username or your library card number/PIN, whichever you prefer.

    You can renew your checked out items from the Library Dashboard page when you are logged into your library account.

    Once you are logged in, click/touch the blue button located at the top right corner. It should now display your username indicating that you are logged in. Choose "Checked Out" from the drop down menu.

    You can now see all your checked out items and choose which to renew.

    Items can also be renewed by phone or in person. Titles may not be renewed if they are on hold for another customer.* Loan periods for special items may vary. Please refer to our Circulation Policy for additional information.

    *All library items are eligible for a courtesy extension near the end of their first loan period, regardless of whether or not another customer has a hold on the item. Once the courtesy extension has taken place, eligible items are automatically renewed up the maximum number of renewals (eight for most items). Please note: There are a few instances when items are not automatically renewed, including the following:

    • There are holds on the item*
    • There are over $10 in fees on the library account
    • The item has reached the maximum number of renewals
    • The item is an eBook, eAudiobook, or eVideo
    • The library card has expired
    • The library account has been turned over to the materials collection service

    SearchOhio items can be renewed as long as there are no holds on the item. If there are no holds, SearchOhio print and media can be renewed up to three times. If there are no holds, Print OhioLINK titles can be renewed up to six times and OhioLink media can be renewed up to three times.

    Creating your online account is a simple process that takes just a few minutes.

    Start here by entering your 14-digit library card number and PIN. You will be prompted to go through a few steps.

    Customers older than 13 are required to create a unique username. You can always change this username later, or opt to continue logging in with your library card number and PIN.

    After you set up your account, we recommend that you go into My Settings and specify your preferred pickup location where you would like to pick up your holds. If you always pick up from the same place, you can turn on single-click holds to easily request books with just one click.

    If you want to track your Borrowing History, you can opt into that feature as well.

    Find more information about online accounts here.

    The new catalog has some great social features for people who want to connect with other readers. However, not everyone wants to participate and some people would rather keep their reading activities private.

    The good news is that you have control over what gets shared with other people.

    To change your privacy settings:

    • Log in to your account.  
    • Click the dropdown arrow to the right of your name.
    • Click "My Settings" to make your changes.

    Once you have selected "My Settings," scroll down to the "Privacy" section. You now have two options. Click "Change" under "My Shelves" and/or "My Feeds" and choose what you would like to keep private. Check all boxes if you want to keep everything private for your account.

    In both cases, make your selection then click "Save Changes."

    These settings can be changed at any time.

    For users in the United States, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act requires websites that collect personal information from children to obtain parental consent. For this reason, children under 13 are not allowed to display their real names, nor can they type their own usernames, enter comments, or add other kinds of content that require typing, since these could be used inappropriately. To generate a username, a child can select a combination of colors and animal names.

    If you are able to log in to your library account you can change your Password/PIN from your "Library Dashboard." From the dashboard, click or touch the "Settings" icon (it looks like a gear cog).

    If you are not able to log in to your Library account you can reset your Password/PIN online as long as there is a valid email address in your Library account. To reset online:

    1. Click "Log In/My CHPL" button located in the top right-hand corner of any page of chpl.org.
    2. Click the "Log In/Register" button.
    3. A login page will appear. Click the "Forgot your Password/PIN" link and follow the prompts.

    Library cardholders will be prompted to enable Borrowing History after completing the registration process on CHPL.org. Here's how to enable or disable Borrowing History:

    1. Log in to your account.
    2. Click My Settings.
    3. On the My Settings page, look for the Privacy section.
    4. Click on Borrowing History to enable or disable Borrowing History on CHPL.org.

    Learn more about your privacy settings on CHPL.org: Privacy Settings – Catalog and Account Help

    You may opt out of storing your Borrowing History at any time, but if you choose to reactivate it, you will only see titles borrowed from that point forward.

    Libraries in Kenton County, Columbus, Dayton, Toledo, and beyond use the BiblioCommons library catalog as well, so we understand how customers of more than one library would appreciate the convenience in a single username. However, at the present time, usernames are unique across all BiblioCommons libraries and cannot be linked between the different library systems that you may visit, because they're exclusively tied to the member accounts you have with those libraries.

  • Library Mobile App

    Yes! Starting July 11, 2023, app now includes a self-checkout feature. Tap the shopping cart button in the upper right corner of the app and follow the onscreen instructions to scan the item’s barcode.

    At the present time, only CHPL-owned items may be checked out through the app. Items requested through Search Ohio & Ohio Link must be borrowed through one of the Library’s self-checkout machines.

    Online resource and research database access is not a feature of CHPL's mobile app.

    To access these resources, visit https://chpl.org/online-resources/ on your web browser.

    The Library's app was built specifically for iPhone (iOS 11 and above) and Android devices (7.0 Nougat and above.)

    The app is not currently designed to support iPads. We regularly monitor device usage and may revisit support at a future point. Instead, we suggest visiting our website, CHPL.org, through your iPad's web browser.

    If you still prefer to use the Library's app on your iPad, you may do so through the iPad's compatibility mode. Compatibility mode mimics the iPhone app experience on the iPad by stretching the screen to 1x or 2x the size of the iPhone screen. Running the app through compatibility mode means that you might experience some issues that we are not able to actively support, which include layout, scanner, and other related issues.

    Due to the variety of different mobile devices, users interested in using the app’s self checkout feature may need to exercise some trial and error to determine the necessary distance and focus required for scanning items when checking them out on their device. Library staff member are available at all library locations for assistance.

    After downloading the app, open the app for the first time. The first time you use the app, you will be be asked to enter your library login and password.

    To log in to the app, you must first create an account on our website, CincinnatiLibrary.org. To do so, click "Log In/My CHPL" in the upper right corner of any page on the website.

    Once you are logged in to the app, you will be able to see the status of your checkouts, your holds, any fees, and other account information.

    No, our new app is not currently available on Kindle devices. To access your account information on a Kindle, visit CincinnatiLibrary.org in a browser then click "Log in/My CHPL" in the top right corner of any page.

    It is also possible to borrow library books, magazines, and other digital items on your Kindle using our vendors' apps. These apps include the Overdrive app, opens a new window to access library eBooks.

    If you have further questions about accessing library books on your Kindle, please contact us 24 hours a day.

    The Library debuted a new and improved app for iOS and Android devices in December 2020. This app is a big upgrade that better helps you connect to your account information, including current checkouts, holds, and more. There is even a digital version of your library card within the app!

    Our old app, which was originally created in 2015, is no longer updated by our staff, therefore we encourage you to remove it from your device. We are always interested in hearing your ideas for features and improvements. Please let us know what you think about our app.

    The Library debuted a new and improved app for mobile devices in December 2020.

    Visit our app page for download links for information about the app's features.

    The first time you use the app, you will be be asked to enter your library login and password. (To log in to the app, you must first create an account on our website, CincinnatiLibrary.org. To do so, click "Log In/My CHPL" in the upper right corner of any page on the website.)

    Once you are logged in to the app, you will be able to see the status of your checkouts, your holds, any fees, and other account information.

    Yes! Starting July 11, 2023, you can access the multi-accounts feature in the app to add a card belonging to your child, partner, other family member, or in the case of Educators, your personal library card. Click on the library card icon on the top right corner of the app’s screen and follow the prompt to Add a card.

  • Features From the Old Website

    We are! Our new app is currently under development. More details, including features and a release date, are to come. 

    Our classic catalog is still accessible indefinitely at Classic.CincinnatiLibrary.org. (Please note there’s no WWW in the address.)

    This feature is not currently available on our new website.

    In the meantime, you can select all the items on your first page by clicking Select 1-25 and clicking Renew. If you have more than 25 items checked out, please go to the second page of items and repeat the process. 

    If you're looking for direct access to the Library's digital providers, please visit our eBranch page, now renamed Stream & Download. There, you'll find links to your favorite digital provider (like Overdrive, Hoopla, and Freading)!

    You can find the link to Stream and Download under the 'Browse' heading in our navigation.

    You should know that our new catalog combines our digital and physical collections. We recommend filtering your catalog search by digital platform, a great benefit of our new catalog!

    We have discontinued this section of the website due to low usage.

    For research support from our staff, please call our Virtual Information Center at 513-369-6900 or contact us online.

    The titles you saved were not lost. You can import all the items from your wish list onto your "For Later" shelf.

    Log in, go to your For Later shelf, and then click the Import button to import your wish lists from the old catalog. This is a one-time process, and then you can move items to other shelves or lists as needed. 

  • Can't Find in the Catalog

    You can track the progress of your suggestion by logging into your Library account and selecting the “View My Suggestions” link in your dashboard. You can see a history of suggestions you've submitted as well as the status of each suggestion. Once the title has been added to our collection, you can place it on hold.

    Here is a direct link to suggest a title for purchase. You must be logged in to request a title.

    Please check the Library catalog before suggesting a title for purchase.

    If your catalog search yields no results

    If you have searched for the title and there are no results, you will see a screen that looks like this:

    Click the "Suggest a title for purchase" link under the heading "Library Services." You must be logged in to make your suggestion.

    If your search yields results, but not the results you are looking for

    If you have searched for the title and there are results, but the results do not include the title you had in mind, scroll to the bottom of the page. Then, click the graphic that looks like a flashlight next to the text "Didn't find what you're looking for?".

    The menu will unfurl. Then, click the "Suggest a title for purchase" link under the heading "Library Services." You must be logged in to make your suggestion.

    Suggestion Status

    To review the status of your suggested purchase:
     
    1. Log in to your account.
    2. Select the dropdown menu by your username.
    3. Select "My Settings", then select "Suggested Purchases".

    Other notes

    We currently allow 30 purchase suggestions per month per user.

    Please be aware that we generally do not order items for our collection more than two months ahead of publication date. Priority is given to suggestions that are currently, or soon to be, published.

    Updated 5/27/21

    You can suggest up to 30 titles per month.  

    Can't find something in our collection? Or maybe you're looking for an item but all our copies are checked out? Through SearchOhio and OhioLINK you can now borrow material from the collections of over 140 Ohio public and academic libraries. These services are free, fast, and easy to use.

    About SearchOhio and OhioLINK

    SearchOhio, opens a new window is a group of Ohio public libraries. OhioLINK, opens a new window is a group of Ohio's college and university libraries and the State Library of Ohio. The OhioLINK catalog has an academic focus.

    How it works

    SearchOhio and OhioLINK are both free and can be used with a valid library card in good standing. If we don't have the title you're looking for, click the SearchOhio and OhioLINK buttons in the catalog search results. If another library owns the title, select the "Request Item" button and follow the prompts. 

    What type of material can be borrowed

    You can request books, audiobooks, CDs, and DVDs.

    Request process time

    Items are usually available within three to five business days. Items requested on weekends take five to seven days. You are notified via your preferred method (email, phone, or text message) when the item is ready to be picked up.

    Loan periods

    SearchOhio and OhioLINK print items can be borrowed for 21 days. SearchOhio and OhioLINK DVDs can be borrowed for seven days. SearchOhio audiobooks and CDs can be borrowed for 21 days. OhioLINK audiobooks and CDs can be borrowed for seven days.

    Renewing items

    Titles can be renewed as long as there aren't any holds on them. If there are no holds, SearchOhio print and media can be renewed up to three times. If there are no holds, OhioLINK print items can be renewed up to six times and media up to 3 times.

    Returning SearchOhio or OhioLINK items

    Materials can be returned to any of our branches or the Downtown Main Library. Our staff take care of returning the items to the owning library system.

    Overdue fines

    CHPL is now late fine-free. Read more in our FAQ answer.

    A replacement fee of $25 is billed for any SearchOhio item that isn't returned within 30 days of the due date. A replacement fee of $125 is billed for any OhioLINK item that isn't returned within 30 days of the due date.

    SearchOhio or OhioLINK requests won't be processed if:

    • You have over $10 in fines on your library card or you have a temporary library card
    • The title you are searching for is currently available at one of our branches
    • All copies in the SearchOhio or OhioLINK catalogs are checked out, or on hold for other customers

    SearchOhio and OhioLINK are not available to a small number of customers with particular card types.

    Questions or problems?

    Ask a Librarian in the Library's Virtual Information Center by phone, 513-369-6900, text, or email.

    Note: The OverDrive app will be phased out in early 2023. Switch to the new app, Libby.

    • Log in to OverDrive with your library card number.
    • You can expand your searches of the collection to include titles that aren't owned by the Library.
      • Titles that aren't in our digital collection have a "not owned" banner. Click the "Recommend" link for the title you want to recommend.
    • Choose to be placed on the hold list or notified if the Library purchases the title.
    • Click "Recommend" to complete the recommendation.

    If you don't see the title you are looking for, it may not available for us to purchase as an eBook.

    Availability of eBooks to libraries varies from publisher to publisher and title to title. An eBook that is available for the general public to purchase may not be available to libraries.