To activate your online library account, follow these steps:
1. Go to mysapl.org.
2. Select Account.
3. At Log In prompt:

• Enter barcode number from your Library card.
• Enter your staff-created temporary password of sapl followed by your two-digit birth month (01) and day (15), followed by the two-digit year (98). Example: sapl011598
• Select Log In box, then follow prompts to verify your account information.

4. In the purple box in the upper right corner, click on the down arrow.
5. Select the gear icon or My Settings from the drop-down list.
6. Look under Account Information for Password and click on link to change your account password.
7. Enter temporary password, your new password, and confirm new password.
8. Select Save Password box.

• See our list of new items, what’s coming soon, and search our catalog.
• Access your account to renew items and to place or check the status of your holds. 
• You can leave your physical library card at home and just carry your mobile device. The app provides an image of your library card number with barcode. It can be used to check out items at our Library locations.

You may have up to 50 physical items checked out at any one time with the following item type maximums:

• DVDs or Blu-Rays combined total of 25 per card
• Express DVDs or Blu-Rays combined total of 10 per card
• Vinyl Records 10 per card
• Interlibrary Loans 10 per card

You may also have 25 digital items checked out at any one time.

You can check out Library items for three weeks. The only exceptions are Express Collection DVDs and Blu-Rays, which can be checked out for seven days. Books, audiobooks, DVDs, Blu-Rays, CDs, vinyl records, and magazines renew automatically for five additional loan periods with the following exceptions:

• Express Collection (popular books and media)
• Items requested by someone else 
• Interlibrary Loan (ILL) items
• Digital items

If you would like to manage your renewals, visit mysapl.org, use the mySAPL app, or call any Library location. Please have your Library card number handy.

All Library materials (except for vinyl records) may be returned to any Library book drop.

Is the item you want already checked out or not available at your Library location? You can request the item by placing a hold on it. When it’s available, we’ll send it to the Library location of your choice.

You can have up to 50 physical items plus 20 digital items on hold. Holds can be placed over the phone, online, in person, or via the mySAPL app. We’ll contact you when your holds are ready. Is the item you want not in our Library collection? We can help you with borrowing options from libraries outside San Antonio with the TexShare or Interlibrary Loan programs.

Can’t find it? Lost items will be charged the replacement cost of the item, plus a $5.00 processing fee. Damaged items may be charged the replacement cost, plus a $5.00 processing fee. For information on providing an exact replacement for a lost or damaged item, please call or visit a Library location.

If your account reaches a balance of $60.00 or more with no payment activity in 60 days, Unique Management Services may contact you to request the return of the overdue items or payment of the balance owed. San Antonio Public Library offers payment plans as an option. If you owe $50.00 or more, you won’t be able to check out or renew physical items until you begin paying on your balance, but you can still check out digital items, such as eBooks, eAudiobooks, eMagazines, and streaming video.

Download the Welcome Guide and the locations map below.