To update your account with a chosen or preferred name, please contact the library, opens a new window in person, by phone, or online. We will confirm we are updating the correct account by verifying certain information in your profile.
To update your legal name, please bring your updated identification with you to a library location.
The username created for the catalog can be used to log in to the catalog, but will not work for other online resources.
Use your library card barcode number (and password, if necessary) to log in to other online resources brought to you by the library like OverDrive (Libby), online databases, LinkedIn Learning, and the SPPL app.
Use your library card barcode number if logging in to the classic catalog or to pay fees online.
Registration is required to get a new password by email. Register on the new website, opens a new window using your library card number and existing password.
If you are unable to register because you have forgotten or do not already have a password from the library's old system, you can reset your password or establish one using the library's classic catalog, opens a new window. Please note that the “Forgot Your Password” link will only work if the library already has your email address on file.
Once the password has been reset, register on the new system, opens a new window using your library card number and password.
Your account information is private and visible only to you. It is only visible to library staff if you give them permission to log in as you and view it. BiblioCommons, the company that maintains the Saint Paul Public Library's catalog and website, does not store your Checked Out items, On Hold items, or Fees information. BiblioCommons displays this information from the Library's underlying system, which is maintained by Innovative Interfaces, Inc., and is bound by the same kind of agreement. They keep all of your account information confidential.
The Library works with a variety of vendors to provide services to the public. These vendors are bound by agreements with the Saint Paul Public Library which keep your borrowing information confidential. Vendors who work with the Saint Paul Public Library treat your information as the Library would. They do not disclose it or share it, and they will only release it to law enforcement under warrant.
Registration on the new website is required so that you can view and interact with your information in the new catalog. If you create lists, comment on titles, or add things to shelves on the new website, that data is stored by BiblioCommons, but they are bound by our confidentiality agreement with them.
Should you decide not to register on the new site, you will be able to access your account information online, place hold requests, and renew items using the library's "classic" catalog.
More information about confidentiality and your library record, please see:
Visit any library location to update your address or you can use this form to update your account information online.
To place a hold:
Notes:
You can place up to 30 holds on items in the library catalog.
You can have up to 10 active interlibrary loan requests (including items waiting to be picked up).
You can have up to 15 e-books or e-audiobooks on hold at a time.
If you have requested an item but want to delay it, you can pause the hold request on that item.
Pausing a hold request means that your position in the hold queue is skipped over until the hold is resumed. You will stay in the hold queue and not lose your place there while holds are filled for other patrons.
Please note that a hold request cannot be "paused" if:
Holds are held at your pickup location for 1 week.
You’ll receive an email when your hold is ready for pickup. If you haven’t added your email address to your account, you’ll receive notification by phone.
Hold requests cannot be placed for:
Hold requests cannot be placed if:
The Saint Paul Public Library does not keep track of your borrowing history.
Once an item is returned to the library, it is no longer attached to your record.
You can keep track of items you have read, watched, or listened to using your "Completed" Shelf.
More information about using your account's Shelves, opens a new window.
Saint Paul residents can check out a wireless hotspot for free, high-speed internet service.
Read all the details on the Wi-Fi Hotspots page.
Lucky Day book and DVD collections have many of the newest and most popular titles. They are not available for holds, so they are on the shelf waiting for you to check them out.
Lucky Day items should be returned to the library where they were checked out.
Loan periods are 21 days for books, 3 days for DVDs, 14 days for Wi-Fi hotspots.
There is a limit of 2 Lucky Day items per library card.
Lucky Day items cannot be held or renewed.
Most library items can be checked out for 21 days (3 weeks).
Wi-Fi hotspots are checked out for 14 days (2 weeks).
Lucky Day DVDs are checked out for 3 days.
Book Club in a Bag kits are checked out for 6 weeks.
Up to 100 items may be checked out per library card.
Up to 2 Lucky Day items may be checked out per library card,
1 hotspot may be checked out per person.
Up to 15 items may be checked out in OverDrive/Libby. Digital magazines do not count toward your checkout limit.
Most items can be renewed for 3 additional loan periods.
To renew items, log in to your account or call 651-292-6002.
Automatic Renewal
When an item is coming due, we will attempt to renew it automatically three days before its due date.
If your email address is on file, you will receive courtesy notice that will tell you if items have been renewed and the new due date. If items cannot be renewed, the courtesy notice will remind you to return items by their due date.
Exceptions
These items cannot be renewed:
To renew your items:
To renew your items by telephone, call 651-292-6002.
Automatic Renewal
When an item is coming due, we will attempt to renew it automatically three days before its due date.
If your email address is on file, you will receive courtesy notice that will tell you if items have been renewed and the new due date. If items cannot be renewed, the courtesy notice will remind you to return items by their due date.
You can return most items to any Twin Cities metropolitan area public library, opens a new window.
The library will note the return date and send the items back to the Saint Paul Public Library.
When they are received in Saint Paul, we will back-date the check-in to date noted by the other library.
The items will still appear on your card until they are checked in at the Saint Paul Public Library.
Exceptions:
You may return items to any Saint Paul Public Library location. When a library is closed, please return items to after-hours book returns.
Exceptions
You can return most items to any Twin Cities metropolitan area public library. The library will note the return date and send the items back to the Saint Paul Public Library. When they are received in Saint Paul, we will back-date the check-in to date noted by the other library. The items will still appear on your card until they are checked in at the Saint Paul Public Library.
Exceptions:
Go to https://sppl.bibliocommons.com/user/forgot, opens a new window and enter your library card number. A reset link will be emailed to you.
If you get an error message or if you have not yet registered on the library website, please visit https://alpha.stpaul.lib.mn.us/pinreset, opens a new window to set a new password. If the library has your email address on file a reset link will be sent to you.
Once you have set a new password, return to https://sppl.org, opens a new window to log in to the website.
Still can’t log in? Contact the library at 651-266-7000 or stop by any library for assistance.
Your library account PIN (Personal Identification Number) is the same as your password.
Passwords can be made up of letters and/or numbers and must be at least 6 characters long.
Some of our online services, including LinkedIn Learning, refer to your password as a "PIN". The term is being phased out to emphasize that passwords no longer need to be made up of only numbers.
If you don't remember your username:
Log in using your library card number and then go to "My Settings" to see your username.
If you have never set up a username, please visit https://alpha.stpaul.lib.mn.us/pinreset, opens a new window to set a new password. If the library has your email address on file a reset link will be sent to you. Once you have set a new password, return to https://sppl.org to log in to the website.
If you can’t remember your password:
Click the "Forgot your password?" link on the Log In screen. Enter your library card barcode number (not your username) and click "Send". You will get an email with a link in it that will enable you to set a new password.
If you get an error or you have not registered on the website, please visit https://alpha.stpaul.lib.mn.us/pinreset, opens a new window to set a new password. If the library has your email address on file a reset link will be sent to you. Once you have set a new password, return to https://sppl.org to log in to the website.
Still can’t log in? Contact the library at 651-266-7000 or stop by any library for assistance.
To pay your fees online by credit card, log in to your account using the classic catalog, opens a new window.
Payment problems:
If you get the message:
"Online fine payments cannot be processed. Please try again later."
OR
"Fine payment is temporarily unavailable. Please try again or see a staff member for assistance."
This means your record is open in two places and the system is preventing the possibility of duplicate payments. Please try again later or contact library staff for assistance.
You will be charged a fee for replacement of lost or damaged items.
Bills are sent for the replacement cost of items that are long overdue.
The replacement fee is non-refundable. The Saint Paul Public Library does not accept customer-purchased replacements.
The the Saint Paul Public Library does not charge overdue fines.
Replacement fees are charged for items that are long overdue.
Add your email address to your account to receive notifications by email for holds, materials nearing their due date, overdue materials, and lost materials. To add your email address, log in to your account or contact the library for assistance.
If you do not have an email address in your account, we will send you automated phone notifications of holds and overdue materials.
Notices are sent from the email address circulationcenter@ci.stpaul.mn.us. If notices are not arriving in your email inbox, try adding that address to your contacts and/or safe senders list.
Courtesy notices
We email courtesy reminders three days before the due date for all materials. Returning or renewing material by the due date is your responsibility.
Courtesy notices are not a replacement for keeping track of items you have borrowed. You can check your items' due dates and account status by logging in to your account.
Text Message Alerts
You can opt in to get text message alerts in addition to e-mail or telephone notifications.
To change how you are contacted by the library regarding overdue notifications, visit your account settings and click the "Change" link under Contact Preferences.
You can choose to be contacted by email or by telephone. Please note that courtesy reminders of items that are due soon are only sent by email.
You can update your email address by visiting your account settings and clicking the "Change" link under Email Address. To change your telephone number, please contact the library.
You can sign up to receive text message alerts for overdue and held items. You will also receive alerts 3 days before items are due.
To sign up for text message alerts, log in to your account on the classic catalog using your library card number and password. Click the "modify personal information" link, add your mobile phone number and check the "opt in" box.
More information about text message alerts.
If you often search for titles by the same author, or on the same subject, you can save your search and run it again later. This can save you time, especially if you have constructed a complex search strategy.
To save a search:
To run a saved search:
More information about Saving Searches.
Saved Searches in the library catalog are not the same as "preferred searches" from the library's previous catalog system.
If you have preferred searches set up in the classic catalog, you can still run them by logging into your account on the classic catalog, opens a new window and clicking the Preferred Searches link.
If you would like to keep any of your previously-created preferred searches in the new catalog, you can re-create a similar search strategy and save the search. See more information about Saving Searches, opens a new window.
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