Interlibrary Loan is a service through which you may obtain items that are not found in the Red Deer Public Library collection. Interlibrary loan staff will search other libraries across the province and beyond for the materials that you need, and have the items sent to Red Deer Public Library for you to pick up and use!

You can place holds online, by phone, or in person at any library branch.

When using your online account, you can place holds on items you want to borrow from search results, or from a title’s details page. If you want to pick up the item at a specific location, you can see which branches currently have the item, as well as the circulation status of all available copies.

To place a hold from search results

1. Log in to your account.
2. Enter some keywords and run your search.
3. Find the title you want.
4. Titles with at least one copy in the library show Available. To see the current status of all copies of the item, click the availability details link.
5. Click the Place a Hold button.
6. In the Place a Hold popup, select the branch where you’d like to pick up the title. The default location is your home branch, or the one you specified on your Preferences page as your preferred location. (If your library has only one location, or you’ve enabled single-click holds, you won’t see this option.)
7. Click the Confirm Hold button.

To place a hold from a title’s details page

1. Log in to your account.
2. Find the title you’d like to place a hold on by searching or browsing the catalog. Go to its details page by clicking its title.
3. The details page shows all the formats of the title held by the library. To see the location and current status of each available copy of your selected format, click the Availability by Location link.
4. Click the Place a Hold button.
5. Select the branch where you’d like to pick up the title. The default location is your home branch, or the one you specified on your Preferences page as your preferred location. (If your library has only one location, you won’t see this option.)
6. Click the Confirm Hold button.

Your requested title will now appear on your On Hold page.

If you add your email address to your account you will receive email notifications of items ready for pick up, a reminder 2 days prior to the item due dates as well as any notices for overdue materials or lost/damaged items.  If you prefer to not use an email address you will be phoned when items are ready for pick up and sent a standard letter for overdue or lost/damaged items.

*Please note that the 2 day due date reminders are only available through email.

When placing a hold online, by phone, or in person, you can choose the pickup location that best suits your needs, and this is where your items will be sent for pick up.

If you are placing your holds online, the default location is your home branch, or the one you specified on your Preferences page as your preferred location. You can change your home location at any time, or select another branch from the dropdown menu when placing your hold.

• Most library items, including books, magazines, CDs, audiobooks, games & toys, etc. - 21 days
• "Hot Picks" items (in-demand books and movies labelled as Hot Picks) - 7 days (no renewals)
• DVDs and Video Games - 14 days
• eBooks - You can choose a loan period of either 7, 14, or 21 days. You can also specify your preferred loan period. Digital items will be automatically returned at the end of the loan period (unless you renew the item, if no one else is waiting!). You can also return your digital items early, opens a new window, which your fellow readers very much appreciate!
• Adult Literacy Collection (adult literacy tutors and students only) – 60 days
• The Great Courses - 6 weeks
• Interlibrary Loans (items borrowed from another library) - 4 weeks (no renewals)

To access your online account, where you can place holds, renew items, view your checkouts and due dates, rate and review items, and more, click Log In / My RDPL in the top right corner of the screen. Enter your barcode and PIN or password (see below for details). If you haven’t registered before, you’ll be taken to the registration page. Registration is a one-time process that allows you to create an easy-to-remember login name, or username, that you can use instead of your barcode to check your account.

Barcode. Your barcode is located on the back of your library card. If you registered for a card online, your barcode number will come in an email from the library. This is only your temporary barcode number -- when you stop in to upgrade to a full membership, your new barcode number will be located on the back of your physical card. When entering your barcode number to access your account or any online resources, be sure to enter all fourteen numbers and no spaces. 

Pin. By default, we set your PIN to the last four digits of your phone number. If that doesn't work, call us at 403-346-4576, send us an email to inquiries@rdpl.org, or visit us in person and we'll look it up for you!

Library cards are free for Red Deer residents! With a library membership, you have access to a world of books, magazines, newspapers, CDs, movies, eBooks, toys & games, online databases, public computers, RDPL programs and services, and more that is yours to discover!

To apply for a library card or renew an existing card:

• Gather Necessary Identification. Make sure that you have the necessary identification to apply for a library card. This must include one piece of picture ID or two other pieces of other ID. One piece of ID must show your current City of Red Deer address (driver’s license, tax receipt, utility bill, etc.).
• Visit a Library Branch in Person. Find out which library branch is closest to you by checking our Hours & Locations, opens a new window page. Please note that the Collicutt Branch is primarily a self-serve branch, which means that library staff are typically not on site to do library card registrations. Visit the Downtown, Dawe, or Timberlands location to sign up for your library card.

You may also need to pay the annual membership fee (for non-residents only) and any outstanding debts. 

Adult memberships will be valid for three years. Memberships for children and teens will be valid until their 18th birthday. 

RDPL membership cards may be used at all branches and online to access our digital resources. Please note: if you live outside of Red Deer, you won't be able to access many of our digital resources, including eBooks and eAudiobooks. Please contact Parkland Regional Library at LibraryServices@prl.ab.ca to find out what your regional library has to offer!

Looking for digital content? You can register online for a temporary digital card, opens a new window, which will be valid for 30 days. You will need to stop by in person with ID (as outlined above) within 30 days in order to validate your account and receive your full permanent card.

Interlibrary loan requests are accepted from all customers whose home library is Red Deer Public Library and whose card is in good standing. ME Card, TAL Card, and E-card users are not eligible for Interlibrary Loans.

Please note that this does not mean that we will be able to bring in every item that you request, but we will do our best! 

You will be notified by email or phone when your item is ready for pickup. We do encourage you to sign up for email notifications, as doing so will also provide you with notifications when items are coming close to their due dates and when items are 14 days overdue, so receiving notices via email can help to ensure that your items are returned or renewed on time! You can sign up for email notifications by registering for an online account with your preferred email address, or contacting us by phone or in person to add an email address to your account.