Please read the FAQ page about Holds Pickup.

Items are “in-transit” when they have been scanned for transportation from one library location to another. Because of COVID-19 work processes, books are spending more time in-transit than normal.

Because of COVID-19 work processes, it takes extra time for your requested items to reach the hold shelves. We are unable to do shelf-checks at this time. In addition, all returned Library materials must be quarantined for 72 hours.

After thawing your holds, your place in line for each item will fluctuate as other patrons with holds on the same titles thaw or freeze their holds.

You can have 30 physical items on hold, and 10 eCollection items on hold.

Making lists in your account is a great way to keep track of more things you want to read or watch.

Central library holds pickup is in the Auditorium on the 1^st floor - enter from the 10^th street parking lot.

Accessibility pickup is available for patrons with a physical accessibility issue that prevents them from using our normal holds-only service model.

If you are in need of accessibility accommodation, you can schedule your holds pickup by calling the Library at 703-228-5990.

Please park in the surface parking lots. The parking garage is currently closed to the public.

Access to the auditorium will be metered, with patrons lining up at six-foot intervals outside Library entrance closest to the tennis courts / surface parking lot.

Once inside the auditorium, up to four service stations will be available. Library staff will retrieve your holds, check them out to you, and pass them to you with no/limited contact.

Patrons will then exit across the Auditorium, through the doors onto the garden porch and walk down the pathway to the parking lot.

Library bathrooms are closed. Public restrooms are available on the outside of Central Library, facing the Quincy Park baseball field.

When possible, please send one household member to retrieve holds. Bring the associated library card for any holds you are picking up.

You may also use the library app to manage all the accounts from one household, and to access digital library cards for each account.

Your items will remain on the shelf for 5 days.

For holds placed on March 5 or later, you will be able to choose Shirlington or Westover as your pickup location.

If you would like to pick up your items currently on hold at Shirlington or Westover, you can freeze them now in your library account and thaw them after March 5, when those location are available.