South Jersey Libraries Unite: Free Borrowing Across 4 Counties

Burlington County Library System (BCLS) has announced it will enter reciprocal borrowing agreements with Camden, Atlantic, and Gloucester counties, effective Jan. 1, 2026. The new arrangement of South Jersey libraries will allow cardholders to borrow materials from all four county systems without waiting for materials via interlibrary loan transfers.

According to a Burlington County news release, the regional partnerships expand access to 40 libraries in Burlington County, eight in Camden County, six in Gloucester County, and 11 in Atlantic County. Additionally, BCLS will allow its cardholders to borrow from 22 Ocean County libraries under a separate agreement, broadening access beyond the four-county network.

“We believe this exciting new regional partnership with our neighboring library systems will encourage residents in all four counties to sign up for a library card and take advantage of the services all our libraries offer,” said BCLS Director Ranjna Das in a media statement. “Burlington County is the largest county in New Jersey, and many of our residents live close to the border or work in the other counties. Reciprocal borrowing is a way to enhance BCLS cardholders' access and make it easy for them to borrow materials from locations that are the most convenient for them.”

The reciprocal borrowing agreements do not cover electronic books or other digital, streaming, or online resources available to BCLS cardholders. Cardholders outside Burlington County will also not be permitted to access Wi-Fi hotspots, Chromebooks, museum passes, games, or other technology.

Each borrowing county will enforce its own loan periods, limits, and fines or replacement fees for lost items. BCLS eliminated its overdue fines in July 2024, but borrowers remain responsible for replacement fees for lost or unreturned materials.

According to the media statement, Burlington County and Camden County previously participated in a borrowing agreement in 2024 as part of a pilot program that also included the North Jersey counties of Hunterdon, Somerset, Sussex, and Warren. 

More information about BCLS resources is available on the BCLS website.