Sign up for notifications.

Get notifications from your Pierce County Library via phone, email or text. You can also manage your account, search the catalog and access online resources by downloading the Pierce County Library mobile app.

Email Notices

Sign up to have the Library automatically send you e-mail notices that will tell you:

  • Your books and other items you’ve reserved or put on hold are available.
  • Your items are due soon, and you can recheck them out online, if no one else is waiting for them.

To sign up

From the email account you would like us to send messages to, send an email with the following information:

  • Your first and last name.
  • Your library barcode number, located on the back of your library card.
  • Your telephone number.
  • Include “I am signing up for email notices” in the subject line or body of your message.

If you are getting e-mail notices and want to change your address

Send an email message from the email account you would like us to send messages to with the following information:

  • The old email address.
  • The new email address.
  • Names and library card numbers of each account that you wish to change.

You may also contact your local library.

One or more library cardholders may use the same email address for account notification.

Telephone Notices

Sign up to have the Library send you notices via your phone that will tell you:

  • Your books and other items you’ve reserved or put on hold are available.
  • If you have an item overdue.

Note: Telephone notification does not include advance notice of items that are due soon. If you receive a phone message that items are overdue they are accruing fines. If you would like advance notice, choose e-mail notices or text notices.

To sign up

Contact the Library:

One or more library cardholders may use the same telephone number for account notices.

How telephone notices work

  • The library’s computerized telephone system,  “HAL” (Helpful Automated Librarian), makes calls automatically, using a pre-recorded message. As a quick identifier, each message begins with a distinctive voice saying “This is Hal, your helpful automated librarian.”
  • HAL can leave a voice message. If HAL cannot connect (for example, busy line without messaging capability) it will make a maximum of two more attempts at a later time.

Text Notices

The Library will text you when:

  • Items you have requested are ready for pickup.
  • Items are due or overdue.

You may text the library to:

  • Renew items.
  • Find a book, DVD, CD or audiobook in a Pierce County Library.

Choose these message options:

  • Send and receive in English or Spanish.
  • Receive notices for more than one library card.

All you need to get started:

  • A phone that can send a text message to an e-mail address.
  • Subscription to text messaging with your wireless carrier. This service is free from the Library. Standard text rates apply.

Sign up for text notices

To sign up using your cell phone

  1. Enter Shoutbomb (with email addresspcl@shoutbomb.com and phone number 844-213-3460) as a contact in your phone.
  2. Text the word SIGNUP to the new contact,pcl@shoutbomb.com or 844-213-3460.
    >> It should reply and ask for a library card number.
  3. Text your library card number.
    >> It should reply and ask for your PIN number.
  4. Text your PIN number.
    >> It should reply with a confirmation.
  5. It will also ask for your e-mail address. Texting your e-mail address is optional.

TIP:  You can combine steps 2, 3, and 4 into a single text using a plus sign between parts.
Example: SIGNUP+29093123456789+1111.
(Use YOUR numbers instead of the those in the example, of course.)

To find a book, DVD, CD or audiobook in a Pierce County Library

If you want to know, from any location, if a book, DVD or audiobook is available at a Pierce County Library:

Text ISBN, a space, and then the book’s 10- or 13-digit ISBN number. This will be coded on the item, e.g., ISBN 0375425969. You can also scan ISBN numbers using the Pierce County Library mobile app.

For music CDs: Text UPC, a space, and then the CD’s 12-digit UPC code that appears near the barcode, e,g., UPC 602498621882.

The service will reply and tell you which libraries have copies of the material or whether copies are not currently available.

How to send and receive texts

When you receive a text notice, follow the prompts.

To send a text to the library, you may use these words:

 English  Spanish  Description
 ADDCARD  ADDCARD  Add a secondary library card to your notification account
 DROPCARD  DROPCARD  Remove a secondary library card
 HOLDS  MANTENER  Hold notices Opt In/Out
 IOWEU  TEDEBO  See the current fine total on your account
 ISBN  ISBN  Library catalog search by ISBN
 NOTICES  AVISOS  Current status of all your Opt In/Out services
 OVERDUE  ATRASADO  Overdue notice Opt In/Out
 QUIT  SALIR  Stop this text notices service
 RENEW  RENOVAR  Renew notices Opt In/Out
 RESEND  REENVIAR  Resend the last message
 SIGNUP  REGISTRESE  Register for this text notices service
 SWITCHPHONE  CAMBIARTELEFONO  Change the phone number receiving texts
 UPC  UPC  Library catalog search by UPC on music CDs

TIP: You can simplify the steps (and reduce your request to only one text message) for the ADDCARD, DROPCARD, and QUIT commands. Simply type the command followed immediately by a plus sign, your library card number, another plus sign, and your PIN.
Example: ADDCARD+29093123456789+1111.
(Use YOUR numbers instead of those in the example, of course.)

More information

The Library provides this text notification service via Shoutbomb. For more information go to http://www.shoutbomb.com/.

To Change How You Receive Your Notices

You can choose the type of notices you receive.

To change your notices, contact the Library: