Quick Facts

• If someone on the phone reports finding a library card look up the account, go to Modify User and change the Profile name to 5_Update.
• For library cards found inside the library, see Found library card.
• If a police officer reports finding a library card in connection with a crime and requests information about the account holder, see the law enforcement requests page.

Procedure

Citizen or police reporting found articles, including library cards:

1. If a caller reports finding a lost Multnomah County Library card, go to Modify User, look up the account and change the Profile name to 5_Update. We do not provide patrons with information regarding the account holder. The library does not attempt to connect the patron with the person who found the library card.
2. Click Save
3. Click Extended Info and add a comment "Card found outside the library JP/CC 10/14/2022."

If the citizen wants to know what to do with other items found along with the library card:

• Suggest to the caller that they contact their local police department via the non-emergency number 503-823-3333 and select "Situation that requires a police officer at your location, press 1." Remember when reporting found property you need to be within five minutes of the location of the property.
• If we have current account information and the caller simply drops the article(s) off at their closest neighborhood library location, we will do our best to try and contact the owner of the item(s).  If not successful, follow the procedure above for contacting the police via the non-emergency number.
• If a Police Officer reports finding a library card in connection with a crime and requests information about the account holder, follow the guidelines in the Law Enforcement Requests for Information at Library Public Service Agencies policy.
• For found passports:

Please mail the found passport in a sturdy envelope to:

ATTN:CLASP

U.S. Department of State
Consular Lost and Stolen Passport Unit (CLASP)
CA/PPT/S/L/LE/CP
44132 Mercure Circle
PO Box 1227
Sterling, VA 20166-1227

If a police officer reports finding a library card in connection with a crime and requests information about the account holder, see the law enforcement requests page.

Policy

Lost articles found in library premises are held for thirty days. Due to the volume of unclaimed items left at Central, retention time may be less than 30 days. Lost media articles and money are held for sixty days.