Getting a Library Card

Okaloosa County residents may get a free Fort Walton Beach Library card.


Free cards are available to:

  • Residents of Okaloosa County
  • Property or business owners within Okaloosa County
  • City, County, State, or Federal employees
  • Active-Duty Military personnel and their families (with valid DoD military ID)
  • Students or faculty at schools within Okaloosa County (with current school ID)

To apply, bring to the Fort Walton Beach Library:

  1. A valid photo ID 
  2. One item as proof of residence, such as a current piece of mail, utility bill, car registration, or recent online order receipt with your name and address

Parents may sign up for cards for their children, aged 0 - 18. Parents are responsible for all items checked out on their children's cards.

Non-Residents

  • A $40 12-month card is available for people with a residence outside of Okaloosa County but within the 16-county service area of the Panhandle Library Access Network (PLAN), which includes Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Santa Rosa, Wakulla, Walton, and Washington Counties. 
  • A $30 6-month or $60 12-month temporary card is available for out-of-county temporary visitors with a permanent residence outside of Okaloosa County and outside of the PLAN service area. This includes winter visitors, condo/hotel/motel and boat temporary residents.


With your library card, you may check out physical items (books, movies, games, STEAM kits), use a computer at the library, search our databases, and check out eBooks,eAudiobooks, and eMagazines with your phone, tablet, or computer. Get more information on required apps by calling the library.

Your full-privilege Fort Walton Beach Library card is good at all of the other five libraries that make up the Okaloosa County Public Library Cooperative - Crestview, Destin, Mary Esther, Niceville, and Valparaiso public libraries.


For an Online Only Card - You must live in Okaloosa County.

Register online for this online use only card. This card is good for the online services of the issuing library available through the ReadOkaloosa website. Note: some libraries purchase additional online services (such as hoopla) that may be available to only the card holders of that particular library.

This online only card does not include borrowing privileges. You may upgrade your card to a full privilege borrowing card by visiting the library in person and presenting a valid ID and proof of residence. Post office boxes or mailbox rental site addresses are not accepted as proof of living in the county.


How do I replace a Lost or Stolen Library Card?

First, report your card as lost or stolen, either by calling the library, in person, or by emailing the library. Please be aware that when you registered for your FWB Library card, you accepted responsibility for all items on the card, all use made of the card, and all charges made against it until your card is reported lost. The library must have a record of your card having been reported lost, or it is not considered lost. The cost of replacing a lost or stolen card is $1.

What is my Personal Identification Number (PIN)?

When using certain Library services (such as checking your account online) you will be asked to enter both your library card number (the 14-digit number found on the back of your card, no spaces) and your PIN. If you have forgotten or do not know your PIN, you should visit or call the library with valid identification, and a staff member may reset your PIN for you.

If you have a valid email address, you can also reset your PIN on ReadOkaloosa website.