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Phoenix Public Library joins county MAX sharing network; staff report more than 2,500 checkouts
Summary
The Phoenix Public Library has joined the Maricopa County MAX sharing service, allowing cardholders to place holds on items from 15 participating library systems; Phoenix staff reported more than 2,500 MAX checkouts since going live in December 2025.
Phoenix Public Library Deputy Director Carl Kendall told the subcommittee April 22 that the library joined the Maricopa County Maximum Library Access (MAX) sharing program in December 2025, giving Phoenix cardholders access to collections across 15 participating county library systems.
Under MAX, patrons can search partner catalogs, place holds on available books and request pickup at a Phoenix branch; a county courier moves the material between systems. Phoenix set local MAX parameters: patrons may have up to five MAX items at once, Phoenix applies its three-week checkout period to items it loans, and MAX items cannot be renewed so materials can return quickly to the owning libraries.
Kendall said that even without an intensive promotion campaign, Phoenix has checked out more than 2,500 MAX items since joining. Councilmembers asked whether MAX includes DVDs or audiobooks; library staff said the initial phase covers books only, though participating systems could add other material types in the future.
The program expands access for Phoenix residents who border neighboring cities and gives students, educators and families access to a much larger countywide catalog.
