Borrowing Information

Membership

Membership is free to anyone in St. Thomas, Elgin County and surrounding areas. To obtain a card you must present identification showing your name and current address. Please bring your card with you when you visit as it is required to borrow any materials and to use the public access computers.

Borrowing Periods

Books		4 weeks
Audiobooks (limit of 6)		4 weeks
eAudiobooks (limit of 5 titles)		7 or 14 days
Books on hold and Renewal Books		2 weeks
Magazines (limit of 6) and File Materials		2 weeks
CDs and Videos and DVDs (limit of 6 each)		1 week
Pedometer Toolkit		4 weeks
Energy Meter Kit		2 weeks

Returns

Materials are to be returned to the Circulation Desk during open hours, or after hours to the Book Return boxes located outside the main doors.

Renewals

Items which are not on hold for others may be renewed in person, via our online catalogue, or by telephone. In special circumstances, an extended loan period may be requested when material is borrowed. There is a limit of one renewal for each item borrowed.

Holds / Reserves

Books which are on loan to others may be reserved for you simply by contacting staff at the Adult's or Children's & Teens' Information Desks. Holds may also be placed via our online catalogue from your personal computer. You will be notified when the item is available via email or telephone.

Overdues and Lost / Damaged Items

We encourage you to return your materials on time so that others may borrow them. Fines are assessed for each item that is returned past the due date, reported lost or returned damaged. To assist you, we will give you a printout of what you have borrowed with the due date of each item at the time of check-out.

Overdue Fines		Per Day		Maximum
Adult Books		10¢		$5.00
Audiobooks		10¢		$5.00
Children's Books		10¢		$5.00
Interlibrary Loan Books		50¢		$20.00
Special Loan Books		50¢		$5.00
Videos, CDs and DVDs		$1.00		$20.00

If Library materials become lost or damaged, the borrower is responsible for replacement cost and any overdue fines owing. Library privileges will be suspended for patrons owing $10 or more in overdue fines and fees

Lost Card Replacement:
Lost Adult Card		$5.00
Lost Children's Card		$1.00

If your library card is missing or you think it may have been stolen, please report it to the library as soon as possible. A replacement cost for a new card will apply.

Policy Changes

These changes are in effect as of January 2008.

In order to provide better service:

• Please show your library card every time you borrow material
• You may now borrow 5 CDs and 5 DVDs at one time
• New members who are Elgin County residents will be issued St. Thomas Public Library cards (rather than Elgin County cards)
• All fines and fees must be paid for before renewing a membership
• Library privileges will be suspended for patrons owing $10 or more in overdue fines and fees

Site last updated March 17, 2010, at 01:46 PM