Circulation Services

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Loan Period

For how long can I borrow library materials?

The circulation period for materials is three weeks unless otherwise specified. In addition, for materials borrowed through our partnership with Quinte West Public Library (Hastinet), there may be some variation due to their policy.

 Schedule of Materials and Loan Periods

Item	Loan Period
Book	21 days
Bestseller	14 days
Fast Lane	7 days
Reference (circulating)	3 days
DVD (including Children's and Youth)	7 days
DVD TV Series	21 days
CD Music	21 days
Audiobook	21 days
Periodical or magazine	21 days
eContent (e.g. downloaded ebooks, audiobooks)	Varies - select loan period when checking out items from Ontario Download Centre (Overdrive)

Renewals

How do I renew items?

You are allowed two renewals per item unless they have been requested by another patron or belong to the following categories: Fast Lane, Short-term Loan, Reference, Bestseller.

Online: in 'My Account', click on the 'Checked Out' tab, click the box beside the titles you want to renew and then click 'Renew'.

By Phone: Use our Telemessaging service at 613-968-4708 or call 613-968-6731 ext 2231.

A renewal starts as of the current date, not when the item was originally due.

For Interlibrary loans, please call to renew at 613-968-6731 ext 2247

Why can’t I renew an item?

There are a few reasons why you might not be able to renew an item:

• Someone else has a hold on the title and is waiting for it
• It's a Bestseller-- a title in high demand that can only be taken out for 14 days
• It's a Fast Lane item-- a new and popular title that can only be taken out for 7 days
• You have renewed it twice already
• Your library card has expired or will expire before the renewal date
• You have exceeded the maximum overdue fines

What is my PIN?

Your PIN is the last 4 digits of your telephone number. You can customize your PIN by going to your Profile under the My Account tab and creating a new 4 digit PIN, or you can ask Library Staff to change your PIN in person or by calling 613-968-6731 ext 2231.

Holds / Requesting Materials

You may place requests to reserve materials via the Library Catalogue.

When available, the Library will notify you by telephone. The item(s) will be held for you for 5 days, and you may pick them up from the holds shelf.

How do I find my hold when it’s ready to pick up?

There is a holds shelf where the items are sorted by the last 6 numbers of your library card. They are held on the shelf for 5 days. If an item is not picked up by that time, it goes to the next person waiting for it.

Fines and Limits

How many items can I have out at one time?

The maximum number of items you can borrow at any one time is 50. You may borrow a maximum of 5 DVDs per collection area (J, YA, Adult) per transaction, and a maximum of 5 music CDs per transaction. Reference items and the current issues of magazines may be used on-site only. The library reserves the right to limit the number of popular seasonal materials or other categories in which there are limited holdings.

What are the fines for overdue materials?

Overdue items are charged $0.20 per day. Overdue Interlibrary Loan items are charged $1.00 per day. Overdue Fast Lane items are charged $0.50 per day.

Please note: for materials borrowed through our partnership with Quinte West Public Library, there may be some variation due to their policy.

Payment may be made by cash, cheque, debit, MasterCard or Visa. NSF cheques will be charged a service fee.

If you leave an item in the drop box when the library is closed, the return date will be considered the next open day of the library.

Maximum Overdue Fines

Category	Maximum per item
Reference, Interlibrary Loan, DVDs	$25.00
Adult books, audiobooks, government publications and CDs	$15.00
Children’s books, DVDs, audiobooks and board books	$10.00
"Mass market” (small format) paperbacks	$10.00
Maximum per patron card	$50.00

You will not be able to use your card to borrow, request or renew items if you have more than $10.00 in fines or charges.

If you try to place a hold, you will get an error message indicating that you have exceeded the maximum fines or charges. Please contact staff to clear up the problems on your account and reinstate your borrowing privileges.

What happens if I don’t pay my fines?

If you are over the threshold of $10.00 owing, your account will be blocked. Patrons with blocked accounts cannot take out library materials, place holds or renew items. Your account and borrowing privileges will be reinstated when you have resolved issues with your account.

What happens when I’ve lost or damaged something I’ve borrowed?

Members are responsible for all materials while on loan to them, and should report lost or damaged material(s) at the earliest opportunity. You will have to pay the replacement cost of the material, plus a processing fee of $7.00 per item. The library does not accept a replacement copy or an item of equivalent value. There is no limit to the amount of replacement charges that can be applied to your account.  If replacement cost is unknown, the following charges are applied:

Material	Charge
Book, audiobook, DVD, videocassette	$30.00
CD, mass market paperback	$12.00
Children’s board book	$12.00
Government publication, magazine	$5.00

I found a lost item that I’ve already paid for. Can I get a refund?

Keep your receipt! If you find the item within 6 months of paying the replacement cost you can get a refund, minus any overdue fines and the processing fee.