Abolition of late fees as of March 16th, 2022
SAINT-LAZARE (Quebec), Wednesday, March 9, 2022 - Saint-Lazare will abolish late fees for documents that are not returned on time, including late fees already on file, as of Wednesday, March 16, 2022.
In this regard, Saint-Lazare Mayor Geneviève Lachance reminds us that "late fees can be a hindrance to the use of the library, when its primary mission is precisely accessibility. In a city demographically considered one of the youngest in Quebec, this change is considered all the more essential. We want the library to be an open and welcoming place of knowledge, learning and discovery.
The measure aims to bring back library members who have been excluded because of unpaid late fees, and, at the same time, to lighten the management of library member accounts. Full amnesty for late fees will only come into effect as of March 16th, 2022.
Late fees and other types of fees
As of March 16, late fees on file will be amnestied, i.e. they will be deleted. However, late fees that have already been paid are not refundable, as they were entered in the file before the abolition began.
The other types of fines can be still applied to your account, namely fees:
- for replacing a lost card
- following the return of a damaged document (binding, minor breakage or total loss)
- applicable to a lost document, etc.
Renewal of documents, return date, courtesy notice and applicable measures
Most documents can be renewed up to 2 times. Users will be able to renew their documents unless the maximum renewal limit is attained or the items are put on hold by another person. Information is easily accessible via the online file or by contacting the library.
The loan of documents with a due date is maintained as is the sending of courtesy notices. Notices will be sent to library members 3 days prior to the due date on file, then on the first day they are overdue and every 5 days thereafter during the delayed return period.
This being said, any delay of more than 7 working days will incidentally block the user's file, preventing the borrowing of documents and requiring a renewal at the library. The return of overdue documents will unblock the user's file. A document that is three months overdue will be considered lost and the cost of replacing the book will be charged to the user's file. It should be noted that any document invoiced may be still be returned. The bill for the document is then removed from the file. If the invoiced document has already been paid for, it may be returned for reimbursement within one year of the date of the invoice.
This new measure aims to eliminate the negative effect of overdue fines while keeping documents freely circulating, which is the key mission of any public library.