Clean Slate For Peterborough Public Library Users With Eliminated Fines

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All outstanding late fees from the Peterborough Public Library are no more as they have been eliminated according to a press release on Tuesday.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Public Library.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Public Library.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the library stopped charging late fees and forgave outstanding fines on people’s accounts.

“We were happy to discover that library items continued to be returned regularly,” says Jennifer Jones, Library CEO. “There were no noticeable changes in people’s returning habits with or without the late fines.”

Late fines have been shown to create feelings of shame and embarrassment, keeping people from returning to the library according to the press release.

The Library also noted that outstanding fees can also create financial barriers that prevent people from ever using the library in the first place. By eliminating late fines, the library can better support literacy efforts in the community and reduce barriers to accessing library materials and services.

“If you’ve been avoiding the library because you think you might have fines, we want to welcome you back to the library with a clean borrowing record and a fresh start,” said Jones. “Technology isn’t perfect so if you notice fines on your account after September 21, please reach out to library staff. We may have missed something or you may have fees for lost items on your account.”

The move to a fine-free library service will allow 11,927 members to have late fines removed from their accounts. In addition, 1,694 members will have their library accounts unblocked.

Items will still have due dates and need to be returned. An item is considered lost when it has not been returned for more than 44 days past the due date. At that point, the member’s account is charged a replacement and processing fee for the item.

Any member with more than $10 in fees will be blocked from using their account. Visit ptbolibrary.ca/borrowing for full details on how the Library handles lost and damaged items.

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Peterborough Public Library Reopening Its Doors August 25th

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The Peterborough Public Library has announced it will be gradually reopening for regular in-person service on Tuesday, August 25th.

Community members will be able to visit the library, browse the entire collection, pick up holds, and check out items. High-touch and shared touch areas—including children’s play areas and gathering places like study desks and meeting rooms—will remain closed at this time. 

Curbside Pickup will end on Saturday, August 22nd and the library will be reopening with new, temporary operating hours on the following Tuesday. 

THE TEMPORARY HOURS WILL BE:

  • Sunday and Monday – closed

  • Tuesday – 10 am to 8 pm

  • Wednesday – 10 am to 5 pm

  • Thursday – 10 am to 8 pm

  • Friday – 10 am to 5 pm

  • Saturday – 10 am to 5 pm

File Photo courtesy Peterborough Public Library

File Photo courtesy Peterborough Public Library

The DelaFosse Branch (729 Park St. South) will remain closed at this time, and visitors will only be able to enter and exit the library through the main entrance on Aylmer St.

SAFETY MEASURES AT LIBRARY

-> Only 50 people will be permitted inside the facility at any time in accordance with the capacity limits in the Stage 3 guidelines as set out by the Province.

-> Visitors will also be asked to self-screen before entering the library and to wear face coverings, if possible. The library respects that not everyone is able to wear a face covering but they are an additional measure that can help us protect each other.

-> Numerous health and safety measures have been put in place at the library, including providing staff with personal protective equipment, increased cleaning protocols, additional hand sanitizing stations, and physical distancing protocols with plexiglass barriers installed where physical distancing cannot be maintained.

-> Library material will continue to be placed in a 3-day quarantine before being reshelved, as it has been since Curbside Pickup started on June 3rd. 

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Photos From 50 Years Of Bata Library At Trent U

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Trent’s Bata Library, which Chatelaine included in a list of “The 15 Coolest Libraries in Canada”, turned 50 years old on September 6th.

Since the library opened its doors in 1969—just weeks after Woodstock—it has been a great many things to different people: a gathering place to exchange ideas, a quiet and comfortable study spot, and a landmark location to connect with friends. 

In 2018, Trent unveiled the Bata Library Transformation, and the building was modernized into a state-of-the-art facility equipped to support the needs of the future, while also preserving an important piece of Trent’s past. View photos from past and present below (photos via Trent’s Facebook page)…

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Transformed Trent Bata Library Opens

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The transformed “Library of the Future”—Trent University’s iconic Bata library—opened on Monday (October 29th) and it features a combination of the familiar and the stunningly new, with amazing views.

“With an emphasis on the original Ron Thom architecture and more open views to take in campus vistas, there is oodles of student space,” says the Trent University Alumni Association in a Facebook post.

Photo via Trent University Alumni Association Facebook Page

Folks on Twitter are raving about it…

Bata Library 2.0 includes a makers’ space with a 3D printer and other high tech gadgetry.

Photo via Trent University Alumni Association Facebook page

Make sure to sign the welcome board there as well…

Photo via Trent University Alumni Association Facebook page

This is a soft opening as some areas of the Bata building still require finishing touches. An official Bata Library Grand Opening Celebration event will take place November 16th, with more details to come on that from Trent U.

Here are some more pics of the new space…

Photo via @trentuniversity

Photo via @trentuniversity

Photo via @BataLibrary

Photo via Trent University Facebook page

Photo via Trent University Facebook page

Photo via Trent University Facebook page

Photo via Trent Univesity Facebook page

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Peterborough Public Library Foundation Donating $25,000 To Library For New Children's Furniture

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The Peterborough Public Libary, which recently re-opened after a beautiful renovation and facelift, is receiving a $25,000 donation from its Library Foundation for the cost of the new furniture in the Children's Department.

"We conducted a fundraiser last year, from Spring through to Fall, specifically to raise money to purchase new furniture for our Library's new Children's Department," says Foundation Chair Bruce Gravel.

View from children's area

The Foundation exists to support the Library, and encourages bequests and donations on behalf of the Library, which go to the delivery of better facilities and services.

The Foundation typically funds special projects and services that are not covered in the Library's annual operating budget—a recent example being the January 30th donation of $250,000 towards the library's expansion expenses. In past years, the Foundation has helped with the purchase of internet stations, security gates, shelving, auditorium furniture, and kitchen equipment.

Those wishing to donate to the Library Foundation can visit the Library's website and click on the "Donate" button. For further information on the Foundation, call 705-745-5382, ext. 2301.

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After 18 Month Renovation Peterborough Library Hosting Grand Re-Opening January 30th

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After an 18 month reno, Peterborough Public Library (345 Aylmer St. N.) is excited to be hosting its grand re-opening to the public on Tuesday, January 30th.

The grand opening will begin at 9 a.m. that day with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a few short speeches, followed by light refreshments and tours of the new facility.

The library closed the doors to its temporary location at Peterborough Square on December 30th.

“We can’t wait to reopen our doors and show the community how much this space has transformed,” says Jennifer Jones, CEO of the Peterborough Public Library. “The building has served this community well for the past 30 years but the roles of libraries have changed over the years and this new space is designed to meet the changing needs of our community.”

The Library is excited to be moving back to a modernized building that offers additional community space for programs and meetings, a redesigned Children’s Area, a new Teen Area, enhanced technology and more space to sit and read, or work.

The Library also has a month full of events planned for all ages and interests in February. Information about these events will be available at the grand opening event and will be posted on the website soon.

For more info, visit the library website here and Facebook page here.

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