Q: How much does a library card cost?
A: FSJPL membership is free for those who reside within Fort St. John and Area (Peace River Regional District Areas B and C) and can provide proof of address/contact.
Q: How do I get a library card?
A: To receive a library card you may visit FSJPL with the following information:
- Government issued photo identification showing current address within FSJPL’s service area;
- If address is not current, an additional document showing name and proof of current address is required (paper or digital utility bills, vehicle registration, rental agreement, etc.);
- An email address if available (preferred);
- A phone number if available.
Q: How many items can I borrow at once?
A: An FSJPL membership cardholder may have a maximum of 25 items out at any one time. A membership cardholder at any of the other Northeast Library Federation (NELF) libraries may have a maximum of 10 items out at any one time.
NELF libraries include:
Q: Can my children have their own library cards?
A: FSJPL offers free junior library membership to FSJ and Area children from the age of 5 to 15. Parents or Guardians will be required to provide signature, contact information and assume responsibility for loss and late fees.
Q: I’m visiting Fort St. John from another city in BC, can I use my home library card at FSJPL?
A: Yes! Simply bring your home library card and current ID into FSJPL and ask for a BC OneCard membership. Circulation staff will work some magic (or update your membership) and presto! Your existing card will now allow you to borrow from libraries throughout British Columbia.
Q: I’m working temporarily in Fort St. John and don’t have a permanent address. Can I get a library card?
A: Temporary Memberships are made available for individuals living outside of the City of Fort St. John or Peace River Regional District Areas B and C that do not have or are not eligible for a BC OneCard.
- The FSJPLA requires a non-refundable fee of: $20 for a single adult membership, and $5 for each additional adult or juvenile family member;
- Temporary Members must provide a form of government issued photo identification, an email address, and if available, a phone number when registering;
- Temporary Memberships are valid for six (6) months from the date of issuance. Each additional six (6) month increment requires the above non-refundable fee;
- Temporary Members receive the same privileges and maintain the same responsibilities as regular FSJPLA members with the exception of the maximum number of total items including media must not exceed five (5).
Q: What should I do if I lose my library card?
A: Be sure to come into FSJPL if you discover you have lost your card. We will cancel your membership which will prevent others from using it to borrow and possibly accrue fees. By reporting the loss, you are ensuring that you will not be held responsible for any fees incurred after the date of reported loss.
Q: How long can I keep my books/DVDs/?
A:
- Books – 4 Weeks
- CD Audiobooks – 4 Weeks
- DVDs – 14 Days
- Magazines – 14 Days
Q: Where can I return my library items?
A: You may return your items to FSJPL’s circulation desk, or:
- Through the drop-box located just inside the North Peace Cultural Centre;
- Through the drop-slot located on the exterior of the building near the corner of 100th & 100th, across from the Bank of Commerce;
- To any public library within the province of BC. Your items will be forwarded to FSJPL.
Q: How do I renew my items? How many times can I renew them?
A: Library items may be renewed for one additional loan period. If you require a longer loan period, please contact the library.
You may choose to renew your items using the following methods:
- Drop by FSJPL, we will be happy to renew your items for you;
- Call us at 250.785.3731, we will be happy to renew your items for you;
- Login to your myFSJPL account and renew your items there. If you have not registered before, you will need your library card number and your PIN. After registering you may opt to use a username or nickname rather than your card number.
Q: What is a PIN and how do I get one?
A: A temporary PIN is given to you when you register for your library card. This PIN, along with your library card number, will allow you to register for myFSJPL; this provides access to your own profile account where you may renew library items, place holds, update contact information, view current items checked out to you, as well as change your PIN and username. You will also have the ability to rate and review book and media titles, create reading lists and have the option to share these with other users. You will have access to myFSJPL 24/7 from any device with an Internet connection.
Q: Can FSJPL email me when my items are coming due?
A: Yes! Check with the library to see if you have an email address on your profile, or login to your myFSJPL account to add/change the email address we have on file for you.
Q: Can FSJPL email me when my hold is ready?
A: Yes! Login to your myFSJPL account to choose how you are notified of available holds: email, telephone, or text message.
Q: What should I do if I lose or damage an item owned by FSJPL?
A: Over the course of being a FSJPL user, you may end up damaging or losing an item. We understand that accidents happen to all of us. If you lose or damage an item checked out on your library card, you will be charged the replacement cost for the item, plus a $4 cataloguing fee. Please call the library (250.785.3731) or talk to an FSJPL staff member to report the item lost or damaged. If you find an item within one month of having paid the replacement cost for, you may receive a refund of all but the processing fee.
Q: Can I borrow items from nearby libraries through FSJPL?
A: Interlibrary Connect allows you to borrow books and DVDs from surrounding NELF libraries – Chetwynd, Fort Nelson, Hudson’s Hope, Pouce Coupe, Taylor, Tumbler Ridge – as well as some libraries throughout the North Coast, Interior of BC, and some Vancouver Island libraries, with just a click of the mouse!
See a title in our online catalogue you want to borrow but is currently out on loan? Simply click “Place Hold” and that title will come from whichever library has it available. When it arrives you will be notified using the phone number the library has on file for your, or via the email address in your myFSJPL profile.
Interlibrary Loan allows you to borrow books from libraries throughout the province of BC and sometimes from across the country using Illume. When your request arrives, you will be notified via telephone. Interlibrary loans are generally due back 3 weeks from the day you are contacted that your hold is in. The home libraries set the borrowing rules and we can not change the due date.
Interlibrary Connect and Interlibrary Loans can take up to 3 months to arrive, depending on the location and availability of the item. These items come to our library through Canada Post, and we do not have access to any tracking information.
Patrons are asked to pick up their items as soon as possible. Holds not picked up after two weeks will be cancelled by staff, and interlibrary items will be mailed back to their home libraries.
Library staff is also happy to assist you in placing holds.
Q: Why can’t I place a hold?
A: Library cardholders may have a maximum of 6 holds at any one time. Some items may be too new to a collection and not available for holding.
Q: Can I buy books from FSJPL?
A: The Friends of the Library Society maintains an ongoing in-library book sale located inside the library along the far side wall. Prices range from $1 to $3. Please bring your selections to the front desk.
The Friends’ Used Book Sales occur approximately once or twice per year as advertised and are held in the concourse of the North Peace Cultural Centre.
Q: Does FSJPL have meeting rooms for rent?
A: No, FSJPL does not have meeting rooms.
Q: Can I leave my child at the library?
A: FSJPL welcomes children of all ages, and has policy surrounding unattended children in the library.
- Children aged nine (9) or under must be attended by a parent or caregiver over the age of sixteen (16) except where participating in programs which allow otherwise;
- Children aged nine (9) and under attending programs where parent or caregiver is not required to stay must be collected from the library within ten (10) minutes of program’s end. If a child is found to be repeatedly left in the library unattended, parent will be informed they will be required to stay with their children for any and all programs;
- Unattended children will remain with library staff until such time that a responsible caregiver or parent is on site;
- If FSJPLA staff cannot contact a parent or guardian within one (1) hour or prior to the library closing, they will contact the RCMP and wait with the child until the RCMP have arrived.
Unaccompanied older children aged 10 and up will be asked to follow posted library rules.
Q: I self-published a book, will you add it to the collection?
A: While FSJPL welcomes submissions from self-published authors, we receive a number of submissions and purchase self-published books very selectively. We are most likely to purchase books of significant local interest or which have received media attention.
In order to consider a self-published book for inclusion in the library’s collection, we need the following information:
- Book title
- Author’s name
- Author’s address
- ISBN
- Price
- Type of binding
- Audience
- Ordering information
- Author’s credentials (mandatory for non-fiction)
- A brief summary of the book’s contents
- Information about illustrations (children’s books only)
- Why this book would be of interest to FSJPL customers
It is also very helpful to have one or more reviews from objective online or print sources – not paid or customer reviews.
Please do not send a sample of your book. If the selector wants to see it, we will buy a copy.
Self-published items donated to the library become the property of FSJPL. The library reserves the right to determine items to be used in books sales, items to be put into circulation, and to dispose of non-retained items in a manner that it deems appropriate.
Please email the above information to director@fsjpl.ca or mail it to:
Fort St John Public Library
10015 – 100th avenue
Fort St John, BC V1J 1Y7
Attention: Director of Library Services
FSJPL does not order directly from author websites or pay in advance for material. If you would like to sell your book to the library, please be prepared to accept a purchase order, send an invoice and wait a few weeks for payment or make your book available through a wholesaler.
Unfortunately, due to the volume of requests we are unable to let you know if your book is accepted or not. If it is, you will receive an order from the library or one of our vendors and the title will show as on order in the library catalogue.