The following is the media release.
Welcome Back: HPL Fines and Fees Free until Dec 2021, No Fees on Children’s Materials, Invitation to Pay-It-Forward For Youth Literacy
HAMILTON, ON – July 14, 2020 – Hamilton Public Library (HPL) is waiving all
fines and fees accumulated from March 15, 2020 to December 31, 2021 and
permanently eliminating fines and fees on materials for children and teens.
This ensures library access without fear of fines and supports the community
through the pandemic and the recovery period. The Library reopens with a
fresh start for all Hamilton residents.
“Hamilton is built on innovation, resilience and compassion. The library is
offering everyone in Hamilton – kids, teens and adults – a fresh start by
resolving and waiving library fines until December 31, 2021. All youth material
fines have been eliminated permanently. HPL is your library. Now, everyone
can equally access the library. And those who can, are invited to pay-it-forward
to help others,” says Paul Takala, Chief Librarian/CEO, Hamilton Public Library.
HPL is also launching a pay-it-forward donor fund to support kids’ literacy and
learning in late summer. The fund increases access to quality learning
resources, to better prepare Hamilton’s youth for tomorrow.
HPL’s Board passed this resolution at its June 17, 2020 meeting. The
community and financial impacts of these changes over the next 18 months will
be reported to the Board in Q4 2021. Learn more about Fines and Fees at
hpl.ca.
Library members can check their accounts at hpl.ca. For assistance, call
905.546.3200, email AskHPL@hpl.ca or chat at hpl.ca.
About Hamilton Public Library
Hamilton Public Library is a vibrant hub for information and culture, providing our diverse community the Freedom to Discover. As one of the largest library systems in Canada, Hamiltonians discover something new at our 22 locations, two Bookmobiles, or through our extensive digital collections. Visit us online at hpl.ca. Follow us on Twitter @hamiltonlibrary. Like us on Facebook at HamiltonPublicLibrary.