Frequently Asked Questions

Online Payment Service

Payment Conditions

Q.1: What forms of payment are accepted for online payment?

A.1: Designated credit cards (JCB, MasterCard, UnionPay or Visa), FPS, Alipay, WeChat Pay and UnionPay app are accepted for online payment.

Q.2: Can I pay all fees and charges online?

A.2: Online payment service applies to payment of fees and charges such as overdue fines and reservation fees. However, replacement costs of lost library materials and outstanding charges being recovered from legal actions cannot be paid online.

Q.3: Is there a minimum amount for online payment?

A.3: No.

Q.4: Can I pay only a portion of the fees and charges?

A.4: You can select to pay any or all of the fee/charge items listed in “My Account”. However, all fees and charges must be paid in full in a single transaction.

Q.5: Will any transaction charge be levied by Hong Kong Public Libraries on readers for making online payment?

A.5: No.

Q.6: Will I receive a receipt after making online payment?

A.6: Upon completion of payment, an “Acknowledgement Page” listing the “Transaction Reference Number” and paid items will be shown. Please record the “Transaction Reference Number” or print the “Acknowledgement Page” for future reference. No separate receipt will be issued for online payment service.

Q.7: Will my account be updated immediately after making online payment?

A.7: Yes, your account will be updated immediately upon completion of payment when the “Acknowledgement Page” is displayed. The paid item(s) will no longer appear in your account.

Q.8: Why do the fees and charges I have paid online still appear in my account?

A.8: Upon completion of payment, your account will be updated immediately. If the paid items are still found in your account, please refresh the page by clicking the "refresh" button on your web browser to view the updated page information. If the problem persists, please send the information on library card number, borrowed items and relevant charges to us via email at libcu@lcsd.gov.hk for follow-up action by the library staff.

Q.9: Can I view my payment history online?

A.9: The system does not provide the function for viewing payment history online. If necessary, you can check with the library staff for your payment history by providing the “Transaction Reference Number”.

Q.10: Why do I fail to use the online payment service?

A.10: Online payment service will be suspended if the outstanding charges in your account are being recovered from legal actions. Please settle the payment at any Hong Kong Public Libraries.

Q.11: Can I use library computers to pay library fees and charges online?

A.11: Readers can use library computers to pay library fees and charges online by FPS, Alipay, WeChat Pay and UnionPay app. However, readers are advised not to enter their credit card number on public computers (including those in libraries) for information security reasons. Hence, online payment by credit cards cannot be processed on all library computers.

Q.12: Can I ask for a refund of the fees and charges paid online?

A.12: No refund will be made except under special circumstances. If necessary, you may contact your card issuing bank to ask for a refund. Please note that refund can only be made to the credit card account used for payment. If the credit card account has been cancelled, some card issuing banks may charge administration fees for processing the refund. For payment by FPS or digital wallet, refund will be made to the bank account/digital wallet used for payment.

General Technical Questions

Q.13: Who will receive my credit card information entered for online payment?

A.13: Your credit card information is captured by the payment service provider (e.g. a credit card acquiring bank). The Leisure and Cultural Services Department and Hong Kong Pubic Libraries cannot access such information.

Q.14: What should I do if my browser does not respond during the payment process?

A.14: The screen that prompts you to select payment method provides a “Transaction Reference Number”. If you encounter any problems during the payment process, you may note down the “Transaction Reference Number” and check with the library staff for the status of your transaction.

Q.15: I have two credit cards issued by different banks. Why is one card accepted for online payment but not the other?

A.15: At present, only designated credit cards (JCB, MasterCard, UnionPay and Visa) are accepted for online payment. However, some Visa cards and MasterCards do not support online payment. Thus, if your Visa card or MasterCard is not accepted for online payment, please check with your credit card issuer to ascertain if online payment is supported.

Q.16: Does my computer system need to be configured for online payment?

A.16: There is generally no specific system requirement. However, if you have registered for Visa's and MasterCard's security programs (i.e. Verified by Visa (VbV) and MasterCard SecureCode), you may need to enable your browser to accept cookies from your credit card issuer’s website. You are advised to check with your credit card issuer to see if any other specific system requirements are imposed.

Q.17: When I use my credit card for payment, why am I sometimes required to enter a password for authentication and sometimes not?

A.17: At present, not all credit card issuing banks have participated in VbV or MasterCard SecureCode. Some issuing banks may also enable VbV or MasterCard SecureCode selectively, e.g. only for payment above a certain amount or for certain e-services. For details, please check with your credit card issuer.

Q.18: Is my personal data entered for the online payment service protected?

A.18: We use SSL protocol to encrypt data during network transmission to protect your personal data. All personal data you provide via the online payment service are secured, and access to them is restricted to authorised personnel only.

Q.19: What are the points to note about safeguarding my personal information online?

A.19: Below are some tips on information security for your reference. For details, you may visit the InfoSec website.
         * Do not disclose personal information, such as your name, email address and password, in a careless manner.
         * Do not store any personal or sensitive information on a computer, especially if you share that computer with
         others.
         * Avoid using the “remember your password” feature, and disable this feature in your browsers.
         * Do not store your password on any media unless it is protected from unauthorised access (e.g. encrypted with
         an approved encryption method).
         * Remember to click the “Logout” button of the webpage to leave the system.