Frequently Asked Questions

Online Payment Service

Payment Conditions

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

A.1: Only JCB, MasterCard, UnionPay and Visa are accepted for online payment.

Q.2: Are all charges payable via the online payment service?

A.2: The online payment service allows payment of overdue fines and reservation fees only. The 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 make partial payment?

A.4: You can select to pay any or all of the fines/fees listed in “My Account”. However, each of the fines/fees must be paid in full.

Q.5: Is there a service charge for using the online payment service?

A.5: There is no service charge for using online payment service.

Q.6: Will a receipt be provided after I pay online?

A.6: After completion of the payment transaction, an “Acknowledgement Page” providing a “Transaction Reference Number” and listing the paid items will be shown on screen. Please print and retain the “Acknowledgement Page” for future reference. No other receipt will be issued by online payment service.

Q.7: Will my account be updated instantly after payment is made online?

A.7: Yes, your account will be updated instantly after payment has been made and the “Acknowledgement Page” has been displayed on screen. The paid items will no longer appear in your account.

Q.8: Why do the charges I just paid still appear in my account?

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

Q.9: Can I get details of my previous payment transactions online?

A.9: The system has no online function for viewing payment history. You can check the details of previous payments with library staff by providing the “Transaction Reference Number” if necessary.

Q.10: Why am I blocked for online payment?

A.10: Online payment service is suspended when the outstanding charges in your account are being recovered from legal actions. Please visit any Hong Kong Public Libraries to settle the payment.

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

A.11: Readers are advised not to make online payment with credit cards using public computers (including computers in libraries) for security reasons and hence online payment cannot be processed on all types of library computers.

Q.12: Can I demand a refund of my previous payment?

A.12: All charges paid will not be refunded except under special circumstances. If a refund is required, you may contact your card issuing bank to demand for a refund. Please note that refund will only be made to the original credit card account used for the payment. If the original credit card account has been cancelled when the refund is made, some card issuing banks may charge you an administration fee.

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. 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 would provide a “Transaction Reference Number”. If you encounter any problems during the payment process, you may note down the “Transaction Reference Number” first and then check the status of your payment with library staff.

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 card (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 issuers to ascertain if the card supports online payment.

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

A.16: There is generally no specific system requirement. But 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 if they have imposed any other specific system requirements.

Q.17: When I use my credit card for payment, why am I sometimes required to enter a password for VbV (Verified by Visa) / MasterCard SecureCode and sometimes not?

A.17: Currently, 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 issuers.

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 extracted 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.