Conditions of Use

Conditions of Use for Self-service Library Station

1. This Self-service Library Station (“Station”) is provided for free by the Hong Kong Public Libraries (“HKPL”) under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
2. The Station is designated as a library under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Chapter 132). A borrower or user shall abide by the Libraries Regulation (Chapter 132AL) (“Regulation”) for using any facilities or services provided at the Station. A complete set of the Regulation is obtainable upon request at any public library and a summary of the Regulation is also available on the HKPL website at hkpl.gov.hk.
3. A borrower shall use his/her own library card issued by the HKPL or Hong Kong Identity Card allowed for library purposes for borrowing or pick-up of reserved library materials at the Station.
4. A borrower may borrow a maximum of ten library items together with accompanying library materials. All library material borrowed from a library shall be returned within 14 days after the day upon which it was borrowed. Unless already reserved by another reader, each loan item may be renewed for up to five consecutive times with a period of 14 days from the date of each renewal.
5. Immediately upon check-out of any library material, a borrower shall ensure that the library material issued to him/her on loan is complete and undamaged. Should the borrower has any question about the library material issued to him/her, he/she shall contact the library staff as soon as possible.
6. An overdue fine is imposed on each and every loan item and accompanying library material returned late. The charge is $1.5 per day or part of a day for each adult loan item and $0.5 for each young adult or children's loan item.
7. The Station is open seven days a week, including public holidays. If a borrower fails to return the library material borrowed from the Station within 14 days after the day upon which it was borrowed, an overdue fine shall be incurred on all service days of the Station, including public holidays.
8. The Station provides service round the clock throughout the year except during daily loading/unloading of library material and regular maintenance scheduled at the Station when the Station suspends service. A borrower is advised to read the schedule and the scope of service suspension posted at the Station and on the HKPL website. In the event of service suspension of the Station, a borrower may consult the HKPL website at www.hkpl.gov.hk to locate the closest library facilities for returning library material.
9. The Station shall suspend service due to the following reasons:
   
   (a) Urgent maintenance (suspension notice will be put up at the Station, and on the HKPL website and “My Library” mobile app);
   (b) Tropical cyclone warning signal no. 8 or above is in effect (service will be resumed within two hours, if conditions allow, after signal no. 8 or above is cancelled or replaced by a lower signal); and/or
   (c) The HKPL exercises discretion to close the Station when, in its opinion, the Station is unsuitable for operation.
   
   Any item returned to the book drop at the Station shall be recorded and effected in the library system of the HKPL in real time (with 12 o’clock at midnight as the start of the day), and any associated overdue fine shall also be incurred immediately in the system if the item is overdue. In the event that the item cannot be processed immediately by the system, the loan record will be updated within two working days.
10. For any reserved item available for pick-up at the Station, if the pick-up expiry date falls on any suspension period mentioned in paragraph 9 above, the reserved item shall be available for pick-up at the Station on the first service day when the Station resumes service. The reserved item shall no longer be available for pick-up at the Station on or after the second service day.
11. If a reserved item is too small, oversize or comes with too many accompanying materials that cannot be stored in the Station, the borrower may not be able to pick up the item at the Station. Library staff will contact the borrower for alternative arrangement.
12. A borrower shall not return any oversize material which cannot be put into the book drop of the Station.
13. When returning library materials/accompanying materials such as CDs and CD-ROMs, borrowers shall put the discs and their cases into the book drop. Otherwise, the relevant loan records will not be updated immediately.
14. A borrower shall not return to or put into the Station any object other than item(s) borrowed from the HKPL.
15. Before leaving the Station, the borrower shall check whether the returned material has been properly accepted by the book drop. In any event, the borrower shall not leave the material unattended at the Station even if the book drop of the Station is full. Any such unattended material shall not be regarded as material returned to the Station and the borrower shall be liable for the consequence of such action, such as liability for library material not returned and any other related liability in the Regulation. In case the book drop of the Station is full, the borrower may consult the HKPL website at hkpl.gov.hk to locate the closest library facilities for returning library material.
16. Only Octopus card is accepted for payment of library fees and charges at the Station.
17. A borrower who has logged in his/her account at the Library Catalogue shall logout after using it.
18. The following actions or activities are not permitted at the Station:
    a. Eating or drinking;
    b. Smoking;
    c. Littering;
    d. Sleeping;
    e. Posting of bills or other similar materials;
    f. Loitering or similar activities;
    g. Sale and promotional activities; and/or
    h. Any other activities unrelated to the library services provided at the Station.
19. Please do not leave your belongings unattended at the Station. The HKPL is not responsible for the loss or damage of any article left unattended at the Station.
20. A borrower shall not cause any damage to the Station and property therein.
21. A borrower shall not cause any nuisance to other user(s) of the Station.
22. The Station is under surveillance with video recording by Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) system for security reason. All data recorded will only be viewed by authorised HKPL staff. If further information is required, please contact the duty officer during office hours: Monday to Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (except public holidays).
23. The HKPL may refuse any person from using the Station if he/she does not observe the Conditions of Use or remove any person from the Station if he/she is in breach of the Regulation and/or other regulation(s) in force.
24. In the event of discrepancy between the Conditions of Use and the Regulation, the latter shall prevail.