Membership & Fees

Membership

Privileges of a Library Membership:

Welcome to Elgin County Library! Find out how to get a library card below, what late fines and replacement fees apply to library items, and what your ECL Card gets you!

You will receive a plastic card, similar in appearance to a credit card, which contains your library card number. 

Your library card is free:

  • If you are a resident of Elgin County or St. Thomas;
  • If you pay taxes in Elgin County or St. Thomas;
  • If you have a St. Thomas Public Library card;
  • If you are a member of a neighbouring public library system;
  • Please be prepared to present identification showing your current address and photo.
An adult must sign the card for a child, up to and including a child in Grade 8, in order for it to be valid. A parent or guardian assumes full responsibility for the choice of material which the child borrows from the library.

Starting June 1, 2022, children’s materials will have no late fines! Starting April 1, 2023, adult fiction books will have no late fines! Replacement fees will still apply if an item is not returned after overdue notices have been issued. For more information, visit the Fine Free page.

ItemDescriptionLoan periodFines/Daily feeMaximum fineReplacement fee*Processing fee
Non-fiction BookAdult Hardcover4 weeks$0.10$7.00$30.00$5.00
Non-fiction BookAdult Paperback4 weeks$0.10$5.00$10.00$5.00
DVD/Video/GameAdult/ Juvenile1 week$1.00$10.00$20.00

$5.00

TV Series on DVD

Adult/Juvenile

2 weeks

$1.00

$10.00

$20.00

$5.00

Music CDs

Adult/ Juvenile

1 week

$0.50

$7.00

$20.00

$5.00

Bag of BooksAdult/Juvenile4 weeks$1.00$10.00$160.00$5.00

Audiobooks & Language Kits

Adult/ Juvenile4 weeks$0.50$7.00$50.00$5.00

Playaways & Wonderbooks

Adult/ Juvenile4 weeks$0.50$7.00$70.00$5.00
MagazinesAdult/ Juvenile2 weeks$0.10$5.00$5.00None
Interlibrary loan itemsAdult/ JuvenileDiscretion of loaning library$0.10$7.00Discretion of loaning libraryNone

Computer Kits

Adult

2 weeks

$1.00

$10.00

$80.00

$5.00

Park Passes

Adult

1 week

$1.00

$10.00

$100.00

$5.00

Reference Books

Adult/ Juvenile

1 week

$1.00

$10.00

$50.00

$5.00

*If item’s price is unknown, the above default replacement rates are charged.

Please note that books with multiple holds on will have a shortened loan period of two weeks. Reference material can be borrowed from the branch library with permission from staff. Renewals are available by contacting your local branch library or by going online and accessing your account. Renewals are only possible if there are no holds on the item. Patrons will be notified in writing when materials are four weeks overdue.

Fines are subject to Elgin County Library’s fine-free plan to eliminate overdue fines on all library materials by December 31, 2024.

If you lose your library card, the cost to replace it is $1.00.

Please report promptly a change of address or phone number or the loss or theft of your card by visiting your local branch or calling or emailing. All contact information for all 10 branch locations can be found on our Hours & Locations page.

There are two types of card available. A Virtual Library Card allows you access to all of our online resources, and a regular Library Card allows you access to all of our online resources plus physical items. A Virtual Library Card can be updated to a regular card by visiting your local branch. 

 Virtual Library CardLibrary Card
Borrow physical items including: fiction and non-fiction books, audiobooks, DVDs, CDs, magazines, Special Collectionsx markcheck mark
Access our online cataloguecheck markcheck mark
Place holds on physical items on our online cataloguex markcheck mark
Access Elgin County Library wificheck markcheck mark
Access to computers in all 10 branchesx markcheck mark
Access all our online reference resources on our Online Learning pagecheck markcheck mark
Access all ebook and entertainment platforms on our Online Reading & Entertainment pagecheck markcheck mark
   
   

Your pin number is set up to be the last 4 digits of the phone number you provided when you signed up for a library card. You can change your pin by logging into My Account. Contact us if you are having trouble with your pin #. 

Elgin County Library cards are valid for 2 years. After that time we require them to be renewed and ask that we make sure we still have the right contact information for you.

There are a few ways to renew your card:

  • Visit your local branch;
  • Call your local branch;
  • Use the live chat feature on our website (available Monday – Friday between 9am – 4:30pm).

Virtual Library Card Application

The virtual library card is exclusively for the use of online content offered by the Elgin County Library. Your library card is free:

  • If you are a resident of Elgin County or St. Thomas.
  • If you are a member of a neighbouring public library system.

Please note: if you currently have an existing library card with Elgin County Library, you have full access to all online content and are not eligible for a virtual library card.

How to apply:

  1. Fill out the form below to apply for a virtual library card.
  2. Once submitted, your application will be processed by library staff. 
  3. A welcome package will be sent in the mail to you, and it will include your new virtual library card.
  4. You should receive your welcome packet within 7 working days of your application submission.
Elgin County Library Logo - Horizontal

Elgin County Library Holiday Hours

Saturday, December 23 at 1pm, all ECL branches are closed

December 24 – January 1, all ECL branches closed

Tuesday, January 2, all ECL branches open for regular hours

Our digital library is open all day every day!