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Pay Fines

How to Pay Fines Online

  1. Log into your library account.
  2. Select the fines and fees to be paid.
  3. Enter your credit card information and submit payment. You will receive confirmation on screen and by email.

Avoid Fines

Loan periods and fines for borrowed, damaged, or lost items

Email Reminders

If you have a valid email address listed in our records you will receive an email reminding you about materials you have out two days before they are due. Reminders are only available by email.

You may choose to receive emails when items become held for you to pick up or overdue on your card. Check with the customer service desk the next time you visit or call the library to have email set as your preferred notification method.

Phone Reminders

Reminders are not available by phone but you can receive calls to let you know when items become held for you to pick up or overdue on your card. Check with the customer service desk the next time you visit or call the library if you wish to have telephone set as your preferred notification method. Phone notification works with most cell phones and answering machines as well as regular “land” lines.

Library Elf Alert Service

The Library Elf Alert Service provides email reminders similar to those found in existing library email reminders: single card with pre-dues and over dues notice only (holds ready and holds requested are not included).

Library ELF is not affiliated with the Arlington Public Library. Use of this service does not excuse participants from library fines if materials are returned late. Cardholders use ELF at their own option and risk. Users of Library ELF must submit personal information, including library card number to an independent company. Please read Library ELF's privacy policy and FAQs before deciding to sign up for the service.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. How does online payment work?
    The library offers users the ability to pay their fines by accessing their library card account online. During the fine payment process, the user enters or reviews her/his name, address, email address, credit card number, expiration-date and card security number into the online form. NO credit card data is received or retained by the Library. The Library records the amount paid in the Library system and immediately credits the user’s library account with the payment.
  2. Will my payment information be stored at the library?
    No. Payment information is never stored by the library.
  3. Is there a minimum amount I have to pay?
    There is not a transaction minimum amount.
  4. Can I pay only a part of my fines?
    Yes. You can select the fines you wish to pay. You cannot pay only a portion of a fine, however.
  5. What type of payments do you accept online?
    We accept Visa, MasterCard (including debit cards with those logos), and Discover.
  6. How long does it take before the payment shows up in my account?
    Transactions are processed immediately and will be applied to your library account. Within the My Account function, select the Fines and Fees tab and you will see the total adjustment for your payment.
  7. Is there a charge to me to use this service?
    At this time, there are no service charges to pay fines or fees online.
  8. What computers in the Library can I use to pay online?
    Any public computer, including the Online Catalog computers and Internet/Express computers can be used for this purpose.
  9. Who is actually processing the credit/debit card transaction?
    The library uses a service provided by PayPal to handle the online transactions. You do not need to have a PayPal account in order to use this service; it is handled like any other online purchase that uses a credit or debit card as payment.
  10. Is my information secure?
    The data in your payment form is encrypted before being sent to the processing vendor, PayPal, which conducts the financial transaction. The library payment site is protected by an SSL site certificate, which ensures you that you are really dealing with the Arlington Public Library when you pay your fines online.
  11. What is your privacy policy?
    The library has partnered with selected third-party partners in order to provide certain services to its customers. Information submitted to the library may be provided to those third parties on a confidential basis so that they can assist us in providing certain services, including online research database access, digital downloads and activities that require the processing of credit card transactions and donations. View the complete privacy policy.