A highly popular initiative from the Saskatchewan Libraries Association has returned - Regional Park passes are available once again at the Weyburn Public Library.
"We now have Regional Parks of Saskatchewan passes available today for anyone to borrow, if you have a library card. So if you don't have a library card, get down here and get a library card," encouraged Branch Manager Dawn Silver.
"We are very, very lucky this year we have an increase in the number of passes we have received. We actually have 20 passes this year. I'm very happy this program is continuing. There were some concerns that maybe it wouldn't. Everybody pulled together and now they're available today. A little bit late, but better late than never."
The passes can be used at any of the Regional parks in the province, with a maximum borrowing time of seven days. This opens up more options for those who have limited means, considering a day pass is $15, and a seasonal pass is $60.
"We have handouts and we have maps and we have posters which indicate all of the ones that are available to us to use with these wonderful passes."
Holds can not be placed on the passes, nor can they be renewed. The passes must be returned to the library from which they were borrowed.
"I can't tell you how popular they've been. Every library I've ever worked in that has had these passes available, you're very lucky if you run in and grab one for the week or a day even," Silver shared.
"People have been pretty good about bringing them back. Every once in a while, we end up with a little bit of a tardy person, but we usually harass them a little, just to remind them, 'Please, bring these back'. They are so incredibly popular and they're utilized a lot."
Late returns result in a $60 fine and an account freeze, meaning the library card can not be used for borrowing until the pass is returned.
"You can only borrow these on your personal library card. Library cards are non-transferable, which means that maybe some of our libraries have been a little too forgiving and people have come in with somebody else's card and taken a pass out. And then they maybe haven't returned it. So the fine replacement cost stays on that individual's card until the pass is returned."
"We're trying to make these resources, especially this year, with the economic climate the way it is and the fact that people are not traveling the way they have been down across the line," Silver added. "People are really voting not to travel across the border for whatever reason. So these passes are going to be even more vitally important to us to circulate throughout our patrons."