Flora Francis

FLORA FRANCIS MEMORIAL LIBRARY

The Flora Francis Memorial Library is dedicated to the memory of Guelph Black Heritage Society founding Board member, Flora Francis.

Flora Francis embodied what it meant to be a librarian; a supportive community mentor, a dedicated and resourceful educator.

Her commitment to volunteerism, activism, and pedagogy has propelled countless grassroots achievements and has had an immeasurable effect on the communities she has touched, locally and abroad.

This library is an homage to Flora’s vision of communities that are richly equipped with educational resources and empowered to engage with their Black history and perspectives.

joel-bartlett-heritage-hall-brandon-marsh-photograph

ABOUT THE LIBRARY

This space will contain resource materials, Black literature, works of Black authors and books that are culturally, historically, and socially significant to the Black community.

  • Our library catalog lives online at https://www.librarycat.org/lib/guelphblackheritage. You need to have an account with the library before you can place holds on or check out books.
  • You will use your email address as your unique ID to log into your patron account in our TinyCat library. You’ll have access to your Patron Account page, where you can view your borrowing history and edit personal information.
  • Search for items or browse our collection by children and adult selections and various genre categories. When you click on an item, you can see its current status, “Available”, “Checked Out”, or “On Hold”, as well as any important details about the selection like descriptions and publication info.
  • If that item is “Available” for check out, you can click the blue “Place Hold” button. Once an item is placed on hold, you have 3 days to come pick up the item at 83 Essex St., Guelph before the hold expires and the book becomes publicly available again.
  • At the end of the 21 day borrowing period, bring your borrowed items to the library. If you wish to renew your library materials, you can do so at the front desk. Renewing your materials extends your borrowing period for an additional 21 days, at the end of which you must return those items.
  • If you do not wish to renew your items, return them to the drop box in the front desk area. Refer to the library rules and policies to review your responsibilities as a borrower and the book return process.

BORROWING AND MEMBERSHIP RULES

The following rules and policies have been established to govern the borrowing of materials from the Flora Francis Library of Black Literature. The Flora Francis Memorial Library exists to provide accessible resource materials and works of Black authors and books that are culturally, historically, and socially significant to the Black community.

  1. Patron Eligibility and Accessibility

    • The Flora Francis Memorial Library is open to everyone and free to all. We aim to ensure all members of the Guelph-Wellington community are able to create a library ID and have equal access to the library materials. It is the responsibility of the borrower to adhere to all established rules and policies, and to treat the library collection and volunteers with respect.
  2. COVID-19 Response

    • All library materials will go through a 72 hour quarantine period upon return and will be properly and thoroughly sanitized before returning to our shelves. Please do not borrow materials from the library if you are sick or have been exposed to someone who is sick. Please do not soak or microwave the books.
  3. Borrowing Policies

    • Once you place an item on hold in the online library catalog using your library account, you have 3 days to physically check out the item at the library before the hold expires and the book becomes “Available” again to other users.
    • All library materials can be checked out for a 21 day borrowing period.
    • You may borrow 3 items from the library at once.
    • At the end of the 21 day borrowing period, you will bring the library items back to the library at 83 Essex St., Guelph. You will then either:
      • (i) Return the materials to the front desk (see #4), or
      • (ii) Ask the library volunteer at the front desk to renew your borrowed materials for an additional 21 day renewal period, at the end of which you must return the borrowed materials.
    • Our library system sends automated reminder emails 3 days before an item’s due date, and automated overdue notices 3, 6, and 9 days after the due date. Please do not reply to these emails.
  1. Returning Library Materials

    • Please only return your library materials to the Flora Francis Memorial Library at Heritage Hall, 83 Essex St., Guelph. Library materials go through a quarantine period before being handled, so there will be a drop box in the front desk area.
    • You may return your library materials any time during regular library hours.
    • Returned items may still show as “checked out” on your library account during the quarantine period. Please wait at least 5 business days before contacting the library with any concerns related to this.
  2. Lost or Damaged Materials

    • Library materials that are overdue by more than 45 days are considered lost. The borrower will be responsible for paying the replacement cost of the item plus a $10 processing fee.
    • Please do not write in, highlight, or mark up borrowed materials in any way. Please do not dog-ear the pages or intentionally fold or bend the books in any way. Library materials should be returned in the state they were borrowed in, or will otherwise be considered damaged. The borrower will be responsible for paying the cost of repair or replacement plus a $10 processing fee.
  3. Patron Accountability

    • The GBHS team has trust that the Guelph-Wellington community will be accountable to the borrowing rules and their enforcement so that everyone in our community can continue to benefit from the Flora Francis Memorial Library and all its resources.
    • We trust you. We are delighted to share these resources with you. Please do not take advantage of that.

MEMBERSHIP

You can create a library account at the Flora Francis Memorial Library by filling out the following form. By signing that form you acknowledge that you have read and understand the rules and policies of membership, and expressly agree to comply with the terms and conditions.

REGISTER