USF’s Library has changed the way it conducts its business.

All USF libraries started using a new accounting program that allows student and faculty Library fines to be automatically added to individual USF accounts on OASIS. The new program, which began June 17, was designed to help free-up library staff in order to help Library patrons. This is how it will allow its patrons to pay their fines.

“Collecting money and dealing with those types of business transactions takes away from our people helping students and faculty find information, get interlibrary loans and learn how to operate the library computers,” said Derrie Perez, interim dean of USF libraries.

Perez said with the new program in place, the Library will cease collecting fines. All student and faculty charges incurred at the Library will automatically be transferred from their library accounts to their USF accounts on the next business day. All fines and library charges will now be made online or at the campus’ Accounts Receivable Office.

The new program will allow patrons to pay with a variety of options, Perez said. They may now pay by cash, check or credit card. They may also be billed.

“These options were not available to students before,” Perez said.

The accounting program, which library personnel refer to as “fines interface,” was designed by USF’s own Information Technology Department and was implemented with the help of James Carley, the office manager in the access services department of the USF Tampa Library, and Jim Grey, the director of administrative services at the USF Tampa Library.

“Originally, all of the paperwork for fines and library charges had to be done manually,” Carley said. “The new system does everything automatically and is more convenient.”

In order to help students and library patrons adjust to the new payment system, the Library offers a two-week grace period in which charges could still be made at the Library. However, as of Tuesday, payments are no longer be accepted at the USF Library.

Any student with an OASIS account may pay online at the USF Web site http://usfonline.admin.usf.edu/ .