Loan Policies and Fines

• Library Material Loan Policy
• Collection Agency
• Renewals
• Reserves
• Claims Returned/Never Had
• Returning Items
• Lost Item Policy
• Interlibrary Loan (ILL)

 

Library Material Loan Policy:

 

 

MATERIALS	CIRCULATION PERIOD	LIMITS/ PATRON	OVERDUE FINES	CHARGES FOR LOST OR DAMAGED ITEMS	COMMENTS
Books: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Barcoded Paperbacks	3 weeks		$0.15 per day $5 maximum not to exceed replacement cost	Cost as indicated on computer	4 renewals *
Pamphlets & Magazines	3 weeks		$0.15 per day $5 maximum not to exceed replacement cost	$2.50	4 renewals*
Unbarcoded Paperbacks	3 weeks
DVDs	7 days	10	$1.00 per day $10 maximum	Replacement cost Cases $5.00	4 renewals*
Non-Fiction DVDs	3 weeks	10	$1.00 per day $10 maximum	Cost as indicated on computer Cases $5.00	4 renewals*
Blu-Ray DVDs	3 days	2	$2.00 per day	Replacement cost Cases $5.00	no renewals or holds
Compact Disc, Music CD’s J & Adult	3 weeks	10	$0.15 per day $5 maximum	Replacement cost Jewel Cases $3.00	4 renewals*
Unabridged Books on CD and Playaways	3 weeks	10	$1.00 per day $10 maximum	Cost as indicated on computer Playaway & CD Cases $10.00 Single Lost Disc $10.00 Playaway Battery Cover $1.00	4 renewals*
Kits	3 weeks		$1.00per day $5 maximum	Replacement cost Kit Bags $2.00	4 renewals*
JKits	3 weeks		$0.15 per day $5 maximum	Replacement cost Kit Bags $2.00	4 renewals*
CD-ROM - J & Adult	3 weeks		$1.00 per day	Replacement cost	4 renewals*
BookXpress	14 days		$1.00 per day $10 maximum	Cost as indicated on computer	No Renewals or holds
DVDXpress	3 days	2	$2 per day $10 maximum	Cost as indicated on computer Cases $5.00	No Renewals or holds
Returned Check Fee			$15.00 per check

*Renewals allowed if item is not on hold

 

Additional Information:

• Holds will be held for five (5) days from date of notification.
• Interlibrary Loan items from libraries outside of the Southern Maryland Region may be renewed if permitted by the loaning library.
• Card Blocked from use - $10 in charges, 75 items checked out.

 

OVERDUE POLICY
It shall be the policy of the Board of Library Trustees to make every effort to recover overdue library materials including taking legal action when appropriate.  Revised June 2009

 

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COLLECTION AGENCY

It is important to return materials on time. If you do not return items, they are listed as “lost” and become a fine on your account. If you owe fines of $25 or more on your account, your account will be sent to a collection agency for recovery. An additional $10 collection fee is charged. If you return materials, the overdue fines on the items and the $10 collection fee is due.

 

RENEWALS

Most materials may be renewed up to four (4) times if not reserved for another customer. Renewals may be done in person, by telephone or by accessing your library account by computer. Some materials may not be renewed. Please ask a librarian for clarification.

 

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RESERVES

When something you need is not on the local library’s shelf, you may reserve it or borrow it from another library. There may be a fee for this special service. You may use your library card and personal identification number (PIN) to request materials through a computer at the library or from a remote location, or ask a librarian for assistance.

 

When someone asks to check out a reserved item for another person, we will check it out using the barcode number. We will no longer require the requestor’s library card. The fact that the borrower knows that a book is waiting to be picked up for someone else implies that the requestor gave permission for that person to pick up the item.  

 

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 CLAIMS RETURNED and CLAIMS NEVER HAD

Please see a circulation supervisor to discuss fees for items you know you have returned. These issues will be resolved on a case by case basis.

 

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 RETURNING ITEMS

Materials checked out may be returned to any library branch in St. Mary’s County or in the tri-county area (Calvert and Charles). Materials returned to public libraries in these three counties will be immediately checked on COSMOS, the tri-county library automation system; thus, the customer will not incur fines if the items reach the home branch after the due date.

 

All St. Mary’s County Library branches have a 24/7 Return Slot. Materials in these bins at the start of the library business day will be considered returned by the previous day.

 

Materials returned to library branches outside the Southern Maryland tri-county area will accrue fines until they are checked in at the home branch.

 

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LOST ITEM POLICY

It shall be the policy of the St. Mary’s County Library to accept as payment for lost or damaged item cash equal to the replacement value of the item as identified in the catalog record, or the identical item in new condition. No substitutes will be accepted.

 

Should a patron return an item that has been recorded “ lost and paid,” the policy of the St. Mary’s County Library shall be to issue a refund upon presentation of the original receipt. All requests for refunds must occur within six (6) months of payment. The refund shall be the amount paid by the patron for the lost item, less a five dollars ($5.00) handling charge. If the cost of the item is under $5.00, there will be no refund because it is offset by the handling charge.

 

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