SERVICE CHARGES FOR LATE, LOST AND/OR DAMAGED MATERIALS
1. Late Fee: After 21 days overdue, a $2 late fee will be assessed on each item overdue.
a. If a customer is registered as Regular, Reciprocal, or Fee Card, the late fee will not be waived when an item is
returned overdue.
b. If a customer is registered as Youth, Institutional 11, Homebound, Staff, or ILL Library, the late fee will be waived when an item is returned overdue.
2. Replacement Charge for Lost Items: After 21 days overdue, a replacement fee will be charged. This covers the cost of purchasing a replacement copy.
a. If the item is found and returned within one year of the date of payment, the price of the item will be refunded. A receipt must be presented to obtain a refund.
b. This fee will be waived if an EXACT duplicate of the item lost is provided by the customer. (This EXACT duplicate must be in good condition.)
Processing Fee: After 21 days overdue, a $3 processing fee will be added to each item overdue.
a. This fee will be waived when the item is returned.
b. This fee will not be waived if an EXACT duplicate of the item lost is provided by the customer. (This EXACT duplicate must be in good condition.)
3. Damaged Materials: Charges will be assessed to repair damaged materials at the discretion of the local librarian. Items not able to be replaced will incur the full replacement cost.
RETRIEVING OVERDUE MATERIALS
In accordance with Minnesota Statute #609.541, persons keeping library materials longer than sixty days after written notice has been given to return such items are guilty of a petty misdemeanor. NWRL agencies will notify overdue borrowers of the impact of this statute. Borrowers who continue to retain overdue materials may be taken to court when the total value of the materials exceeds $200.
DELINQUENT ACCOUNT FILE
If any charges of an individual total ten dollars ($10.00) or more, his/her record will be considered delinquent. Charges will remain on the borrower’s record until cleared. Borrowing privileges and services at all NWRL libraries will be suspended when unpaid fees reach $10.00.
OTHER
Circulation records will be treated in a confidential manner. In accordance with Minnesota Statute #13.40, Subd. 2, private information contained in these records will not be released to anyone except upon issuance of a court order, or when assistance is requested by library personnel from local law enforcement authorities in recovering overdue material.
Adopted, Northwest Regional Library Board, June 20, 1996
Amended, July 22, 2004
Amended, January 21, 2010
Amended, March 17, 2011
