Schedule of Fines, Fees and Charges on Overdue, Lost or Damaged Materials

 Overdue Fines

Adult & Young Adult Books* & CD's*: Daily fine per item is 25 cents; Maximum fine per item is $10;

Children's Books*: Daily fine per item is 10 cents; Maximum fine per item is $4;

Videos, DVDs & CD-ROMs: Daily fine per item is $1; Maximum fine per item is $20;

Magazines: Daily fine per item is 25 cents; Maximum fine per item is $3.

*The Library allows the patron a grace period of 7 days on selected books, magazines, music CDs, audiobooks and non-fiction videos. If the patron fails to return an item until after the expiration of the grace period, the overdue fine will accrue from the item’s original due date. Most books, magazines, audiobooks and CDs may be renewed twice. Items reserved by another patron and movies may not be renewed.

Collection Costs

Notice:

When an item carries a fine of less than $1 per day a notice is sent to the patron when the item is approximately 3 weeks past due. When an item carries a fine of $1 per day or more a notice is sent to the patron when the item is approximately 1 week past due.

Billing and Referral to Collection Agency:

Approximately 6 weeks after an item is past due, the Library will bill the patron for the replacement cost of the item, and a non-refundable processing fee of $10. If the amount owed by the patron exceeds $100, the Library will refer the account to a collection agency and the patron will be responsible for all charges connected with collection.

Calculation of Replacement Cost of Lost or Damaged Materials

Lost Items:

1. The Library will charge the patron a non-refundable $10 processing fee.

2. The patron will be responsible for the replacement cost of all lost items.

3. If an item is no longer available, the Library will charge as its replacement cost the amount listed in the table below; this amount has been calculated based on statistics compiled in the trade publication Bowker Annual.

Children’s Books: $19.91

Adult Books: $39.54

Videos/DVDs: $30.00

Audiobooks: $60.00

Audiocassettes $7.00

CDs $12.65

CD Rom $20.00

Magazines $3.83 per issue

Paperbacks $7.00

4. The replacement cost of a lost issue of a magazine is the current charge for an issue of the magazine.

5. If a patron pays for a lost item and subsequently finds it, the Library will issue a refund only if the patron returns the item to the Library within 1 month of the date when the item was billed.

Damaged Items:

The Library will charge the patron the non-refundable processing fee of $10 and the replacement cost, as defined above, of any item which the Library, in its sole discretion, determines has been damaged.

Special Policy on Rental Books, DVDs and Videotapes

Books in the rental collection may be taken out at a charge of 25 cents a day. Movies in the rental collection may be taken out at a charge of $1 a day.

The Library will send patrons borrowing items from the Library’s rental collections notices and bills in accordance with the procedures set forth above.

Suspension of Borrowing Privileges

In addition to the fees and charges set forth above, the Library will suspend the borrowing privileges of a patron who owes the Library more than $50 dollars in fees, fines, and other charges. The Library will restore borrowing privileges only after the patron has settled the account in full.

Interlibrary Loans and Reciprocal Borrowing

A patron borrowing an item from another library by way of interlibrary loan will be responsible for the fees, fines, and charges set forth above as well as any fees, fines, and charges assessed by the originating library.

A patron borrowing an item from the Library through the REBL program will be responsible for the fees, fines, and charges set forth above. In addition, the Library will send a bill for all lost items to the patron’s home library.

Schedule of Miscellaneous Fees and Charges

Replacement Library Cards

There is a $2.00 charge for a replacement library card.

Nonresident Membership

The fee for a nonresident membership is $100 a year. A nonresident membership card is an individual card, not a family membership.

Reserves and Interlibrary Loans

There is a charge of 50 cents for each reserve requested. This charge applies to items owned by the Library, items that the Library orders, and items the Library obtains through an interlibrary loan.

Meeting Room

Persons seeking to use the meeting room must complete an application, meet eligibility requirements, receive approval and make a security deposit of $100.

Photocopying and Printing

There is a fee of 15 cents a page for copies made on the public photocopying machines. There are fees of 10 cents or 25 cents a page for microform copies.

There is a fee of 10 cents a page for computer printouts.

There is a fee of 60 cents for computer discs.

The Library will not accept personal checks for amounts under $10.

Adopted by West Orange Public Library Board of Trustees, March 25, 2002 Revised December 2003 Modified September 2004;Modified September 2004 and September 2006.