Circulation

Fines and Charges

We aren't any more excited about fines and charges than you are, but sometimes it is the only way we can get materials back so they can be made available to other borrowers. Come see us if you have problems with your account. Failure to receive notification of overdue items does not absolve a borrower of fines or replacement charges.

Fines

Fines are calculated for each item overdue. Failure to receive notification of overdue items does not absolve a borrower of library fine obligations.

Media - An audiovisual item is $1 minimum plus $.20 per day per item to a maximum of $10 per item.
Books - A book is $2 minimum plus $.20 per day per item to a maximum of $10 per item.
Reserves -
1. A one-hour reserve item is $2 minimum plus $.20 per hour to a maximum of $10.
2. A one-day reserve item is $2 minimum plus $.25 per day to a maximum of $10.
3. A four-day reserve item is $2 minimum plus $.25 per day to a maximum of $10.

Faculty borrowers are not charged late fines.

Materials not returned are considered lost.

Charges

Charges are encumbered when an item is declared lost by the library's computer. Failure to receive notification of items charged does not absolve borrowers of library obligations.

Audiovisual Media: The charges for a piece of lost or damaged audiovisual media are:
1. the price the Volpe Library originally paid for the lost item. If this price is not available or if the price resulted from membership in the TBR Media Consortium, the replacement price is charged. If a replacement price for a specific item is not available, the current average price for the type of media is charged. For example: for phonograph, records, audiocassettes, and CDs, the charge is $15.
2. a $24 processing fee per item for all types of audiovisual media.
Books: The charges for a lost book from the general circulating and reference book collections are:
1. the average price of a North American academic book. This price is revised each July 1 as taken from The Bowker Annual, an annual almanac of the library and book trade.
2. an $11 processing fee per item.
Damaged materials: The charges for damaged material depend upon the degree of damage:
1. for damaged material repairable by the Volpe Library, there is no charge.
2. for damaged material that must be rebound by the bindery, the cost the Volpe Library pays the bindery for rebinding the item is assessed plus a $5 processing fee per item.
3. for material damaged beyond repair, the charge is the same as for lost materials. (See above.)
Equipment: The charge for lost or damaged equipment is the actual replacement or repair cost. There is no charge for repairs made by the Volpe Library.
Government Publications and Maps: The charges for a government publication or a map are:
1. the replacement cost of the item. If the replacement cost is not available, the charge is $20.
2. an $11 processing fee per item.
Group study room keys: The charge for a lost group study room key is the cost of replacement.

updated 08/04/06