The Board of Library Trustees is invested with the specific power under the Public Library Act to provide, by ordinance, fines and penalties for injury to any book or other library material, or to any real or personal property belonging to or in the custody of the library, and for failure to return any book or other material or personal property belonging to or in the custody of the library and to exclude from the use of the library any person who willfully violates the rules prescribed by the Board. The purpose of this policy is to prevent, discourage, and prohibit the injury to any book or library material or property, real or personal, and the failure to return any book or library material or property to the library. Therefore, the policy of the Morton Grove Public Library is as follows:

Section 1: When materials are returned by patrons damaged, Library staff will retain the title and give it to the Head of Circulation who will assess the extent of the damage and whether the item is still usable. If the item can no longer be used in the collection, the patron will be responsible for the complete replacement/default cost of the item. Materials that are paid for in full may be returned to the patron at the discretion of the Head of Public Services and/or the Library Director. If the title is still usable, the Head of Circulation will determine the amount of the fine that will be the patron's responsibility. In the latter case, the assessment of damages will be decided on an individual basis - based on the extent of the damage and the cost of the item. There will be a minimum fine for any damaged material, equaling 10% of the replacement/default price of the item.

Section 2: The term "replacement cost" used in Section 1 above is the price the library must pay to obtain another copy of the item, as listed in Books in Print, Paperbound Books in Print, and such sources. If the particular title is no longer available, the cost is a figure based on the average price of such an item, as listed in Bowker's Annual, so that the library may obtain another title of a similar nature: See Materials Default Prices following for specific prices for materials.

Section 3: As to lost materials, the Library will utilize a refund policy on the following terms: cataloged books, paperbacks, records, cassettes may be returned within six (6) months for a refund of the value or replacement cost paid subject to the rules relating to damaged materials and fines for overdue material.

Approved by the Morton Grove Public Library Board of Trustees, November 1, 1994; revised July 10, 1999; revisions approved October 10, 2002.

Lost Materials

Lost materials are charged the full replacement cost if an item is in-print and available for purchase; if the item is out-of-print and cannot be obtained by the Library through its regular vendors, a default price is charged based on the particular item types. For lost or damaged CD-ROMs, multimedia kits, and audiobooks (cassette, CD, MP3) the original purchase price is charged.

1. If a patron reports an item lost, the patron has seven days "grace period" (seven days after the due date and after an item is reported "lost" by a patron) after the due date to find the missing item, during which the fines will not accrue.
   

2. When a lost item is paid for (either within or past the grace period), the replacement/default price will be charged plus any normal accrued overdue fines, either to the date reported lost if returned during the grace period or to the date paid for, if the item is returned after the grace period.
   

3. Lost items which the patron finds and returns within six months of paid date: patron will receive a refund of the replacement/default price only. Overdue fees are not refunded.
   

4. Interlibrary Loan Materials:
   • For lost interlibrary loan materials, a patron will be charged the replacement cost assigned by the loaning library plus overdue fines up to the established maximum fine for ILLs ($50.00).

5. No grace period applies to the payment of assessed fees for damaged materials.

Approved by the Morton Grove Public Library Board of Trustees, April 14, 2005

www.webrary.org/inside/pollostdamaged.html
First published on the Web: 11/17/2006
Last updated: 7/17/2007