Borrowing Rules
Books borrowed from the library are due back three weeks from the initial loan date. Books may be subject to recall before the end of the three week borrowing period. Students have ten days from the date of the recall notice to return a recalled item without penalty. DVDs are due three weeks from the date of checkout.
Books, videos, journals, photocopies, and other materials placed on course reserve are stored behind the Service Desk. To ensure ready and consistent student access, course reserve materials may not be removed from the library.
Audio-visual equipment and computers are borrowed by the hour from the library and are due back by the end of the approved loan period. All equipment must be returned on time or the patron will accrue fines.
Due dates for interlibrary loan items are set by the lending library and are determined at the time of check out at the Thomas College Library. The library does not provide long-term equipment loans and does not allow equipment to be taken off campus over breaks.
All materials borrowed from the library are to be returned to the Service Desk.
Fees & Fine Policy
The purpose of the Fees and Fines Policy is to encourage the prompt return of borrowed library materials and equipment so that they can be available for use by other library patrons. In general, the policy applies to materials and equipment borrowed from the Thomas College library and to all categories of borrowers. When materials are needed by another borrower, the library will send a recall notice to the current borrower with a new due date, which supersedes the original due date.
A borrower’s responsibility does not end until all materials have been returned and discharged by library staff. Return receipts are available upon request. Please keep in mind that it is also a borrower’s responsibility to understand what will occur if borrowed items become overdue, damaged, or lost. Questions should be addressed to library personnel.
Borrowers are expected to respond to all library recall and fine assessment notices. Please report any discrepancies promptly to library staff. Fines will be tiered, based upon length of time overdue. All fines are non-refundable. If an item has been overdue more than 48 hours, the fines assessed will be sent to Student Financial Services to be placed on the individual’s school account. Student library users are subject to the following schedule of fees and fines.
Fines Schedule:
- Regular circulating materials (books and movies) – $1.00 per day, maximum of $10.00 per item.
- Recalled materials – $5.00 per day, maximum of $50.00 per item.
- Reserve items – $5.00 per hour, maximum of $25.00 per day.
- Interlibrary loans – overdue fees set by the lending library; some libraries may charge a flat fee of up to $70.00 for each unreturned item.
Lost, Damaged, or Unreturned Items
- The fee for lost or damaged books and DVDs is $75.00 per item, plus a non-refundable $10.00 processing fee. If the replacement cost of an item exceeds $75.00, the user will be charged the full replacement cost of the item plus the processing fee.
- If recalled materials are not returned at the time the maximum fee is reached, the borrower will also be billed for the cost of replacement.
- Students who remove reserve items from the library will be charged the full replacement value of the item plus a non-refundable $10.00 processing fee.
- Students who do not return interlibrary loan materials will be charged a replacement and processing fee set by the lending library.
- Damaged interlibrary loan materials are subject to the same replacement charges as items not returned.
- Exceptions to the fine schedule may be made at the discretion of the Director of Library Services.
Circulating Equipment
The equipment available for loan supports classroom and academic activities and institutional programs. This equipment is loaned on an hourly basis. Late fines for audio-visual and computer equipment are calculated at the following rate:
- For every hour a piece of equipment is overdue, borrowers will be charged $5.00 per hour, up to a maximum of $50.00 per day, for each item.
- Cords and other ancillary items not returned within 48 hours of overdue status will be billed to the borrower’s account. At the same time, a non-refundable $10.00 processing fee will be added to the patron’s account.
- Damaged or unreturned items will result in a bill to the borrower for the full replacement value of the item plus a non-refundable $10.00 processing fee.
Library Equipment Available for checkout
Abuse of Privileges, Theft, or Mutilation
The Thomas College Library may suspend privileges to any user who regularly fails to return materials or equipment in a timely manner and/or may seek criminal prosecution or civil sanctions in cases of theft or mutilation of library materials.