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Library Policies, Guidelines and Procedures

Calvin T. Ryan Library
University of Nebraska at Kearney
Policies, Guidelines and Procedures for Lost or Damaged Library Material

Library patrons who lose or damage, intentionally or accidentally, library material are required to pay repair or replacement costs OR may elect to replace the lost or damaged material with an acceptable copy.

Replacements

In the case of lost or damaged library material, a library patron may elect to replace the material with an acceptable copy which must be given to the library by the end of the semester in which it was reported lost or damaged.  Exceptions may be made if the loss occurs at the end of a semester.  The Collection Services Librarian must approve the replacement item..

Assessment of Charges: Students and community users

University students and community users are subject to replacement or damage charges when:

Library material is reported lost.

Library material is returned in irreparably damaged condition.

The student/community user fails to return library material by the due date and receives the replacement bill.

Library material is mutilated.      

All library privileges are suspended when a patron owes $5.00 or more. This means students will be blocked from checking out library materials.  Graduating students will not receive a signed diploma until all material is returned and fines are paid.  community users lose their borrowing privileges until all fees are paid.

Faculty/Administration

In the case of semester loans for faculty, item(s) not returned or renewed within one month after the end of the semester will result in a request to the individual’s department head/supervisor.  To encourage the return of library material, if there is no response, the cost of the item will be charged to the appropriate department and deducted from that department’s book budget after consultation with the appropriate department head or college dean.  For administrative staff, the appropriate administrative budget covering the administrative member will be charged by journal voucher after consultation with the appropriate administrative head.

Assessment of Charges: University of Nebraska at Kearney Faculty and Administrative Borrowers

Library material is reported lost.

Library material is returned in irreparably damaged condition.

Faculty/administrative borrower fails to return library material before the expiration of the grace period.

Library material is mutilated.

The faculty member or administrator may elect to pay for lost or irreparably damaged library material, or to replace such material with an acceptable copy.  In these cases, the academic department or administrative unit would not be charged.  There are no billing fees that apply.  Processing fees will be charged.

If library material is damaged through the use of faulty library equipment, the faculty member or administrative borrower will not be responsible for replacement of the material.

Library of Congress Books:

Books in Print on-line will be the source for determining the replacement price of Library of Congress books.  Amazon can be used if the items are not located in Books in Print.   If a book is no longer in print and there is no price in the item record, the current subject area average price from The Bowker’s Annual will be assessed to the item.  The total replacement cost will include a $15.00 processing fee.  If a hardcover or paperback book needs rebinding the charge is $9.50.

Newspapers/Paperbacks (uncataloged):

The replacement price is $7.50 or the patron may replace the newspaper or paperback with a copy approved by the Collection Development Librarian.  There is no processing fee for these items however.

Current Periodicals:

The cover price or back issue price found on the index page of a recent issue of the lost periodical will be considered the replacement price for a current periodical.  If the current issue price or back issue price is unavailable, then the annual subscription price listed is divided by the number of issues per year (quarterly, bi-monthly, monthly, weekly…) will be assessed to the item. The total replacement cost will include a $15.00 processing fee.

Bound Periodicals:

The price from the index page of a recent issue of the lost item will also be the source for determining the replacement price of a bound periodical.  The annual cost for institutions is divided by the number of lost issues.  If the entire year is lost the annual subscription price for institutions is charged.  The total replacement cost will include a $15.00 processing fee plus a $10.30 binding fee for each bound volume.

If the binding needs to be repaired a charge of $10.30 will be assessed, per bound volume.

Government Documents:

The replacement price for government documents is determined by searching the Government Printing Office Sales Product Catalog on-line.  If a price is unavailable charges will be assessed according to the number of pages in the document.  The total replacement cost will include a $15.00 processing fee for each item.

If a price is not listed check the Sales Product Catalog for page numbers:

0 - 50 pages: $6.00

51 - 100 pages: $12.00

101 - 199 pages: $14.00

*Add $2.00 for each additional 100 pages.  

*CIA maps are $3.50 plus the processing and fine or billing fee that apply.

If the price and page numbers are unavailable the shelf-list may contain this information or the default price is $30.00.

Media Materials

Compact disks, DVDs, videos, microfiche portable readers, tape cassettes, etc.

The Curriculum Librarian will determine the replacement price for non-print materials.  The total replacement cost will include a $15.00 processing fee for each item.

Textbooks     

The Curriculum Librarian will determine the replacement price for textbooks. The total replacement cost will include the $15.00 processing fee for each item.

Reimbursement of Charges

In the event that library material, which has been reported as lost and for which a replacement charge has been paid, is found and returned to the library in acceptable condition within thirty (30) days from the date of payment, a refund of replacement and processing charges will be made.

Appeal of Replacement Charges

Appeals may be made to the Access Services Coordinator. 

The Access Services Coordinator validity of each appeal and will take appropriate action.

Intentional Damage

Mutilation of library materials is defined as the willful or reckless destruction of library materials by marking, underlining, highlighting, removing pages, cutting or tearing of pages, or causing damage or defacement to library material in any other way.

The patron’s name will be taken from their photo ID and a bill for the damage will be prepared within one (1) working day.  Failure to pay this bill will result in the loss of library privileges.  Campus Police will be notified if the patron fails to provide identification.

Patrons will be charged $5.00 for theft, destruction or misuse of a newspaper.

Patrons will be charged $5.00 per page for the destruction or misuse of bound periodicals, and the back issue or cover price for current periodicals.

Patrons will be charged the replacement price for the destruction or misuse of a book and all other non-print library material, plus the $15.00 processing fee per damaged item.

A memo will be sent to the Library Dean explaining the matter.  This information will then be forwarded to the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs. 

In the case of a community user the information will be forwarded to the Director of Campus Police.