Hennepin County Library
Board Policy

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Section: LB21

Tracking Record:

Date Adopted: 10/22/2008
Date Revised: 8/22/2012
Previously named: Revenue Policy
Next Review Date: January 2014

• The overarching value is stewardship of and access to library resources
• We serve the community as a whole; we strive to make limited resources available to all
• Staff and customers alike are stewards of public resources
• As a public institution, Hennepin County Library strives to make its collection and services freely accessible to all
• Individuals are responsible and accountable for the materials they borrow. When materials are returned late or are lost, they are not available to others
• Fines for overdue material are levied as an incentive for the public to return materials on time. Fines enable the library to recover the material and make them accessible to other customers
• Fees may be established as cost recovery measures for supplemental services

• Hennepin County Library Board. Lending Policy
• Hennepin County Library Board. Reserving and Using Public Gathering Places Policy
• Minnesota Statute 134.14. Public Libraries; Multicounty, Multitype Libraries. Title to Property; Free Use
• Minnesota Statute 383B.118. Hennepin County. Fees
• Minnesota Statute 609.541. Protection of Library Property

1. Fines are assessed when materials are kept past their due date; all customers are subject to overdue fines. Exceptions may be made upon the authorization of the Library Director or designee.
2. Fees are assessed for material that is long overdue; a flat rate fee schedule will be used; no refunds will be issued.
3. Borrowing privileges may be restricted according to defined thresholds of outstanding fines and fees:
   a) Outstanding charges of $10.00-$49.99. Customer may renew material. Customer is stopped at express checkout and may check out 2 items with 20% payment of charges.
   b) Outstanding charges of $50.00 or more: Customer is denied borrowing privileges. The customer must reduce his/her outstanding charges to less than $50 (minimum payment is 20% of total balance) before the 2 item limit is restored. If payment brings the total amount owed to under $10.00, the customer may check out up to the 30 item limit.
4. HCL customers are not charged for interlibrary loans unless lending institution requires a prepayment; customers are responsible for prepayment fees.

1. Customers are responsible for the library materials checked out on their cards and are expected to return materials in a timely manner.
   
   
2. Circumstances may warrant the waiving of fines. Waiving customer fines and fees requires supervisor (or designee) approval. Customer requests for a waiver will be resolved in a timely way.
   
   
3. It is the supervisor�s (or designee) responsibility to determine if a fine should be waived. Overdue fines will be waived if a customer accrues fines due to hospitalization, imprisonment, eviction, or natural disaster.  It is the customer�s responsibility to provide documentation verifying the date and occurrence of the event that warrants waiving the fine(s).
   
   
4. Circumstances may also warrant waiving fees for materials that are not returned.  It is the supervisor�s (or designee�s) responsibility to determine if a fee should be waived.  Fees will be waived if the items are lost or damaged in a fire, natural disaster, or by theft when documented by a police or insurance report.
   
   
5. The Library Director (or designee) will establish an administrative policy that 1) ensures the fair and consistent application of this policy, 2) defines expectations for the timely resolution of disputes, and 3) determines the necessary level of financial oversight and review.