Borrowing Policy

Purpose

The Wixom Public Library (“Library”) values the pursuit of individual and community knowledge and the exchange of diverse materials and ideas. Pursuant to the Library’s mission, the Library offers materials for loan, interlibrary loan services, and access to digital and electronic resources. To make materials available to all patrons on an equal basis, the Wixom Public Library sets limits on loan periods, renewals and holds allowed. Some library materials may have shorter loan periods, hold limits, or renewal limits due to high demand, limited collection size, material type, or lending source.
 

PATRON RESPONSIBILITY

1. Responsibility for Materials. Patrons are responsible for all items checked out on their card. It is the borrower’s responsibility to handle library materials with care and to report lost or damaged items to the Library. The borrower is responsible for returning materials to the library on time and to pay all fines and fees due on the account.
2. Parent/Legal Guardian Responsibility for Material Selections. It is the responsibility of parents or legal guardians of minor children to monitor and approve the selection of materials made by minor children. If a parent or legal guardian wants to restrict their children from borrowing specific library materials, they must accompany, supervise and advise their children on their choices. Library staff do not act in loco parentis.

CIRCULATION OF MATERIAL

1. The Library has exclusive control over circulation and has exclusive authority to determine what materials will be circulated.
2. In compliance with the Michigan Library Privacy Act (PA 455 of 1982) only authorized users, parents or legal guardians listed in a library account will be provided information about an account or be allowed to pick up a hold on behalf of the patron.
3. Reference materials are non-circulating. Books in the reference section will not be circulated unless specifically authorized by the Library Director or their designee.

Holds

1. Patrons may place holds on certain materials by reserving the materials in the Library’s online catalog, calling the Library or requesting in person.
2. Wixom cardholders are limited to 25 holds per card.
3. Patrons will receive a notice by phone, email or text from the Library when the material(s) are available for them.
4. Materials on hold will be held for seven (7) days.
5. Materials must be checked out on the account of the patron who placed the hold.

Loan Periods

1. Items are loaned out according to a predetermined borrowing schedule as set by the Library Director (Appendix A).
2. Wixom cardholders may have up to 100 items checked out on their card at one time.
3. Patrons will receive due date information at the time of check out. Patrons may receive a printed receipt at check out and may opt to have a receipt emailed to them. Patrons may also access their Library accounts via the online catalog 24 hours per day.
4. Patrons may choose to receive coming due notices via email and text and will receive a reminder three (3) days prior to the due date. If a patron does not receive a reminder due to system failure, routing of email to spam folders, an incorrect email address, or phone number in the account, the patron is still responsible for returning materials on time.
5. Overdue notices are sent at seven (7) days overdue. Notices will be sent via email. If email is not available, notices will be sent by phone.
6. Patrons with 25 or more overdue items will be blocked from using their library card.

Renewals

1. Renewals are permitted according to the borrowing schedule. If there are no holds on an item and if the maximum number of renewals has not been exceeded, the item will be automatically renewed.
2. No renewals will be permitted on items placed on hold by other patrons.

Returns

1. Most items may be returned to other TLN libraries. If the item(s) do not arrive back at the Wixom Public Library, the cost of replacement is ultimately the responsibility of the patron.
2. Items returned to libraries not in the TLN Shared System will not be returned in the patrons account until the item reaches the home library. This may result in overdue fines from other libraries even if the item was returned before the due date. It is highly recommended that Wixom Public Library cardholders return items to TLN Shared System libraries.

FINES & FEES

Most library services are free of charge, but patrons are responsible for the care and timely return of materials. With the exception of mobile hotspots, Wixom Public Library items do not accrue overdue fines.

1. Patrons may still accrue fines for items borrowed from other libraries.
2. Patrons with fines or fees in excess of $15.00 forfeit their borrowing privileges until paid.
3. Patrons with 1 or more lost items will be blocked from using their library card.

The Library charges the following fines and fees:

INTERLIBRARY LOAN

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) offers patrons the opportunity to borrow materials which are not owned by the Wixom Public Library.  The Wixom Public Library participates in reciprocal borrowing with other TLN libraries. If the TLN Shared System does not own a book, Wixom borrowers may request available items through the statewide catalog, MeLCat.   

1. Materials requested through the online catalog. The loan periods, renewal policies, and fine structure of the owning library are automatically utilized by the TLN Shared System circulation system.
   1. Borrowers are responsible for all fines incurred regardless of differences between local policies.
   2. In the case of damaged or lost materials, patrons must pay via the online catalog or make arrangements for payment or replacement with the owning library.
   3. Participating libraries may place ILL restrictions on certain items.  If an item is not available for request from a reciprocating TLN library, patrons may be able to visit the owning library to borrow it or use it in-house.  Check with the owning library to find out if this is the case.
2. Materials requested through MeLCat. Items that are not owned in the TLN Shared System and that are available on the shelf at a participating MeLCat library at the time of request can be borrowed through MeLCat.
   1. Only Wixom Public Library cardholders in good standing may request items through MeLCat for pick-up at the Wixom Public Library.
   2. Eligible borrowers are allowed up to 70 active requests at one time.
   3. MeLCat requests are considered active from the time they are made until the requested items have been returned to the supplying libraries or until they are cancelled.
   4. When items are available for pick-up, borrowers are notified and the material is held for a maximum of seven (7) days.
   5. Print items borrowed via MeLCat circulate for 21 days and may be renewed once.
   6. MeLCat materials must be returned to the Wixom Public Library.
   7. In the case of damaged or lost MeLCat materials, patrons are billed the replacement cost requested by the owning library. Refunds will not be issued for billed MeLCat materials.

LOST AND DAMAGED MATERIALS

It is the responsibility of the person borrowing any item from the Wixom Public Library to return that item in a timely manner and in good, shelf-worthy condition.

1. Lost Items. When a patron reports the borrowed item as lost or fails to return it, the patron will be billed according to the item price listed in the item record.
   1. A lost bill will be sent at 21 days late. Lost bills will be sent via email. If email is not available, lost bills will be sent by mail.
   2. If the item is found and returned in shelf-worthy condition, refunds may be given up to 30 days from date of payment. The receipt for payment must be presented at the time of refund. No refunds will be given without the receipt.
2. Damaged Items. If library materials are damaged enough to be judged by the library to be unusable for the collection, the patron must pay for the entire cost of the item.
   1. Damage to materials that result in an item being deemed not shelf-worthy include highlighting, tears, damage by liquids, insect damage, or any other obvious damaged determined by library staff.  
   2. An item may be considered unusable by the library if an essential part of it is missing.
   3. Once the patron pays the replacement cost of an item, the patron then owns that item. Due to space constraints and hygienic issues, the Library will keep billed damaged materials for three (3) months from the date the charge is added to the patron record. The Library reserves the right to immediately dispose of any materials in a condition deemed to be a risk of any type.
   4. The Library assesses the following fees for minor damages:

1. Replacement Items. Patrons may purchase a replacement copy of a lost or damaged item if published in the last 5 years. The replacement copy must be identical to the library’s copy and must be new. Once the replacement copy is received and approved of by Library staff, the billed item will be removed from the patron’s account.

APPENDIX A: BORROWING SCHEDULE