Circulation and Library Fee Policy

Printable policy (PDF)

A. PURPOSE

The purpose of the Circulation and Library Fee Policy is to establish regulations regarding the charging of fees for unreturned or damaged library materials, other circulation-related fees, printing, and meeting rooms.

B. POLICY STATEMENT

Durham County Library does not charge fines for materials kept beyond their due date.

Customers are responsible for processing and other fees associated with the repair costs for damaged items and replacement of lost items. The library charges a per page fee for printing and per gram fee for 3-D printing. Fees are also assessed for the use of meeting rooms. Some meeting room spaces at Main Library will follow the Durham County Facility Use Policy regarding fees and availability.

The following outlines loan periods for materials based on a full privilege library card (library card accounts are considered in good standing with fees not exceeding a $25 balance), including printing and meeting room fees. All holds cannot exceed 10 across all forms of materials.

Books, audiobooks, periodicals, read-along kits, puzzles, and CDs

  • Maximum allowed: 50
  • Holds allowed: 10
  • Loan period: 21 days
  • Renewals: 5

Feature film, documentary, juvenile DVDs

  • Maximum allowed: 10
  • Holds allowed: 10
  • Loan period: 7 days
  • Renewals: 5

TV Series DVDs

  • Maximum allowed: 3
  • Holds allowed: 10
  • Loan period: 21 days
  • Renewals: 5

Book Club Kits

  • Maximum allowed: 2
  • Holds allowed: 3
  • Loan period: 42 days
  • Renewals: 0

Lucky Day

  • Maximum allowed: 3
  • Holds allowed: 0
  • Loan period: 7 days
  • Renewals: 0

Interlibrary Loan

  • Maximum allowed: 5
  • Loan period: Set by the lending library
  • Renewals: Set by the lending library

Mobile Devices (Hot Spots)

  • Maximum allowed: 1
  • Holds allowed: 1
  • Loan period: 14 days
  • Renewals: 0

Total items per card

  • Maximum allowed: 50
  • Holds allowed: 10

Renewals

  • Maximum allowed: 5
  • No renewal of items on waiting list

Digital Collections: ebooks, downloadable audiobooks, emagazines, digital music, digital video

  • Maximum allowed, holds allowed, loan period, renewals: Varies by service. See Digital Collections page for more information.

Makerspace

  • 3-D printed filament = $0.10 per gram
  • Card Stock – 8 ½” x 11″ = $0.50 per sheet
  • Birch Plywood – 6”x12”x1/8” = $2.00/sheet
  • Birch Plywood – 12”x24”x1/8” = $4.00/sheet
  • Acrylic/Plexiglass 12”x12”x1/8” = $8.00
  • Iron-On – 10”12” = $1.50 per sheet
  • Resin Board – 4”x4”x1.2” = $10 per block
  • Vinyl, Magnets, Sticker Paper, etc. = $2.00 per sheet
  • 2 Foot Poster – 24″ x 24″ = $5.00
  • 3 Foot Poster – 24″ x 36″ = $10.00
  • 6 Foot Poster – 24″ x 72″ = $15.00
  • 8 Foot Poster – 24″ x 96″ = $20.00

Printing

  • $0.10 per black and white 8 ½ x 11 page single-sided
  • $0.20 per black and white 8 ½ x 14 page single-sided
  • $0.25 per color 8 ½ x 11 page single-sided
  • $0.50 per color 8 ½ x 14 page single-sided

Meeting Rooms

  • Nonprofits: no refreshments – free; refreshments – $25
  • Commercial/For-profit: meetings up to 4 hours – $100; meetings more than 4 hours – $200

See Large Meeting Room and Study Room policy for more information.

Lost and Damaged Materials:

Borrowed items are declared lost when they are reported by the customer or when they are 40 days overdue. At that time, the customer’s account will be assessed the replacement cost of the item plus a $5 processing fee per item. The replacement cost will be refunded if the lost item is returned in usable condition within 6 months of the date the item was set to lost status payment date. The processing fee is non-refundable.

Claimed returned status will last for a period of 90 days. If the item is not found by the library within that 90-day period, the item will convert to lost status and the customer’s account will be assessed the replacement cost of the item plus a $5 processing fee per item.

Damaged items: when an item is returned or reported by the customer as damaged, the customer’s account will be assessed the replacement cost of the item plus a $5 processing fee per item. When a damaged item is withdrawn from the collection, the patron may keep the material when replacement charges (replacement value + $5.00) have been paid. Replacement items are allowed. Item MUST be of same ISBN, in NEW condition with accompanying purchase receipt.

Additional Information:

  • No renewal of items on waiting lists.
  • Items declared lost at 40 days overdue.
  • Charges per lost/damaged item; replacement cost + $5 processing fee.
    • Replacement items are allowed. Item MUST be of same ISBN, in NEW condition with accompanying purchase receipt.
  • Replacement library card: $1
  • Out-of-county card: $45 per year
  • Returned check fee: $15
  • Hotspots that are lost or not returned fee: $45, plus $5 processing fee
  • Hotspots are disabled when overdue.
  • Interlibrary loan materials must be returned to the checkout desk at the library where it was originally checked out.
  • Borrower accounts with fees exceeding $25 balance will not be considered in good standing with the Library and will be blocked from borrowing items or reserving Study/Meeting rooms.

Legal Action:

The borrower or responsible adult (in the case of a borrower under 18 years of age) may be subject to either prosecution under North Carolina criminal statutes or civil process provided by law if payment is not received for lost library materials.

C. RESPONSIBILITY

It is the responsibility of all library staff and facility supervisors to understand this policy fully to ensure fair and equitable application. It is the responsibility of the Deputy Director, with the advice of the Board of Trustees, to interpret, monitor and recommend updates to the policy. The Library Director is the final authority with regards to enforcing this policy.

Effective July 2023