Benson Memorial Library Lost and Long Overdue Library Materials Policy

Benson Memorial Library runs a monthly report to check on the status of overdue items. The purpose of checking on overdue items is to assess the current state of the library collection and to hold those that have borrowed materials responsible for returning those materials.

A staff member will be assigned the task of preparing monthly overdue notices by the Executive Director. These monthly overdue notices will go out for library patrons that have materials out that are between 15 and 70 days overdue.

If an item is returned before it is 90 days overdue, the patron will not be responsible for the replacement cost of the item.

Once an item has been checked out to a patron’s account for 90 days or longer without being returned or claimed returned, the following will occur:

1. Items will be marked as LONG OVERDUE automatically by Koha.
2. The patron will be responsible for the replacement cost of those items.
3. The staff member charged with purchasing the collection of the long overdue item will review the item(s) and replace them or remove them from the collection.
4. If a long overdue or lost item has been paid for by the patron and/or is past the 90 days and has been replaced, Benson Memorial Library will not issue refunds if the item is brought back and will not waive replacement fees levied on the patron’s card. Long overdue and lost items paid for by the patron now belong to the patron.
5. If a long overdue or lost item is past the 90 days and has NOT been replaced, fees may be waived at the discretion of the Executive Director.

If a patron claims they returned an item that cannot be located on the shelf and was not checked in on Koha, staff may use the Claims Returned feature at their discretion. Adjudicating Claims Returned will be the responsibility of the Executive Director.

The same procedure listed above also applies to situations where a patron knowingly states that the item or items they have out are indeed lost.

Approved by the Benson Memorial Library Board of Directors on April 16, 2019

Updated by the Board of Directors May 21, 2024.