Home - St. Johns County Public Library Logo

Policy Title: Overdue, Damaged, and Lost Materials

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to establish one consistent, County-wide administrative framework for addressing overdue, damaged, and lost loaned materials within the St. Johns County Public Library System. It ensures that all patrons and members of the public have access to clear, written, and uniform set of guidelines governing the use and return of library materials.

Scope

This policy applies to all books, periodicals, movies, and other materials loaned by the St. Johns County Public Library System, collectively referred to as “loaned materials.” It is implemented across the entire library system under the authority of the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners, providing both the Patrons of St. Johns County Public Library System, and the public at-large, with an overall written, consistent policy. 

Policy

Responsibility of Patron

The Patron is responsible for having their library card or government issued photo identification with them at the time of borrowing materials or using library equipment. 

  • The Patron is responsible for returning items on or before the due date.  
  • The Patron is responsible for returning items in the same condition that they were checked out. The Patron assumes responsibility for any damages that may occur during the use of library materials.  
  • The Patron is responsible for seeing that their card is used only by the authorized cardholder whose signature appears on the back of the card. If a cardholder chooses to allow other patrons to use their library card, the cardholder remains responsible for items checked out on the card.  
  • The Patron is responsible for reporting a lost or stolen card as soon as they are aware that the card is lost or stolen. The Patron is responsible for items checked out on the card until it is reported lost or stolen.  
  • The Patron is responsible for reporting to the Library any change of name, address, email address or phone number.  
  • If items are not returned on time, returned damaged, or are lost, the Patron is subject to fines and/or replacement charges.
  • The library is not liable for damage to machines used to play or view non-print items.

Imposition of Fines, Fees, Charges

During the annual budget process, the Library Director of the St. Johns County Public Library System shall prepare and deliver a recommended/proposed schedule of Fees, Fines, and/or Charges that should be imposed, under certain conditions, to Patrons. Annually, the BCC shall adopt a schedule of Fees, Fines, and/or Charges that are imposed, under certain conditions, to Patrons.  

The most recent schedule of Fees, Fines, and/or Charges is posted on the library website at www.sjcpls.org. No person and/or entity, other than the BCC, or a person/position, delegated by the BCC, has the authority to waive the imposition of any properly imposed fine, fee, and/or charge. The BCC has delegated such waiver authority to the following persons/positions: 1) Library Director; 2) Manager or Supervisor of any Branch Library. Such waiver authority also includes the authority to adjust fines, fees, and/or charges.

Record of Fines, Fees, Charges

On a daily basis, the Supervisor in charge shall track, record, and/or log all fines, fees and/or charges that are received by that Branch Library. 

At a very minimum, the following categories of fines and/or charges shall be tracked, recorded, and/or logged on a separate basis: 1) fines collected on overdue loaned materials; 2) fees collected for photocopying and printing; 3) fees collected for faxing (facsimile processing); 4) charges collected on lost loaned materials; 5) charges collected on damaged loaned materials; 6) any other fines, fees, and/or charges permitted, imposed, and collected by each Branch Library; and 7) and subsequent BCC authorized fines, fees, and/or charges.

Payment of Fines, Fees, Charges

Acceptable payment types include: 1) Cash; 2) Personal Check with name and current address imprinted; 3) Credit or Debit Card – online only. 

Fines, fees, and charges may be made in person during business hours at any St. Johns County Library Branch, by U.S. Mail for checks or money orders, or online by debit or credit card anytime at www.sjcpls.org. 

Adjustment of Fines, Fees, Charges

The Supervisor in charge or Library Administration, may adjust fines, fees, and/or charges imposed on a Patron for the following reasons: 1) a Patron returns lost loaned materials in undamaged condition to the Library; 2) a  Patron is due a credit for an incorrect or improper fine, fee, and/or charge; 3) Replacement cost of an item is different from Default cost of item; or 4) Staff error.

Waiver of Fines, Fees, Charges

Fines up to $25 may be waived by a Supervisor in charge for extenuating legitimate circumstances, as defined in staff procedures manual. All disputes of fines over $25.00 must be submitted in writing to the Library Director for review. All disputes of fines over $50.00 will be forwarded to the St. Johns County Administrator or BCC for review. Various circumstances for waiving of fines might include death, hospitalization, or unusual hardship. Parents, grandparents or legal guardians are responsible for overdue fines accrued and material lost or damaged by minors. Except as noted in this section, and authorized by the BCC, no other person/individual/entity may waive any fine, fee, and/or charge of one or more Patrons.

Revocation of Patron Privileges

A Patron’s privileges, within the County Library System shall be revoked under the following circumstances with regard to overdue, lost, or damaged materials: 

  • Patrons who have reached fine and fee charges of $10.00 may not borrow any items or use any library equipment until payment is made on the account to bring the account balance under $10.00. 
  • Patrons who have fines over one year old will have privileges suspended until their account balance is brought to $0.00. 
  • Patron accounts must be in good standing to borrow Library of Things or receive Inter-Library Loan materials. 
  • The Patron is responsible for adhering to, and complying with, the Patron Code of Conduct. Failure of Patron to abide by, and/or comply with the responsibilities listed in this policy, will subject the Patron to forfeiture of privileges until the violation is resolved, and/or resolved in a manner deemed acceptable by Manager of the Branch Library or Library Administration. 
  • Select borrowing privileges for the Library of Things collection and materials obtained by Inter-Library Loan may be revoked due to abuse or misuse. 

Restoration of Patron Privileges

Upon satisfactory resolution (as deemed by the Manager of the Branch Library, or designated employee) of the circumstance that gave rise to the revocation of the Patron’s privileges, such Patron privileges within the County Library System, shall be restored as soon as possible (immediately, if at all possible, and in any case within three business days). 

Approved by LAB: 11/14/18
Approved by BCC: 12/18/18
Revision Approved by LAB: 6/8/26
Revision Approved by BCC: 7/21/26

 

St. Johns County Public Library System