Replacement Charges Policy

 

Purpose

In accordance with the Public Libraries Act (RSO 1990, c. P.44, Sections 23.3 and 23.4), Waterloo Public Library implements a process that encourages prompt return of library material so that these items can be made available for use by other customers and thereby promote fair and equitable access to material. Items not returned in a timely manner will result in the customer being charged replacement fees.

Policy

Non-returned items will be set to lost after 28 days overdue and customers will be charged a replacement fee. The cost for replacement is recorded in the item record at time of purchase.

A customer’s borrowing privileges are suspended when outstanding charges reach or exceed $20.00. Borrowing privileges resume when monies owing are reduced to under $20.00.

In certain circumstances, customers may arrange a payment schedule for larger overdue charges. Borrowing privileges may be retained as long as payments are made on time.

Overdue Notices

To encourage prompt return of items and avoid replacement charges, courtesy notices are sent to customers who provide us with an email address one day prior to date due for DVDs and Fast Reads and three days prior to date due for all other materials.

Once an item is overdue, the notice cycle (from the time an item is overdue until it becomes billed) is 28 days, or four weeks, for all material except Hotspots, which are billed on the first day overdue. Notification is sent via email for customers who provide us with an email address and automated telephone call for those customers who do not have an email address in their account.

For most material, a first notice is sent five days after the item’s due date. A second notice is sent ten days after the first notice.  A bill for replacement is sent thirteen days after the second notice.

For Fast Read books and Fast View DVDs, a first notice is sent two days after the due date and a second notice is sent seven days after the first notice.  A bill for replacement is sent nineteen days after the second notice.

Customers failing to respond to a first and second notice and a bill are sent an Account Statement notice, which allows the customer a further 30 days to settle their account before it is referred to a collection agency.

Customers have three months from the time a lost item is paid for to receive a refund upon return of the material.

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Document Record

June 2003 – Initial Release
September 2014 – Reviewed
November 2015 – Reviewed
June 2019 – Reviewed
March 2020 – Reviewed
May 2022 – Reviewed