SVC Lost/Overdue Materials Policy 

Library Fines and Fees for Equipment 

Patrons are responsible for replacement costs of items not returned or damaged.  It is advised not to check materials out for anyone other than yourself. 

Blocks 

• The library does not place registration blocks in any scenario. 

• Students need to return materials before they can check out other materials from the library, but they can still register for courses.  

• If a student has lost materials and wants to check out new materials, the library can help set up a payment plan. If consistent payments are made, the student will not be sent to collections. 

Fees 

• The library is checking out calculators to students free of charge under instruction from the math department who pays for the calculators.   

• If a student does not return a calculator, we will follow the same procedure we do for other unreturned items. 

• Because calculators fall under the minimum cost for items sent to collections, we will not send unreturned calculators to collections unless other items bring the owed dollar up to our minimum of $250.00 

Fines 

• If a student does not return an item, they will be notified they need to either return it or pay to replace it.  

• The library charges $50 for hotspots that students lose.  

• The library will charge $250 (updated 1/2024) for broken and/or lost laptops that are not under warranty or repairable under warranty. If a student breaks a second laptop, they will be charged the full amount of the laptop. The library can put a payment plan into place for the students. If consistent payments are made, the student will not be sent to collections. 

• After internal collection attempts have been made by library staff, the library will identify anyone owing $250 or more who has not been registered for 30 days and send those to the Business Office.  The Business Office will forward those accounts to our college Collection Agency for further attempts to collect. 

• The business office will charge the student a $25 fine for those sent to collections.  

• The library does not currently block these students from registering. 

 Unreturned laptops/Technology Lock-down 

• At the end of the quarter, library circulation staff will provide a list to IT of students with unreturned laptops. 

• A message will be auto generated by IT that students will have 2 weeks to save files and complete work before laptop will be turned off 

• 2 weeks after warning notification, IT will lockdown all remaining unreturned laptops 

Additional Information 

Materials checked out to library patrons including students, employees and community borrowers is considered state property.  As such, the library follows laws established by the State of Washington and locally created policy (WAC 132D-122-010) 

• .The library does not place blocks on any patron registration because of lost or overdue materials that prevent a student from registering for classes. 

• Overdue materials must be returned prior to the library checking out additional items or working with library staff to set up a payment plan if items are lost or damaged and demonstrate regular payments to avoid being sent to collections. 

• If an item is damaged or not returned that belongs to a department or an instructor, the library staff will work with that department to determine what fines and fees are owed.  We will still follow library policy regarding blocks. 

• Students will be notified automatically via the library online system when items are overdue and what charges will be owed if items are not returned. 

• Patrons making payments based on a payment plan will not be sent to collections if consistent payments are made. 

• Patrons may be sent to collections if they owe $200 or more in lost, damaged, or non-returned materials.  The library staff will identify those owing this amount and send those names to the business office.  The business office is responsible for sending these accounts on to the college’s preferred collection agency. If an item is returned after the patron has been sent to collections, the college (via the business office) still charges $25 to recoup costs.