Ten days after celebrating renovations, the Oak Ridge Public Library has announced changes to its check-out procedures and policies that take effect on Saturday, July 1. Among the changes:
- The library will no longer charge overdue fees for materials that are returned late (interlibrary loans are an exception).
- The library will automatically renew eligible items that have not been returned if the item does not have a hold. However, there is a limit to the renewals, and library patrons will still be charged for lost or damaged items.
The City of Oak Ridge described the new check-out procedures in a press release.
- When an item is checked out, it will be due back in three weeks for books, CD (compact disc)-books, music CDs, and launchpads, or one week for movies and Wi-Fi hotspots.
- If a book, CD-book, music CD, or a movie is not returned by its due date and no one else has it on hold, the item will automatically renew.
- Wi-Fi hotspots are not renewable.
- Launchpads will not renew automatically. You can talk to the Children’s Room staff to renew a launchpad.
- Book club sets will not renew. You can talk to the Main Desk staff to renew a book club set.
- Interlibrary loan items will not renew. You can talk to the Interlibrary Loan clerk to renew one.
- Patrons will be notified by text or email about the status of their items whenever an automatic renewal is attempted. This will happen through two renewal periods of three weeks each. Patrons will still receive a three-day notice prior to items being due.
- After an item has been renewed twice, it will be due back at the library. If the item is not returned on the due date, the card will be blocked from checking out other items, including online materials from Libby and Hoopla, and from using library computers until the items are returned.
- Patrons will receive an overdue notice seven days and 14 days after the due date asking for the item(s) to be returned.
- Thirty days after the final due date, an item changes from overdue to lost. If a patron has any lost items, the card will be blocked. If the item is not returned, the patron will be charged the full cost of the item plus a processing fee.
- Interlibrary loan items are still subject to overdue charges. Since the rules regarding late fees are set by the loaning library, Oak Ridge Public Library does not have the authority to waive late fees charged by other libraries.
Here are a few other changes:
Replacement copies
The library is no longer able to accept replacement copies for items that are lost or damaged. When a book is lost or damaged, the patron will be charged the cost of the original item plus a processing fee.
Changes to the Book Drop
The library now has a drive-up book drop located on the access road as you are leaving the library parking lot. This will change the traffic pattern and parking rules, so you should look for new signs and traffic flow.
The indoor book drop has moved to the white wall near the copier and bulletin boards.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
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