Whitefish Library Policies

2014. Library Card Privileges and Responsibilities



Library card holders may check out most library materials for 28 days. New library books and DVDs are the exception with a checkout period of 14 days.

The check out period can be renewed twice except when another library user has requested a hold on the item. lnterlibrary loan materials are an exception; their check out period cannot be renewed.

Library card holders can reserve library materials for future use by placing a hold on those materials.

Library users are expected to return all library materials on or before the due date. lf library materials have several parts, such as multiple tapes or discs, the materials will only be considered returned when they are completely intact. The card holder will be notified when returned materials are incomplete.

lf library materials are not returned to the Whitefish Community Library by their due date, library users will be fined ten (10) cents per item per day for every day the materials are overdue.

Library care privileges will be terminated for library users who run up more than ten dollars ($10) in library fines.

Library users will be responsible for any library materials that they lose or damage beyond repair. When that happens, library users will be expected to pay the original purchase price of the library item, plus any processing or recovery fees.

lf library materials are not returned within 90 days of the due date, those materials will be considered lost. Library users will be expected to pay the original price of the lost item, plus any processing fee.

lf the original price of a damaged or lost item cannot be determined, the default price will be:

• audio books, Library Director’s discretion plus a $10 processing fee
• hardbound books, $25 plus a $10 processing fee
• children’s books, $16 plus a $10 processing fee
• paperback books, $16 plus a $10 processing fee
• DVDs, $15 plus a $10 processing fee
• music CDs, $15 plus a $10 processing fee
A library user may replace a damaged or lost item. Only the Library Director can decide if a submitted item is an adequate replacement. lf the library director accepts a replacement, costs and fees described in this policy will not be accessed.





lf missing materials are found by the library user after costs and fees have been collected, the fees will not be returned.

lf library users do not reimburse the Library within 30 days of the damage or loss, the account will be turned over to a collection agency. The library user may also lose library privileges.

PLEASE NOTE: The Whitefish Community Library is a member of the Montana Shared Catalog Partners Resource Sharing Group. Many of the library card privileges and responsibilities described in this policy are governed by the Group’s policies and procedures.

Reviewed and re-approved as amended by the Whitefish Community Library Board of Trustees on March 13, 2019.

Anne Shaw Moran, Chair

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