Newsgroups: bit.listserv.circplus
Date:         Fri, 15 Jan 1993 08:58:53 EST
              <CIRCPLUS@IDBSU.BITNET>
From:         Walter Stine <WSTINE@HARVARDA.HARVARD.EDU>
Subject:      Results of fines survey

On December 30th I posted a message asking for libraries to share
their fine policies. I reposted the message a week or so later to
get additional responses. To date I have received 8 responses and
have summarized them in this message for the list. Thanks to everyone
who responded.

I took the liberty in retaining the names and e-mail addresses of
the respondents in case there is a need for followup to individual
librarians. I've started to do a little personal analysis of the results
and have found it interesting to list them in order by the cost
of the fines. I certainly suspect there is a correlation between
size and type of library and the size of fines but wonder if others
of you see different patterns.

In the next week or so I hope to put together a list for my own use that
is more in the form of a table. This will also include the policies of
some other libraries including Penn, Cornell, and Columbia. I decided
not to include their policies in this message since I did not receive
them from the list. If anyone wants a copy of the table, I will be glad
to send it directly. I will also be happy to receive more responses
to increase the coverage. Well, enough prologue, here are the results:


 RESULTS

================================================================

Lamont Library, Harvard College Library:

       General Circulation - $.25 a day (one day grace),
                             maximum of $25.00

       Reserves Circulation - $.01 a minute (30 minutes grace)
                             maximum of $50.00

Walter Stine
WSTINE@HARVARDA.HARVARD.EDU

=================================================================

Gordon Library at Worcester Polytech:

Our policies and fees for overdues are  $.05 per day for overdue books, 3
days of grace, no maximum fee and $.50 per hour for overdue reserves, no
grace and no limit.

Margaret F. Riley
Circulation Librarian
mfriley@wpi.wpi.edu

=================================================================

Western Washington University Libraries:

Fine policies:

        General Circulation - $1.00 for the first week (no fines for
        six days or less) and $0.25 per day thereafter up to a maximum
        of $4.25.  Requested Books:  $0.50 per day, no maximum.

        Reserve Circulation - $0.25 per hour (no grace) to a maximum
        of $14.00 for 2-hour in-house loans; $1.00 per day to a maximum
        of $14.00 for 1-,3-,7-day loans.

        In all circumstances, after the maximum fine has been reached,
        the borrower is billed for the cost of replacing the book or
        item.

Rick Osen
Access and Building Services Manager
Internet:  rosen@henson.cc.wwu.edu

=================================================================

University of Southern Maine

Our overdue policy is also under review - in fact I am considering not
charging fines.  Our current charges, however, are as follows:

General Circulation

     Fines:  50 cents per day/per item to a maximum fine of $10.00 (There is
     a 10 day grace period, but fines are retroactive to duedate once this
     period has passed).

     Lost charges: $35.00 replacement charge per book $10.00 processing
     charge per book.

Reserves

     Fines:  Hourly: $2.00 per hour to a maximum of $10.00 (No grace period)
             Daily:  $2.00 per day to a maximum of $10.00 (No grace period)

     Lost charges:  $35.00 replacement charge (often waived for photocopies)
                    $10.00 processing charge (also often waived)


Lanny Lumbert                  |    Bitnet:  lumbert@portland
Head, Circulation Services     |    Internet: lumbert@portland.maine.edu
  & Cataloger

=================================================================

Holy Cross:


General Circulation:  $.10 per day (no grace period), with a maximum of $5.00

Reserve Circulation:  $.25 for the 1st hour, $.50 for each additional hour,
                           with a maximum of $10.00

We don't restrict student use of Reserve because of fines owed.  Students
owing $5.00 or more in fines cannot charge out books in General Circulation
and are billed through the Bursar's Office (in effect we allow them a $4.99
cushion before we get tough).


Sharon Moore
Dinand Library
Holy Cross College
LIB_MOORE@HCACAD.HOLYCROSS.EDU
=================================================================

University of California, Santa Barbara:

Overdue fines for BOOKS: $.25 per day with a minimum charge of $1.00
        and a maximum charge of $20.00 (three day grace)
BOUND JOURNALS: $1.00 per day with a $30.00 maximum (no grace)
UNBOUND JOURNALS: $1.00 per day with a $5.00 maximum (no grace)

Reserve Fines: $.02 per minute, or $1.20 per hour, starting at
        $1.00 the first minute the item is overdue during
        regular session.  (No official grace but 10 minutes is
        built into the fine)  No maximum fine.

        During Dead and Finals week the fine doubles to $.04 per
        minute or $2.40 per hour.  There is no maximum fine.

We do not charge a person a fine in addition to a replacement charge
when an item is 30 days overdue, but we have recently added a $20.00
processing fee to all items billed replacement and this charge will not
be refunded.

Sharon W. Bullard
Head, Circulation Dept.
LB10BULL@UCSBUXA.bitnet

=================================================================

California State University Fullerton:

Our fines for general circ materials are $.25/day to a max of $25 with 10 day
grace; for reserves $1.00/hour to a max of $25 with 1 hour grace.

Diana Davis, Head/Circulation Services
DDAVIS@FULLERTON.EDU

=================================================================

University of Washington Libraries, Seattle, WA:

General Circulation:  30 day grace period unless hold placed on book
    .$.30/day to max of $9 retrospective to due date if hold placed
    If no hold place, maximum fine of $9 assessed on day 31

Reserve Circulation:  30 minute grace, $.25/hour to maximum of $15.00
    $1.50 added penalty if reserve item requested

We are currently in the process of increasing these fines from $.30/day to
$.50/day, max $15; reserves $2.50 for first hour/ $.50/hour
thereafter to max of $30.00

Janice Thomas
jthomas@u.washington.edu

=================================================================


Emporia State Univ. in Emporia, Kansas:


   Circulating books: $.20 per day per item, maximum $10.00 per item
                       (2 day grace period, 3rd day $.60 due)
                       Replacement fee $40.00, processing fee $10.00
   Reserve collection: $1.00 first hour, $.60 per hour thereafter
                        per item. $10.00 per item maximum. 15 min.
                        grace period.


Sally Conard, Emporia State University
SACONARD%twsuvm.bitnet@cunyvm.cuny.edu

    @     @     @     @     @     @     @     @     @     @     @
Walter D. Stine
Head of Reserves and Circulation                  Phone: 617-495-2455
Lamont Library (Harvard College Library)            Fax: 617-496-3692
Harvard University                            Bitnet: WSTINE@HARVARDA
Cambridge, MA 02138             Internet: WSTINE@HARVARDA.HARVARD.EDU
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU