Lone Cone Library Loan Policy

The Lone Cone Library District provides access to books, media, and shared resources for the benefit of the community. This policy outlines loan periods, renewals, holds, replacement charges, and expectations for the care and return of physical library materials. Borrowing privileges are subject to the library’s current Cardholder Policy.

Loan Periods and Renewals

Library materials circulate for the following standard loan periods:

• Books: 2 weeks
• DVDs: 1 week
• Magazines: 1 week
• Library of Things items: 1 week

Some special collections or individual items may have different loan periods at the library’s discretion.

Most eligible items may be renewed up to 2 times if no other patron is waiting. Interlibrary Loan items are not eligible for renewal through Lone Cone Library and remain subject to the rules and due dates of the lending library. Renewals may be requested online, by phone, or in person.

Holds

Patrons may place holds:

• Online, by phone, in person, with staff assistance

Patrons are typically notified by email when a hold is available. Items placed on hold will generally be held for 7 days. If an item is not picked up within that time, it may be returned to circulation or offered to the next patron in line.

Overdue, Lost, and Damaged Items

Lone Cone Library does not charge overdue fines or fees. Patrons are still responsible for returning materials on time so they remain available to the community.

Items that remain overdue for 2 months may be marked as lost in the library system, and a bill may be sent to the cardholder by mail or email. Lost or damaged items will be billed at the retail cost of the item, rounded to the nearest whole dollar.

Materials must be returned in substantially the same condition in which they were checked out, excluding normal wear from ordinary use. Damage that may result in charges includes:

• water damage
• broken parts
• missing pieces
• excessive writing or markings
• dirt or staining beyond normal wear
• pet damage

The library determines whether an item is damaged beyond normal wear and whether repair or replacement is necessary. Patrons should not attempt to repair damaged items themselves, as homemade repairs often cause additional damage and may make an item unusable. Damaged items should be returned to library staff for evaluation.

Replacement Copies and Refunds

The library may accept an exact replacement of a lost item in place of payment, subject to staff approval. Any replacement copy must be the exact same title, format, and type, and it must be in acceptable condition. For example, a paperback must be replaced with a paperback, and a hardcover must be replaced with a hardcover. The library reserves the right to refuse a replacement copy that does not meet library standards.

If a patron pays for a lost item and later finds it, the library may issue a refund in one of the following ways:

• library account credit
• check
• the patron may keep the item if it has already been paid for

Refunds are subject to library review and the status of the account and item record at the time the item is returned.

Payment, Restrictions, and Special Collections

The library accepts cash, check, and card payments (plus a small fee) for lost or damaged materials. If charges for one family or household exceed $20.00, library materials may not be checked out to members of that household until the charges have been cleared from the responsible cardholder account.

Some items, particularly within the Library of Things, may require a signed waiver, user agreement, or other acknowledgment before checkout. These materials may also be subject to additional rules, limitations, or responsibilities based on the nature of the item.

Privileges, Collections, and Staff Discretion

The library reserves the right to suspend or revoke borrowing privileges due to misuse, abuse, theft, repeated policy violations, or other actions that harm library materials, services, or shared community resources.

Accounts with substantial unpaid balances that remain unresolved for an extended period may be referred to collections at the library’s discretion.

The library respects patron privacy and will not disclose account balance details to another cardholder without permission. Another person may make a payment on a cardholder’s behalf only with the cardholder’s approval and in accordance with library procedures.

The library reserves the right to make case by case exceptions when appropriate and to interpret and apply this policy in a manner consistent with responsible stewardship of community resources and fair treatment of patrons.