Library Card
Library users must present a valid library card from MCLS for checkout of all library materials. If the staff cannot verify the validity of the patron’s card on the computer system, checkout will not be permitted. A library user who has lost his/her card may apply for a new one by showing valid identification and paying a nonrefundable $3.00 replacement charge. If the card is later found, it must be destroyed or returned to the library for disposal. Refunds will not be made for replacement library cards.

Loan Limits
Library users may have up to 25 items checked out at any time. The following subject and/or media specific loan limits have been established:

1. Videos & DVDs: Five (5) per card.

2. Audio Cassettes/CDs: Five (5) per card.

3. Subject Areas: Five (5) books per subject.

Loan Periods
The majority of items within the library’s collection may be borrowed for twenty-one (21) days. There are daily due dates. Special loan periods have been established for the following library materials:

1. Videos & DVDs: Seven (7) days

2. High Demand Items: Library materials that are in high demand by library users may be temporarily assigned a seven (7) day loan period.

Policy for Circulation of Audiovisual Materials
Madison County Library System is pleased to provide video, DVD, audiocassette, CD, and juvenile audio kit collections as a service to its patrons. In order to provide service to all patrons, we have established the following guidelines for the circulation of audiovisuals.

Videos/DVDs

• Videos/DVDs are checked out for seven (7) days. $1.00 per day is charged for each title that is overdue.

• Patron must be a registered borrower 18 years or older to check out videos/DVDs.

• As with all other items in the collection, patrons are responsible for videos/DVDs checked out on their library cards. Patrons must pay the full cost of replacement if a video/DVD is lost, destroyed, or damaged beyond repair.

• Videos/DVDs may be returned to any of the MCLS branches.

• Videos/DVDs must be returned in the library container.

Audio Materials

• Audio Cassettes/CDs and juvenile audio kits are checked out by the standard loan procedures.

• As with all other items in the collection, patrons are responsible for audio materials checked out on their library cards. Patrons must pay the full cost of replacement if an item is lost, destroyed, or damaged beyond repair.

Renewals
Renewals are a way of extending loan periods for our users. Two twenty-one (21) day renewals of items with standard loan periods are permitted, if the item is not reserved for another library user. Videos and DVDs have two seven (7) day renewal periods. There are no renewals on items with holds. Items may be renewed in any of our branches or by telephoning the Library. Books borrowed from libraries outside the system are sometimes renewable by calling the ILL Coordinator. ILLs are renewed only after approval from the lending library.

Return of Items
Items must be returned to a library in the Madison County Library System. All items can be returned to any of our branches.

Damaged Items
A fee will be assessed for damaged items that can still be used or repaired. A replacement cost will be assessed for damaged items that can no longer be used. Charges are assessed for damaged materials to encourage library users to take proper care of public property. The following charges will be assessed for materials returned damaged:

• $1.00 for missing bar code label

• $1.00 for missing spine label

• $5.00 for each single video, audio, DVD, or CD case

• $5.00 for each audiocassette album

Lost Materials
Materials are considered lost and charges plus a nonrefundable processing fee will be assessed when the following criteria have been met:

• At the second overdue notice an item is assumed to be lost.

• When the library user tells the staff that they cannot locate the item.

Patrons cannot provide a replacement copy for lost or damaged items.

Refunds for the cost of a lost item will be made within three (3) months of payment, but only if the item is in usable condition and the patron has a receipt.

Overdue Materials
Overdue fines are assessed for items returned past their due date. This encourages library users to return their materials by the designated return date so that they are available for other users. In order to encourage return of long overdue materials, there is a maximum per-item fine. Fine rates are as follows: