The Good News: No More Fines for Many of Your Overdue Library Materials

Regular overdue fines for books, monographs, serials, periodicals and some other items are now a thing of the past. After March 30, the UT Libraries will no longer charge the $.25-a-day fine for most materials that students, faculty and staff keep beyond the due date.

However, once materials are 21 days overdue, the libraries will declare the materials “lost.” This means that the borrower will be billed to replace the item as well as a $20 non-refundable processing fee. If the patron returns the “lost” material, the library automatically cancels the bill for replacement and the processing fee.

“Our goal is to get the books back in the library,” David Atkins, head of Library Access and Delivery Services, said. “We shouldn’t have to penalize students after they return books. We’re also glad to eliminate the negative experience of paying fines, for both borrowers and library staff,” Atkins said.

Patrons can keep track of their checked-out library items by using the “My Account” feature located on the libraries’ catalog Web page, www.lib.utk.edu/catalog. “We are able to send patrons emails or “snail mail” notices to remind them when books are overdue. We hope this can make the process easier and friendlier for everyone,” Atkins said.

Still, not all fines are going away. The libraries continues to charge fines for other types of loans and has increased the rates on equipment and recall fines. All faculty, students, and staff remain liable for recall fines. If you have a book that is recalled, the due date is changed to ten days after the date of the recall request. If the recalled item is not returned within that ten-day period, you cannot borrow any items from the library, and will be charged $.50 per day until the recalled item is returned (to a maximum of $20). This rate is an increase from the previous $.25 a day rate.

UT Libraries still charges overdue fines for reserve, media, and equipment loans:
• 2-hour reserve/overnight: $.25 per hour per item; maximum of $20.00 per item.
• 1-day, 3-day/7-day reserve and equipment: $1.00 per day per item; maximum of $20.00 per item.
• 4-hour or 24-hour Equipment Loans: $.25 per hour per item overdue; maximum $20.00 per item.
• 3-day Media (e.g. video, DVD) loans: $.25 per hour per item overdue; maximum of $20.00 per item.

To see if you have any overdue items, visit the UT Libraries catalog at www.lib.utk.edu/catalog and click on “My Account.” UT Libraries accepts credit cards, AllStar Plus, checks, and money orders, but no cash, for fee and fines payment.