Circulation Policies of the Mark Twain Library

The library has established the following rules governing the loan of library materials.

three days (two nights)

new DVDs and museum passes

one week

new adult fiction

older DVDs

children's "JVR" DVDs and videotapes

magazines

three weeks

older adult fiction

all adult nonfiction (new and older)

all children's and teen/young adult fiction and nonfiction

audio books

DVDs in series

LOAN PERIODS (for materials from other libraries in the Bibliomation consortium)

Library materials requested from other libraries in the consortium are circulated according to the rules of the home library. Loan periods may be different from those of the Mark Twain Library.

All Mark Twain Library materials may be renewed twice, except for new DVDs, which cannot be renewed at all, and all other movies which can be renewed once.

An item cannot be renewed if another Mark Twain Library patron has placed a request for it.

Items may be renewed by calling or visiting the library. Items can be renewed online as well, but if the patron has an overdue fine of more than $5.00, the system will block the renewal request.

All Mark Twain Library materials incur an overdue fine of $.10 /day, except for the following: theatrical-release DVDs are $2.00/day, and museum passes have overdue fines of $5.00/day. There is a maximum of $5.00 in fines on each individual library item, except for theatrical-release DVDs which have maximum fines of $10, and museum passes, which incur fines until the day of return.

Once a patron has incurred a total of $5.00 or more in unpaid fines on his account, he is blocked from borrowing additional library materials until the total amount of fines on the account has been reduced to less than $5.00. This restriction includes fines from all member Bibliomation libraries, and affects borrowing privileges at all member Bibliomation libraries. Outstanding fines can be paid at any Bibliomation library; it does not matter at which library the fines originated. Parents are responsible for fines on their children's accounts (for children up to age 16).

The library now helps patrons to avoid overdue materials by sending "courtesy reminders" by email a few days before library items are due.

If a library item is returned to the library in non-circulating condition, or if a patron has lost or never returned a borrowed item, the patron is responsible for paying the cost of replacement of the item as determined by the library. The patron's borrowing privileges (at all Bibliomation libraries) are suspended until this cost is paid.