Checked out

  • The maximum number of items a card can have checked out at any one time is 75.
  • Media is limited to 20 items per format per patron at any one time.
  • Laptops, hotspots, and other digital items are limited to one per patron at any one time.

Checking in items with parts

  • Owning library must clearly indicate the number of parts in the item.
  • It is the responsibility of the library, at check in and check out, to make sure all pieces are included.
  • Do a visual check before check-in. If books are damaged beyond normal wear and tear, or AV components are broken, or pieces missing, do NOT check the item in. Put a note on patron’s record with the title and type of the damage; date and initial note plus identify the checkin library.
  • The library that noticed the item with missing parts needs to make the first attempt to recover them by a phone call or email to the patron within 48 hours. After 30 days, return the item to the home library with a note explaining what was done to retrieve the missing piece. Put a note on the patron’s record that the damaged item was returned to owning library; date and initial note added to record along with library’s 3 letter code for followup if necessary.

Claims Returned

  • Claims returned should be used as a last resort.
  • A library may NOT place a claims returned on any item that they do not own, regardless of where the item is picked up. It is the responsibility of the patron to contact the owning agency regarding the missing material. The transit library may serve as a conduit to the contact, but is not required to do so.
  • When marking an item claims-returned, be sure to change the duedate to match the original duedate to eliminate the fine.

Fines & Fees

  • Fines for overdue materials only, not lost charges or a referral fee, are kept by the checkin library whether the fines were for material from the owning library or not.
  • The system-wide block threshold is $25.00.
  • Fees/Manual Charges vary from library to library and from policy to policy. All fees and manual charges can be collected, regardless of library of origin. NOTE: Referral Fee must be forwarded to the owning library.

Lost materials

  • The Replacement cost of an item will be the cost listed in the item record.
  • If a lost book fee is collected, the price should reflect the addition of such fee.
  • When payment is accepted at a non-owning library, pay the bill on the patron’s record and then send payment with the patron’s barcode and the item’s ID/title to the owning library through the delivery.
    • A check can be made out to and forwarded to the owning library
    • Cash can be put in an envelope with the receiver’s name and sent through the delivery system (optional: call the owning library to let them know it’s on the way).
  • For large fines, encourage the patron to use online bill pay (SmartPay).
 NOTE: Make checks payable for lost items to these 7 libraries with the following proper Library name:
 HHF - Hendrick Hudson Library
 LEW - Lewisboro Library
 NOR - Ruth Keeler Library
 PEK - Field Library
 POR - Port Chester-Rye Brook Library
 WNR - Warner Library
 YRK - John C. Hart Library
  • If a patron offers to replace the missing or damaged item with a new copy at a library other than the owning library, that library must contact the owning library to see if they will accept a replacement copy. There is a posted list on the Policies page of this wiki of which libraries will accept or not any type of replacements. Always double-check with any library that answered YES, accept replacement copies.
  • Material lost and paid for, then found is a local issue of whether the policy of the library is to accept the return of the lost item or not, or refund the money paid back to the patron or not.

Missing

  • If an item that should be on the shelf is missing from your collection, change the item status to Missing. The catalog will more accurately reflect its status and the item will not be eligible to fill a system hold.
  • If the last copy on a bib record is missing, then remove the title and item record from the database, unless the copy is being replaced. If a missing item is the last copy available in the catalog and has a hold, it must be discarded after a search for the item, otherwise the hold will linger. Notify the patron and give him the option to place an InterLibrary Loan for that same title. Remove all holds for this title with the last available copy not found and then discard or delete the item.
  • When a missing item is found, check it in using the checkin modifiers Retarget Local Holds and Retarget All Statuses to put it back into circulation and fill any existing local holds.
  • Items that have been marked missing are automatically purged after one year.

Renewals

  • One renewal is allowed on most items
  • The renewal is not processed if:
    • The owning library does not allow renewals of that item (e.g. express)
    • There is an active hold on that title
    • The item has already been renewed once
  • Renewals are  initiated
    • by staff at the library
    • by the patron for individual items through his online account
      OR
    • through auto-renewal
      • on the due date if the CHECKOUT library has opted into that service (BDH, BRO, CHA, CRO, GRE, HAR/HWE, HHF, IRV, LAR, MAM, MTP/MVA, OSS, PEK, PEL, POU, PUR, SCA, WHI, YPL – YCR/YRI/YWI, YRK)
      • For the length of the original loan period
      • A patron is notified via email about all items they have checked out to let them know whether each item has been renewed.

Dear FIRSTNAME LASTNAME,
An automatic renewal attempt was made for the following items:

Item# 1
This item was renewed for you. Please check your library account for the status of other checked out items at https://catalog.westchester.org
New Due Date: 2019-11-23
Title: Bollywood kitchen : home-cooked Indian meals paired with unforgettable Bollywood films
Author: Rao, Sri

Item# 2
Some items could not automatically be renewed.
Reason: COPY_NEEDED_FOR_HOLD : Copy is needed to fulfill a hold
Due Date: 2019-11-02Title: The library book
Author: Orlean, Susan

Summer loans

  • Loans can be extended on your own materials.
  • When the item belongs to another library, please call that library for permission to modify the duedate.
  • Staff should not override and change due dates for material owned by other libraries.