Loan Periods and Fees
Library cardholders are not charged extended loan fees as of July 1, 2021. All outstanding fines and fees accrued before July 1, 2021 will be cleared, and blocked accounts will be reactivated and ready for use.
Borrowing Limits and Loan Periods
There is a borrowing limit of 100 items per account. Some types of items have specific borrowing limits. Items may be renewed up to five times if there are no customer holds. Renewals for downloadable e-books, e-audiobooks and e-magazines are set by the vendor.
| Type of Material | Loan Period (days) | Borrowing Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Baby Boosters Kits | 21 | |
| Books | 21 | |
| Book Club Kits | 42 | |
| CDs: Music and Audiobooks | 21 | |
| Downloadable e-Books and Audiobooks from cloudLibrary | 21 | 10 |
| Downloadable e-Books and Audiobooks from OverDrive | 14 * | 10 |
| Downloadable e-Magazines from OverDrive | 21 | None |
| DVDs: New Entertainment and Feature-length Movies | 7 | |
| DVDs: All Other | 21 | |
| Magazines and Comic Books | 21 | |
| Playaways | 21 | |
| Playaway Launchpads | 7 | |
| Storyville Collection | 21 | |
| Video Games | 21 | 6 |
Items borrowed from Maryland academic libraries and out-of-state libraries are handled differently. Items borrowed through Marina have a 21-day loan period and may be renewed up to two (2) times. Items borrowed through OCLC Interlibrary Loan usually have a 21-day loan period, but the length of the loan period is determined by the lending library. OCLC Interlibrary Loan items cannot be renewed.
Damaged, Lost or Missing Items
While the majority of the library's services are free, fees do apply for damaged or lost items. If you have an outstanding balance on your account, you may be denied use of library services.
Fees for damage to materials vary based on the extent of the damage up to and including the full replacement cost of the item. Service Desk staff at any of our branches determine the amount of damage to items.
Items 21 days overdue are automatically assumed to have been lost, and a Lost status is added to your account. When paying for a lost or damaged item, you are responsible for paying the replacement cost of the damaged, lost or missing item and a processing fee of $4.
The library does not accept substitute materials to replace damaged or lost items.
Replacement Costs
Replacement costs for most damaged or lost materials vary and depend on the purchase price of the item. Some items, such as cases or dust jackets, do not vary in their replacement cost. Standard replacement costs for these items are as follows:
Baby Boosters Kits:
- Book: $5
- Adult resource book, DVD or CD: $15
- Knapsack: $10
- Entire kit: $115
Barcodes: $1
Book Club Kits:
- Book: $5
- Carry bag: $40
- Entire large (12-book) kit: $100
- Entire small (8-book) kit: $80
CD, DVD, Playaway, Playaway View or video game:
- Accompanying booklet: $2
- Case: $2
Chromebook:
- Case: $10
- Charger: $20
- Device: $300
- Entire set: $330
Comic book (excluding graphic novels):
- Processing fee: $2
- Replacement: $3
Dust jacket: $4
Hotspot:
- Case: $8
- Charger: $15
- Hotspot: $30
- Entire set: $53
Magazine:
- Processing fee: $2
Marina and OCLC Interlibrary Loan items from Maryland academic and out-of-state libraries:
- Bag: $2
- Processing fee: $4
- Replacement: determined by owning library
Playaway:
- Charger: $10
Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) Tags: $1
Refunds on Returned Lost or Missing Items
The replacement cost for lost material will be refunded if the item is found and returned to the library within six months of the date of payment. The item must be returned with the payment receipt. The processing fee is not refunded. No refunds are given on damaged materials. No refunds are given for damaged or lost material that were borrowed for the customer from another Maryland academic or out-of-state library (OCLC Interlibrary Loan).
How to Pay Fees
Fees may be paid online or in person at any branch.
Online
Pay fees online using a major credit card.
- Log in to My Account.
- Select Fees on the left of the screen.
- Choose the fees you want to pay by selecting the check boxes on the left side of the screen.
- Select Pay Fines Now at the bottom of the screen and follow the instructions. Each transaction is secure and the library does not retain credit card information.
In Person
Pay fees with a major credit card or Tap and Pay at any branch's self-service check out station or stop by the Service Desk to pay with cash, personal check (with valid identification), credit card or Tap and Pay.
Any returned check results in an additional $25 fee.
Partial Payments
Arrangements for partial payments of fees can be made at any branch’s Service Desk. If total fees are $25 or more, a minimum of 10 percent must be paid in order to borrow materials. A maximum of two items, including DVDs and video games, may be borrowed while making partial payments. All fees must be paid within six months of the initial payment.