Circulation Policy

Circulation Policy

Library Material Loan Periods

Books, Audiobooks , Music CDs, DVD TV Shows             3 weeks

DVD movies, Magazines, Toddler Totes                           1 week

*The above materials will be renewed automatically up to 3 times, unless someone has placed a hold on the item or the item is new. It is the patron’s responsibility to monitor due dates.

Games, Binoculars, “Things” 1 week

Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspots 3 weeks

Cultural Passes 3 days

Overdue charges

Mt. Angel Public Library no longer charges overdue fines for most items (see Fine Free Policy below). Some overdue charges MAY be assessed for materials from other libraries within CCRLS.

Overdue fines will still be assessed for Cultural Passes and Mobile Hotspots.

Your CCRLS (Chemeketa Cooperative Regional Library Service) library card allows you to check out, return & request materials to/from all of our 18 interconnected libraries!

Holds

Once holds arrive at the library, patron has seven business days to pick them up before they will be returned to the home library.

Fine Free Policy (approved by City Council 5/2/2022)

What does Fine Free mean?

Effective immediately, there will be no overdue fines charged on most Mt. Angel Public Library items. Existing overdue fines from our library’s items are being waived.

How does it work?

• Every item checked out will still have a due date. Items will still automatically renew for as long as renewals are available and you will get the same reminders about overdue items you have always received. Remember that other patrons may be waiting for an item, so please do your best to bring items back on time.
• Overdue fines may still be charged on items belonging to other libraries, according to their policies.
• Overdue fines will still be charged for Cultural Passes and WiFi Hotspots. All other items owned by our library are now fine free.
• Fees for damaged or lost items will still be charged to your account. Items are considered lost when they are 45 days overdue. At that time, your account will be charged for the replacement cost of the item(s) and your account will be blocked if the total is over $25. You can clear your account by returning the item(s) in usable condition (there will be no overdue fines!) or by paying for the item(s).

What if I have outstanding fines on my account?

Past overdue fines from Mt. Angel PL items have been waived. Charges for lost or damaged items and overdue fines for other libraries’ materials will remain on your account. If you have any questions about charges to your account, please call or stop by and we’ll go over your account with you.

What if I haven’t visited the library in a long time?

Please come see us! We might need to set up a new account for you or update your old one. Please see Apply for a Library Card for complete information. Any staff member will be happy to give you a quick library tour or talk about our services and resources with you.

Will people still return their items? Will it take longer to get holds?

We don’t expect there to be any changes in services as a result of eliminating overdue fines. All CCRLS libraries were fine free during the pandemic, and the only delays that occurred were a result of item quarantines and curbside pickup limitations. And nearly half of the libraries in the CCRLS system have already gone permanently fine free without any noticeable effects on returns or hold wait times.

How will the library replace the revenue from fines?

Although the Library always carefully watches its bottom line, the loss of overdue fine revenue is tiny compared to the good this new policy will do for our community. Overdue fines account for less than 1% of the library’s overall budget, and going fine free will not result in any increase to our budget request from the City. In addition, revenue from overdue fines has been steadily declining for years, mainly because of automatic renewals and the increasing use of electronic materials. Above all, the City Council and library staff feel it is worth a small loss in revenue if it allows us to remove barriers to library use.

Why make this change?

Research has shown that overdue fines are not effective in encouraging the return of library materials. Instead, fines can quickly become a barrier to using the library. We do not want overdue fines to discourage or prevent patrons from accessing the valuable resources our library offers.