Cards and Borrowing

How to get a Library Card

Apply for a library card at the circulation desk - you must present identification showing your current address. You must have a current photo ID, such as an Ohio Driver's License or Satae of Ohio ID card. If your photo ID does not have your current address, a personal check, utility bill, envelope or post card with a recent postmark showing your current address is required. You must be 18 years of age to get an Adult card; Children cards require a guardian's signature.

Loan Periods

Most items loan for two weeks with two renewals unless they have been placed on hold by another patron. You may renew online through the catalog or phone the library and ask for Circulation Services.

Material	Loan Period	Limit	Fine Per Day	Renewals
Books	2 weeks	none	.10	4
Magazines	2 weeks	none	.10	2
Music CDs	2 weeks	20	.10	2
DVDs	1 week	15	.50	2
DVD Sets (3 or more DVDs)	2 weeks	10	.50	2
CD-ROMs	2 weeks	5	.10	2
Video Games	1 week	2	.50	2

Mentor Public Library Fine Policy

The Mentor Public Library uses a collection agency, Unique Management, to help encourage patrons with overdue materials to return them to the library. The library will pass the cost of this service on to each patron whose account will be handled by Unique Management. This policy will not affect the vast majority of patrons who return materials on time. This has been decided with fairness to all library patrons and taxpayers in mind. Materials not returned are not available for others to use or borrow. Also, if materials are not returned, in most cases, money from the library budget is used to replace them. This same money, could much better be used to purchase new items for patron use instead of replacing non-returned items. The Library hopes this practice will encourage all library borrowers to return items by the date due. Book and video return drop boxes are available when the library is closed.

Patrons will be notified by the library via mail that their materials are overdue and have 2 weeks to respond prior to being turned over for collection. Description of Fine Policy: Cardholders that carry five dollars or more owed to the Library are blocked from using the Library computers and from checking out material until they have a balance below five dollars.

Fees for damaged items are the price of the item plus a replacement fee. Patrons returning items with missing pieces or booklets will be charged the full price of the item since an incomplete item cannot be circulated.

To help you keep track of items checked out on your library account, we will generate Courtesy Notices for our patrons with email addresses 2 days before items are due, two overdue notice when an item is overdue. We will first try to phone or email you the notice. If an item is not returned after 45 days past the due date, the computer changes the item's status to BILLED so that other patrons do not continue to wait for the return. Because the Library may need to re-order, re-package and re-catalog another item, a processing fee is added to the delinquent account. The processing fee for magazines is $5.00; all other materials have a $5.00 processing fee. You may now pay your fines online.

When a checked out item is set to BILLED the cost of the item is added to the account. If you return a BILLED item, the Library may or may not accept the item back into the collection. If the Library puts the long overdue item back into the collection, we will waive the processing fee and the cost of the item from your library account, however, the cardholder is still responsible for the overdue fine. Overdue fines will accrue to a maximum of $5.00 and are calculated and applied to the account once the item is checked in. If the Library chooses not to accept a long overdue item, the cardholder is responsible for the cost of the item, the processing fee and the overdue fine.

When does an account get sent to Unique Management for assistance?

If a patron owes more that $25.00, we mail the card holder a bill for the missing items. If the account is still over $25.00 after 10 days, the account is submitted to Unique for their assistance and the collection fee of $10.00 is added to the library account.

Example of the Collection Notice follows:

NOTICE OF ACCOUNT SENT TO COLLECTION Our records show that your account has a balance over $25.00. Please pay this bill as soon as possible. If still unpaid 10 days after the above date, this will be sent to Unique Management Services for collections and you will be charged an additional $10. Thank-you, Mentor Public Library (440) 255-8811

Unique's Letter & Phone Call Contact Schedule
Day 1 - Letter
Day 21 - Letter
Day 35-49 - Initial Phone Call
Day 65 - Letter of placing in Secondary Schedule
Day 78-91 - Secondary Phone Calls
Day 121-150 - Credit Reported

Lost Items

If you lose or damage an item, please call us or stop in and let us know. The charge for lost items is the cost of the item, an additional $5.00 replacement and $5.00 billing fee. DO NOT PURCHASE A REPLACEMENT FOR THE ITEM. The library does not accept replacements for items lost or damaged. The cardholder is still responsible for the overdue fine. Overdue fines will accrue to a maximum of $5.00 per item and are applied to the account once the item is checked in.

Damaged DVD Cases

There is a $2.50 charge for locking DVD cases that are returned damaged.

Items that Do Not Belong to Mentor Public Library

If you accidentally return another library's items to Mentor Public Library, we will do our best to return those items to the owning library. If you return rental DVDs and games (from Hollywood Video, Blockbuster, etc.) to Mentor Public Library, we will keep them behind the circulation desk for two weeks for you to pick up. We cannot keep these items beyond two weeks due to lack of space. The library is not able to return rental DVDs and games for you.