How to Avoid Library Fines

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1. If your address changes, even temporarily, notify University Libraries so that you can receive recall and overdue notices for material on loan to you.  You should also update your address information on your MyWSU student account.

2. If you receive overdue notices by email (most students and WSU employees do), check your University email every day or two.

3. If your ID is lost or stolen, immediately notify Circulation (978-3582) and the Shockercard Center (978-2273).

4. Do not loan your ID to someone else, and do not check out books for others.

5. Return or renew library material in strict compliance with due dates (or dates/times). Note that overdue fines for periodicals, reserve loans, and recall items begin as soon as the due date (or date/time) expires. For those items, there is NO grace period between the due date and fines assessment.

6. Do not rely on overdue notices as a means to avoid fines. These are sent as courtesy reminders only, and should not be substituted for maintaining awareness of due dates and complying with them. If you incur fines because you failed to receive overdue notices, your fines will not be canceled.

7. Do not wait until the end of the five-day grace period to return or renew material on four-week or semester loan. Return or renew material in accordance with due dates, and do not risk last-minute complications which can result in fines.

8. Return library material to the location from which you borrowed it, and use the location's designated return area or book drop for return. Do not leave material that is charged to you on a study table or carrel in the library.

9. Return your library material personally, rather than asking someone else to return it for you.

10. If you receive a recall notice, return the item by the recall due date to avoid recall fines.

11. If you receive an overdue or recall notice for a book that you believe you do not have (perhaps believing that you returned it earlier), notify the Library's Circulation Desk immediately. Do not assume the matter will be cleared up. Meanwhile, please DO check to determine that you do not indeed have the book.

For further information, contact the Circulation Department at 978-3582.

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