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Fines

You can see any fines you may have accumulated in My Library Account.

For the majority of library materials, fines accrue at a rate of $0.25 per day late. Media materials carry different fine amounts depending on the type of material, regardless of patron status. For more information, see the borrowing webpage. All patrons (including faculty and staff) are fined $1.00 per day late for not honoring recalled items.

How to pay fines 

Fines cannot be paid online.

In person

If fines have not been sent to the Bursar's Office, they can be paid at either the Circulation Desk on the second floor of Newman Library. Only cash, check, or debit from a Hokie Passport account can be accepted for payment. No library debit cards, bank debit cards, or credit cards can be accepted.

By mail

It is not recommended that you send cash. Please make checks or money orders payable to Treasurer, Virginia Tech and mail to:

Circulation Unit
P.O. Box 90001
Blacksburg, VA
24062-9001

Please note that any charges that have been sent to Accounts Receivable at the Bursar's Office must be paid at the Cashier's Window in the Student Services building.

Blocked accounts 

Patrons are blocked from checking out library materials if they exceed the fine limit of $20.00, have a recalled item that is overdue, or if their account is listed as billed or Bursar Billed.

Fine appeals 

Patrons can appeal fines or any library materials on their account by completing a fine appeal form. Fines cannot be contested once they are 60 days old.

Billed status

Once an item becomes 30 days overdue, the library assumes the book is lost. At this point, a patron is billed the standard replacement fee of $75.00 and a $20.00 non-refundable processing fee for each item 30 days or more past due. Patrons' privileges are suspended and their library accounts blocked until the book is either returned or paid for. The library reserves the right to charge the actual replacement cost for each book listed in Bowker's Global Books in Print.

Once a book is returned the $95.00 in replacement costs are reduced to the overdue fine amount.

Bursar Billed status

When materials go 60 days overdue, your library account will be referred to Accounts Receivable at the Bursar's Office in the Student Services Building. They will hold the the account for 60-90 days, during which finance charges may be added. After this time, your account will be sent to a collections department where a fee of 1/3 of your billed amount will be added to the total. Any payments of Bursar-referred fines must be paid at Accounts Receivable not at the Library. Library materials should still be returned to the Circulation/Reserve Desk for credit to your account.

Once materials are returned, an adjustment will be sent to Accounts Receivable for the replacement price (provided there is no damage to the book) minus the processing charges. Any remaining charges (such as processing fees) must be paid at Accounts Receivable. Again, the Bursar's office may impose a collection fee of 1/3 of the amount for past due bills.

Refunds

If you find and return a lost item that you have been charged for, you can receive a refund. Refunds for previously-paid-for materials will only be reimbursed within a year from the date of payment. The $20 processing fee charged by the Bursar's Office cannot be refunded.