Renewals, returns and fines
Returning Library Materials | Renewing Library Materials | Overdue Notices | Fines for Overdue Items (How to Pay / Fine Blocks) | I Have Returned This Book Already / I Never Checked This Book Out | Lost or Damaged Items | Items Returned Without Correct Contents |
Returning Materials
To ensure that all items checked out to you are removed from your account, please return all items to one of the following locations:
- Circulation/Reserve Desk: To return library materials during normal hours of operation, patrons may place books and media items in the return bins located at the Circulation/Reserve Desk in Newman Library.
- Return Vault: There are two book return slots on the exterior wall of Newman Library, to the left of the main entrance doors. Items returned after library hours will be checked in first thing the following morning.
- 4th Floor Return Bins: Located at the Library entrance to the Torgersen Hall Bridge and at the Photocopy/Cashier's area which are on the 4th floor of Newman Library.
- Book Return Bins on Campus: There are three book return bins available on campus for your convenience:
- Litton Reeves
- Torgersen Hall on Alumni Mall, nearest to the Library
- Visitor's map by the golf course
- Branch Libraries: You may return most library material to any VT library branch regardless of where you checked out the materials:Newman Library,Art + Architecture Library in the Surge Building, the Veterinary Medicine Library at the VetMed complex, and the Resource Center at the Northern Virginia Center in Falls Church, VA.
- Mail: You may return library materials through the US Postal Service, UPS, FedEX, or Airborne to the following addresses.
- Through US Postal Service:
University Libraries / Virginia Tech, Circulation Unit, P. O. Box 90001 Blacksburg, Va. 24062-9001 - Through UPS, FedEX, or Airborne Services:
University Libraries / Virginia Tech, Circulation Unit, Newman Library, Blacksburg, Va. 24061-0434
HINT: Reserve, Interlibrary Loan, and Media materials should be returned to the owning location to ensure prompt credit to your account and to avoid damage.
- Through US Postal Service:
Renewing Library Materials
You can renew your books using My Library Record. Login, view your checked out items, select the ones you wish to renew and click the Renew Selected button. If any items cannot be renewed (because you have reached your renewal limit, or another patron has requested the item) you will be notified with the appropriate error message.
Why Books May Not Renew
There are several reasons why a book may not renew. They include:
- You have reached your maximum number of renewals for that book. If you still need the book, you may bring it into the library, check it in, and provided there are no requests for the item, check it back out again.
- Another patron has requested the book.
- Your account is blocked due to fines or overdue materials. To resolve the block, you will need to pay fines or return overdue materials.
- The item selected for renewal is a Browse Book, Storage Journal, Video, DVD, or Optical Disc, which are not renewable.
Overdue Notices
As a courtesy, the library notifies patrons of overdue materials on the following schedule:
- First notice: sent 3 days prior to due date
- Second notice: sent when item is 1 day overdue
- Third notice: sent when item is 5 days overdue
- Fourth notice: sent when item is 15 days overdue
The overdue notices are automatically generated by Addison and are sent via e-mail. If a patron has no e-mail address on file at the library, an overdue letter is mailed via US Mail. It is important that the library has your current mailing address and e-mail address on file. For additional information on email addresses, please see our policies page.
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.
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. 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. The Bursar's office may impose a collection fee on the account for past due bills.
Refunds for previously-paid-for materials will only be reimbursed within a year from the date of payment.
But I've Returned This Book Already or Never Checked It Out: What do I need to do?
You receive an overdue notice for a book you believe you have already returned or have never checked out. What can you do?
- Call Circulation/Reserve at 540-231-6340 or send an e-mail to crculate@vt.edu to inform us that you have returned a particular book
- Circulation/Reserve will place a status on the item
- You will continue to receive automatic overdue notices via e-mail while the situation is pending
- The item in question will be searched for four (4) times in the Library
- If after four searches the book cannot be found, you will receive a notification letter in the mail along with a fine appeal form
- Submit the fine appeal form to Circulation/Reserve if you wish to proceed further
- You have a 30 day time limit from the date stated in the notification letter to file an appeal with the Library.
Fines for overdue materials, how to pay, and fine blocks
For the majority of library materials, fines accrue at a rate of $0.25 per day late. Fines for Newman Popular Reading accrue at $1.00 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
In Person: Fines may be paid at either the Circulation Desk or the Cashier's Window in Newman Library. The Circulation Desk is located on the first floor and the Cashier's Window is located on the fourth floor.
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.
Fine Blocks
Patrons are blocked from checking out library materials if they exceed the fine limit of $20.00.
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. To view your patron account and any fines, please use My Library Record.
Lost or Damaged Items
If a book is returned damaged to the Library, the Circulation/Reserve unit assesses the damage sustained. A decision will be made if the book can be repaired or must be replaced. Patrons will be notified of any damage and the repair/replacement price will be added to the patron's account.
The standard replacement fee for books is $75.00 plus a $20.00 non-refundable processing fee. The Library reserves the right to charge the actual value of the book listed in Bowker's Global Books In Print.
It is a class 1 misdemeanor to willfully or wantonly destroy library property.
Materials lost by the patron will also be assessed the standard replacement fee of $75.00 and a $20.00 non-refundable processing charge. The fines will be added to the patron's library account. Unpaid fees will be turned over to Accounts Receivable at the Bursar's office in the Student Services building.
For information on refunds of lost & paid for items, please see our policy page.
Items Returned Without Correct Contents
Periodically we have materials returned to Circulation/Reserve that have the wrong contents, such as a personal compact disc inside our CD case of piano sonatas or a home movie in the video case for a Ken Burn's Civil War episode.
When this happens we cannot check the material in and fines, if any, will continue to accrue until we receive the correct contents. The item is unabailable for loan until that time.
We notify a patron as soon as any problems are detected so that he/she can return the contents before any (or additional) fines accrue.
