Fines

Rates

Books are due by the date given when an item is checked-out. Patrons are responsible for knowing their due dates. Books that are not returned or renewed on or before the date due will be assessed fines according to the schedule listed below. NOTE: These rates apply to all Twin Cities libraries except Law.


Item Status
(Loan Period)
Regular Fine Rate
Recall Fine
Rate
Rush Recall
Fine Rate
Regular Loan
1 Week Loan
2 Week Loan
4 Week Loan
6 Week Loan
13 Week Loan
Loan Period Varies
$0.50/day
$1.00/day
$5.00/day
Non-Circulating
Overnight Loan
In Library Use
Same Day Loan
1 Day Loan
3 Day Loan
ILL Material
$3.00/day
$6.00/day
$30.00/day
2 Hour Loan
$1.50/hour
$3.00/hour
$15.00/hour
Carrel Assigned
$3.00/day
-
-

Books not returned will be subject to replacement costs plus a $10 processing fee
($30 for ILL items) and the maximum overdue fine.

Students' ability to borrow library items is blocked when unpaid fines and fees reach $10 or more. Faculty and staff are blocked when unpaid fees reach $250 or more. Additionally users are blocked from borrowing when they have not responded to Library notices or have unresolved issues such as overdue materials, unreturned recalled books or address problems.

If you have any questions concerning overdue books or fines, contact the Borrowing Privileges & Fines Office during regular business hours at 612.624.3383, or send us an e-mail at fines@umn.edu.

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Paying Your Fines

Payments for library fines can be made by check or by credit card. Currently enrolled students have the additional option of transferring their overdue fines to Student Accounts Receivable (STARS). NOTE: Please contact the Bio-Medical Library (612.626.5653) or the Law Library (612.625.4300) for fines at those libraries.

Pay By Check
Please make checks payable to the University of Minnesota. Check payments may be made at Wilson, Walter, or Magrath Libraries. You may also mail your check to the address below. Questions? Please call us at 612/624-3383 Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 4:30 PM. There is a $20 charge for all returned checks.

Borrowing Privileges & Fines
110 Wilson Library
309 19th Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Pay By Credit Card
To make a credit card payment, patrons may do one of the following:
  • Come to our office located at the Circulation Desk on the first floor of Wilson Library.

  • Complete our Credit Card Payment Form and return it to:

    Borrowing Privileges & Fines
    110 Wilson Library
    309 19th Avenue South
    Minneapolis, MN 55455
    FAX: 612.626.-8968

  • Call us! We can take payments over the phone. Please have your credit card number and expiration
    date ready.

    612.624.3383
    Monday - Friday
    9:00 am to 4:30 pm


Transfer Your Fines
Bills for overdue fines, with the exception of the Law Library, may be forwarded to Student Accounts Receivable (STARS) for students who are currently enrolled. You may authorize that your overdue fines be forwarded to your account by completing a STARS Transfer Request Form and returning it to:

Borrowing Privileges & Fines
110 Wilson Library
309 19th Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55455
FAX: 612.626.8968

* Overdue fines not paid after thirty days will automatically be transferred to your STARS account.

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Academic Holds

Library places a hold on users academic records (meaning that students cannot register for University courses) under two circumstances:

  • When library fines exceed $100
  • When library materials are not returned

Holds on academic records are removed when library fines are paid and when library materials are returned. Please contact the owning library with questions and concerns.

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Problems & Disputes

Please select from the list of common problems below. If you have a problem or question that is not on the list, please call our office at 612.624-3383, or send us an e-mail.

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I lost a library book.
If you lost a library book you will need to pay for its replacement. Replacement costs vary by subject matter. Please contact the owning library for price and billing information.

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I damaged a library material.
If you damaged a library material you will need to pay for its repair or its replacement. Cost is determined by type of damage, amount of damage, and replacement cost is determined by subject matter. Damage includes any underlining and sticky notes of all kinds. Please contact the Wilson Borrowing Privileges & Fines Department for price and billing information. Please do not attempt to repair the material.

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I returned a book, but the Libraries say I still have it checked out.
If you returned a book that the Libraries say is still checked out to you, contact the owning library and have the following information ready:

  • title of the material
  • when you returned the book
  • where you returned the book

The owning library will search for the item and notify you of its results. Search procedures vary by library. Sometimes it may take several weeks for the search to be completed. If the item is found in the library, you (the patron) are not held responsible for any fines accrued. If the item is not found, you are responsible for finding and returning the book, or paying for its replacement. The only way to prove that you returned a library item is to provide a receipt for it's return. Please contact the owning library for more information.

Please Note: The only way to be 100% certain that your library materials are checked-in is to request a Return Receipt. Having a Return Receipt proves that you returned your books.

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There is a book on my account that I did not check out.
If there is a book on your library account that you believe you did not check out, contact the owning library in writing of the situation. Include the book's title and author and a statement describing your claim. Also include your name, address, and a phone number where you can be reached. Additionally, the letter should be signed and dated.

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I checked out a book for a friend and now I'm being fined for it.
You are responsible for the use of your card. If you checked out a book for a friend, you are responsible for it's return and any fines accrued from its late return. If the item is not returned, you are responsible for paying the replacement cost of the item.

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I checked out a book for a professor and now I'm being fined for it.
You are responsible for the use of your card. If you checked out a book for a professor and are now being fined for it, you are responsible for its return and for paying the overdue fines. However, you may also have the professor write us a letter on your behalf. The letter should indicate that the book was checked out for the professor's use and that he or she is responsible for the overdue fines. The letter should should be written on department letterhead, should include the book's title and author, and should be signed and dated. Professors may also request that the book be transferred to his or her own library account.

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I checked out a book and it got recalled.
Library policy states that recalls may occur at any time. Recall due dates supercede all previous due dates. In most cases, the new due date will be anywhere from 3 to 7 days from the day you receive the notice. In some cases, you will only have a day or two to return the book(s). In order to avoid fines, you will need to return the book by the recall due date.

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A book I checked out was recalled, but I did not receive a notice.
Recall notices are sent either by US mail or E-mail. If a book you checked out was recalled and you did not receive the recall notice, contact the owning library immediately. In most cases, the owning library will not charge you for overdue fines, however, you will be responsible for returning the recalled item as soon as possible. Additionally, we will need to confirm the address we have for you. Please note that you are responsible for keeping your address updated in our system. If you do not update your address with us and you subsequently receive fines because you did not receive a recall notice, you will be responsible for paying the charges.

* Address includes both US mail and E-mail addresses.

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I did not receive my Courtesy or Overdue notices for a book I checked out, and now I'm being fined for it.
Courtesy and Overdue notices are sent by US mail or by E-mail. Courtesy and Overdue notices are a courtesy. They are not meant to be your indicator to renew or return your book(s). If you use Courtesy and Overdue notices as your indication to return or renew your books, you assume the risk of accruing overdue fines in the event that they are not received. The University Libraries will not cancel fines if you do not receive Courtesy or Overdue notices. You are responsible for returning or renewing your books by the due date given when you checked out the books. You are responsible for knowing your due dates.

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I went out of town and my books became overdue while I was away.
If your books become overdue while you are out of town, you are still responsible for their timely return and for any overdue fines that may have accrued. You are responsible for returning or renewing your books on time regardless of where you are when they become due.

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I went out of town and a book I checked out was recalled.
If a book you checked out is recalled while you are out of town, you are still responsible for returning it by it's Recall Due Date . If the item is not returned on time, you are responsible for paying any fines that have accrued. The risk of recall is always present when you check books out from the University Libraries. The only way to safeguard yourself from recall and overdue fines while you are away is to return all your books before you leave. We suggest you do this whenever you will be gone for more then three days. If you do not return your books before you leave, you are assuming the risk of potential recall and overdue fines.

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I moved and did not receive my library notices.
If you move or change addresses, you must update the University Libraries of this change. If you do not update the Libraries, you are responsible for any and all fines that may accrue. To update your address in our system please contact the Borrowing Privileges & Fines Unit at 612-624-3383

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I became ill and was unable to return my books on-time.
If you become ill and receive late fees because you could not return your books on time, you may be able to get your overdue fines cancelled. To do so, you must submit, to the owning library, a doctor's note that indicates you were ill during the time your books were due. We will also accept a bill record which outlines medical services rendered.

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I want to dispute my fine, but it's already been transferred to my STARS account.
Once fines have been transferred to your STARS account, you may no longer dispute them. Fines are transferred after thirty days. If you wish to dispute a fine, you must do so before it is transferred.

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I paid for my library fine and I'm still being billed for it.
If you paid for a library fine and the Libraries indicate that you have not, you must provide proof of your payment in the form of a cancelled check or a credit card statement. Contact the owning library for more information.

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