Policies: Borrowing Rights and Privileges

Card Requirements . Reserves & Interlibrary Loan . Overdue Notices & Fees

Card Requirements

Library cards are free to residents of Rutland City, Rutland Town, Mendon, Ira, and Tinmouth. Proof of your current mailing address will be required at the time of registration, or your card will be mailed to you to verify your residence within a tax-paying city or town. If you do not live in one of the tax supporting towns, there is a fee which is the same as the average per capita amount paid in the five towns. For 2006/2007, the fee is $33. Teacher's Station cards are available for any teacher in the library service area. Follow this link for more information about library cards for teachers.

Each patron must have their own card which is good for one year. Children 12 or younger must have a parent's or guardian's signature and be able to sign their name to have a library card. You may also apply for a library card by mail. Click here to get a form you can print and fill out to apply for a library card [26K Word document].

If your library card is lost contact the library immediately. You are responsible for all materials checked out on your library card, so treat it as you would a credit card.

Books should be returned on or before the date due. Patrons may return items to the bookdrop. All items left in the bookdrop will be checked in on the next date the library is open.

Reserves & Interlibrary Loan

Materials checked out to other patrons may be placed on reserve using the online catalog or by speaking to a staff member. Books not owned by the Rutland Free Library may be requested through Interlibrary Loan.

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is available to all library users and can be used to borrow books, magazine and journal articles, and to obtain photocopies from other libraries. We can not use Interlibrary Loan to borrow DVDs, videotapes, music CDs, or reference books. When you are notified that your ILL material has arrived, you have three days to pick it up. There is a $3.00 fine if you do not pick up your materials in this timeframe without contacting us. Interlibrary Loan material is available for checkout periods of three weeks and can not be renewed. Overdue fines are fifty cents per day, per item.

Overdue Notices & Fees

As a courtesy to patrons, overdue notices are sent as follows: First Notice: 1 week after item is due; Second Notice: 2 weeks after item is due; Bill: 3 weeks after item is due.

• 20 cents a day ($5.00 maximum) for adult materials
• 10 cents a day ($2.50 maximum) for juvenile materials
• 50 cents a day ($2.50 maximum) for book bags
• $1 a day ($10 maximum) for videos
• 50 cents a day ($5.00 maximum) for interlibrary loan materials
• 50 cents a day ($3.00 for interlibrary loan materials) for failure to pick up an item on hold within three days

• Lost card: $1
• Damaged item, if repairable: Up to, but not greater than, the cost of item.
• Lost or non-repairable item: $2 replacement fee PLUS either the actual price of item, if available, or...
  • Adult fiction: $25
  • Adult non-fiction : $30
  • Adult Paperbacks: $7
  • Juvenile books: $16
  • Juvenile Paperbacks $5
  • Book Bags (complete set) $125

Any overdue fines will be charged for all lost or non-repairable items.