Loan Periods & Policies

library card requirements

Library cards are free to residents and property owners of Rutland City, Rutland Town, Mendon, Ira, and Tinmouth, and to students attending school in one the supporting towns. These towns support RFL through property taxes, and we appreciate their support!

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. All applicants must show photo ID. In the case of children a parent or guardian will need to show photo ID. 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.

• Teacher cards are available for anyone teaching in the library service area. More about cards for teachers
• Nonresident cards are available to people living outside the five supporting towns for a $50 annual fee and carry all the same rights, privileges and responsibilities of a regular card.
• You do not need a card to use any materials inside the library.
• A free computer user card is available to allow access to our public computers.
• Each patron must have their own card; which is good for one year. Children 15 or younger must have a parent’s or guardian’s signature, and be able to sign their name to have a library card.
• 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 book-drop. All items left in the book-drop 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 or the Catamount Library Network may be requested through Interlibrary Loan (ILL).

Interlibrary Loan is available to all library card holders and can be used to borrow books, magazines and journal articles, and to obtain photocopies from other libraries:

• ILL does not include loans for DVDs, videotapes, music CDs, or reference books.
• When you are notified that your ILL material has arrived, you will have three days to pick it up.
• ILL material is available for checkout periods of three weeks and can not be renewed.
• This is a free service unless you do not pick up an item you requested; in which case a $5 handling fee will be charged to your account. Fines for late materials may be charged by the originating library.

overdue notices & fees

As a courtesy to patrons, overdue notices are typically sent as follows: First notice: 7 days after item is due;  Bill: 30 days after item is due.

fees for overdue materials

All overdue fines for books and movies are forgiven upon return of the borrowed items. However, fines will be charged for lost or items too badly damaged to repair. Excessive fines will result on your card privileges being suspended until you resolve the missing items.

• 25 cents per day ($8 maximum) for adult materials
• 15 cents per day ($5 maximum) for juvenile materials
• $1 per day ($10 maximum) for videos
• 50 cents per day ($5 maximum) for interlibrary loan materials
• $5-$10 per day for passes (depending on the pass)

other charges: lost or damaged fees

• Lost card: $1
• Damaged item, if repairable: Up to, but not greater than, the cost of item.
• Lost or irreparable item: Replacement cost.

Updated Nov. 2021