On July 1, 2019, Meyer Library stopped charging for overdue fines for late returns on most items! We’ll still have to charge you if the book never comes back, and some of our special items will still have fines, but for most books here at Club Meyer, returning it up to four weeks late won’t cost you anything.
Questions & Answers
What items will be fine-free?
Books from the general collection, documents (US, MO, UN), maps, Greenwood books, and items from the Infant Through Grade 12 Resources (IG-12) collection.
So, no matter how late I return items, I’ll never be charged a fee?
Nice try, but no. Keep in mind that most items are considered “lost” on the 28th day overdue, and you will be billed full replacement cost on those items at that point. Please read through our lost book policy for more information on how we handle lost or damaged items.
What items will still have a fine if I return them late?
Books and scores from the Music collection, media items (DVDs, CDs), books on course reserve for a class, and equipment on reserve (laptops, phone chargers, cameras, etc.)
What if I know I’ve lost or damaged an item?
Tell us! Let us know right away! Most times we can work with you to get a replacement copy at a lower cost than $120. We might not be able to do this if the book is out of print, but the sooner we know about the situation, the better we’ll be able to help you replace the book at the lowest price possible.
Will you forgive my past fines?
Sorry, we can’t do that. University policy won’t let us forgive any fines that you may have racked up before July 1, 2019.
Will you forgive a fine I have for returning a MOBIUS or ILL book late?
Sorry, we can’t do that either. Those fines are owed to those libraries—not ours—so that’s not our call to make.
Do you ever block my library record or student account for late books?
We’ll only block your library record or encumber your student account when your item is so late that it goes to the full replacement cost. You’ll have a block while we search for it, but we’ll take that off if the item is found or when the replacement cost is billed to your main student bill. We won’t block you because your book’s a week late.
Why are you doing this?
Attending a university is expensive enough without having to worry about library fines. We want people to check out our books and learn from them without hesitating because of late fines.