Guidelines for staff who circulate or receive damaged items

At circulation
Units assess each item being circulated, and have several options before circulating a damaged item:
* circulate the item anyway, and make a note in the record so that discharging staff know how to handle the item upon its return
* send the item for rush repair, and inform the patron that the item normally will be available in 7 - 10 working days for circulation.

At discharge
If a patron reports having damaged an item, and if circulation staff find the item to be in need of repair,
* units should email Lynn Jones, Conservation, who will normally respond within 1-2 days with the recommended amount to be charged. Units will levy this charge by manually billing on the CARS system. The minimum is $25.
*the unit should submit the item to conservation for repair per normal procedures

If an item is returned and is damaged, but it's not clear when the damage occurred
* units should make a note in the damaged item's record, indicating the extent of the damage (so that future patrons aren't dunned for damage which occured prior to their possession),
* units should determine whether repair is required, and follow normal conservation procedures, and
* units may choose to make a note in the circulation records of other items held by the patron last in possession of the damaged item. If a pattern appears (e.g. several books checked out to the same patron are all returned damaged), this fact should be brought to the attention of the unit head, who may choose to discuss the matter with the patron in question. Unit heads may recommend revocation of library privileges to Library Administration.

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