All library materials circulate free of charge. Patrons should make every effort to return library materials on or before the due date.  Patrons may borrow physical items only during scheduled library days and hours.   

Loan Periods:

• Books, long-loan DVDs (TV shows, other DVDs with 3 or more discs), VHS tapes, audio books, music CDs, and miscellaneous items, such as cake pans, puzzles, binoculars, circulate for 3 weeks.

• Periodicals, most DVDs (1 or 2 discs), and mobile hotspots circulate for one week.

• Museum passes circulate for 1 day. Most passes can be reserved online and printed out at home. For physical passes, if a pass is not in use, it may be picked up at the end of the work day on the day prior to the reservation. All physical passes must be returned by opening time the day following the reservation. 

The director may establish a different loan period for special collections, materials that are temporarily in great demand, such as for student projects, or materials that are in a new format.

There is no limit on the number of items a patron can borrow at one time.

Renewals:

• All materials that do not have a waiting list for them, except museum passes and equipment (cakes pans, etc.), may be renewed once. 

• Items that can be renewed will automatically renew. Mobile hotspots must be renewed in person. Patrons who have selected e-mail as their notification preference will receive a notice three days prior to the due date indicating what materials will be renewed and their new due date and of materials not renewed.

System Holds:

• Patrons can borrow materials from any Mid-Hudson Library System library. Patrons may locate materials in the online catalog and request them over the Internet or at the library.

•  Patrons will be notified by e-e-mail or telephone when a hold is ready for pickup.  Items will be held for 1 week for pick-up. Items not picked up in that period will be returned to the owning library.

Roeliff Jansen Community Library lending rules will apply to any materials checked out at our location.

Inter-Library Loan (ILL):

• We will try to obtain books not available in our system through Inter-Library Loan. There may be a small fee charged by the lending library.

• Inter-library Loan books will be due on the date set by the lending library.

• The lending library will determine if items are eligible for renewal.

• Inter-Library Loan items must be returned promptly when due to retain borrowing privileges.

Fines and Fees:

• The Roeliff Jansen Community Library does not charge overdue fees for most items—exceptions being physical museum passes, mobile hotspots,  and Inter-Library Loan items.

• Museum passes incur a fine of $5/day, with a maximum of $25.

• Mobile hotspots incur a fine of $1/day, with a maximum fine of $100. See hotspot lending policy.

• Inter-Library Loan items incur a fine of 10₵/day, with a maximum of $5.

• Patrons will receive an overdue notice when an item is 14 days or more overdue.

• Patrons are responsible for the full replacement cost of lost or damaged items. Patrons will be billed for replacement costs once an items is 28 days overdue.

• Borrowing privileges will be suspended if any item is 14 days overdue or if patron owes fees of $10.00 or more. Fees may be paid online.

E-Resources:

Patrons have access to a variety of e-resources, including e-books and audio books, streaming movies, e-magazines, and databases. Patrons can create accounts with their library cards. Some resources are shared resources, available to all Mid-Hudson Library System card holders, other to Columbia County residents, and still others may be restricted to the patrons of individual libraries. Loan periods vary by resource type.

Approved by the Board of Trustees, November 12, 2019; effective January 1, 2020