Circulation Policy

This Circulation Policy was developed under the direction of the Morgan County Library Board, was discussed and adopted in an open meeting. This policy will be reviewed by the library board on an as-needed basis.

Basic Borrower Rules:

• A. Borrower must have a valid Morgan County Library card. Patrons under the age of 18 must have a parent or guardian sign the Morgan County Library authorization card in order to check out library items.
• B. Patron library cards should be presented at time of check out. At library staff discretion, library items may be checked out using the name of the patron.
• C. A fine will be charged on certain items borrowed, as described below, which are not returned according to the Morgan County Library borrowing rules.
• D. All damage to materials beyond reasonable wear and all losses will be made good to the satisfaction of the librarian.
• E. Borrowers will be held responsible for all library items checked out on their library cards and for all fines accruing on the same. Patrons are urged not to lend their cards or check out library items for others.
• F. Patrons may request a hold to be placed on circulating library items. The library will contact the patron by telephone and place the item on the hold shelf. If the requested item has not been picked up after 3 days, the patron will be called and reminded the item is here for them and will be given a “hold until ___” date. If the item is not picked up by the “hold until ___” date, the hold will be deleted. The hold will be given to the next patron waiting. If the patron is the only one on the list, the item will be re-shelved.
• G. A patron is limited to checking out 5 audio books and 5 magazines at any one time. DVD’s are limited to 8 per household at any one time. These will be checked out only on the parent/legal guardian’s card. In the event that a minor child has a library card and his or her parent/guardian does not, the above limit remains as the parent/guardian has previously granted the child permission to check out library items and accepts responsibility for them. There is a limit of 30 library items total, in any combination of books, videos/DVD’s, audios, or magazines.
• H. Patrons may request Inter-Library Loans from other libraries and agree to abide by the lending library’s policy. Circulation and availability of ILL materials are governed by the lending library.

Library Cards:

• A. Residents of Morgan, Weber, or Summitt County applying for library borrowing privileges must complete and sign a library authorization card and show picture ID (issued by government, school, or employer), and official mail to show permanence, i.e. bank statement, utility bill, school transcript or other proof of residence, etc. Junk mail will not be accepted.
• B. New patrons will be limited to 5 items per check out for the first 90 days. Of those 5 items, only 1 may be a DVD. New patrons may not borrow a hotspot during the 90-day probationary period.
• C. The parent or guardian signing the library authorization card for anyone under the age of 18 agrees to abide by the rules of the Morgan County Library and agrees to take responsibility for all library items checked out by the underage patron whose card they have signed. The parent or guardian may choose to permit each child to have a library card in his or her individual name, or they may choose to have 1 family card for the use of their entire family.
• D. Temporary residents will follow the procedure above, providing identification and proof of residence. Temporary residents will be limited to 1 card per household for the duration of their stay in Morgan County. Temporary residents will be limited to borrowing 5 items at a time, only 1 of which may be a DVD. Temporary residents may not borrow a hotspot.
• E. Individuals residing outside of Morgan, Weber, or Summit Counties may apply for a Morgan County Library card by filling out the authorization card and paying an annual non-resident fee. A fee of $55.00 per year will be assessed for each individual or family that wishes to check out Morgan County Library items. Non-resident patrons agree to take responsibility for all library items checked out by themselves or their family members and to abide by all Morgan County Library borrowing rules.
• F. Resident library cards expire every 3 years. Patrons will be asked to update their address and phone numbers as needed. Temporary resident cards expire after one year. Non-resident cards expire every year, dependent upon payment of annual non-resident fee.

Loan Period:

• A. Library items which include books, magazines, audio books, videos/DVD’s and maps may be checked out for a period of 2 weeks. Due dates will not be set on days the library is closed. Extended due dates can be given, but patron must request additional time at time of check out or renewal. Certain reference materials and all items held by the Historical Society are non-circulating.
• B. Patrons may renew most library items for up to 3 months, as long as there are no holds on the item. If library items are on hold for another patron, they may not be renewed. Renewals are for 2 weeks. Hotspots are not renewable and must be physically returned at the end of the two-week lending period. Patrons may not check out the same hotspot within 24 hours of returning it. If another hotspot is available, they may check that one out.
• C. The loan period for Inter-Library Loan materials will be determined by the lending library and will vary from system to system.

Fines and Fees:
It is the intent of the Morgan County Library Board to maintain a policy regarding recovery of, and reimbursement for, past due, lost or damaged library materials. The library is under no obligation to notify patrons of past due library items. However, as a courtesy the library sends email notices of past due items to patrons. Library patrons, or a parent/guardian if patron is under the age of 18, are responsible for all fines, damages, losses, and collection costs of library materials.

• A. The library does not assess fines on past due materials, except hotspots. These will accrue fines at the rate of $2.00 per day, per item. Fines will not be assessed on days the library is closed. Interlibrary loans (ILLs) will accrue fines as determined by the lending library.
• B. The book drop located to the left of the main entrance of the library will be emptied at 11:00 and 6:00 p.m. every day the library is open and items checked in at those times. Books deposited after 6:00 p.m. may be checked in the following business day. Items returned inside the building will be checked in upon receipt. The Mountain Green book drop will be emptied twice a week.
• C. Patrons who have lost or damaged items will be assessed a replacement fee based on the current replacement cost of the item. Items more than three months past due will be considered lost. When an item is lost or damaged, all household accounts will be suspended and library privileges lost until resolved. Notice will be sent of lost items. Accounts with an outstanding balance of $40.00 or more will be sent to collections. The fees for lost or damaged Inter-Library Loan items will be assessed by the lending library.
• D. Patrons will be assessed the actual replacement cost of lost or damaged CD’s or DVD’s. Cost will vary based on where CD/DVD’s were purchased.
• E. There will be a $1.00 charge for each replacement library card made.
• F. Email reminders of past-due items will be sent at 7 days, 14 days, and 30 days past-due. Patrons may adjust other messaging preferences in their library account.
• G. At 30 days past due, items will automatically be marked lost and patron account will be charged for the item(s). All household accounts will be suspended until items are returned, renewed, or replaced. Late/lost fees will be waived upon return of items.
• H. At 90 days past due, patrons with lost items valued at $40.00 or greater will be assessed a $20.00 collection fee and referred to a collection agency.
• I. Library staff will remind patrons of past due items and/or fines when they check out library material.

Cooperative Borrowing:
Residents of Weber and Summit Counties may apply for a free Morgan County Library card. Residents of Morgan County also qualify for free borrowing privileges in the Weber and Summit County Library systems.

Under the terms of these agreements, borrowers are subject to the rules of the library from which they check out materials, including rules related to loan periods, fines and the legal methods used to recover money owed to the library. Patrons must also pick up library items and return them to the owning library.

_____________________________                   ___________________________

Ashley Johansen, Library Board Chair                   Erit Bott, Library Director                         

Policy adopted:  November 17, 1999
Last modified:  May 13, 2026
Copyright Morgan County © 2012. All Rights Reserved.