Home > Library Card Information > Checkout, Renewal and Return
Checkout, Renewal and Return
Loan Periods
| Adult & Teen Materials | Loan Period | Renewal: Yes/No |
|---|---|---|
| Books | 3 weeks |
Y |
| Audio Books | 3 weeks |
Y |
| Music CDs | 3 weeks |
Y |
| DVDs | 1 week |
Y |
| Videos | 1 week |
Y |
| Magazines | 1 week |
N |
| Downloadable audio books and music | 2 weeks |
Y |
| "Your Lucky Day" materials | 3 weeks |
N |
| Books in a Bag | 6 weeks |
N |
Late Fees
| Adult & Teen Materials | Late fees per day | Max Late Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Books | $0.20 |
$5.00 |
| Audio Books | $0.20 |
$5.00 |
| Music CDs | $0.20 |
$5.00 |
| DVDs | $1.00 |
$10.00 |
| Videos | $1.00 |
$10.00 |
| Magazines | $0.20 |
$5.00 |
| Downloadable audio books and music | No late fees |
No late fees |
| "Your Lucky Day" materials | $0.20 |
$5.00 |
| Books in a Bag | $1.00 |
$10.00 |
| Children's Materials | Loan Period | Renewal: Yes/No | Late fees per day | Max Late Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Books | 3 weeks |
Y |
No late fees |
No late fees |
| Audio Books | 3 weeks |
Y |
No late fees |
No late fees |
| Music CDs | 3 weeks |
Y |
No late fees |
No late fees |
| DVDs | 1 week |
Y |
$1.00 |
$10.00 |
| Videos | 1 week |
Y |
No late fees |
No late fees |
| Magazines | 1 week |
N |
No late fees |
No late fees |
| "Your Lucky Day" materials | 3 weeks |
N |
No late fees |
No late fees |
See borrowing exceptions for Courtesy, Senior, Homebound, and Teacher accounts and Books in a Bag kits.
Checkout Limits
| Material Type | Checkout Limit |
|---|---|
| Books | 20 |
| Audio Books | 5 |
| Music CDs | 10 |
| DVDs | 3 |
| Videos | 5 |
| Magazines | 6 |
| Downloadable audio books and music | 4 |
| Books in a Bag | 1 |
See borrowing exceptions for Courtesy, Senior, Homebound, and Teacher accounts and Books in a Bag kits.
Renewals
Library items may be renewed one time by telephone or by accessing your library account online (24 hours daily), or in person.
Magazines and library items designated as "Your Lucky Day" (ask staff for details) or on hold for other patrons may not be renewed. Please call 303-449-2665 before the due date to renew items for an additional loan period. Please have your library card number ready.
You may renew items and check your account online through the library catalog. You will need your library card number to use this feature.
Returning Items
You can return any library items belonging to the Flatirons Library Consortium or Prospector libraries at the Main Library, Reynolds, and Meadows branches.
Outdoor book returns at the Main Library are located in the northwest corner of the Canyon Blvd. parking lot and near the southwest side of the Arapahoe entrance.
Courtesy Due Date Notification
Knowing when your library items are due is your responsibility! But to help you keep track of item due dates the library sends a three day advanced courtesy notice if you provide us with a valid email address. Note that non-receipt of these courtesy notices does not release you from your responsibility to return materials on time.
The library also sends notification when items are one and two weeks overdue.
NOTE on SPAM FILTERS: If you want to receive email courtesy notices and currently use a spam filter, don't forget to add our address (circadm@nell.boulder.lib.co.us) or our domain (boulder.lib.co.us) to your "allowed senders" list!
Overdue Notification
The library notifies patrons of overdue library items either by email, telephone or mailed letter when library items are 7 and 14 days overdue. A third billing notice with the replacement charges for the overdue items is mailed if the items are not returned by the time they are 21 days overdue. There is no grace period. Library accounts with items that become five weeks overdue may be sent to a collection agency.
If you do not provide us with a valid email address, overdue notices are sent by the library's automated telephone notification system. This system is only able to call telephone numbers beginning with area codes 303 and 720. If you cannot provide us with a local phone number or valid email address, any overdue notices sent by the library will be mailed.
The third overdue notice is a bill assessing replacement charges for the late materials and is always sent to you by mail.
Paying Fees
You may pay any fees with cash or personal check at the check-out desk at the Main Library, or at the Meadows or Reynolds branches. You may make credit card payments at the information desk inside the Arapahoe Avenue entrance to the main library or by telephoning 303-441-4107. Note that any fees totaling $10.00 or more block your borrowing and renewal privileges.
Blocks on Your Library Privileges
Your borrowing, renewal, and database access privileges are blocked if you have:
- 1 or more overdue library items that have holds, or
- 1 or more library items that are 15 days overdue, or
- $10.00 or more in fees (see payment information), or
- your account has expired.
Lost and Damaged Items
When library items become three weeks overdue, a billing notice is sent stating the replacement fee. This fee must be paid if the item has been lost. If the library item is returned, late fees are charged and the replacement fee is waived from your library account.
Replacement fee = Library's cost of the item + $5.00 processing fee
Books in a Bag has a separate replacement fee structure.
The replacement charge for ANY materials borrowed from a Prospectorlibrary is $40.00, no exceptions.
The library is UNABLE to accept replacement items in exchange for any lost materials or refund the replacement fee should you locate the material at a later date.
The library charges to replace missing parts or to repair or replace damaged library items. Extreme heat or direct sunlight may harm audio-visual library items. You are responsible for paying replacement charges for any materials that are damaged while checked out on your library account.
Library items that are returned with parts missing will either remain checked out to you until all the parts are returned, or a replacement fee will be charged to your account. The replacement fee for items with damaged or missing parts is $15.00 for items belonging to the Boulder Public Library (see exceptions for Books in a Bag) and $40.00 for items belonging to any Prospector library. The replacement fee will be waived if all parts are returned, though late fees may still apply. Ask a library staff member for specific replacement fees for damaged library materials.
The Boulder Public Library assumes no liability for the use of audio-visual library items, including but not limited to CDs, DVDs, and videos or for the equipment on which these items are played.
If an audio-visual item that you have borrowed malfunctions or has sustained damage by the previous user, please notify a library staff member so it can be repaired or replaced.