Lost Item Payments

Items become “Lost” when a bill is generated for the item OR manually from the patron status screen, “Items Out.”

• If a patron has lost an item, the patron is responsible for paying for the item.

• The patron’s library is responsible for paying for the lost or billed material if the patron does not do so.

• Payment for lost items is forwarded to the appropriate library in the form of a check or money order payable to the lending library. Include a “Lost Item Payment” form with the money and mail both to the owning library.

• The time frame for billing the patron's home library is no later than 18 months from the item's due date or last in-transit date.

• Reimbursement will be made within eight weeks of receipt of the bill.

Adopted 05/11/2015

Revised 08/12/2021

Related Forms:

• Bill for Lost Item Form
• Lost Item Payment Form

Procedures for Lost Item Payments

Patron Pays for the Lost Item:

1. The library receiving the patron’s payment will go into the patron’s record and mark the charge paid.

2. This library will then mail a check to the owning library along with a “Lost Item Payment” form.

3. Once payment is received at the owning library, it is their responsibility to either repurchase or delete the item from the database. NOTE: The item will remain in the patron’s claimed window until the item has been deleted.

Library Pays for the Lost Item:

1. The patron’s library will go into the patron’s account window and create a new charge for the total price being charged for the lost item (replacement fee and processing fee if any). Enter “Item Lost” as the reason and enter the barcode of the item. In the notes field, enter something like: IHLS paid CPLP for this item 3/16/16 but the patron still owes IHLS.

   

2. Waive the original charge(s) for the item from the patron record.

   

3. The library will mail a check to the owning library along with a “Lost Item Payment” form.

Adopted 4/14/16