Borrowing Policies
Loan periods | Recalls | Returning items | Notices | Lost items
You can use your Bronco Card to check out items from Western Michigan University Libraries locations and borrow items from other libraries through Interlibrary Loan or MeLCat.
Log in to My Library Account to confirm due dates, renew items and see items you have currently checked out. If you are a student at one of the regional locations of WMU, you may request items be sent to you through Interlibrary Loan.
Loan periods
| Item type | University borrower | Guest borrower |
|---|---|---|
| Books, government documents, music scores, music CDs and LPs | 1 semester (2 online renewals, up to 365 days) Faculty/Staff: Renewals up to 1,095 days | 14 days (2 online renewals, up to 42 days) |
| Children's books (Waldo), popular reading | 28 days (2 online renewals) | 14 days (2 online renewals) |
| Reserve items | 2hrs, 4hrs, 24hrs, 48hrs, 7 days (renewal dependent on availability) | 2hrs, 4hrs, 48hrs, 7 days (permanent reserves only) |
| Videos | 14 days (1 online renewal) | Not available for use |
| Lockers | 1 semester | Not available for use |
WMU students, faculty and staff may borrow up to 100 items. Guest borrows may borrow up to 10 items.
Recalls
You are guaranteed use of materials for at least 14 days. After that, University Libraries users may recall items you have checked out. You will get an email notification to return the item.
A lost fee will be applied five days after the recalled due date if the item has not been returned. Borrowing privileges will be suspended if you have one or more recalled item overdue.
Returning items
Return items to one of the following locations near or at Waldo Library:
- Book return drop slot near outside doors of the library's front entrance.
- Outside book return drop slot at the curb on Arcadia Street side of the building.
- Inside building in the first-floor atrium.
Drop boxes at the College of Health and Human Services Campus (Health and Human Services Building), Engineering Campus (Floyd Hall), and Haworth College of Business (Schneider Hall) are temporarily unavailable.
- Courtesy - 5 days before due date.
- Due Today - Early morning on day due.
- Overdue #1 - 7 days after due date.
- Overdue #2 - 38 days after due date. Alerts patron to return or renew (if allowed) items within 7 days to avoid stated "Lost Billing" fee of $75.
- Overdue (Videos/Recalls/Reserves) - 1 day after due date; only for reserves, recalls, and videos. Alerts patron to return item within 4 days or it will be declared lost.
- Lost Billing - 45 days after due date. Notice to patron of "Lost Billing" fee applied to University account.
- A final search is conducted for items prior to "Lost Billing."
- "Lost Billing" fees are transferred nightly and are immediately assessed to your WMU account.
- Please see payment options.
Lost item and processing fees
Lost item and processing fees apply to all borrowers, who are liable for charges incurred.
Accounts with billed lost items will have fees applied to their university account.
| Item type | Considered lost after due date | Minimum lost item fee | Non-refundable processing fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Books and scores | 45 days | $75 | Only item cost |
| Videos/recalls/reserves | 5 days | $75 | Only item cost |
| CDs, LPs and videos | 45 days | $75 | Only item cost |
| Interlibrary loan | Varies by lending institution | Item cost | $15 |
| Locker keys | 5 days | $25 | N/A |
| Library equipment | 5 days | Item cost | Only item cost |
Replacement costs are assessed at the library’s discretion and may be increased based on the items value. A minimum value of $75 applies in most cases, which is the average cost of replacement of library materials based on the 2017 U.S. College Book Price Index. Library equipment and interlibrary loan items are billed based on actual replacement cost.
Replacement charges may also apply to damaged items at the discretion of library staff.
If a lost item is returned within six months of the billing date, the lost item fee will be refunded.
Replacement copies
Library staff may accept either a new (preferred) or 'like new' (if no new copy is currently available) replacement of a lost item at their discretion in lieu of the replacement fee. The item must have the same ISBN number as the item lost. Any exceptions to the replacement policy must be approved by the User Services Librarian or their designate. Patrons are required to contact User Services staff before purchase to ensure items qualify as acceptable replacements.
Library fee appeals
Library staff have the discretion to wave lost item fees in exceptional and documented situations, such as events outside of human control, natural disasters, etc. Patrons may request an appeal from the User Services Librarian or their designate within 45 days of the billing date.
Interlibrary loan
Because Interlibrary Loan (ILL) items come from other institutions, they are treated differently from materials borrowed from WMU Libraries:
- ILL Items, unlike other items, will incur overdue fines of $1 a day.
- ILL items will be considered lost after an amount of time determined by the lending institution.
- Lost fees for ILL items are also determined by the lending institution and are most typically equal to the item’s replacement value. A $15 non-refundable processing fee will also be charged for lost ILL items.
Make all payments to WMU Accounts Receivable.