Damaged items

Handling Damaged Items, Especially Ones Belonging to Other Libraries

The library where the damaged item is returned is responsible for handling that item, regardless of the owner of the item.

There is a DAMAGED user record for each library. Damaged items are checked out to that user, but do not count as a circulation transaction.  In WorkFlows the due date will show as NEVER and there are no notices.

There is one card per library so each library can see the items it has marked as damaged. The library needs to review the has-list for its damaged user at least twice a year to clean up items.

When an item is checked out to the DAMAGED user, the current location of the item becomes DAMAGED.  It displays in the online catalog as Item Damaged, Unavailable.

A Checked-Out Item is Returned Damaged

1. Use Check Item Status to see if the item is checked out.  If the item is checked out, it will show the borrower’s name.
2. Search for the borrower address information in Display User and fill out whatever local form is used to notify the patron about the damage.  Notify the patron.
3. Add a charge to patron record under Billing a User. The local library, not the owning library, charge-rate applies.
4. If the user is being charged for the replacement of the item (i.e. water soaked book or cracked CD), use the system default price unless there is a price in the item record.
5. If the user is being charged for a repairable damage (i.e. a missing DVD case, pages missing from a magazine), use your library’s charge.
6. Check out the damaged item to the damaged card for YOUR library, regardless of the owner of the item.  This will require an override, but prevents the item from going to Transit.

The User Pays for a Completely Damaged Item

1. Have the user write a check for the replacement bill made payable to the OWNING library.
2. Send the check and a note via the delivery to the owning library. The note should identify the item so the owning library can decide on replacing it.
3. Withdraw the item by checking it out to the OWNING library’s WD user.
4. (The patron may keep the item if that is the library’s policy.)

The User Pays for a Partially Damaged Item
When the user pays for an item that was billed for partial damage, send both the money and the damaged item back to the owning library.

The User Brings in a Replacement
Do not accept a replacement copy for another library. The owning library may be contacted to see if the replacement is ok, but that is not required.

The User Never Pays
After 6 months on the library’s damaged shelf, an item belonging to another library should be returned to the owning library so it can decide what to do with it—fix, replace, withdraw, etc. 

To Bill or Not to Bill?
We suggest that small wear and tear, such as missing barcodes, torn pages, cracked CD cases, cracked bindings, and shabby paperback covers NOT be billed. Staff time is too expensive to spend on low-cost, under $5.00 charges.

Hardship Cases
If the borrower’s situation warrants special consideration, call the owning library to work out an appropriate compromise or to cancel a bill entirely. In the case of accidents, fires, etc. there is room for accommodation.

Damaged Items and Filling Holds
If a damaged item is still useable and the library doesn’t charge for that kind of damage (i.e. cracked CD case), then it is ok to send out the damaged item to fill a hold.  If the library would bill for that kind of damage, then it should fix it before sending it or should at least put a note on the item.  The charging library might want to also note the damage (if they would bill for it) before they check it out.