TWO NEW POLICIES starting January 1, 2010

*OVERDUE FINES for all ADULT/TEEN materials (except DVD/VHS) will be 25¢*

*Black & White COPIES & COMPUTER PRINTS will be 20¢ per page*

FINES for OVERDUE materials:

Fines are charged when materials are late, including days that the library is closed.  

All fines & charges benefit the Library–

the money goes back into the budget to pay for more materials and overhead costs of the library.

ADULT/TEEN MATERIALS:  25¢ per item per day

(All books, magazines, books-on-CD, books-on-tape, music CDs)

CHILDREN’S MATERIALS:   10¢ per item per day

(All juvenile books, magazines, puzzles, kits, books-on-CD, and other juvenile materials)

ALL (ADULT & JUVENILE) DVDs & VHS tapes:  50¢ per item per day

Unless there are other patrons waiting for the materials, most items can be renewed once:

1.) Either in person at the Library

2.) By calling the Library 412-655-2424 during open hours

3.) Online through the online catalog

4.) By automated phone renewal 412-622-1895

(Please note: Automated phone renewal and online renewal cannot be used for items already overdue. Please make sure that the system confirms the renewals when these two methods are used.)

FINES over $2.00 can be paid online with a credit card by going into an individual library card account online through the library’s web site.  A PIN number must be created to access a library card account online.  Follow the instructions given on the screen.  Library staff members have no access to PIN numbers, but can help if you need to reset an existing PIN.

For those patrons that visit more than one library in the county, please remember that FINES and LOAN PERIODS follow the POINT-OF-CIRCULATION library’s policies. 

This means that items checked out at Pleasant Hills Library follow Pleasant Hills policies regardless of where the items are returned; items checked-out at other libraries (such as a neighboring library or a Carnegie Library) but returned at Pleasant Hills Library will follow the loan and fine policies of the library where the materials were originally checked out.

LOAN PERIODS for MATERIALS:

*DVDs & VHS tapes: 1 week

*ALL other MATERIALS circulate for 3 weeks

Exception: The most current issue of a magazine may be checked out for 2 days only

Exception: Some unique materials, usually bestselling books or DVDs, borrowed from other libraries will follow the owning libraries’ loan periods

(Reference books & other non-circulating items may not be removed from the Library.)

OTHER BORROWING POLICIES: 

*Only 4 Pleasant Hills-owned DVDs tapes may be checked out on one card at one time

*Only 4 Pleasant Hills-owned VHS tapes may be checked out on one card at one time

*For new library card registrations, all patrons 17 years old and younger must have a parent/legal

guardian sign the registration form. The Library does not act in loco parentis and parents/legal

guardians are responsible for materials borrowed on juvenile cards. The Library assumes

NO responsibility for what movies are checked out by juveniles or the content of such materials.

LOST & DAMAGED MATERIALS

-For Pleasant Hills-owned items: The patron is responsible for all materials borrowed on his/her library card and will be charged the retail price of the item plus a $5.00 processing fee, which pays for processing materials of the new item.  No refunds will be given.  All fees collected benefit the library and go to replacing, if possible, the lost or damaged materials or to purchase a similar item.

-For items owned by other libraries: The patron is responsible for all materials borrowed on his/her library card and will be charged the price as listed in the library catalog plus a $5.00 processing fee. No refunds will be given and checks should be written out to the owning library.  For any issues regarding items owned by other libraries, the owning library needs to be contacted.

PLEASE NOTE:  Although a library card can be used at any county library and items can be delivered & returned to any library, each individual library sets its own policies.  If requesting materials through the system, please remember that the owning library may have different policies than Pleasant Hills Public Library.  Each library also establishes its own policies for computer use, library card registration information, fines, loan periods, and in-house policies.