Blocks to Borrower Accounts due to Long Overdue (“Billed”) Items:

Adopted Fall, 2011

The New Policy

The new policy states that items you have checked out which become long overdue (“billed”), will result in your library borrowing privileges being suspended (“blocked”), until such time as either:

  1. You bring back the item/s to the library, or
  2. You pay the replacement fee for the item/s

Prompt return of the item/s in question will result in the replacement cost being cleared from your account, and your borrowing privileges being reinstated.

Changes from the Previous Policy

In the old policy, if you had long overdue or “billed” items, you were charged a replacement fee for each item, as well as a $10 non-refundable processing fee; however, your library privileges were still active. In the new policy, the $10 processing fee is no longer being charged. Your borrowing privileges are suspended until you pay the replacement cost for the material, or you return the material.

Materials This Applies to

The policy applies to all physical library materials that can be checked out.

FAQ's

No, just borrowing privileges. You may still consult books and some other collections while you are in the library. However, you will NOT be able to use collections or services which require active borrowing privileges, such as Course Reserves, Circulation Desk Media or Interlibrary Loan.

Prompt return of items on the date they are due is the best way to avoid having your borrowing privileges suspended. The Library also sends (to your campus email account) courtesy and overdue notices to remind you of items which may be coming due or are overdue.

Items can also be renewed online in the MnPALS Library Catalog. See for renewing instructions.

The exact time at which your loan privileges are blocked depends on the overdue item/s in question. For example, books from the 1st and 4th floor are billed about 4 weeks after the item/s are due. At this point, you would receive a notice from the Library notifying you of the block to your library account. Items with shorter loan periods (such as Course Reserves or audiovisual materials) will generate a block in a shorter span of time.

To have your borrowing privileges reinstated, you can either:

  1. Bring the item/s in question back to the Library, or
  2. Pay the replacement fee for the item/s at the BSU Cashiers Office

That depends. Your privileges are immediately reinstated after all items for which you have been billed are returned to the Library, at which point you can check out materials as normal. However, if you have lost the item/s and pay the replacement fee at the BSU Cashiers Office, it may take a few days for our system to be updated and your privileges reinstated.

Your privileges will be reinstated once the long overdue/billed items are returned to the Library. One way to get the materials back to the Library would be to have your parents return the items in question to a local MnSCU campus library, and ask that they be sent to BSU by MINITEX courier. Please note: this is a courtesy provided by MINITEX and participating libraries; it is still the patron’s responsibility to make sure items are returned to the A. C. Clark Library. Another option is to have your parents mail the items directly to the A. C. Clark Library.

Yes. Patrons with blocked borrowing privileges may still consult books and some other collections while they are in the library. However, they will NOT be able to use collections or services which require active borrowing privileges, such as Course Reserves, Circulation Desk Media or Interlibrary Loan.

BSU students, faculty and staff may pay the replacement fee in the Cashiers Office (2nd floor Deputy Hall). Community Borrowers must pay the fee at the Library Circulation desk. Please note that it make take several days for our system to be updated after the fee is paid at the Cashiers Office.

Yes. When the replacement charge is placed on your account at Cashier’s, you must pay that (and any other charges) before your campus account will be cleared for registering. Remember that, once the long overdue materials are returned, the charge (and block) will be removed from your accounts.

Don’t worry! Overdue items can often be renewed for another loan period, avoiding replacement fees and a block on your Library account. See for renewing instructions.

Please contact the Library Circulation Technician at (218) 755-2956 for assistance.

Please contact the Library Circulation Technician at (218) 755-2956, or stop by the Circulation Desk during normal business hours (M-F 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.).

Please contact the Library Circulation Technician at (218) 755-2956, or stop by the Circulation Desk during normal business hours (M – F 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.).  We will be happy to assist you.