MeLCat Lost and Damaged Items Procedures

These procedures are for MeLCat items that were lost or damaged. They could have been lost or damaged by the patrons who borrowed them, or lost or damaged in transit between libraries.

Policy:

8.1 Borrowing Library Responsibility

The borrowing library is responsible for borrowed material from the time it leaves the supplying library until it has been returned to and received by the supplying library. This includes all material checked out directly to visiting patrons by the supplying libraries.

The borrowing library will be responsible for compensation or replacement of lost or damaged items, in accordance with the preference of the supplying library. The supplying library can bill the borrowing library a replacement amount determined by their local policies. The supplying library refers patrons who contact them about replacement to their home libraries. The MeLCat replacement default amount will be $100.01. There will be an explanation on the MeLCat billing notice stating that the actual replacement amount may be higher or lower depending on the supplying library's policies.

8.2 Supplying Library Responsibility

The supplying library must initiate contact with the borrowing library within six (6) months of the institutional due date of the overdue item in question.  If contact is not made within six (6) months, the supplying library forfeits the right to seek reimbursement from the borrowing library for missing/lost items.

8.3 Lost in Transit

For materials lost in transit between libraries, the library that shipped the material is responsible for contacting the delivery service. The borrowing library is responsible for billing the delivery service for the replacement amount they were invoiced by the supplying library.To report lost items, use  the RIDES Assistance form.

Procedure:

  1. Items lost or damaged by patrons

    These items are still checked out in MeLCat to the patrons. They include items that are long overdue that the borrowing library has been unable to get back from the patrons.

    Institutional overdues are sent by the supplying libraries when items are at least 30 days overdue. Supplying libraries may bill for replacement when items are 60 days overdue, so borrowing libraries have about 30 days to contact their patrons and respond to the institutional overdues before they are billed.

    See also “MeLCat Claims Returned Process” for items patrons claim to have returned but cannot be found.

    1. The borrowing library contacts the supplying library to determine how best to compensate them for the item.
    2. The supplying library may choose to invoice the borrowing library for replacement or to accept a replacement copy, according to its local policy.
    3. The supplying library may charge fees above the cost of the item to cover overhead for acquiring and re-stocking the item, according to its local policy.
    4. If patrons contact the supplying libraries about replacement, they should be referred to their home libraries.
    5. If visiting patrons return damaged items directly to supplying libraries, they should be told that they will be contacted by their home libraries about the replacement costs.
    6. The borrowing library reimburses the supplying library upon receipt of the invoice.
    7. The borrowing library charges its patron the replacement cost according to its local policy.
      1. Innovative sites can add a manual charge to their patron’s record.
      2. DCB libraries can use their local systems or do manual billing, as is their practice.
      3. Borrowing libraries should then check the items in on MeLCat to change the status to MeL Returned.
    8. The borrowing library may block the patron from making more MeLCat requests until the account has been settled, according to its local policy.
      1. Innovative libraries can add a manual block to their patron’s record, as needed.
      2. DCB libraries that can export block information to MeLCat can add the block to the patron record in their local system.
      3. DCB libraries that cannot export block information to MeLCat can add a manual block to the patron’s record on the DCB server.
      4. The block should be cleared when the account is settled.
    9. After the supplying library receives payment or replacement, the supplying library:
      1. Receives the item using DCB “My item checkin” or III “Check-in (no patron)”. This deletes the MeLCat virtual item and patron records.
      2. Changes the status in their local system for that item according to local policy, e.g,. to lost or withdrawn.
      3. If un-automated, or if local system cannot send status information to MeLCat, supplying library should use Web Works Quick Edit software to delete that item or change its itype to not requestable. 

     

  2. Items lost in transit

    These items were shipped between MeLCat libraries and there is no record that they arrived. There are still active MeLCat requests for these items. Items that have been “in transit too long” on MeLCat have not been received by the borrowing libraries. Items that have been “returned too long” on MeLCat have not been checked back in by the supplying libraries.

    1. The supplying library identifies items lost in shipping when following up on their Institutional Overdues. They initiate the follow up with the borrowing library.
    2. The borrowing library would typically initiate followup with the supplying library when doing “In transit too long” or “Returned too long” reports.
      1. For items “in transit too long”, the borrowing library also contacts the patron to make a new MeLCat request for the item.
      2. When an item is missing a minimum of 7 days and a maximum of 60 days after shipping, both the lending and borrowing libraries should conduct a search within their library, and on the library catalog/circulation system.
    3. RIDES Procedures -- Reimbursement  Procedures Lost/Missing Materials
    4. When the supplying library receives payment from the borrowing library, the supplying library:
      1. Receives the item using DCB “My item checkin” or III “Check-in (no patron)”. This deletes the MeLCat virtual item and patron records.
      2. Changes the status in their local system for that item according to local policy, e.g,. to lost or withdrawn.
      3. If un-automated, or if local system cannot send status information to MeLCat, supplying library should use Web Works Quick Edit software to delete the item or change its itype to not requestable.

     

  3. Items damaged in transit

    These items were damaged during shipping between MeLCat libraries.

    1. The borrowing library should immediately notify the supplying library when items were damaged during shipping, in order to obtain an invoice for replacement.
      1. The borrowing library contacts the patron to make another MeLCat request for the item.
    2. The supplying library should immediately notify the borrowing library when items being returned arrive damaged, so the borrowing library is alerted that they will be receiving an invoice for replacement.
    3. RIDES Procedures -- Reimbursement Procedures  Damaged Materials
    4. When the supplying library receives payment from the borrowing library, the supplying library:
      1. Receives the item using DCB “My item checkin” or III “Check-in (no patron)”. This deletes the MeLCat virtual item and patron records.
      2. Changes the status in their local system for that item according to local policy, e.g,. to lost or withdrawn.
      3. If un-automated, or if local system cannot send status information to MeLCat, supplying library should use Web Works Quick Edit software to delete the item or change its itype to not requestable.

     

  4. Patron finds the item after the supplying library has been paid

    5.  

    1. The borrowing library contacts the supplying library to determine whether to return the item to the supplying library, according to the local policy of the supplying library.
    2. No refunds are expected from the supplying library, because the money may already have been spent replacing the item.
    3. The borrowing library refunds money to the patron and clears any patron blocks, according to its local policy.
    4. The supplying library reinstates the item in its collection according to its local policy and updates its holdings in MeLCat, as needed.

 

MeL Resource Sharing Policies Committee
April 20, 2006

Revised August 6, 2010