[ILL-L] Processing Fees: Do you charge them? What is your best practice?

[Laura Barnard]

Carrie,

We are a public library.  We do not charge processing fees for our own books, either to our own patrons or to our ILL partners.  We do pass on the fees that other libraries charge us and we do not  allow refunds on them if the owning library won't refund them to us.

WHAT I REALLY CARE ABOUT processing fees is: if you charge them, PLEASE itemize them separately from the lost charges.

The one thing I think processing fees (the non refundable kind, whether charged by the borrower or the lender) accomplish is to perhaps set a break on the practice (of patrons, and you know which ones you have) of keeping books out for very long periods and then returning them for either no penalty or for only overdue fines.  It costs both the lending and the borrowing libraries plenty to track and process books that have gone to lost status even if the items are eventually returned at the end of the semester or when the paper is finally published.

May you all have a great holiday.


Laura Barnard
Coordinating Library Technician
Interlibrary  Loans
Seattle Public Library (UOK)
206-386-4601


From: ill-l-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:ill-l-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Eastman, Carrie
Sent: Friday, December 18, 2009 7:47 AM
To: 'Interlibrary Loan Listserv'
Subject: [ILL-L] Processing Fees: Do you charge them? What is your best practice?

Hi,

I think I pretty much know what some folks would say about this.  But the question came up in conversation today and I thought I would put it out on the list to see what others have to say.

For many, charging a processing fee for lost interlibrary loan books, on top of the cost of the book, is standard practice.

For some libraries, processing fees are standard even when overdue books are returned or a replacement copy is given.

Some, correct me if I am wrong, prefer not to charge a processing fee in these situations.

I have been inclined to charge a processing fee on top of the cost of lost books.  If overdue books are returned I do not charge a processing fee.

I have been working under the assumption that most do charge a processing fee along with the cost of a book.  And that is partly why I have been charging the processing fee (on the rare occasion that I actually have to bill for a book).  Our Circulation Desk also charges a processing fee on top of the cost of lost books.  However, I have sometimes wondered if tacking on a processing fee really makes sense.  In a time when budgets are shrinking, tuitions are going up, and we are trying to rethink interlibrary and resource sharing is it really a good idea to be tacking on a processing fee?  Does is work against our efforts to foster stronger and better collegial relationships between libraries?  Maybe, maybe not.  Granted, there are still a set of rules we need to adhere to in order for the interlibrary loan system to work.  If we didn't the system would fall apart.

So, in the spirit of some good conversation, do you charge processing fees?  If yes, why?  What is the background/history behind your library instituting such fees?

What would not charging processing fees mean for your library?  Less money?  Less work for ILL staff?  Abuse of your good will?  Anything else?

Are the reasons you charge processing fees in line with our Circulation Desk's reasons?  Or, are they different?  Why?

And for a harder more philosophical question, separate from you institution's policies, do you like charging processing fees?  Why or why not?  If you feel at odds with the library's policy, what differences of opinion are causing the tension?

Please, share if you like,

Carrie
______________________________________________________________________________

Carrie Eastman
Information Services/Interlibrary Loan Librarian
Purchase College Library-SUNY
735 Anderson Hill Rd.
Purchase, NY 10577
914.251.6428
carrie.eastman at purchase.edu<mailto:carrie.eastman at purchase.edu>





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