Dubuque County Library District

Borrower Rights and Responsibilities

Library items may be reserved at the public service desk of any branch, over the phone or via the online catalog. You will then be notified when a request has become available for check out. Most reserve items are held at the desk for one week.

Possession of a library card is assumed to indicate permission from the card’s owner to check out materials on the associated account.

If a card is lost or stolen, patrons should notify the library as soon as possible in order for the card number to be registered as lost. There may be a fee for this replacement. A photo ID is required to replace a lost or stolen library card or to retrieve a lost and found card.

Please report any changes to name, address or phone to the library, so we may update your record.

The library cannot withhold materials from any patron, regardless of age. It is the responsibility of the parents to monitor their children’s use of library materials.

The library may restrict borrowing privileges for any patron with an item 7 or more days overdue. Any such restriction will be lifted once all overdue materials are either returned or renewed.

When an item becomes 30 or more days overdue, the library may assume the item has been lost and charge the patron accordingly.

Borrowers will be charged for any materials that are lost or damaged beyond repair. The library will refund payment on lost items subsequently returned within 60 days of payment.

The use of library materials may be denied for due cause such as: failure to return books, pay fines, destruction of library property, disturbance of other patrons, or any other objectionable conduct.

Loan Periods

Books and audiobooks are loaned for 3 weeks with 2 possible renewals.

BLU-Rays, DVDs, games, puzzles, magazines, Chromebooks and hotspots are loaned for 1 week. 1 renewal is allowed for games, puzzles and Chromebooks and 2 renewals on BLU-rays, DVDs, and magazines. Hotspots have 0 renewals.

An item that has been placed on hold by another patron may not be renewed.

Borrowers will be notified of overdue items via email, text message or mail.

Guest, Temporary, and DCSD Student borrowers are limited to 3 items checked-out at a time.