MOBIUS Policy on Borrowing and Lending AV Materials

Developed by

MOBIUS AV Working Group, MAAC

Date Adopted

Purpose of the Policy

This policy outlines the parameters of borrowing and lending audiovisual materials across all MOBIUS clusters.

Background

The MAAC Working Group on AV Borrowing and Lending was convened in August 2012 to create policies and procedures for lending and borrowing AV materials across all MOBIUS clusters.

Policy Type

Circulation

MOBIUS members will lend audiovisual materials via the MOBIUS catalog (with delivery via the courier) including:

  • DVD
  • Blu-Ray or HD-DVD
  • VHS tapes
  • Audiocassettes (spoken word or musical recordings)
  • Audio CD (spoken word or musical recordings)
  • Standalone AV Device

As with any other library material, each institution has the right to decide which specific items are loanable or not.

Materials will be loaned for a minimum of 10 days. Institutions may have different loan periods depending on the type of AV

material. Materials will be kept on the hold shelf for five (5) days. Renewals will not be allowed.

The lending institution is responsible for safely packaging the borrowed materials in appropriate shipping containers to protect them from damage. The lender must ensure that all parts of the material are present in their correct container and not damaged before they are shipped to the borrower.

The borrowing institution is responsible for returning the material with all of its pieces in the same condition as received. The borrower will use appropriate shipping containers and packaging that will protect the materials from being damaged.

As many educational videos can be quite expensive, it would be prudent to ship only one or two AV items per courier bag.

Standard media shipping supplies such as padded envelopes or cardboard boxes will be supplied by each member library. 1st Choice’s insurance restricts replacement costs to $500 per bag. The lending library cannot expect to be reimbursed by the courier for more than $500 for lost or damaged materials even if the replacement costs exceed that amount.

The default fee attached to the loan rule will be $100 for AV items that move to a Billed status in III plus a $20 billing/processing fee. The AV billing cycle will be 45 days. These fees and the billing cycle match. 

Compliance: 

The borrowing library is responsible for AV materials from the time they are shipped by the lender until the materials are received back at the lending library. The borrowing library is responsible for collecting any fees from their patron(s) and reimbursing the lending library for lost or damaged materials. Each member library is encouraged to resolve billed items at the lowest possible level as soon as practical, but not later than 6 months from the billing date.

Claims policies and procedures:

  • Each member library is encouraged to resolve billed items at the lowest possible level as soon aspractical, but not later than 6 months from the billing date
  • If an item is lost or damaged during shipment with 1st Choice:
    • The library receiving the shipment notifies the other party of damage or loss
    • Lending library will submit a claim to 1st Choice for reimbursement
    • Borrowing library is responsible for remitting any additional cost beyond what is covered by 1st Choice’s insurance ($500/bag maximum)
  • If an item was lost or damaged by patron:
    • Borrowing library notifies lending library of loss or damage
    • Libraries negotiate replacement
    • Acceptance of replacement copies in lieu of payment is at the lending library’s discretion
    • Borrowing library manually blocks patron (MOBIUS block, code “m”) until payment is received
    • Borrowing library collects replacement fees from their patron
  • When lending library receives compensation, the barcode of the lost/damaged item will be checked in to clear the borrowing library’s patron record
  • Once negotiations are complete, the lending library is not obligated to issue a refund should the lost material be recovered

Forms: A smaller band template has been created which prints in landscape orientation on letter-size paper (8 ½” x 11”).