Borrowing Policy

Middle school is a time when it is extremely important for your child to read, read, read, read, READ. We can help supply the books. We look forward to seeing your 6th grader in our media center.

With a new level of school comes a heightened level of responsibility. Media materials are checked out on a timed basis; with approximately 1,000 Clifford Smart students sharing those materials, it is important that students learn to return (or renew) books by their due dates. In middle school, there is a significant change from elementary school; that change is the introduction of late fines.

Checkout policy:

  • Books are checked out for three weeks (or longer if the due date would fall on an “off” day, such as a weekend or holiday).

  • Magazines are overnight checkouts.

  • There is a 3-day grace period at the end of a checkout; if student returns within that grace period, then there are no fines tallied for that book.

  • If a book is more than 3 days late, then late fines accumulate at the rate of 10 cents per day, up to a maximum of $5.00 per book.

  • Damaged books will be charged for repairs warranted.

  • Lost books will be charged for the replacement price of the book, which varies according to hardcover/softcover and type of material.

  • Suspension of borrowing privileges: students who accumulate fines in excess of $5.00 total will need to pay their fines (minimally down to the $5.00 mark) in order to be allowed to checkout further materials.

  • Financial hardship in paying fines: students who cannot pay their fines are welcome to come to the media center during some lunch periods to “work off” their fines (straightening up, shelving books, and the like). They can eat first, then come to the MC to help. They just need to let Mrs. Schubert know they wish to do so.

Why do we have late fines? The answer to that is simple. Just as for adults (think of video rentals, car rentals, public libraries), students need to have a motivator to return borrowed items on time; otherwise, that “missing” book just remains in a locker, or under a bed, or in mom’s car, or __________ (fill in the blank with a lost book location) indefinitely. When books are sitting idle, that means no other student can use them and that is not fair to the rest of the Smart population. Now is the time for students to learn the responsibilities of the real world. Library fines can be the start.

Why can’t you see your student’s library records in Skyward Family Access? Unfortunately, the media center software (Destiny) and the Family Access software (Skyward) do not communicate that way, so there is currently no way to cross over those records. We are hopeful that in the future this might change, but as of now, that is just not possible.

Thank you for helping to instill a sense of responsibility with your students when it comes to library materials. We appreciate your help as a parent or guardian. We look forward to helping them continue to (or start to) love reading!