1986577 DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PUBLIC LIBRARY - NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING for Amendments to 803.1 through 803.4 regarding Fines and Penalties of Library Materials/Books.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PUBLIC LIBRARY

 

NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING

 

 

The Board of Library Trustees through D.C. Official Code §39-105 (2011 Supp.) designated the Chief Librarian to establish rules and manage the day-to-day operations of the library.  The District of Columbia Public Library Board of Trustees, pursuant to the authority set forth in An Act To establish and provide for the maintenance of a free public library and reading room in the District of Columbia, approved June 3, 1896, 29 Stat. 244, ch. 315, § 5; April 1, 1926, 44 Stat. 230, ch. 98, § 5; Mar. 3, 1979 (D.C. Law 2-139, § 3205 (jjj); 25 DCR 5740); Sept. 5, 1985 (D.C. Law 6 – 17, § 2; 32 DCR 3582); Apr. 12, 1997 (D.C. Law 11-259, § 316; 44 DCR 1423); Oct. 21, 1998 (112 Stat. 2681 – 146, Pub. L. 105 – 277, § 156 (codified at D.C. Official Code § 39-105); 27 DCRR § 2.1, 24 DCR 11011, 11014 (June 30, 1978); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 38 DCR 1011 (February 8, 1991), hereby gives notice of its intent to amend the following sub 803.1, 803.2, 803.3, 803.4, and 803.6 of chapter 8 of title 19 of the D.C. Municipal Regulations. 

 

The Chief Librarian and the Board of Library Trustee’s of the District of Columbia Public Library (DCPL”, at its Finance Sub-committee meeting held January 20, 2012, introduced and approved to adopt the proposed new amendment(s) to the District of Columbia Public Library Regulations regarding Fines and Penalties §§ 803.1, 803.2, 803.3, 803.4, and 803.6 to Chapter 8, Title 19 of the D.C. Municipal Regulations.  At its regular scheduled Board of Library Trustee’s (“Board”) meeting held January 25, 2012, the Board introduced and took final action to approve and adopt the proposed new amendment(s) to the above-cited section to Chapter 8, Title 19 of the D.C. Municipal Regulations.   

 

The proposed amendments will provide the DCPL the ability to more effectively assess fines and penalties to library customers who utilize library services for the loan of library materials and books.  In addition, the DCPL branches no longer accept cash payments so these amendments will provide a more efficient process and are far less burdensome to library customers who utilize library services for the loan of library materials/books.

 

Chapter 8, PUBLIC LIBRARY, of Title 19, AMUSEMENT, PARKS AND RECREATION, is amended as follows:

 

Section 803, FINES AND PENALTIES, subsection 803.1 through 803.4 and subsection 803.6, of chapter 8, PUBLIC LIBRARY, of title 19, AMUSEMENT, PARKS AND RECREATION, are amended to read as follows:

 

803.1               Adult borrowers shall be charged a long overdue fee of five dollars

($ 5) for each item overdue thirty (30) days or more.

 

803.2               All borrowers shall be assessed lost and damaged fees on all material types including children’s materials and books that are overdue sixty (60) days or more, as follows:

 

(a)                Hardcover Books;                                                       $ 20.00

 

(b)               Paperback Books, CDs, DVDs,                                  $ 15.00

            and Audiobooks; and

 

(c)                Magazines.                                                                  $ 8.00

                                                             

803.3               Adult borrowers of materials and books are responsible for the payment of both lost and damaged fees and the long overdue fee, if applicable.

 

803.4               All library accounts including children’s accounts, with fees totaling forty dollars ($ 40.00) or more will be blocked from checking-out or renewing books and other library materials, until the account is in good standing.

 

803.6               [RESERVED]

 

 

Any person desiring to comment on the subject matter of this proposed rulemaking should file comments in writing not later than thirty (30) days after the date of the publication of this notice in the D.C. Register.  Comments should be submitted to Grace Perry-Gaiter, DCPL, General Counsel, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 ‘G’ Street, N.W., 4^th Floor, Washington, D.C.  20001. Telephone: [phone].  Copies of the proposed rulemaking may be obtained by writing to the address stated above.