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GW Law Library
Research Guides

Borrowing @ Jacob Burns Law Library

Loan periods and fees

Fines and Fees

To keep popular items available for use, fines are assessed for course reserve and other reserve material, including chargers, power cords and other loaned equipment, that are returned late. The library also assesses processing, replacement, and applicable binding fees for material that is lost, stolen, or damaged.

Recalled Material

All items borrowed from or through the library, including material from interlibrary loan or the Consortium Loan Service, are subject to recall. Recalls for items in order to place them on course reserve may be due within three days of the date of the recall notice.  

Material Due Date upon Recall Overdue Fee
General Collection

Upon recall, a new due date is assigned and the item must be returned by  the new due date to avoid overdue fines.

 $10.00 per day.
Consortium Loan Service The borrower must return the item by the new, recalled due date indicated in the recall notice to avoid overdue fees. Fines are assessed by the lending library and may vary. $25.00 recall fee per item and $10.00 overdue fee per item, if returned after the recalled due date.
Interlibrary Loan The borrower must return the item by the new, recalled due date indicated in the recall notice to avoid overdue fees. $3.00 per day that the item is overdue, plus any charges assessed by the lending library.

Overdue Reserve Material

Course reserve and other reserve material may not be renewed.  Once returned, items may not be checked out again by the same patron for 30 minutes.

Course reserve and other reserve material must be returned to the circulation desk within the two-hour check-out period unless the item is checked out within two hours of the library’s closing.  Special items, such as chargers, power cords, cables and bike locks, must be returned to the circulation desk within the four-hour check-out period unless the item is checked out no more than two hours before closing.  Items borrowed overnight are due the next day the library is open, no later than 9:00 a.m.  

The overdue fine for course reserve and other reserve material, including special items borrowed from the library is $1.00 per hour. Borrowing phone or computer chargers and adapters may involve multiple items, and each item is assessed the overdue fine if returned late.

Fees for Lost, Stolen, or Damaged Books and Other Library Material

Material that is overdue for 30 days may be deemed lost and fees assessed as set forth below. Items that have been stolen are considered to have been lost. Borrowers will also be assessed fees and charges for books or other items that are damaged upon return to the library.  Damage includes, but is not limited to torn or missing pages, coffee and water stains, ripped or missing covers, pen or pencil markings, or highlighted passages. To avoid lost fees, students may renew borrowed items once; use "My Library Account" to renew borrowed items.

Schedule of fees for lost, stolen, or damaged library material:

  • Processing fee:  $15.00 for each book
  • Replacement fee:  $150.00 for each book
  • If applicable, binding fee:  $10.00-$25.00
  • Cost to replace non-book items 

Overdue, Lost, Stolen, or Damaged Book Fees for Interlibrary Loan Items

Overdue fees are $3.00 per day; the borrower is also liable for any overdue fees charged by the lending library.  Additional charges for lost, stolen, or damaged items borrowed through interlibrary loan are determined by the lending library and are the responsibility of the borrower.  GW Law faculty, staff, and students must use their interlibrary loan accounts to manage renewal requests.