Title
Approve Library Debt Write Off for 2024
Body
WHEREAS, the mission of Saint Paul Public Library is to welcome all people to connect, learn, participate and grow; and
WHEREAS, the Library’s collection of materials is a shared community resource available to be borrowed by all who have a Saint Paul library card and comply with the Library’s user agreements; and
WHEREAS, borrowers who lose or damage items are assessed fees to cover the cost of those items; and
WHEREAS, the Saint Paul Public Library Agency has adopted a policy on removing uncollectible debts from the Library system to ensure that the Library catalog can remain up to date; and
WHEREAS, the policy acknowledges that the Library makes great efforts to encourage prompt return of materials using telephone, electronic, and mailed reminders; and
WHEREAS, accounts are locked and patron borrowing privileges are suspended when over $10 in charges are accumulated; and
WHEREAS, when material recovery efforts are unsuccessful, the staff time required to do any further material recovery efforts beyond those referenced herein would in most cases exceed the amount of debt; and
WHEREAS, debts over $300 that remain after the Library’s material recovery efforts will be entered into the City’s Accounts Receivable system and pursued via the Office of Financial Services’ collection efforts; and
WHEREAS, Library staff will regularly assess the effectiveness of the department’s administrative policies and procedures to ensure free-flowing exchange of ideas, information, and education along with stewardship of our community’s collection of materials; and
WHEREAS, the Saint Paul Public Library staff have reviewed all patron records as of December 31, 2024, and has determined a list of accounts with debts which were incurred between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2022, cannot reasonably be recovered; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Saint Paul Public Library Board authorizes the fo...
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