Library Cards

Information about a child’s checkouts is protected by Pennsylvania privacy laws. The library is prohibited by law from disclosing information about a child’s checkouts, even to a parent or guardian.

Parents or guardians who need to regularly access a child’s checkout information are urged to use the My Account system to log in with their child’s library card number and PIN. The library will give information to a parent or guardian about a child’s checkouts over the phone or in person. However, the child must be on the phone or with the parent for the library to provide the requested information.

Card holders may borrow up to 100 items. Total checkouts may not include more than 10 each of magazines and movies, 1 video game and not more than 20 each of music CD’s.

At the time of checkout, borrowers receive receipts listing items checked out with due dates. Borrowers can monitor checkouts and due dates using the My Account system. Those that provide an e-mail address at the time of registration are sent courtesy reminders three days before items are due and two overdue notices. The first notice is sent at 14 days, and the second at 28 days. The library does not send paper notices.

Daily fines for books and magazines are 25 cents per day. Daily fines for videos and games are $1 per day. The maximum fine for overdue books, videos, and games is $5, no matter how many days overdue. The maximum fine for overdue magazines is $2.

For lost or damaged material, the Bucks County Free Library charges the list price at the time the library purchased the item. This dollar amount is part of the computer record in the library’s catalog. If an item is overdue when it is reported lost or determined to be damaged, fines are waived when the item is paid for.

Borrowers with accrued fines and fees of $10 or higher are blocked from checkout and computer use. The Bucks County Free Library and selected member libraries use collection agencies to manage delinquent accounts. Any account with fines or fees of $25 or higher are forwarded to a collection agency after 45 days of failure to pay fines or return materials. A non-negotiable $10 fee is charged to the borrower.