Library Borrowing Policies
Answer
Loan Periods: Most library materials check out for 21 days, and can be renewed twice if there is no one waiting for it. Items in the Lucky Day Collection check out for 7 days and may not be renewed. Renewals may be denied if an item is overdue, if another patron has placed a request for the item, or if the item has already been renewed twice. Renew your items online.
Fees: Hayward Public Library stopped charging daily overdue fees in January 2021. While the library eliminated daily overdue fines, Library users are still responsible for fees associated with the replacement of lost or damaged books and other materials they check out. Under this new policy, it is important to understand the difference between overdue fines and billed-item fees. Overdue fines are the daily charges applied to items not returned by their specified due date. These are the fines that will no longer be charged to patrons. Billed-item fees represent the charges applied for lost, damaged, or unreturned materials and are still in effect. Patrons with billed items will not be able to check out new materials until the items have been returned or bills have been paid.
Checkout Limits: If you have a regular library card, there is no limit to the number of books you can check out. There is no limit on most other formats, except DVDs. You may borrow up to twenty (20) DVDs at one time. If you have a provisional library card, you may borrow one (1) item at a time.