Parent Resources - Library Policy

Welcome to the University Heights Charter School Library Media Center! Our school has so many wonderful new books and resources, which makes responsible book care an important part of our program. Please read and discuss the expectations below with your child.

Book Care Rules:

• Keep books clean; wash hands before touching.
• Keep books in a safe place away from babies, pets, food, and liquids.
• Turn pages carefully from the corner and use a bookmark to mark your place. Never write or draw in a book.
• When you are not reading your library books, keep them in your backpack or in your classroom at school.

UHCS Library Media Center Policies:

1. Books must be returned after one week. No other books may be borrowed if your child has any late books.
2. If a book is lost or damaged, the student must pay to replace it per UHCS policy. Most of our books have special reinforced bindings that make the books costly to replace.
3. At UHCS, we believe you must read to succeed. All children need to read or be read to daily along with visiting the public library.

Family Book Selection:

Please take some time to discuss the types of books you want your child to be reading. Also take the time to discuss any topics you do not want your child to be reading about. They need to know your expectations.

Fines for Damaged or Lost Materials: Borrowing books from the UHCS Library & Media Center is free.There is no charge for checking books out unless a title is lost or damaged.

If a book is damaged, the school should be compensated within two weeks of the event. All payments need to be made with a money order made payable to University Heights Charter School. If there is a zone of cost ($1.00-$5.00), the actual amount will be determined by the librarian’s professional judgment on a case-by-case basis. The cost depends on 1) the amount of damage and 2) the total value of the book.

Students need to pay the entire replacement cost of any book that the librarian determines to be seriously damaged per UHCS regulations. Books achieve this status when there is enough moisture, writing, food, or physical damage so that an item can no longer circulate. The average cost of a paperback book is $10.00 and most hard cover books cost $25.00. Since these are average costs, the amount due for a replacement may be greater or less, depending on the actual value of a particular title.This is also true for lost books.

Students are taught,reminded, and expected to examine all newly borrowed books for damage and report any blemishes to the library staff. This is done to protect the patron from being held responsible for another’s book abuse. Given limited time and resources, the library staff is unable to check every library book as it is returned. Instead, students are trained extensively from kindergarten through fourth grade to examine newly checked out library books for damage before they leave the library & media center.

Students are instructed, strongly encouraged, and continually reminded to show any damage(ripped pages, markings, liquid damage, etc.) in their newly checked out books to the library staff. This is done so that 1) the library staff can repair the book (if possible), 2) the previous person who checked the book out will receive a fine (if necessary), and 3) the student who currently has the book is protected from any fines or damage costs.

Fines and Consequences for Overdue Materials: Overdue notices will be delivered to students in sealed envelopes to protect privacy as stipulated by the American Association of School Librarians (AASL).

• Students with overdue books will lose borrowing privileges.Privileges will be restored when overdue books are returned or fines have been paid. Loan periods are subject to change depending on patron’s on-time turn-in record.
• Students must pay for lost books or books damaged beyond repair regardless of if the fine was initiated at University Heights Charter School. If the fine remains unpaid, student report cards will be withheld at the school’s discretion until the account is settled.
• Fines may also be assessed for limited damage that results from abuse or neglect on the part of the student. In no case should a fine exceed25% of the full purchase of the item.

If a student leaves UHCS with library books, the student and parent/guardian should find some way to return the book or pay the value of the book(s). You can 1)personally drop the books or money off at the school office, or 2) mail the books or money order to us at: University Heights Charter School, 74 Hartford St., Newark, NJ 07103.