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Page 2 of 5 <br />DISCUSSION <br />Given the City’s current financial challenges, the Library and Recreation Department must <br />adjust its processes to accommodate limited resources. By updating the Library Materials <br />Recovery Policy section on the lost item refund process (Attachment 3) and revising the MFS <br />(Attachment 4) to include printing, photocopying, faxing, scanning and meeting room rental <br />fees, the department can continue to serve the community in a responsible and equitable <br />manner. <br /> <br />Materials Recovery Policy Updates: Removal of Lost Item Refunds <br />In current practice, as outlined in the Materials Recovery Policy, the replacement cost of a lost <br />library item is refundable, minus the processing fee, if it is returned in good condition within 90 <br />days of the paid date, with the exception of LINK+ items. Refunds are issued in the form of a <br />check payable to the library member and mailed to the address on file in the library card <br />account. <br /> <br />Library staff have evaluated the effectiveness of the 90-day refund provision and found that <br />the administrative costs significantly outweigh the value to the public. Processing a single <br />refund requires the following steps: <br />• Tracking and verifying paper receipts when payments are processed <br />• Researching the payments when a refund request is made <br />• Completing patron refund forms for each item requested <br />• Manually preparing a Direct Payment Claim (DPC) form for each instance <br />• Inputting the form and the accounting details into the financial software system <br />• Routing payment requests through multi-level City approvals <br />• Issuing and mailing a physical check or arranging for pickup. <br />Processing refunds for individual lost items can cost the City hundreds of dollars in staff time <br />for items typically valued between $6 and $35. For this reason, most public libraries in the <br />region no longer offer refunds and consider payments for lost materials final. <br /> <br />The proposed updates to the Materials Recovery Policy maintain the core principles of <br />supporting community access while responsibly managing library materials and staff <br />resources. To ensure patrons have enough time to search for missing items before payment is <br />required, staff will continue to use various approaches, such as renewing items or extending <br />the payment deadline to the maximum allowed under the policy. <br /> <br />Master Fee Schedule Updates: Printing, Photocopying, Faxing and Scanning <br />In June 2025, the Library implemented a new print management system, Envisionware AAM, <br />introducing a 10-page daily print limit per library cardholder and the ability to charge at a future <br />date for additional pages beyond the daily limit. This shift responds to concerns about <br />excessive printing and helps to conserve City resources. <br /> <br />Since implementing the new print system, patrons have requested an option to pay for <br />additional pages of printing if needed. Envisionware can support self-payment via a credit card <br />terminal, but a fee must be established in the MFS to enable this feature. Staff recommends a <br />rate of $0.25 per page for print jobs above the daily limit of 10 free pages, aligning with the <br />existing City Clerk fees for photocopies. <br /> <br />Page 7 of 39