Notice Schedule

Overdue Items

Paper notices are mailed out on Wednesdays, so the time of event can vary by as much as 6 days. If a patron has enrolled in email notification they will receive automated emails early in the morning; These are based on the due date.

Timeline for Overdues

Email Notices

Receiving email notices is a patron option.

• Three Days before due date: First Pre-due email
• One Day before due date: Second Pre-due email
• Eight Days Overdue: Overdue email

USPS Mailed Overdue Notices

• Two Weeks (15-21 days): First Overdue Notice
• Four Weeks (29-35 days): Second Overdue Notice
• Six Weeks (43-49 days): Third Overdue / Bill for Items Not Returned. Patron billed for replacement cost of item. This notice includes mention of future collections action and additional fees if not rectified.
• Eight Weeks (57-63 days): Patron is turned over to UMS if overdue items have a total value of $25 or more. A $15 REFERRAL bill is created, and patron status changes to COLLECTION. There is no MFRL notice sent for this action.

High Balance Notices

In addition to notices for checked out items, MFRL also has a schedule of notices for patron with balances of $25 or more.

• Accounts with high balance for two weeks: Notice sent via USPS. This notice includes mention of future collections action and additional fees if not rectified. It also states that no additional notices will be sent, and lists a specific date and time by which fines must be paid.
• Accounts with high balance for five weeks: Patron is turned over to UMS. A $15 REFERRAL bill is created, and patron status changes to COLLECTION. There is no MFRL notice sent for this action.

INSTITUTE patrons

The only overdue notice that Institutional patrons receive is the Eight Days Overdue: Second Overdue email¹.

Fees

When a patron is turned over to UMS, a collection fee of $15.00 is automatically added to the account. This fee is Non-negotible. This fee defrays the cost that MFRL incurs when sending patrons to UMS.

Patrons in Collections Status

• Once in Collection status, a patron must pay their entire balance due to get out of Collection status.
• If a patron in collections wishes to make scheduled payments to their account, we can "suspend" UMS actions (calls and letters from UMS).
• It is not possible to delay the sending of a patron to UMS.

Example Notices

Email Notices

1. Three Day Pre-Due Notice
2. One Day Pre-Due Notice
3. Two Day Overdue Notice
4. Eight Day Overdue Notice

USPS Mailed Notices

1. 1st Overdue Notice
2. 2nd Overdue Notice
3. 3rd Overdue / Bill for Items Not Returned
4. High Balance Notice

References

1. As per 01/31/2017 Management Meeting