Tooele library tightens circulation rules, will refer long-overdue accounts to city attorney and collections

Tooele City Library Director Chase Bridal told the board on Jan. 22 that the library has revised its circulation policy to accelerate billing and to refer long-unpaid accounts to the city attorney and eventually to third‑party collections.

Bridal read the policy language aloud to the board: “When any item other than a device or technology item is overdue by 14 calendar days, the patron will be billed for that item and circulation privileges will be blocked. Devices and technology items will be billed to the patron on the first calendar day overdue and circulation privileges will be blocked.” He said the policy also states that “patrons who fail to return or pay for library materials for more than 30 days shall be referred to the city attorney for further action, which may include prosecution for library theft,” though staff told the board the city’s practical approach is to send accounts to collections rather than pursue criminal prosecution in most cases.

Explaining the rationale, Bridal said a five‑year report showed “we had almost $50,000 worth of unreturned books,” with many high‑ticket accounts owing about $100 or more. He described the notices and timeline that lead to referral: initial block at 14 days overdue, follow-up e‑mail and letters, and then referral to the city attorney approximately four months after an item is first due if the account remains delinquent. He told the board the library began sending accounts to collections in early December.

Bridal also described the fees applied when an account is referred: the library adds an attorney processing fee, which he said is $30, and accounts sent to collections are liable for any additional costs assessed by the collection agency. “After referral, an additional attorney processing fee will be added to the library account according to the current fines and fees schedule,” he said.

Board members asked clarifying questions during discussion; Bridal emphasized the policy targets repeated or high‑value delinquencies, not single, low‑value oversights. He said patrons who recover a paid item within the library’s refund window may be handled differently and that replacement copies must be new editions meeting library binding standards.

No formal vote was recorded at the meeting to adopt the policy; Bridal said the mayor had already signed the updated policy before the meeting and that staff had implemented referrals to collections.