Books and materials may be borrowed from the LA Law Library in accordance with the
following Borrowing Rules.
REGISTRATION
To borrow books and materials: (1) Complete the Borrower Registration Application;
(2) submit the appropriate Security Deposit; and (3) pay any additional established
and approved fees.
BORROWER CATEGORIES
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Individual – any individual 18 years of age or older. Photo
identification with current name and current address is required.*
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Corporate – any law firm, corporate legal department, public
interest law office, corporation or other business entity. A corporate borrower
may identify, in writing, partners, associates or other employees as designated
borrowers. Fines and fees accrued shall be the responsibility of the corporate borrower.
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Judicial – any judge, commissioner, magistrate or referee
of a State or Federal court located in Los Angeles County. A judicial borrower may
identify, in writing, research attorneys, law clerks or other employees who do work
of a legal nature in the performance of his/her duties.
-
Government– any elected or appointed State, Federal, County,
Municipal, or special district official who maintains an office in Los Angeles County.
A government borrower may identify, in writing, associates or other employees who
do work of a legal nature in the performance of his/her duties.
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Reduced Deposit – any individual who presents a Court approved
“Waiver of Court Fees and Costs” for a specific, currently pending legal action
in any State or Federal court within Los Angeles County. Photo identification with
current name and current address is required.*
* Photo Identification: A California driver’s license or an ID card issued by the
DMV. If no driver’s license or ID card has been issued by the DMV, a registrant
may use a current Passport, a School ID card, or other government issued ID together
with proof of a current address.
SECURITY DEPOSIT
The appropriate security deposit for each borrower category shall be collected and
placed in a trust account. Any interest earned on the trust account shall be paid
to the Law Library and used for its expenses.
Upon written request by a borrower, and following a three (3) month period from
the date of Borrower Registration, a security deposit, less any outstanding fines
or fees, will be refunded, provided all borrowed materials have been returned. Borrowing
privileges shall cease upon receipt of the written request for refund of the security
deposit. Refund of security deposit will be issued in the form of a check. Security
deposit is non-transferrable.
The Security Deposit shall be waived for Judicial Borrowers and Government Borrowers.
MESSENGER
An Individual, Corporate, Judicial, or Government Borrower may, in writing, designate
persons or services to function as messengers to retrieve and return books or materials
for the Borrower. The messenger must present proper identification when borrowing
materials. The Borrower will be responsible for all fines and fees. Messenger services
must be renewed on an annual basis,
July 1 – June 30, at a rate of $50 per messenger service listed on the account.
LOAN PERIODS
Library materials are loaned for five (5) days.
Individual, Judicial, Government, and Reduced Deposit Borrowers may check out and
have up to 7 items in their possession at any one time. Corporate borrowers may
check out and have up to 20 items in their possession at any one time.
Library materials may be returned in person or through a book drop at the Main Library.
A freestanding book drop is located at the service entrance on Broadway.
RENEWING LIBRARY MATERIALS
Items may be renewed a maximum of two (2) times. However, items may not be renewed
if there is a pending “hold” on the item. If the item is overdue at the time of
a renewal, the standard overdue fine will be assessed.
Materials may be renewed in person or over the phone by calling 213-785-2529.
FEES AND FINES
If materials are returned or renewed late, overdue fines will be assessed at the
rate of $2 per day per item, with a maximum of $60 per item. Special Loans accrue
overdue fines of $25 per day per item, with a maximum of $225 per item. Failure
to pay accrued fines may result in the Borrower’s account being suspended and/or
turned over to a collection agency.
Library materials are not due on Sundays or on holidays when the Library is closed,
but such days shall count as days of the circulation period and for calculation
of overdue fines.
If Library material is overdue for more than 30 days, the item shall be deemed lost
and replacement steps initiated. Replacement cost equal to the invoice price or
the reproduction price of the item, and a processing fee of $70 per item will be
assessed and added to the overdue fines.
A borrower who reports an item as lost, and who confirms the loss in writing, shall
be charged the amount of the fines accrued at the time of the initial report, plus
the replacement cost and the processing fee. If an item deemed lost is returned
before a replacement is ordered, the charges shall be reduced to the overdue fines
as stated in the fee schedule.
Lost library cards may be replaced at a cost of $6.
SUSPENSIONS / TERMINATIONS
Once an Individual Borrower reaches a fine equal to $30, or a Corporate Borrower
reaches a fine equal to $60, no additional circulation privileges will be allowed
until the fine is paid in full.
If a Borrower fails to return library materials or to pay the due amount of fines
or fees within 30 days of a mailed notice, all borrowing privileges shall be suspended
until the amount due is paid. If the outstanding amount is not paid within 30 days
following the date of the suspension, the amount owed shall be deducted from the
Borrower’s Security Deposit. If the outstanding amount is greater than the Security
Deposit, the entire deposit will be taken and the Borrower’s account will be closed.
A Borrower whose privileges have been suspended shall not qualify for another Borrower
category until the suspension has been removed, outstanding amounts have been paid
in full and the Security Deposit has been made whole.
A borrower whose privileges have been suspended may in writing request the return
of their Security Deposit, less any fines or fees accrued, at any time within 3
years after borrowing privileges have ceased. Any balance of the Security Deposit
remaining and not requested in writing at the end of the 3 years shall become the
property of the LA Law Library.
CIRCULATION SERVICES
Circulation staff are available during Library open hours to help Borrowers as follows:
(1) review a Borrower’s record; (2) provide a list of items checked out; (3) identify
due dates for items checked out; (4) provide a status report on items requested
to be reserved; and (5) provide a status report on any fines or fees that are owed.
BORROWING RULES | FEES AND FINES
|
Borrower Category
|
Security Deposit
|
|
Individual
|
$140.00
|
|
Corporate
|
$400.00
|
|
Reduced Deposit
|
$70.00
|
|
Judicial
|
None
|
|
Government
|
None
|
Borrowing Rules in
PDF available here.