W. I. Dykes Library -- Overdue and Lost Materials
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Late fees and other charges may be assessed when library materials are not returned on time. To avoid these charges, please return or renew your library materials before the due date. For information about these options, please see Returning Library Materials or Loan Periods and Renewals.

Late fees are assessed at the following rates:

Faculty are not charged late fees, but all borrowers are charged for lost or damaged materials.

The maximum late fee for any item is $10.00. If an item has not been returned after 21 days, it will be declared lost and additional fees will be assessed. Course reserves will be declared lost after 1 day. Charges for lost materials include a processing fee ($10.00), a billing fee ($10.00), and a replacement fee ($50.00). If the item is subsequently returned to the library, the replacement fee will be waived, but the borrower will still be responsible for the late fees, the processing fee, and the billing fee. For more information about these fees, please call the Circulation Desk at 713-221-8186.

Overdue notices will be sent to the address in your library record. All materials are also subject to recall regardless of the original or renewed due date. Materials may be recalled when another person places a hold on an item that is either overdue or on a long loan period. If your item is recalled, we will send you a notice, which may indicate a revised due date. If you provide us with an email address, we will send overdue and recall notices to you by email. Otherwise we will use the mailing address provided by you at your initial library registration. It is your responsibility to notify us if your email or mailing address changes. Please be aware that mailed notices may take several days to reach you. The overdue and recall notices are simply a reminder. You will be charged fines from the due date, not the date of notification. You will be held responsible for all fines, whether or not you receive a notice.

Fines do not have to be paid until the total is $5.00 or more. If you have an unpaid balance of $5.00 or more, a block will be placed on your library record and you will not be able to check out or renew library materials. A block may also prevent you from registering for classes, requesting a transcript, or conducting other university transactions.

Payments are not collected in the library. If you owe fines, please request a Cashier's Office deposit form at the Circulation Desk. Take this form to the Cashier's Office at 310-South. When you have paid at the Cashier's Office bring the receipt back to the Circulation Desk and request that your library record be cleared. If you are making a special trip in order to pay library fees, please call 713-221-8000 to confirm that the Cashier's Office will be open.

UH-Downtown faculty, staff, and students can also pay library fees by using the My Payment feature in student e-services or faculty and staff e-services. If your library fees are not listed in your e-services account, please call the Circulation Desk at 713-221-8186 for assistance. When library fees are paid through e-services, the library will be automatically notified and your library record will be cleared in 2-3 business days. For faster service, please call the Circulation Desk at 713-221-8186 and ask the Circulation supervisor to clear the fees from your library record.

For more information about the library's circulation services, please see Borrowing Library Materials.