Borrow a Book

To borrow materials from the Library’s collection please email the Circulation staff at circulation@socialaw.com or call (617) 226-1500.

Almost everything in the Library is available to borrow. Current members may do so in person, over the phone, via email or through the online catalog.

The Library loans all 4^th Floor, State, Federal, MCLE and DVD materials for a period of one week. These items may be renewed up to three times so long as another patron does not have a hold on them.
The Library loans all Non-Core items for a period of 28 days. These items may not be renewed.

If you are looking for something outside of the Library’s collection you can request it through Interlibrary Loan.

To contact the Circulation desk please call (617) 226-1500 or email frontdesk@socialaw.com.

CIRCULATION NOTICES

The Library provides a variety of circulation notices that can be sent via regular mail or electronic mail. Patrons may request that particular notices be sent in one format or the other by contacting Circulation at 617-226-1500 or frontdesk@socialaw.com. E-mail addresses may be added to patron records by contacting the Membership Office at 617 226-1530, or membership@socialaw.com.

Itemized Statement: A consolidated list of items checked out to all members of a firm or organization that can be issued on a weekly or monthly schedule as meets the needs of the member.

Hold Notice: A patron will be notified when an item requested becomes available. Items will be held for five days for pick up before being used to fill other requests or returned to the collection. If a hold cannot be filled from the Library’s collection, the borrower will be offered inter-library loan service.

Recall Notice: A borrower will be notified when an overdue item must be returned to fulfill another member’s request. Borrowers will be contacted when an item they have on loan is scheduled for updating or is being replaced with a newer edition.

OVERDUE MATERIALS- FINES AND NOTICES

If borrowed items are not returned or renewed by the date due, an overdue notice will be sent to the borrower and overdue charges will begin to accrue.

A fine of $1.10 per business day per item is charged beginning on the first day overdue and, after five days, a fine of $2.25 per business day per item is levied. The fines will accumulate until the item is returned, renewed, or a replacement bill is assessed. If the item is renewed, the borrower is liable for all overdue fines accumulated prior to the renewal. If a renewal is denied (because another patron has requested the material or the total number of permitted renewals has been reached), overdue fines will continue to accumulate until the item is returned or a replacement bill is assessed. No overdue fine will be levied if an item is returned or renewed on the first day that it is overdue.

The first overdue notice will be sent on the first day an item is overdue, the second notice one week after the first, the third notice two weeks after the second, and the fourth notice two weeks after the third.

If an item continues to be overdue seven weeks after the fourth notice was sent, a replacement bill will be mailed. A minimum charge of $129.25 for the item plus a $30.00 processing fee will be assessed on the replacement bill. To avoid replacement charges, the patron must return the item and pay a total of $129.25 in overdue fines. Items with a replacement value in excess of $129.25 will be billed at their actual replacement cost plus the $30.00 processing fee. Processing fees are not refundable.

BORROWERS' LIABILITY FOR LOST MATERIALS

The borrower is liable for all replacement costs for lost materials including a processing fee as well as overdue fines that may have accumulated up to the day that the borrower notifies the Library of the loss. Once the materials have been reordered, the borrower remains liable for the replacement costs regardless of whether the materials originally reported as lost are subsequently found and returned.

Circulation privileges will be canceled when a borrower’s total overdue fines and/or replacement costs exceed $600.00. Privileges will be reinstated upon payment of all monies due to the Library.

HOLDING MATERIALS

Eligible patrons may place requests for materials directly from the record in the catalog for items currently in circulation, items missing from the shelves, and items to be retrieved by Library staff. All members of a Full Membership organization are eligible to request materials unless the Membership Office has been asked to change this option. The Membership Office may be contacted at (617) 226-1530, or via electronic mail to membership@socialaw.com.

If a book is currently in circulation, a patron may place a hold on it. Requestor will be notified when the book is returned. If the book is not in circulation, it may be in the process of being reshelved. The staff will lend as much assistance as possible in locating materials.