Long Overdue Items
Unique Management Services (UMS), a specialized collection agency for libraries, helps the Natrona County Library in recovering long-overdue items.
Accounts with materials that are long-overdue will be assumed lost and billed to your account. Accounts with assumed lost items totaling fees of $50 or more will be referred to Unique Management. A $10.00 non-refundable administration fee will be added to those accounts.
The Natrona County Library notifies patrons of overdue materials several times before an account is referred to UMS. Notices are sent by text or email, whichever the patron has chosen. It is important to notify us if your contact information changes, so that you get library notices in a timely manner.
For your convenience, outside book drops are located at all Natrona County Library branches for materials returned after hours.
If you have any questions about your account, please contact us.
Frequently Asked Questions
Materials Recovery is the process of retrieving overdue library materials. We use Unique Management Services to help us with materials recovery.
Unique Management Services partners with over 1,500 libraries across Canada, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand to recover overdue materials and monies. UMS works exclusively with libraries and understands their special needs.
As a good steward of public funds, the Natrona County Library has a responsibility to protect its collection. Based on the items that Unique Management recovers for most libraries, long-overdue items tend to be newer, more popular material. Returning them to the shelves also better meets the needs of the community, while at the same time helping the library reduce its expense for collection replacement.
No. The $10.00 administration fee charged to accounts turned over to UMS fully covers the cost of the service. Companies such as Unique Management are experts in recovery and have more resources at their disposal to effectively locate people and recover materials and monies owed.
- Bring your materials back on time. All items are due by closing time on the date due.
- Keep track of your due dates by keeping checkout receipts, using the email receipts function, and/or checking your library account regularly either online, in person, or by phone. You can also use our self-check machines to see what you currently have checked out and when the items are due.
- Sign up for e-mail or text notification. That way, you will receive a courtesy notice emailed or texted to you the day before your materials are due. Please ask staff for more details.
- Most items will auto-renew twice, as long as there are no holds on them and your account is in good standing. Interlibrary loans cannot be renewed.
When an item is overdue, the Natrona County Library notifies patrons using the following schedule:
- First notice: 7 days overdue
- Final notice: 14 days overdue
It depends on the balance due. Generally, anyone who owes $14.99 or less can continue to use their card.
Contact any library location, and staff will discuss your options with you.
Items that are not returned are referred to UMS for recovery. If the value of those items totals $50 or more, and you have not paid for or returned your items by day 21, your account will be referred to Unique Management Services. A $10 non-refundable administration fee will be added to those accounts.
UMS uses the “Gentle Nudge Process” to contact patrons on our behalf. The timeline for their notifications is as follows:
- 22 days overdue: Letter 1
- 43-50 days overdue: Initial Phone Call(s)
- 64 days overdue: Letter 2
- 87-101 days overdue: Second Phone Call(s)
- 112 days overdue: Letter 3
- 142 days overdue: Letter 4
- 172-175 days overdue: Final Phone Call(s)