Regulations for loan to private individuals and fees for overdue returns

Fees for overdue returns  (in Danish)

§ 1.

The Royal Library, National Library and Copenhagen University Library, is a library open to the public. Its collections, electronic resources, catalogues, reading rooms etc. can be used by anyone observing the current regulations and otherwise adhere to the directions given by the library’s staff.

§ 2.

Loans to take away or reading room loans to private individuals as well as access to using electronic resources are dependent upon the loan-seeking person having been registered as a borrower. Regarding other forms of loan and usage, please consult the appropriate regulations.

§ 3. Registration conditions
Safety precautions

Registration as a private borrower with the right to borrow happens via registration form in REX, whereby the applicant also commits himself to observe the at any time prevailing regulations. Concerning the borrower’s liability for damages, please consult § 10 below.

(2)
The applicant must be of age and be domiciled in Denmark or Greenland, be a Danish citizen domiciled in southern Sweden or be included in the Oresund Scheme. The applicant must show valid identification with CPR number to prove his identity. The Royal Library card, valid student’s card to the University of Copenhagen or national insurance card are all valid as borrower’s card to The Royal Library. (In the following called borrower’s card).

(3)
Persons of age without Danish CPR number can be issued with a reading room borrower’s card, entitling him to borrow books and other materials to be used in Reading Room West and the centre reading rooms in The Diamond.

(4)
Persons under age and persons without fixed domicile in Denmark, who have the necessary identification and are able to produce a residence permit may apply for access to borrowing against furnishing a deposit or procuring a guarantor to be approved by the library.

(5)
Moreover, the library can at any time demand a deposit or surety, also from already registered borrowers if the library deems it necessary in order to ensure the return of borrowed material.

(6)
Declaration of surety is normally signed by appearing in person. The guarantor is responsible as surety guarantor. Library members of staff can not stand surety. Guarantor’s change of domicile must be reported to the library. Certificate of surety can be subject to renewal every three years.

(7)
In special cases borrowing access at registration or later may be limited in time and/or with a view to number of simultaneously borrowed works.

§ 4. Borrower’s card

The borrower’s card is personal. If the card is given to another person, the person who owns the card will be held responsible.

(2)
If the borrower’s card is stolen or lost, the borrower is responsible for anyone else using the card, until the library has been informed about the situation.

(3)
The borrower’s card entitles you to borrow from the library’s collections according to the at any time prevailing guidelines. Certain parts of the collections cannot be taken home or may be subject to particular limitations regarding loan.

(4)
Establishment as a borrower gives access to using PCs or wireless access in the library’s public areas with the password that also gives access to REX.

(5)
Correspondence from the library is sent to borrower’s national register address or via e-mail. The borrower is also responsible for borrowed material which has been recalled in vain due to wrong address. Correspondence to borrower with Reading Room card is sent to the address given at the registration or via e-mail.

§ 5 ID Reading room card for the use of valuable material

Use of valuable and rare works in Reading Room West and centre reading rooms in The Diamond requires registered borrowers to also have a special ID-card with a picture to be shown before any material can be handed over for use in reading room and centre. The ID-card does not in itself give access to the use of valuable and rare works, but it is a prerequisite for the library considering the possibility of a particular loan.

(2)
In order to obtain an ID-card the borrower must fill in an application form in Reading Room West or the centre reading room the borrower wishes to use. Foreign borrowers must produce identification.

(3)
When users leave Reading Room West or a centre reading room they must without being asked produce all the material which they want to take out, so that the person on duty can check everything, also private material. Please also refer to the reading room regulations.

§ 6. Collection. Loan period. Use and storage

Under “User status” in REX the borrower can see which books have been borrowed and reserved and any outstanding fees. When collecting the material the borrower’s card must always be produced. If someone else is collecting the material, the library is entitled to demand that a power of authority be produced.

(2)
When material is issued, a loan registration indicating the latest date of return is produced.

(3)
The loan period is normally 1 month. However, the loan period is only fourteen days if the material is reserved at the time of the loan. The borrowed material must be returned – on one’s own initiative – before the loan period expires. Normally it is possible to renew the loan in Borrower status in Rex for up to three months, unless the work is reserved by another borrower. Specific regulations apply to the reading rooms where the relevant information is available.

(4)
If the borrowed material shows visible damage, the borrower should request that this be noted.

(5)
Borrowed material must be handled with care and kept in a safe place. Damage will entail liability for damages. Underlining, additions, turned down corners etc. are regarded as damage entailing liability for damages, cf. § 10.

(6)
Loaned works must not be lent to others and must only be used in Denmark and the Oresund Region.

(7)
The content of the borrowed work may be legally protected, i.a. through copyright legislation. Usage in defiance of this can entail liability to punishment or liability for damages.

(8)
Works procured from Danish or foreign libraries are subject to the present regulations as well as further regulations or loan limitations that may be laid down by the lending library.

(9)
Borrowers, who have signed on at one of the libraries connected to educational establishments under the Oresund University, can in accordance with the Oresund Agreement use the libraries in question according to the regulations of the individual library.

§ 7. Returns

The library can at any time recall a work for official purposes.

(2)
If the loaned material is returned by post, it must be by registered mail and in secure packaging approved by the Post Office. The borrower is responsible for the borrowed material until it has been received in The Royal Library.

If the borrowed material is returned by post, a receipt will only be issued by special request, enclosing a note with name and address.

(3)
If the borrowed material is not returned in time, the borrower must pay a fee according to current rates.

(4)
If the borrower maintains that he has returned a borrowed item, he must produce the receipt for the return, which is always provided upon return of material.

§ 8. Cancellation as borrower

The borrower can at any time cancel his borrower’s card by handing in or sending in the card with a note to say that he wishes to cancel. However, this can only take place when all loans have been returned.

§ 9. Upholding of the library’s ownership

The library maintains its ownership in relation to loaned material which has been lost, damaged or not been returned, regardless of compensation having been paid. In case of a lost item being found, it must be returned to the library. If the work has been re-acquired, and/or the borrower has paid compensation for the work, the library decides, if the borrower requests this and based on an assessment of the present circumstances, whether that part of the amount paid, which covers the price of the book, can be refunded.

(2)
If a loaned item despite repeated reminders is not returned, the library can at the expense of the borrower have the work collected by own or the bailiff’s intervention or let the case be brought before the court.

§ 10. Liability to pay damages and fees

Fees at overdue return of books (in Danish)

The borrower is responsible for borrowed works irrespective of personal fault.

(2)
For lost or damaged material which despite repeated reminders has not been returned, a bill will be issued comprising re-acquisition price, price of a replacement copy or possible estimated value. To this will be added the price of possible binding as well as an administrative fee in connection with the costs of re-acquisition and registration of replacement copy in the library’s collections.

(3)
Regarding damaged material the library reserves the right – based on an estimate of the kind and extent of damage – to decide whether it is a question of re-acquisition or repair.
In the case of repair the library can demand compensation for costs incurred, including administrative fee, possibly supplemented by an estimated amount for depreciation.

(4)
The borrower is responsible for all losses and costs incurred on the library as a result of the borrower’s breach of obligations, including wages, transport, debt collection and legal costs, court and bailiff costs.

(5)
Fees and a number of other costs are listed in the at any time valid appendix to these regulations. On admission the borrower commits himself to reading this appendix with fee tariffs. Changes in the fees require at least one month’s notice by public display in the library and at www.kb.dk

(6)
If amounts owing are not paid within the time stated, they can be passed to debt collection and recovered through the courts, through the bailiff or withholding of salary.

§ 11. Exclusion

As long as an infringement of the regulations despite demands has not been put right, the library is entitled to bar the borrower in question from access to loan.

(2)
If the borrower, despite repeated reminders, does not return borrowed material or returns material in a damaged condition, the borrower’s right to borrow can be suspended. Exclusion can be imposed, if the borrower’s outstanding fee to the library amounts to DKK 200,- or more.

(3)
If the borrower settles the dispute with the library by e.g. returning the material or paying the fee owing, the exclusion is rescinded.

§ 12. The Library’s responsibility

The Royal Library’s Service Declaration (in Danish) stipulates the level of quality and the service targets that the borrower is entitled to expect from the library and the staff.

§ 13. Visitation

Under the provisions of act no. 246 of 8. June 1978 regarding certain measures against theft from The Royal Library, a number of provisions has been made, including random visitation, when people leave the library building at Slotsholmen. It will appear from the accompanying slip issued whether the work may be taken out of the library.

§ 14. Complaints

In those cases where the borrowers are not satisfied with decisions in cases of complaint, these can be brought before the Director General of The Royal Library.

§ 15.

The present regulations are issued by direction of the Ministry of Culture. It comes into force on 15. December 1989. At the same time previous regulation provisions as to private individuals’ borrowings are rescinded.

1. November 1989
Erland Kolding Nielsen
Director General

Last revised in May 2008.