Library members who sign up for text notifications receive a text-message reminder three days in advance of their due date.

Rather than allowing eligible books to become overdue, as a courtesy, all items eligible for renewal are automatically renewed on their due date if they have not been returned to the library. There are four cases in which an item is not renewable: 1) The item is "new" to the library; 2) The item has already been checked out for 28 days or longer;  3) The item is on reserve for another member; 4) The account is suspended because of overdue items or an outstanding balance.

Library members receive a notification, either by text or phone, when their items are 2 days overdue. Members have been in possession of the materials for 16-30 days. Items may still be returned in the next 10 days with no penalty. Overdue fines do not accrue. Member accounts are suspended when members have 4 overdue library materials. Suspended accounts are not eligible to check out additional materials until overdue items have been returned. 

Members have been in possession of the materials for 28-42 days, and items have been overdue for 14 days. Members now receive an overdue letter. A $2 letter fee is assessed to offset processing costs. Overdue items may be returned within 14 days of the first overdue letter with no additional penalty. Overdue fines do not accrue. The total owed to the library is $2. The member account is suspended until items are returned and letter fee is paid.

Members have been in possession of materials for 45-59 days, and items have been overdue for 31 days. According to Giddings City Ordinance §1.09.002, "All library materials will be charged the full cost of replacement if not returned within 31 days of the due date."  

At this point, the library purchases replacements, and members are responsible for the full replacement cost of unreturned items. A $2 letter fee is assessed to offset processing costs. Items are no longer eligible for return since the library has purchased replacements. (Items returned after the library has purchased replacements are considered donations to the library.) 

The member account remains suspended until the balance is paid. Library members have 31 days to pay their account balance. When the account balance is paid, the member account is reinstated with a  checkout limit of 5 items. The total owed to the library is $4, plus the actual cost of the library materials.

When accounts remain unpaid 31 days after members receive the final letter, accounts are remanded to an account-recovery agency for collection. The member is responsible for the fees assessed by the agency (currently 30 percent of the total account balance).* Member accounts remain suspended until balance is paid. When account balance is paid, the member account is reinstated with a checkout limit of 5 items. After one year of on-time material-return history, upon request, the member may return to the standard checkout limit.

*For example, at this stage, if a member has four unreturned books with a replacement value of $25 each, she owes the library $100 for the books ($25 x 4), plus $2 for each letter fee assessed in previous stages ($2 x 2) for a total of $104. Then the account-recovery agency assesses a 30 percent fee of $31.20 ($104 x .30). The total now owed is $135.20 ($104 + $31.20). This total is paid directly to the agency. The library only receives the original balance of $104 from the account-recovery agency. 

When an account is in arrears for an amount greater than $99, OR has two separate incidents of library materials overdue for 31 days, the account is suspended for one year. Members with suspended accounts may not check out library materials. One year after the account balance is paid, upon request, the member account may be reinstated with a checkout limit of 5 items. Subsequently, after one year of on-time material-return history, the member may request to return to the standard checkout limit.