Washington’s death in 1799 may provide the ultimate affirmative defense, but current residents of Earth cannot so easily side-step the library due date. For Duke students, the end of the semester is an excellent time to double-check your library account (log in here with your NetID) and resolve any overdue fines, lost book charges, or lingering titles that you’re sure you already returned. Unpaid bills are eventually turned over to the Bursar’s Office, which can affect your access to online transcripts and could even prevent you from receiving a diploma until the account is cleared up!
Overdue fines are not intended to be a punishment, but rather an incentive to return items in a timely fashion. In some situations, late charges can disappear automatically once the item is returned, although individual library policies vary:
- For Law Library items, contact the Circulation/Reserve desk for assistance.
- For items owned by other Duke Libraries, contact the owning library’s circulation desk directly (preferably in person). Law Library staff are unable to waive or adjust fines from other Duke libraries.