Replacement Items

Policy for Accepting Purchased Materials
as Replacements for Lost or Damaged Items

As stated in the Lost or Damaged Materials Policy, Hillsdale College faculty, students, and staff may present a purchased new copy of a lost or damaged item for approval by a librarian as a replacement in lieu of paying the $75 replacement cost, though the $25 processing fee must still be paid to the Hillsdale College Business Office.  Only materials meeting the following guidelines will be accepted.

• If a book is in print, only a new copy will be accepted.  A new copy will have no markings of any sort on pages or covers, and will be an exact match of the lost item.  Copies with remainder marks or names of previous owners will not be accepted as new.
• If the Library’s copy was a hardcover edition, only a hardcover replacement will be accepted.  If the Library’s copy was a bound paperback, only a paperback will be accepted.
• If the lost edition of a book is only available used, only copies in “very good” or better condition will be accepted.  Stained pages, musty or smoky odors, markings of any sort, torn covers, or loose bindings will all disqualify a copy from being accepted as a replacement.
• Newer editions of a lost item will only be accepted if the lost edition is not being sold online for significantly more than new editions.  If the lost item has become rare and similar copies are being sold online for prices that are more than a few dollars higher than new editions, the new edition will not be accepted as a replacement.
• Replacements for AV materials must also be new if the item is still being produced by the manufacturer or if new copies of the exact same issue as the item lost are available for purchase on retail Internet sites.  The guidelines listed here for books will be applied as fully as possible to other materials.
• The acceptance of a purchased copy as a replacement may only be made by a librarian.  If the item is accepted, the librarian will contact the Business Office to either cancel the replacement charge or issue a refund.