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Library Administration

Financial Procedures

Cash & Check Handling Procedures

Add-Value Machine

  • Keys to the Add-Value Station are picked up in Library Administration by the designated department cash handler in the presence of a library security officer.
    • The DBA will keep the keys in a secure location within library administration. (Backup keys are retained by the Technology Librarian.)
  • Money is collected from the machine by the cash handler in the presence of a library security officer.
  • When a printed receipt from the Add-Value Station is available, it should be verified by both parties. If a printed receipt is not available, the money should be counted twice. Once by the cash handler and once by a library security officer to verify accuracy.
  • A Department Deposit form is completed and signed/dated by the cash handler and initialed/dated by the library security officer. If available, the Add-Value Station receipt should be attached to the form.
  • The completed form is taken, with the money, to the Library Director or Asst. Director of Library Planning. 
  • The Library Director or Asst. Director of Library Planning counts the money in front of the cash handler and/or security officer and verifies the count is consistent with the Add-Value Station receipt and/or Daily Cash Receipt before signing the deposit form.
  • The money is sealed in a tamper proof security bag and taken with the deposit form to the Cashier's Office. Only the cashier is allowed to break the security seal. The Cashier will not accept an unsealed security bag or one with a broken seal. 
  • The cash handler will make a copy of the signed deposit form, return the Add-Value Station keys and add value print receipt form to Library Administration before taking the deposit down to the Cashier's Office. Leave the copy with Library Administration.
  • The Cashier’s Office will count the deposit and provide a receipt.
    • If the cashier is busy and cannot count at that time, they will provide you with a Deposit Drop Office Receipt (acknowledging they received a deposit).
    • Do not leave the tracking form with the cashier.  This is proof that you did drop off a deposit. 
  • The cash handler will bring the cashier's deposit receipt to Library Administration. The Administrative staff will attach all documents to the cashier's receipt and sign/date acknowledging the deposit. The DBA will sign/date acknowledging the deposit.
    • The receipt and documents will be scanned and uploaded to VPAA SharePoint and to the department's monthly folder.
    • The documents should be given to the Financial Assistant to be filed and the department's cash log updated.
  • Any issues the cash handler has should be sent in an email directly to the DBA.

The Provost's Office has asked that the DBA do periodic spot review and provide verification upon request. To conduct a spot review, the DBA will follow the Cash Handler from start to end of the above procedure and provide feedback when needed to assure audit compliance

In the event the Cash Handler is on vacation and/or extended leave, it is the backup cash handler's responsibility to carry out the duties. Cash Handling is a major University function often looked at by Auditors. Departments must provide written instructions and consistent oversight to remain compliant.

Updated: August 3, 2022- MJ

Check Handling

  1. Library Administration does not accept payments in the form of cash.
  2. Checks received by Library Administration are stamped “for deposit only” and the account code and cost center is written just below the stamped line.
  3. Administrative staff will determine what the check is for:
    • Interlibrary book loan fee
    • Revenue from copier (contracted service with Coin Copiers)
    • Acquisition's vendor refund check
    • Monetary Donation to the Library
  4. The check must be reviewed to ensure it is made out to “University of Houston – Downtown” or “W.I. Dykes Library” or “UHD – Library”, etc. The main component is that it indicates the Downtown Campus. Not just “University of Houston”.

Interlibrary book loan fees and copier revenue checks can be deposited into the Library Miscellaneous Cost Center.

  • Administrative staff receiving the check will complete and sign a UHD Departmental Deposit Form.
  • The deposit form, check and back up documentation should be given to the DBA for review and signature.
  • The DBA will give the signed form and documents to the Library Director for final approval and signature.
  • The Administrative staff will make a copy of the check and deposit form for the department's records.
  • The routing and account number on the copy of the check should be blotted out immediately with a black marker to obscure this information and prevent fraud or check duplication.
  • The check and deposit form will need to be taken to the Cashier's Office for deposit.
  • The Cashier's Office will provide a receipt which the Administrative staff will need to sign, attach to the copy of the check and deposit form, and return all documents to the DBA for review and signature.
  • Once the DBA signs the receipt, all the documents should be uploaded to VPAA SharePoint.
    • The copy should be given to the Financial Assistant to be filed.
    • The Library's Check log will need to be updated.

Acquisition's vendor refund checks (credit memos, credit for purchases, etc.) are credited back into  the HEAF-Library Books account.

  • Acquisitions will need to provide Library Administration with a copy of the payment voucher of the original purchase that applies to the refund as backup documentation.
  • The Administrative staff will make a copy of the check and all back up documents.
  • The routing and account number on the copy should be blotted out with a black marker to obscure this information and prevent fraud or check duplication.
  • The Administrative staff will need to contact the Director of Financial Reporting located in Business Affairs to set up a time to deliver the check and documents.
  • Once delivered to Accounting, the Administrative staff will need to check the 1074 to make sure the check has been deposited.
    • The copied documents should be given to the Financial Assistant to be filed.
    • The Library's Check log will need to be updated.

Monetary Donation to the Library

  • Administrative staff receiving the check will complete a Check Delivery Form.
  • Photocopy both sides of the check, the envelope, and the completed Check Delivery Form.
  • The account and routing number on the check copy should be blotted out immediately with a black marker to obscure this information and prevent fraud or check duplication.
  • The check, original mailing envelope and Check Delivery Form are all taken to University Advancement located in the President’s Suite.
  • The person responsible for receiving University donations in University Advancement will sign and date the Check Delivery Form.  A copy of the signed Check Delivery Form is provided by University Advancement.
  • Administrative staff enters the check & receipt information onto the Department Check Log.
  • The photo copies are stapled together and placed in a folder in the Financial Assistant's office titled “Deposit Receipts”.
  • Account for the charge by attaching a copy of the journal entry and photocopies to the 1074 cost center in the month the donation was made.

Library Circulation Account Codes and Purpose:

  • LIBF (43639) - Overdue fines
  • LIBL (40722) - Lost or damaged item replacement charges
  • LADD (40722) - Add-value station

Updated: August 3, 2022 - MJ

Link to Interlibrary Loan (ILL) check, invoicing and collection procedures.

http://library.uhd.edu/c.php?g=356898&p=2406708

Processing Library Fees

The library assesses fines and other fees for overdue, damaged, and lost materials. Fines and fees of $10.00 or more will result in a hold being placed on the student's account and the loss of borrowing privileges. A hold on a student's account will prevent the student from requesting transcripts.

In-person Payments

Any billed amount over $10 will be posted directly to the student's account using PeopleSoft. For amounts under $5, staff will let the student know, upon the student's request to use library services, such as borrowing or checking out a study room. Library staff will need to ask the student to inform staff when they are ready to pay. The balance can be posted to the student’s account at this point. Students must go directly to the Cashier’s Office to make a payment. The library cannot collect money or take payment, only the Cashier’s Office can.

An affiliate borrower, a patron who has paid for borrowing privileges, will be provided a Cashier’s Deposit Form. The form must be taken to the Cashier’s Office for payment to be made and the hold removed. The hold will be lifted by the Cashier’s Office once payment is made. 

Each day, the Access Services department runs a query in PeopleSoft to view payments made to library revenue accounts on the previous business day. Payments will be posted in Alma and the removal of holds verified.

Online Payments

The Cashier's Office is currently not offering an option to pay library charges online.

Policy on Intercampus charges

UHD patrons can borrow books from other UH system libraries. If a patron loses or damages a book borrowed from another UH system library, they are held financially responsible by the lending library. A charge and/or fee will be assessed to their library account, and the money will be owed to the lending library. If a UHD patron needs to pay for a lost and/or damaged book owned by another UH system library they can make payment at UHD Cashier's Office, rather than traveling to the lending library. Once payment has been made at UHD, circulation staff and business personnel will act in concert to initiate a transfer of funds to the lending library. Please see the procedure for Intercampus Fund Transfer for Library Charges for more information.

Documented: August 30, 2022 - MJ

Processing Intercampus Fund Transfers for Library Charges

All University of Houston System students, faculty, and staff have borrowing privileges at other UHS campus libraries. If a UHD patron loses or damages an item belonging to another UHS campus library, a replacement charge will be owed to that lending library. The replacement cost is part of the item record in Alma and is automatically applied to the patron’s library account.

If a UHD patron needs to pay a replacement charge for a lost or damaged book owned by another UH campus, the patron pays the charge at the university Cashier. (The Cashier is currently not offering an option to pay library charges online on MyUHD.) UHD will then initiate a fund transfer to the appropriate campus.

Each day the Access Services department runs a query in PeopleSoft to view payments made to library revenue accounts on the previous business day. For any payments that are determined to have been for items belonging to other campuses, the query is forwarded to the library’s Department Business Administrator with a request to have the funds transferred to the appropriate UHS campus library.

Once the DBA receives the email, the DBA will then print a 1074 report showing that the funds are in the library’s account. The DBA will then forward the 1074 report and line-item transfers to the Director of Financial Reporting with the cost center and the campus the fine is owed to.

The Director of Financial Reporting will then create a journal entry in PeopleSoft to transfer funds to the appropriate UH campus.

Library Policy

UHD patrons can borrow books from other UH system libraries. If a patron loses or damages a book borrowed from another UH system library, they are held financially responsible by the lending library. A charge and/or fee will be assessed to their library account, and the money will be owed to the lending library. If a UHD patron needs to pay for a lost and/or damaged book owned by another UH system library they can make payment at UHD, rather than traveling to the lending library. Once payment has been made at UHD, circulation staff and business personnel will act in concert to initiate a transfer of funds to the lending library.

Accepting Payment

Circulation staff will post the amount of the replacement charge as a service indicator to the patron’s account in PeopleSoft. The patron will make payment for the amount of the service indicator at the Cashier. The Cashier staff will release the service indicator. The payment will then appear on the PeopleSoft query referred to above.

Initiating Transfer

Each morning circulation staff will query payments made to library revenue accounts in PeopleSoft for the preceding business day. Using the information provided by the query, staff will check the library accounts of payees in Alma to determine ownership of lost and/or damaged item(s). Upon identifying item(s) owned by another UH system library and paid for, staff will copy the corresponding transaction(s) from the query and forward the information to the library’s Department Business Administrator (DBA) via email. The DBA will then work with Business Affairs to ensure that the funds are transferred to the appropriate lending library.

Updated: August 30,2022 - MJ