The answers to this Ask The Librarian question are as varied as the librarians who answer them. The short answer is: However makes the most sense to you for your library. That said, we know that it can be helpful to have some examples to consider.

Sara Masarik, Plumfield Living Books Library

My library opened in May of 2023. I am writing this in July of 2024, and I am going through my first batch of renewals. I had intended to accept new members at any time of the year and just attend to those renewals each month. As I listened to Sherry Early talk about her renewal process in our January 2024 “Our Librarian Life” episode, and I began to grapple with the massive growth I was experiencing, I made the decision to roll all of my renewals together into one of two windows. Patrons who joined in 2023 would forever renew on August 1st (with a pro-rated fee). Patrons who joined in 2024 before June would forever renew on February 1st (with a prorated fee). And patrons who joined in June and July of this year before we officially closed our enrollment will forever renew on the August 1st schedule.

This month we sent out renewal packets to 100% of our patrons with a note explaining when their fees were due (either August or February 2025) along with the renewal amount. We also included in that packet their usage statistics from the year, some data about the library, the fall schedule of book clubs and events, a contract for the new year, and a thank-you note for their valued membership. It was a ton of work but deeply satisfying, and it has given my patrons a window into the bigger picture of what we are doing here.

The contracts and payments are starting to roll in, and we are so grateful for their renewed commitment to us and for the privilege of serving them again for another year.

2024-2025 Contract:

2024-2025 Library Rules

2024-2025 Member Stats

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