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Policy 3.15
Membership and Circulation Policy
- Purpose of the Policy
- Process
- Appendix A: LiNC Public Library Circulation Policy
- Appendix B: West Lincoln Public Library Membership Application (PDF)
- Appendix C: Conditions of Membership Script
Adopted Date: October 2011
Reviewed Date: January 2022
Review Date: December 2022
Purpose of the Policy
The West Lincoln Public Library makes materials available to the community, in a fair and efficient manner, in order to maximize the use of its collections. The West Lincoln Public Library Board ensures fair conditions for library membership and borrowing privileges, while protecting resources in a responsible manner, and in accordance with the Public Libraries Act. R.S.O. 1990, c. p. 44.
The West Lincoln Public Library as part of LiNC (Libraries in Niagara Cooperative) have adopted by motion and follow as appropriate LiNC Circulation Policy dated May 2021, Appendix A.
Process
Library Membership and Borrowing:
- Any person may become a member of the library, with borrowing privileges. No non-resident fees will apply to persons living outside the municipality.
- Membership will be granted to individuals 16 years and older who provide verification of address and identification, including photo identification, by showing a document bearing his/her name and current address. A valid phone number/ email address must also be provided. They agree to be responsible for damages and/or lost items.
- Individuals under the age of 16 years must register for membership accompanied by a parent or guardian with valid identification or by providing a membership application which has been signed by the parent or guardian, who will agree to be responsible for fines, damages and/or lost items. The individual’s year of birth and their parent’s name must be provided at registration.
- At the discretion of library staff, membership will be granted to those who give verbal or written consent to the terms of membership, which are presented in the form of the membership application, which may be verbal or written (see Appendix B).
- For children under the age of 12 years, any communication regarding membership and overdue materials will be with their parent or guardian. For individuals aged 12 years and over, communication regarding membership and overdue materials will take place directly between the individual and library staff.
- Only members of the library in good standing, as defined below, will be allowed to borrow library materials.
- Personal information collected will be subject to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. R.S.O. 1990 Chapter F.31, with the exceptions of above (Library membership and borrowing items 2-5)
Conditions of Membership and Card Use:
- Membership is not transferable to other individuals
- A secondary card user may be designated and recorded in your account for pick-up of library materials; the borrower’s card will be required at pick up.
- Members will be issued a card without charge.
- An individual is entitled to only one library card. Lost or damaged cards will be replaced for a fee of $1.50.
- The card is the property of the West Lincoln Public Library, and must be returned upon request.
- The loss or theft of a card must be reported immediately. Members are responsible for any materials borrowed on their cards until the loss or theft is reported.
- Change of address, name or phone number/email address must be reported immediately.
- Membership will be reviewed annually.
- Membership can be suspended for violating library policies.
- In order to remain in good standing:
- Materials with a standard loan period of three weeks cannot be more than 60 days overdue.
- Materials with a standard loan period of 7 days cannot be more than 21 days overdue.
- Patrons must pay for any damaged and/or lost materials.
- Patrons will be invoiced after library materials are overdue by more than 60 days (books), 21 days (magazines, new books. DVDs).
Borrowing:
- Loans:
- Standard loan periods:
Books in the general collection: 3 weeks
Magazines: 7 days
DVDs: 7 days
Special Collections: 7 days - Some reference works, local histories and archived newspapers are not available for loan.
- The total number of items on loan to any one member will not exceed 99 items.
- The number of items that may be borrowed on a particular subject and/or author is limited to 4 if there is a high demand for those materials.
- DVD/video materials that are classified 14A (suitable for people 14 years of age or older) by the Canadian Home Video Rating System will not be lent to members under the age of 14. DVD/video materials that are classified 18A (suitable for people 18 years of age or older) or R (Restricted to 18 years of age or older) by the Canadian Home Video Rating System will not be lent to members under the age of 18. Proof of age may be required.
- Standard loan periods:
- Renewals:
- Library items may be renewed in person, by telephone, or by catalogue access in the library or remotely, no more than twice.
- Items on reserve for other members cannot be renewed.
- Holds/Reserves:
- Library items may be reserved in person, by telephone, or by catalogue access in the library or remotely.
- When the item becomes available, the member will be notified.
- Items will be held for up to 3 days - or longer at the discretion of a Supervisor.
- DVDs will be held for 3 days - or longer at the discretion of the Supervisor, Administrative Services.
- Items on hold, or ordered through Inter Library Loan, which are not picked up, may be subject to an administration fee.
- Returns:
- Materials borrowed may be returned to the library at the circulation desk, or through the drop box, unless otherwise directed.
- Members are required to return materials on or before the due date.
- Patrons who have not returned materials on or before the due date will be invoiced after library materials are overdue by more than 60 days (books), 21 days (magazines, new books, DVDs).
- Limit of 5 claims returned items per card.
- Circulation Records:
- Library circulation and membership records will be used in accordance with Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. R.S.O. 1990 Chapter F.31 with the exceptions of above (Library membership and borrowing items 2-5).
- Charges:
- Damaged/lost Items:
- The Library will charge replacement costs plus applicable taxes and a $5 item processing fee for items that are overdue by 60 days (books), 21 days (magazines, new books, DVDs), or for items which are damaged or lost.
- It may not always be possible to replace a specific item with an identical one.
- Charges will be levied based on the cost of a substitute item or the current average price of materials when an item cannot be replaced.
- Determining the replacement cost of the item will be left to the Supervisor, Library Technical Services.
- The Library does not accept replacement items in place of payment for lost or damaged materials.
- Overdues and Fines:
- The West Lincoln Public Library Board has eliminated fines as a deterrent to the late return of materials with the exception of some Special Collection items such as hot spots.
- In this case, fines may be enforced or waived at the discretion of the Supervisor, Administrative Services.
- Damaged/lost Items:
Appendix A: LiNC Public Library Circulation Policy
Purpose:
The purpose of the LiNC Public Library Circulation Policy is to set the parameters for the borrowing of materials by the public as well as the collection and use of personal information. The LiNC PL Circulation Policy shall be reviewed annually by the LiNC Executive Team and follows all provisions of the Public Libraries Act.
Cardholder Conditions:
- ibraries in Niagara Cooperative (LiNC) cardholders have the same borrowing privileges at all LiNC public library locations. The only exceptions to this statement are in requesting interlibrary loans and restricted access to the electronic resources offered by each LiNC library.
- Regardless of a member’s place of residence, the LiNC library that a cardholder initially registers at is considered their home library for that library card.
- New library card memberships will not be issued to anyone whose borrowing privileges have been suspended from another LiNC library.
- LiNC library cardholders must present a valid library card from one of the LiNC libraries in order to checkout materials or access their account. If the card cannot be presented, valid photo I.D. is required.
- Library cards expire annually. At the time of expiration, the cardholder’s contact information will be verified. Updates must be completed with a cardholder’s home library.
- By obtaining a library card that is valid for use at a LiNC library, the cardholder will abide by all of the policies established by the LiNC Executive Team and their corresponding Library Boards, including but not limited to:
- Responsibility for the care of all items checked out on their cards
- Paying outstanding fines and fees
- Paying for lost or damaged material and associated processing fees
- Reporting a lost or stolen card
- Reporting change of name, address, telephone number, email address
- Presenting library card or acceptable identification every time material is borrowed
- Understanding that the holder is responsible for materials should the card be loaned to another user
Not fulfilling the above responsibilities may result in suspension of cardholder privileges.
Lending Periods, Fines
Books, Audiobooks, Music CDs: 21 day loan, 2 renewals, Holdable? Yes
DVDs, Blu-Rays: 7 day loan, 2 renewals, Holdable? Yes
Magazines: 7 day loan, 2 renewals, Holdable? Yes
*Overdue fines will be assessed per individual LiNC library, please see individual library policies for their fine schedule.
Overdue Materials Notification
- Cardholders are notified when their material is overdue. For those cardholders not using email notification, contact with the cardholder will be made after 7 days and a final notice will be communicated to the cardholder after 21 days.
Replacement Fees
- Damaged library materials will have a processing fee of $5.00 and the replacement cost of the material applied to the card holder’s account.
- Items that remain overdue for longer than 60 days will be considered lost and the borrower privileges will be suspended until the processing fee and replacement cost are paid.
- Items that are found after the replacement fee has been paid are the property of the cardholder. No refunds will be made.
Limits
- Borrowing privileges will be suspended for accounts that have $10.00 or more in unpaid fines or fees.
- Cardholders are limited to a maximum total of 99 items checked out at any one time.
Privacy Statement
LiNC public libraries abide by the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
For the purposes of fulfilling its mandate to make materials available, keeping necessary records, planning purposes, and ensuring the Library’s resources are safeguarded, LiNC libraries collect and utilize personal information. This information will not be sold, given, or intentionally made available to other institutions or individuals without express cardholder consent.
Employees of the LiNC libraries are required to maintain confidentiality with regard to the following information:
- all records identifying the names, library card numbers, or contact information of library users;
- all records identifying material the library user currently has checked out or has checked out in the past;
- all records identifying the library user's overdue material(s);
- all records identifying users of public computers;
- all reference questions;
- all inter-library loan transactions;
- all holds placed, trapped, or held;
- all online searches and their results;
- all items photocopied, printed, or faxed;
- all suggested purchases of library material submitted by library users;
- all information pertaining to the identity of anyone conducting research on a particular subject.
Cooperation with Authorities
In accordance with various federal and provincial Acts and Regulations, requests for information about any LiNC library cardholder will be referred to the cardholder’s home library CEO.