• GENERAL LIBRARY SERVICES AND CARD-HOLDER PRIVILEGES
• General Services
• Card Applications
• Circulation Policy
• Unattended Children Policy
• Abuse of Library Policy and Restriction of Privileges
• COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY
• PROGRAMS
• GIFTS, BEQUESTS, MEMORIALS
• PHYSICAL FACILITIES
• PERSONNEL
• PUBLIC INTERNET AND COMPUTER ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY
• EQUIPMENT POLICY
• EMERGENCY AND SAFETY POLICY
• LIBRARY BILL OF RIGHTS

Circulation Policy

1. Loan Periods, Renewals and Reserves
   1. To check out material, all borrowers must display a current library card or a current photo ID.  After proof of identification is shown, a digital image may be entered on the library computer for verification, eliminating the need to show a library card on subsequent visits.
      
   2. All loan periods shall be established by the Library Director with approval of the Board.  The current loan period is four weeks with no grace period.  If an item has no one waiting for it, it can be renewed for two more loan periods.
      
   3. Items which are not circulated because of frequent in-house use or inability to be replaced include:  reference materials, genealogical materials, newspapers or newspaper microfilm, the newest issues of periodicals or periodicals more than ten years old, or other items as determined by the Library Director.
      
   4. No patron may have more than 50 items checked out at any one time unless they have received special permission from the Library Director.
      
   5. Reserves may be placed on items currently not available because they are in circulation or are not yet published or received.  There is no fee for this service.
      
2. Fines
   1. Generally, fines for overdue material will be levied at the rate of 10 cents per item per day.  Maximum fine per item shall be $2.00.  Inter-library loan books and other staff-identified materials shall have a fine of $1 per day with no maximum.
      
   2. Patrons who accrue $5.00 or more in fines shall be restricted from checking material out until the fine is paid.
      
   3. Individuals whose family card has been restricted may not receive an individual card until the family card is unrestricted.  Individuals who are restricted may not use a family card until the individual card is unrestricted.
      
   4. Borrowing privileges will be restricted and the patron's name may be turned over to the City Attorney after material has been delinquent for a period of 60 days. In addition, a $25 collection fee will be charged to the delinquent account.
      
   5. Prior to any legal action, every attempt will be made to recover overdue materials directly from the patron.
      
   6. Fines automatically stop on a lost item when the loss is reported.
      
3. Replacement of Lost/Damaged Materials
   1. Replacement of damaged material is the responsibility of the patron who last had the item checked out.  The preferred method of replacement is through the donation of a new copy of the same title.  Second choice is with a donation of a new copy of a similar title in similar format, with approval of staff.  Last choice is payment for the item as established below.  Payments for lost items will be credited to the appropriate budget line to allow for a new purchase to be made.
      
   2. Book and a/v materials are valued at full cover price, which may be found on the item's catalog record.  If this is not available then the full cover cost from the replacement's vendor will be substituted.
      
   3. Magazine issues are valued at $5 each.
      
   4. Video or cassette boxes, cassette bags, and other accessories are valued at $1 each.
      
   5. Replacement of lost material is the same as for damaged material.  However, if the patron feels the item(s) may turn up, they should be renewed until the maximum is reached, then moved to Lost as per the procedures manual.  The patron will then have 1 year before restitution is required.
      
   6. No return of donated material or money will be made, even if the original item is found.
      
4. Equipment Circulation  The following standards shall apply to the use of the library's circulation collection
1. Equipment may be checked out for 24 hours.
2. A modest fee may be charged in accordance with replacement costs.  The Library Board shall review the fee schedule periodically.  Civic groups and organizations shall not be charged.
3. Patrons must be at least 18 years old and have signed the library's rental equipment check-out form.
4. One renewal will be allowed as long as no one else has reserved the equipment.
5. Staff may reserve equipment for patrons ahead of date needed.
6. Patrons with overdue materials may be prohibited from renting library equipment.
   
5. Inter-Library Loan
   1. Borrowing Items
      1. The Seward Memorial Library will use the most efficient means of inter-library loan available for its patrons to insure speedy delivery of requested titles.
         
      2. Patrons are required to pay for the return postage of the items received, whether or not they check the items out.  In addition, the patron must pay for any assessed costs of obtaining an item through inter-library loan (rental, copies, fees, etc.) which go beyond budgeted staff and on-line time.
         
      3. Because of the potentially high costs of replacing interlibrary loan items, patrons are limited to having no more than five ILL items out at any given time.  Up to five additional items may be ordered and held at the library to be available to patrons upon the return of the first items.
         
      4. Patrons who lose materials received through ILL will be required to pay the fine or replace the item according to the policies of the lending library.
         
      5. Patrons using the ILL service at the Seward Memorial Library must have a Seward Memorial Library card in good standing and must sign an ILL borrowing contract which will be kept on file at the library.
   2. Lending Items
      1. Requests will be taken over the phone, from electronic mail, via the FAX machine, through the mail, or via the OCLC network.
         
      2. The circulation period will be 4 weeks, with one renewal allowed when the item is not on reserve.
         
      3. Borrowing libraries will be expected to reimburse the full cost of the item if it is not returned within 2 months of the due date.
         
      4. Fines shall not be assessed.
         
      5. All other circulation policies apply to ILL.
         
6. Confidentiality of Library Records
   1. State law stipulates confidentiality of library records, i.e. Law 84-712.05, "Records which may be withheld from the public", states that "The following records, unless publicly disclosed in an open court, open administrative proceeding or open meeting or disclosed by a public entity pursuant to its duties, may be withheld from the public by the lawful custodian of the records : . . .(10) Records or portions of records kept by a publicly funded library which, when examined with or without other records, revealed the identity of any library patron using the library's materials or services."
      
   2. It is the policy of the Seward Memorial Library to maintain complete confidentiality of all library circulation records.