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PIKE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY PATRON POLICY
In order to allow all patrons to use the Library facilities to the fullest extent during the regularly scheduled hours, the Board of Directors has adopted the following rules and regulations:
1. Patrons shall be engaged in activities associated with the use of a public library while in the building. Patrons not engaged in reading, studying, or using Library materials may be required to leave the building.
2. Patrons shall not consume food or beverages, smoke, or use tobacco or tobacco products in the Library.
3. Patrons shall not be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
4. Patrons shall not engage in any illegal activity while in the Library building.
5. Patrons shall respect the rights of other patrons and shall not harass or annoy others through noisy or boisterous activities, by staring at another person with the intent to annoy that person, by following another person around the building with intent to annoy that person, by playing audio equipment so that others can hear it, by singing or talking loudly to others or in monologues, or by behaving in a manner which reasonably can be expected to disturb other persons.
6. Patrons shall not interfere with the use of the Library by other patrons or interfere with Library employees' performance of their duties.
7. Any materials that are part of the library's collection must be checked out on a valid library card.
8. Patrons shall not deface or mar books, magazines, newspapers, recordings or other items of the Library collection, nor shall they deface, mar, or in any way destroy or damage Library furnishings, walls, machines, or other Library property. Patrons who engage in such behavior may be prohibited from using the Library and may be subject to criminal charges.
9. Patrons shall not return library materials in unusable condition for circulation. "Unusable" refers to materials that are damaged or foul smelling or that contain foul substances. In such cases, the library patron shall be responsible for the replacement cost of the material and may be prohibited from using library materials or from using library materials outside of the library facility.
10. Patrons shall not be permitted to enter the building without a shirt or other covering of their bodies, or without shoes or other footwear. Patrons, whose bodily hygiene is offensive, so as to constitute a nuisance to other persons, shall be required to leave the building.
11. Each library patron, or in the case of minors, the guardian adult library patron, shall be responsible for any fines, fees or other charges due, in accordance with the Library's standard schedules. Failure to pay these fines will result in the suspension of borrowing privileges. Upon approval by the Library Director, patrons may make by arrangements to pay fines incrementally while retaining borrowing privileges.
12. Adult library patrons shall be responsible for supervising minors in their charge while in the library facility or on library property. Supervision by an adult extends to materials in the collection, access to the Internet, use of library furniture and equipment, and proper conduct by minors on library premises.
13. Patrons shall not bring pets or animals into the Library, other than certified assistance dogs.
14. Patrons shall abide by the guidelines and conditions of all Library policies that pertain to them, including the library's Internet Policy.
Any patron not abiding by these or other rules and regulations of the Library shall be required to leave the Library premises. Library employees shall contact the nearest Police Department if deemed advisable.
Any patron who violates the Library rules and regulations shall be denied the privileges of, or access to the Library by the Library's Board of Directors on recommendation of the Library Director. Any patron whose privileges have been denied may have the decision reviewed by the Board of Directors.
CIRCULATION POLICY
The circulation time for all library materials -- except Videos/DVDs and some Interlibrary loans -- is 14 days.
Loaned items may be renewed twice if they are not on reserve for another patron. Circulation time for videos/DVDs is 7 days. Interlibrary loan items cannot be renewed without approval of the Interlibrary Loan Manager. In some cases, circulation time on Interlibrary loans may be limited by the lending library and must be adhered to by PCPL borrowers.
FINES POLICY
Fines for overdue items are 10 cents per day per item except for videos/DVDs. Videos/DVDs are $2.00 per day per video/DVD. A maximum of $10.00 shall be charged for each overdue library item.
Circulation Desk staff should discreetly request payment of fines before checking out new items to the patron. Each patron shall be responsible for any fines, fees or other charges due as a result of late, lost or damaged library materials, in accordance with the Library's standard schedules. Failure to pay these fines may result in the suspension of borrowing privileges. Upon approval by the Library Director, patrons may make arrangements to pay fines incrementally while retaining borrowing privileges.
INTERLIBRARY LOAN POLICY
A patron may submit a maximum of 3 (three) requests per week for borrowing books, periodical articles, or other library materials through Interlibrary Loan. In general, Interlibrary loans may be borrowed for 14 days. Interlibrary loan items cannot be renewed without approval of the Interlibrary Loan Manager. In some cases, circulation time on Interlibrary loans may be limited by the lending library and must be adhered to by PCPL borrowers.
SUMMER RESIDENT/SUMMER CAMP LIBRARY CARD POLICY
Temporary cards will be issued to temporary residents for a period of 4 months on an individual basis at a cost of $10.00. This fee is non-refundable. Temporary residents must show proof of temporary Pike County residence.
LIBRARY CARD REGISTRATION POLICY
1. Library cards are issued to county taxpayers and/or residents. Out of state residents may receive a library card for an annual fee of $25.00. Temporary cards will be issued for a period of 4 months to temporary residents on an individual basis at a cost of $10.00 (see # 39).
2. Residents must show proof of residency, such as:
a. Driver's License
b. Pike County Tax Bill
c. Voter's Registration Card
d. Utility Bill with personal address (not a business or institution address)3. Institution/Business cards will be issued if an individual who is a full-time Pike County resident or Pike County taxpayer signs the registration card to take responsibility for use of the Library card.
EMAIL USE POLICY
Library personnel, volunteers and patrons are restricted from using Library e-mail accounts for personal use.
Personal web-based e-mail accounts (such as Hotmail, Yahoo, etc.) may be accessed in accordance with the Library's Internet Policy during scheduled Internet access times.
The Library retains the right to grant or restrict Internet access to non-library cardholders for the purpose of using personal web-based email account depending on the availability of Internet workstations.
PIKE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY INTERNET PUBLIC ACCESS POLICY
- The Pike County Public Library does not guarantee the accuracy of
information found on the Internet.
- The following restrictions apply to all individuals who access the
Internet over the Library's network:
A. Users may not access inappropriate matter, such as matter that is obscene, pornographic, threatening, or otherwise in violation of community standards.
B. Users may not engage in unlawful activities or misrepresentation.
C. Users may not attempt unauthorized access (including hacking) to any computer system.
D. Users may not make unauthorized disclosure of, use of, or dissemination of a minor's personal information by means of the Internet, e-mail, or any other electronic technology. Minors must have the authorization of their parents or guardians to disclose their own personal information.
E. Users must be careful not to expose themselves to dangerous situations.
F. Users must be cautious when using e-mail, chat rooms, instant messaging, discussion groups, newspapers game rooms, and all other form of communication.
- Library staff cannot control the availability of information links
that often change rapidly and unpredictably. Not all sources on the
Internet provide accurate, complete, current or reliable information.
Users need to be good information consumers, questioning validity of
the information.
- The Pike County Public Library assumes no responsibility for any consequences,
direct or indirect, arising from the use of its WWW server or from its
connections to other Internet services.
- Library Patrons will not have access to the library's e-mail software
program. Patrons may use a web-based e-mail service, such as Hotmail
or Yahoo for their Internet e-mail needs.
- The Pike County Public Library does not tolerate violence or pornography.
Please also see the Pike County Public Library Patron Policy (posted).
- The Pike County Public Library ascribes to the ALA and PaLA policy
on censorship and freedom of access to information.
- The Library Confidentiality Policy applies to information accessed from the Internet.
ACCESS: Any adult Pike County Public Library cardholder may access the Internet at the public terminals. Appointments to use a terminal may be made by calling the appropriate library branch or by visiting the branch's circulation desk. The Library reserves the right to limit the duration of Internet usage. If the patron has not arrived at the specified reserved time, someone else may use the time remaining.
STAFFING: Staff members may not be available to assist patrons with other than basic web instruction. Patrons who need to be guided through complex searches should make an appointment to learn and develop complex search strategies. Patrons must be willing to take the initiative to explore on their own. The Library has materials and sources of information to help patrons with the Internet. The Library will provide a brief training session to new users and will schedule regular Internet training classes.
PRINTING: There will be a cost for each page printed from the Internet. All copyright laws must be respected.
MEETING ROOM POLICY
The library's meeting room is a community resource that is available for use by non-profit and business groups for non-commercial purposes. The policies and procedures governing the use of the meeting room support Pike County Public Library's Mission to serve as a "primary information source for educational, recreational and cultural opportunities" for all residents of Pike County.
The meeting room is therefore available for cultural, informational, educational, intellectual and civic purposes. Use of the meeting room for any activities that are inconsistent with the Library's Mission will be denied or terminated. Meeting room reservations will be granted to groups in the following priority order:
- Library-sponsored meetings or programs which involve library staff,
Library Board, or the Friends of PCPL
- Local government and non-profit organizations located in the branch's
service area
- Non-profit county organizations
- For-profit county organizations/businesses
Meeting Room facilities are available for use during regular hours of library operation. They may not be used in any way which interferes with the orderly operation of the Library or which poses a threat to the safety of Library personnel, patrons or property.
The Library reserves the right to determine the acceptable use of the room, to assess fees for use of room, and to cancel or reschedule all arrangements at its discretion and without liability. Smoking and alcoholic beverages are prohibited in the Library.
Permitting use of the library's meeting room does not in any way constitute an endorsement of the group's policies and beliefs, nor is the Library Board, Library Director or staff responsible for the accuracy, use or consequences of statements made during such meetings.
Organizations shall be required to sign a Hold Harmless Agreement prior to their scheduled meeting.
Groups may not use the name or address of Pike County Public Library as the official address or headquarters of their organization.
Publicity generated by an organization not affiliated with the Library must make it clear that Pike County Public Library is not a sponsoring agency.
Organizations seeking to use the meeting room must agree in writing to observe this and all other Library policies and regulations. Failure to abide by this policy and related policies and regulations will result in cancellation or refusal of meeting room reservations.
MEETING ROOM REGULATIONS:
1. The meeting room is available for use during regular hours of Library operation.
2. All meetings and/or programs shall be open to the general public.
3. Meetings shall not be used to generate revenue and shall not require admission fees.
4. Reservations must be made using the Library's reservation form not more than 90 days prior to the meeting. The Library may not be able to guarantee use of the room when requests for reservations are made with fewer than 15 days' notice.
5. The person authorized to assume responsibility by the organization must sign the Library meeting room form.
6. All reservations must be confirmed by the Library; an application for use does not assure approval.
7. Requests will be considered in the order that applications are received within the Library's stated priority list.
8. No group may transfer use of the room to another organization.
9. Dates and times of meeting room availability are subject to change. Check with the Library branch before submitting an application for room use.
10. If a scheduled meeting is cancelled, the group shall notify the Library as soon as possible. Repeated cancellations may result in future refusal of meeting room reservations.
11. If the Library must cancel the use of the meeting room, the library staff will notify the authorized individual as soon as possible.
12. In the case of inclement weather, it is the responsibility of the organization to check public service announcements or to call the Library for information regarding closing.
13. Groups and organizations may be granted use of the meeting room on a semi-monthly basis. A request for more frequent use must be made in writing to the Library Director.
USE AND CARE OF THE MEETING ROOM:
1. Groups may not exceed the stated capacity of the room.
2. Excessive noise or use of hazardous material is prohibited.
3. Groups which will include children under the age of 18 must provide adult supervision at the ratio of one adult for each five children in attendance.
4. The Library provides equipment such as tables, chairs, a coffeepot and basic serving utensils.
5. Light refreshments, such as beverages, cakes, cookies or other finger foods, may be served.
6. Groups must transport their own supplies and equipment.
7. Groups are responsible for leaving the facilities in order after use.
8. Groups are responsible for reimbursing the Library for damage to the facility or any special cleaning fees that may result from their use of the meeting room.
9. The Library is not responsible for security or storage of property owned by groups using the Library nor is it responsible for damage or loss of property of others.
POSTING AND DISTRIBUTION OF MATERIALS POLICY
Pike County Public Library provides limited space in Library branches for the posting of public notices and the distribution of informational literature. Priority will be given to non-profit organizations engaged in educational, cultural, intellectual or charitable activities in the tri-state area.
Announcements and literature for posting/distribution must be submitted to the Branch Manager for review. The Library reserves the right to determine the appropriateness of material and to accept or reject materials as necessary.
Materials should meet at least one of the following criteria:
1. Materials from non-profit organizations in the tri-state area or of interest to Pike County residents and/or Library patrons.
2. Information about programs and services in the tri-state area which are open to the general public.
3. Notices from Pike County municipalities.
4. Materials relating to governmental services (i.e. Social Security, IRS, Postal Service, etc.)
5. Other materials of a non-profit nature.
All notices must be posted on the bulletin board or in appropriate distribution areas unless prior approval has been secured; any non-Library notices found elsewhere will be removed. Due to the limited space available, it may not be possible to post/distribute materials that otherwise meet the criteria listed above.
Posting/distributing materials does not constitute endorsement of the organization, its programs, services or informational material by Pike County Public Library, which further disclaims any liability in relation to the organization and its practices.
WEB LINK POLICY
Pike County Public Library's website provides links to external web resources that support its Mission to educate and inform. In order to provide information that is both useful and authoritative, the Library gives Link priority as follows:
1. Websites of government and non-profit organizations that provide a gateway to information resources or specific information of interest to library users.
2. Local government and non-profit organizations that provide information of particular interest to tri-state area residents.
3. Commercial websites that provide supplementary information to government and non-profit websites.
4. Commercial websites that are designed to educate and inform and which provide supplementary information to the Library's collection.
A link to another website does not imply an endorsement or approval of the organization or its products by Pike County Public Library, which further disclaims any liability concerning the contents or information practices of the linked sites. PCPL does not prohibit linking to its site. This does not imply an endorsement or approval of the originating organization, its content or information practices.
The final decision to link to an external website rests with the Library Director in cooperation with the Library Board of Directors. If you believe that a linked site contains material that is unrelated to Pike County Public Library's Mission, please contact the Library Director.
