Circulation Policy
The purpose of the library’s circulation policy is to make the best possible
use of the library’s collection by the greatest number of borrowers.
LIBRARY USAGE
The Richland Public Library Board welcomes the use of the Richland Public
Library by individuals of all ages to support their personal, educational, and
professional needs. Library cards, with borrowing privileges, will be issued to
Richland residents without charge. Applicants who do not live inside the
Richland city limits may be required to purchase a non-resident library
borrower’s card. The Library Board has determined several categories of patrons
that are exempt from the charges. Refer to the official Non-Resident Borrowers
Policy for the exact wording of the policy.
CHECK-OUT PRIVILEGES
A patron must present his/her own Richland Public Library borrower’s card in
order to check out library materials. If the patron has forgotten his/her card,
a valid picture identification may be substituted. If the patron is under 18 and
has no identification, the identification of a physically present parent may be
accepted. Patrons who have lost their library card must get a replacement card.
(See: Fee Schedule)
Applicants who request a library borrower’s card from the Richland Public
Library must show personal identification that includes verification of current
address. Examples of acceptable identification are: a valid driver's license,
printed checks, a utility bill, or a current receipt showing the applicant's
current address. Non-resident patrons must either pay the fee or show valid
proof of their exempt status. Upon showing identification, (or paying the fee),
patrons may fill out an application and check out library material immediately.
By signing the application form the applicant agrees to:
- be responsible for all use made of the library borrower’s card,
- obey the rules and regulations of the Richland Public Library,
- promptly pay all fines and/or other charges incurred,
- provide timely notification to the Richland Public Library of any change of address.
Children may apply for their own library borrower’s card when they can write
their first and last names by themselves.
Children under 18 years of age must have their parent’s signature and proof
of address to apply for a library borrower’s card.
A parent's signature on a child's application form constitutes his\her
permission for the child to have a borrower’s card, and signifies a willingness
to assume financial responsibility for all material checked out on the child's
borrower’s card.
See “Confidentiality of Library Records” Policy.
Lost library borrower’s cards can be replaced for a charge. (See:
Fee
Schedule) The new borrower’s card will be issued under the same bar code number
as the lost borrower’s card.
SUSPENSION OF CHECK-OUT PRIVILEGES
Check-out privileges are suspended when a patron has overdue material or
fines exceeding $10.00 posted to his\her card number. Privileges will only be
resumed when all overdue materials are returned and any fines or charges are
paid.
Patrons may, at the discretion of the circulation supervisor or the library
manager, be allowed to work bills off at a rate of $5.00 per hour (minimum, one
hour) doing, for example, shelving, cleaning/rewinding videos, and sorting
periodicals.
CIRCULATING MATERIALS
A: Three-Week Checkout Period. Most library materials may be checked out for
three weeks. The day following the due date the material will be classified as
"overdue" and an overdue notice will be generated as specified under the
heading, “OVERDUE NOTIFICATION AND OVERDUE CHARGES”.
- There are no limits on the number of items that can be checked out per borrower’s card. However, during periods of high demand on non-fiction materials, the librarian may choose to set temporary limits on the number of books with the same first five digits of the call number, or assign certain materials a temporary reference status. This designation would permit library use only of those materials.
- Five items per folder (subject heading) of Vertical File material may be checked out per borrower’s card. Newspaper clippings and items marked “Library Use Only” may not be checked out.
B. One-Week Check-Out Period. High Demand books, videos, DVDs, and
periodicals may be checked out for one week. Periodicals cannot be renewed. The
current issue will be for in-library use only. Bound periodicals will remain
reference only. The day following the due date the material will be classified
as “overdue”. Overdue notices will be generated as specified under the heading,
“OVERDUE NOTIFICATION AND OVERDUE FEES”.
Donated Paperback Collection. The paperback collection consists of gift
paperback books. They will not be barcoded but will be loaned out and counted at
the front desk for statistical purposes. Overdue notification or charges will
not be made.
HOLDS MATERIALS
All circulating items may be reserved. The patron will be notified when the
item is available.
RENEWALS
All Items except periodicals may be renewed one time by phone, in person, or
by the patron over the Internet. An item that has a hold on it may not be
renewed.
SPECIAL LOANS OF REFERENCE MATERIALS
Reference materials are for use in the library; however, at the discretion of
the librarian on duty and at the request of a patron, these materials may be
checked out overnight. The material must be returned before the library opens
the next day
INTERLIBRARY LOAN ITEMS
Incoming Interlibrary Loan Materials
A patron may request material through interlibrary loan when the material is
not available at the Richland Public Library.
The patron will be responsible for FAX costs, postage and any charges for
rush orders.
After any loan request has been mailed to a lending institution, the patron
is responsible for all loan charges and postage even if the patron cancels the
request for the interlibrary loan or does not pick it up after notification.
Patrons may put all circulating library items on hold. If after two months
the material is still not available, the patron will be notified asking if
he/she wants the librarian to initiate an interlibrary loan. The notice received
by the patron must be brought into the reference librarian to begin the
interlibrary loan process. All postal charges will be paid by the library. Any
additional charges for the item by the lending library are the responsibility of
the patron.
Outgoing Interlibrary Loan Materials
All materials except for reference materials, entire issues of periodicals,
and books categorized as “NEW” are available for interlibrary loan.
Materials will be checked out to other libraries for a four-week use period
with one renewal allowed.
There are no charges for loaned material. Requests of twenty or more
photocopies will be assessed a minimum charge. (See:
Fee Schedule).
DATE DUE NOTIFICATION
A receipt is given at the time of Check-Out
OVERDUE NOTIFICATION AND OVERDUE FEES
First Notice
When library material, with the exception of one week material is classified
as overdue, the first notice will be mailed one week after due date informing
the patron that the item is overdue and that check out privileges are suspended
until the item is returned. A daily overdue fee (see: Fee Schedule) will be
assessed for each item that is declared overdue. Overdue fees will not exceed
the fine limit.
One Week Material: Patrons with overdue material will be notified of the
overdue classification at the end of the third day after the due date. A daily
overdue fee (see: Fee Schedule) will be assessed from the due date, not to
exceed the fine limit.
Second Notice
One week after the first notice is sent a second notice will be sent
informing the patron of the replacement cost of the material (cost of item plus
processing costs). This notice will also inform the patron that, if after an
additional twenty-one days the material is not returned or paid for, the matter
will be turned over to the collection agency for appropriate action.
CLAIMS RETURNED
When a patron notifies the circulation staff that he/she has returned
materials that are classified as overdue, the staff will change the status of
the material to ‘claims returned’. The patron is asked to continue to search for
the material. The library will continue to monitor the claim for three years. If
a ‘claims returned’ item is found and returned to the
library, the patron will be responsible for overdue fees from the due date of
the material until the date the item was claimed returned. The overdue charges
will not exceed the fine limit. At the end of the three years, if the material
has not been found it will be withdrawn from the library's collection. After
three ‘claims returned’ incidents for any one patron within the time frame
defined above, borrowing privileges will be suspended until the patron has
conferred with the Circulation Supervisor or the Library Manager.
LONGOVERDUE MATERIALS
A patron is responsible for all materials charged to his\her borrower’s card.
A book is declared “longoverdue" 45 days after it is marked as overdue. If items
are longoverdue, the patron will be billed for replacement costs. The
replacement charge will reflect the current cost of the material plus the cost
of processing the material for library usage. If the current cost is unknown,
the library will determine prices from average costs listed in current trade
journals plus the cost of processing the material for library usage. A patron
may replace longoverdue material with like material of equal or higher quality
with approval of the Collection Development Librarian, Children’s Librarian, or
Library Manager. The patron is also responsible for the processing fee. (See:
Fee Schedule for average prices, processing costs, and the maximum fine.)
Longoverdue material that has been paid for by the patron will remain on the
system for one year. After one year, the holding will be deleted from the
system. In order to get a refund for an item that has been paid for, the patron
must bring the material into the library and request a refund from the
circulation staff. The refund will be the price of the item. The processing fee
is a non-refundable fee. No refunds will be given after one year.
Longoverdue material not paid for will remain on the system and on the
patron’s record indefinitely.
LOST MATERIALS
Lost materials will be handled the same as Longoverdue Materials.
DAMAGED MATERIALS
Patrons will be held responsible for costs for repairing, rebinding, or
replacing damaged materials. Charges for replacing damaged materials will be the
same as above for lost materials. (See:
Fee Schedule)
Any exceptions to the above procedures will only be at the discretion of the
Library Manager.
Adopted: August 7, 1994 Amended: November 3,1994
Amended: July 6, 1995
Richland Public Library Amended: April 3, 1997
Board of Trustees Amended: Sept. 3, 1998
Amended: July 5, 2001
Amended: April 4, 2002
Amended: Sept. 5, 2002
Amended: March 6, 2003
Updated September 29, 2004
