Wauconda Area Library Public Library District
Circulation Policy
Approved June 11, 2007
The
Wauconda Area Library is a tax-supported public library. If you are a resident within the
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Valid Driver’s license
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Valid State Identification
Card
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Current Student
Identification Card
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Passport
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Valid Voter Registration
Card
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Current Lease or Housing
Agreement
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Current Utility Bill
(Telephone, Gas, Electric, Water or Cable) within 60 days
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Current Bank Statement or
New Checks (within 60 days)
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Current vehicle registration
At
the time of registration for library privileges, the applicant will be asked to
complete a registration form by providing the following information: name, address, telephone number, birth date
(ages 5-18), and signature. Children
ages 5 – 13 must have a parent or legal guardian with them at the time of
registration, and sign the application form.
Children 14 and older are able to sign their own application with proper
identification (or parent’s identification if they are present). Parents will be responsible for items
checked out by their children who are under the age of 18.
By
signing the registration form, the parent or legal guardian agrees to the
following: Guidance in the selection and use of library materials is the
responsibility of the parent, legal guardian, or caregiver, not the library
staff. The library staff is not
responsible for determining whether materials used by minors are “age
appropriate”. If parents wish to
restrict their children from checking out specific materials, they may ask the
Circulation staff to add a note to their child’s record.
If
you reside beyond the jurisdictional boundaries of the library district, but
own property within the boundaries of the library district, upon presentation
of a tax bill or current utility bill bearing your name and address, you may
obtain a Wauconda Area Library card, without additional fees.
As
a resident cardholder, the borrower identified on the library card may
physically take his/her card to another library to borrow materials. Those materials are the responsibility of the
individual who borrows them, and are subject to all of the fines, rules, and
regulations of the lending library.
Often, libraries limit the borrowing privileges of reciprocal borrowers,
and it is best to establish local rules and procedures before making your
selections.
A
reciprocal borrower is defined as one who resides in a public library district
outside of the WAPLD.
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A reciprocal borrower shall
present their home library card at the library's Information Desk to become
registered in our library.
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Proper identification is required at the time
of registration. (See above)
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A reciprocal borrower has all
the privileges of a Wauconda cardholder, except:
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1. Limit of 2 New DVD’s (Checked out at any one
time);
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2. Use of the wireless laptops;
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3. Use the private computer labs
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4. Borrowing e-Book Readers and i-Pods
Individuals
presenting a valid card from another public library may borrow materials from
the Wauconda Area Library. The card must
have the name of the individual presenting it, with proper identification in
order to secure borrowing privileges.
The card will remain valid for a period of 2 years. Proper identification at the 2 year
expiration period will be required to renew the reciprocal card.
Families
residing beyond the library district boundaries of the WAPLD, and not within
the boundaries of another public library, and owning no property within the
boundaries of the WAPLD, may purchase a non-resident fee card. The non-resident fee is calculated by the
Library Director annually using a formula provided by the Illinois State
Library. This fee entitles the entire
family to use libraries within the North Suburban Library System, effective
January 15, 2002. (See the Non-Resident
Policy for more detailed rules). The
same rules and restrictions that apply to reciprocal borrowers will be
applicable for non-resident cardholders.
Non-resident applicants must meet the same identification requirements
as a resident of the WAPLD. The card
will be valid for one year.
Business Cards
Any business located within
the Wauconda Area Library boundaries is eligible for a business card. The business owner is required to register
for the card and he/she may authorize up to four individuals to use the
card. The library card will be the
responsibility of the business owner.
Business cards shall be used to check out business-related materials
only. Personal materials shall be
checked out on the patron’s home library card.
Business cards are valid for two years.
District 118 Library Cards
Each
school in
Preschool Library Cards
Each
preschool in the WAPLD is eligible for two (2) public library cards. Teachers
at the preschools must use one of the preschool library cards (kept by the
individual preschools) to check out library materials. All materials will be checked out by the
Circulation staff for a period of 30 days.
The materials can be renewed one time, provided there are no holds on
the items they wish to renew. The
teachers will be responsible for all library materials they check out. Circulation records will be kept in the Circulation
Department for verification.
Teachers Media Bag Check Out
Teachers
must request book bags (Media bags) through the Children's Department. All materials, including the media bag will be
checked out by the Circulation Department for a period of 30 days. The media bags and all materials checked out
with the bag can be renewed one time, provided there are no holds on the items
they are renewing and at the discretion of the Children’s Services Department.
The library looks upon the renewal of a library card as an opportunity to verify that the card holder is still entitled to a Wauconda Area Library card and that the library’s registration records contain current and accurate information on the borrower. All renewals of a library card will be required to meet the same identification requirements as a new applicant, as described in the registration section. Depending on the type of library card, renewals will be for either a one- or a two-year period.
Lost or Damaged Cards
Patrons are responsible
for reporting their library card lost or stolen, and are responsible for all
materials checked out on their card prior to reporting it lost or stolen. In the event that a library card is damaged
or reported lost, a replacement card will be issued upon payment of a $2.00
replacement fee. The original library
card will be invalidated.
All registered patrons of the Wauconda Area Library, whether WAPLD residents or reciprocal borrowers, are required to inform the library staff of any change of address. If at any time mail sent to a patron by the library is returned, or if the library learns by other means that the address on file is no longer accurate, the patron’s library card will automatically be blocked.
Borrowing Privileges
(Eligibility to Borrow)
Individuals
presenting a valid library card are eligible to borrow materials from the
library when the following conditions are met: including Parents or Guardians
wanting to use a child’s Library Card:
1.
No outstanding fines in
excess of $5.00 have accrued to their card.
2.
No blocks from other
libraries (i.e., for excessive fines)
3.
Parent or Guardians card
must be in good standing
The library staff may not
waive these regulations without the specific permission of the Library Director
or Circulation Manager; however the patron may request and receive a 3 day
courtesy hold on the item(s) he or she wishes to check out (excluding New DVD’s
or 7-day items). This will allow the
patron to correct the situation that has resulted in loss of eligibility to
borrow.
The
Wauconda Area Library offers the same services to patrons with disabilities as
to all other segments of the population.
In addition to those services, the library acts as a facilitator between
the patron and services to the Blind and Physically Handicapped, offers home
delivery to patrons with disabilities which prevent them from coming to the
library, and welcomes service animals in the library.
The
Wauconda Area Library circulates materials in a variety of formats. The following terms of loan are applicable as
indicated:
Type Length of Loan # Renewals allowed Reserves Limits
Books
7 /
21 0/3 N / Y 0
Children’s
Adult
Adult
Audio books (CD/Cass) 21 3 Y 0
Children’s
Cassette/book bags 21 3 Y 0
Magazines
21 1 Y 0
Children’s
CD-ROM Sets 21 3 Y 0
Reference
Overnight –
At the discretion of the Reference Librarian
NEW
DVD’s 2 0 N 2/5*
All
Videos/DVD’s ex. NEW 7 1 Y 0
Most
Wanted Compact Discs 7 0 N 2
All
CD’s except Most Wanted 21 3 Y 0
Holiday
CD’S & DVD’S 7 0 Y 2
DVD’s (not NEW) 7
1 Y 0
eBook
Readers 21 1 Y 1
i-Pods 21 1 Y 1
Playaways 7 1 Y 2
Puppets 21 1 Y 0
Discovery
Packets 21 1 Y 1
Overhead
Projector 7 0 Y
Polaroid
Camera 7 0 Y
Compact
CD Players 4 hours 0 N
New
Series
Chess
Sets 4
hours 0 N
Laptop
Computers 2 hours 1 N
Laptop
Accessories 2 hours 1 N
Mouse 2 hours 1 N
Extra
Power Cord 2 hours 1 N
*First number applies to reciprocal borrowers – second number applies to Wauconda Area Library cardholders
Limits on Loan Periods and
Number of Items Borrowed
In general, there are no
limits on the number of items that may be checked out by a patron at one
time. The loan period or number of items
checked out at any one time may be reduced on a class of materials at the
discretion of a supervising librarian due to seasonal demand or the inclusion
of those materials as part of a class assignment.
Vacation Loans
If a patron requests a longer
loan period due to a family vacation, the loan period may be extended at the
discretion of the Circulation staff (excluding New or 7 day items).
Returning Materials
Library materials may be
returned to the main
Self Check Out Machine
A
Flash Scan self check out machine is available to patrons with cards from:
Wauconda,
1.
Items on Hold, fines or
charges,
2.
Miscellaneous Blocks, or
3.
Expired Library Cards
The
Wauconda Area Library has established, in addition to the schedule for lost or
damaged items, the following schedule of fines for overdue materials as well as
fees for other services provided by the library
Overdue materials
Books
10˘
per day, not to exceed the cost of the item
7-day books,
Audio books (CD & Cassette) 10˘
per day, not to exceed the cost of the item
Magazines 10˘ per day, up to $3.00 maximum
Videocassettes & DVD's $2.00
per day, not to exceed $10.00
CD-ROM
10˘ per
day, not to exceed the cost of the item
Music CD's 10˘ per
day, not to exceed the cost of the item (liner notes must be returned with the
item, or the total replacement cost will be charged)
Puppets 10˘
per day, not to exceed the cost of the item
Discovery Packs 10˘ per day (not to exceed the
cost of the item)
Reference materials $1.00 per hour
(Overnight checkout only)
Interlibrary loan item 25˘ per day (except ILL
videos are $2.00 per day)
Overhead Projector $2.00 per day (maximum
$10.00)
Polaroid Camera $2.00 per day (maximum
$10.00)
Chess Sets 25˘ per hour (maximum $5.00)
Laptop
Computers (including
accessories) $5.00
per hour (max. cost $2,000.00)
Portable CD Players 25˘ per hour (maximum $5.00)
Playaways 25˘ per day (max. - cost of
the Playaway)
E-Book Readers $5.00 per day (max. cost of $200.00)
I-Pods $5.00 per day
(max. cost of $300.00)
There
will be no charge for normal wear and tear on any item. The following fees will apply to library materials
damaged by a patron so that further circulation is impossible:
2.
Materials borrowed through
interlibrary loan, which are lost or damaged, are charged to the patron
according to the bill provided by the lending agency.
3.
Full replacement cost of irreparable
library materials, plus a $3.00 processing fee
4.
Cases for compact discs /
videos/DVD’s - $1.00
5.
Cases for books on tape -
$5.00
6.
Cases for CD-ROMs - $5.00
7.
Children's cassette/book
bags - replacement cost - $5.00
8.
To replace a barcode damaged
by a patron - $1.00
9.
Item needs cleaning when
returned (food, etc) $1.00
10. Travel books returned
missing the maps (lost by the patron) - $5.00
11. Compact discs returned
missing the liner notes will be the total replacement cost.
12. Puppet bags – replacement cost
- $6.50 small; $9.50 large
13. Magazines - $3.00 per
magazine
14. Media Bags - $.50 per bag
15. Teacher's Media bags -
$30.00
16. Overhead Projector /
Polaroid Camera - Replacement cost
17. CD Players - $25.00
18. Playaways – Replacement Cost
per Technical Services
19. Laptop Computers - $2,000
20. E-Book Reader – $200.00
21. IPod - $200.00
Damaged
items are placed on the Damaged Shelf for a maximum period of 60 days. The patron will be sent a letter stating that
the items must be paid for. If the
patron pays for the damaged items within the 60 day period, they may claim
their damaged items at the Circulation Desk.
If the patron pays for the damaged items after the 60 day period, the
items will no longer be available to the patron (they will be discarded)
No
refunds will be given for damaged or lost items if it has been more than 48
hours since they were paid for.
Patrons
will be able to replace damaged or lost items with new copies, if the
replacement copy is the exact copy of what they damaged or lost. No substitutes will be accepted. A processing fee of $3.00 will be added
whether the patron pays for the item or brings in a replacement copy.
Overdue notices is processed
and mailed to patrons after an item is two weeks overdue (videos and DVD’s
after one week overdue). If the
materials are not returned after the first notice is sent, a second notice is
mailed. If the patron has not returned
the materials four weeks after the due date, a billing notice is mailed and the
items retain the LOST status.
A
library user’s record becomes delinquent when he/she has outstanding fines of
more than $5.00 or any item is 4 or more weeks overdue (when items retain the
LOST status). A delinquent borrowers will not be able to
check out any library materials or use PC Reservation.
After
the monthly lost report is run, the shelves are checked, and the items are
still outstanding on patron records, the Circulation Department may:
Ř
Send the delinquent patron a
pre-collection notice
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Send the patron account to
the collection agency
When
a patron has $50.00 or more of overdue materials, they will:
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Be contacted by telephone by
the Circulation Manager
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If no response is received
within 2 weeks, a certified letter may be sent to the patron
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After 30 days of the date of
the certified letter, local police may be notified
Collection Agency
Delinquent patron accounts
are referred to the collection agency on a monthly basis. There is a $10.00 collection agency fee that
is added to the patron’s record for each group of items for which the
collection request is made. A $3.00 per
item processing fee is also assessed (max. of $10.00 for each group).
According to the Illinois State Statutes, the Library Director is permitted “To exclude from use of the library any person who willfully violates the rules prescribed by the library board.”
Library privileges may be suspended for the following reasons:
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Damaging library property
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Stealing library materials
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Physically harming staff or
patrons
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Persistent, willful
violations of the library’s posted General Rules of Conduct (in accordance with
the Patron Behavior Policy)
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Viewing inappropriate
materials
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Unauthorized use of another
patron’s library card
Library
borrowing privileges can be suspended for:
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Not returning library
materials
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Non-payment of fines or
other debts owed to the library
Suspensions
will be for a time period to be determined by the Library Director. Patrons who attempt to enter the library while
their privileges are suspended will be reported to the police for criminal
trespass.
Library user registration information will be removed from the library database after 3 years of inactivity, providing there is no delinquency attached to the record.
(Wauconda Area Library
materials)
Patrons
may reserve materials that are not immediately available for patron use but are
in the collection of the Wauconda Area Library. When the reserved materials are
available to the patron who has placed the holds, the library will notify the
patron by telephone or e-mail. The specific title of the material will not be
stated to anyone other than the library patron who placed the hold. If the
patron is not available to answer the phone, a message will be left. The date
of the message will be noted and the material will be held for the patron for a
period of 3 days. If additional patrons are waiting for the material, the next
patron on the list will be called and notified of the availability of the item
(and the same procedure will be followed). If no additional patrons are waiting
for the material, the material will be placed back into general circulation.
Relay of the message to the appropriate person in the household and prompt
pickup of the material are the responsibilities of the patron. Holds are allowed on 21-day items and most
other library materials, but are not allowed on any New DVD or any 7-day
items. If the item is not returned
promptly, the item can be reordered or interlibrary loaned.
When
a patron calls the library to request library materials that are on the shelf
(excluding New DVD’s or 7-day items), any library staff member may place a
courtesy hold on the item(s). The patron
will be given 3 days to pick the items up.
After the 3-day period, the items will be taken off courtesy hold status
and returned to the shelves.
When
patrons request an item that is not available in the Wauconda Public Library
Collection, we ask other agencies to provide it. This is the process of
interlibrary loan. Materials borrowed through interlibrary loan have a
circulation period that is determined by the lending library, not the Wauconda
Area Library. The patron has 10 days from the date of the telephone call or e-mail
to pick up their item(s), and failure to do so in that 10-day period will
result in a $1.00 fee per item. A $2.00
per item fee will be assessed to a reciprocal patron requesting an interlibrary
loan from our library.
When
an interlibrary loan item has been damaged or lost, the replacement cost is
determined by the lending library.
Patron purchased replacement items for interlibrary loans are not
acceptable.
Wauconda library patrons can
use their Wauconda library card as a debit card to print photocopies or make
computer printouts. A value card
dispenser is located in the