Circulation Policy

Revised and Approved February 18, 2021

 

I. Library Cards and Registration

     A. All residents of Hedrick, unincorporated areas of Keokuk County, and communities contracting with the library are considered to be patrons, and our customers. All patrons are eligible to receive a library card unless their borrowing privileges or use of the Hedrick Public Library have been suspended or revoked by the library.

 

     B. Patrons of other Iowa libraries may borrow materials from the Hedrick Public Library (through our participation in the State Library’s Open Access program.) These people may register for and receive a library card with the same borrowing privileges and responsibilities as local patrons.

 

     C. Other people may apply for and receive cards at staff discretion.

 

     D. A customer’s library card is free.

 

     E. All library cards expire within one year. All patrons must use their cards at least once within that year to renew. If within a three year period the card has not been used or customer information has not been updated, the patron must re-register for a library card. A patron’s outstanding fines and fees must be paid before the Library will renew his/her registration.

 

     F. Adults desiring registration should be present and furnish some form of identification and proof of residential address to become a registered borrower. A current driver’s license or state ID card with correct current address will meet this requirement.

 

If a patron has a photo ID that does not have correct current address, and additional form of identification may be used to verify the current address.

 

Acceptable forms of identification to verify address include:

  • Voter registration card

  • Imprinted checks

  • Mail/Statements current or previous month: Federal/State/City mail

  • Bank Statements

  • Utility bill

  • Telephone bill

  • Water bill

  • Vehicle Registration

If the patron’s mailing address is a P.O. Box, identification must be provided verifying the actual street address as well.

 

     G. A parent or guardian’s signature is required for minor children to receive a library card.

 

     H. Library staff may send a registration form and issue a library card to any customer with a disability, which prevents them from coming to the library.

 

     I. Customers (or, in the case of minor children, their parents/guardians) are responsible for all items checked out on their cards. Customers will be held responsible for the payment of any fines or fees incurred due to lost, overdue or damaged items check out on their cards, as well as any cost incurred by the library to see that these responsibilities are fulfilled (including , but not limited to, standardized charges for postage, collection and processing. See Schedule of Fees.)

 

     J. The Director may revoke a customer’s borrowing privileges if it is determined that his/her card was improperly issued. If the cardholder has become ineligible since the card was issued, due to change of address, change in custody of a minor child, or any other reason, their borrowing privileges may be revoked.

 

     K. Customer information is confidential. It may, however, be used by the library or its representatives while attempting to collect money, material or equipment as set forth in these policies and approved by law.

 

II. Circulation and renewals

     A. All print materials are checked out for a period of three weeks (21 days) with a limit of six.

 

     B. All digital media, ie; DVD’s & Blu-rays are checked out for a period of four days with a limit of two.

 

     C. Materials may be renewed for up to two three week periods or 4 day periods.

 

     D. Items may be renewed by customer over the telephone or by email.

 

     E. No item may be renewed if another customer has placed it on reserve.

 

III. Title Request and Reserves

     A. Title requests are made by registered borrowers for materials that are not yet part of the library’s collections. All title requests will be evaluated by staff for purchase. (See the Collection Management Policy). Most title requests not selected for purchase will be pursued for the customer’s use through Interlibrary Loan.

 

     B. Reserves are hold request placed on titles that are owned by the library or are on order for addition to the library’s collections.

 

     C. When requested or reserved materials become available, customers will be notified within 48 hours (or as soon thereafter as possible.)

 

     D. If multiple customers have reserved the same item, the first customer on the reserve list will be the first to be contacted. A customer has four days after being contacted to pick up a reserved item. After four days, the next customer listed will be contacted. The first customer will be removed from the list.

 

     E. Reserves and requesst (other than those received through Interlibrary Loan) will be held for pickup for four days. If a reserve or request is not picked up by the end of the fourth day after notification, the item will be offered to the next customer; the first customer’s name will be removed from the reserve list for that item. Customers may arrange to move their own names to the bottom of reserve lists by calling or emailing the library.

 

     F. Materials received through Interlibrary Loan will be held will be help for customers through the length of the lending library’s loan.

 

 

IV. Overdue, Fines and Fees

     A. According to section 714.5 of the Code of Iowa, it is a criminal offense to intentionally fail to return library materials. It states that if “a person fails to return library materials for two months or more after the date a person agreed to return the materials, [it] is evidence of intent to deprive” the library of materials. In the event that the materials have been lost, Iowa law provides that arrangements may be made to pay for them. The library will pursue all legal avenues to retrieve library materials, property and/or compensation for library materials and property that is overdue, lost, stolen or damaged.

 

     B. Fines are charged every day the library is open. (See VI. Schedule of Fees for current fines.)

 

     C. Fines for lost, overdue, or damaged items will not exceed the price of the items (based on the library’s records), plus standardized charges for postage, processing and collection. (See VI, Schedule of fees for rates)

 

     D. If an item becomes lost or is returned to the library damaged beyond repair, the customer will be charged the cost of the item (based on the library's records), plus standardized charges for postage, processing and collection. (See VI. Schedule of Fees).

 

     E. If a lost or damaged item was part of a set, the responsible customer may be charged the purchase price of the set (as recorded in the library’s records), plus standardized charges for postage, processing and collection. (See VI. Schedule of Fees).

 

     F. If a customer’s unpaid fines and fees total $5.00 or more, his/her borrowing privileges will be suspended. Borrowing privileges will be reinstated when the outstanding balance falls below the $5.00 limit.

 

     G. Customers may keep items paid for if they are later found, or damaged materials once they have been paid for to the library’s satisfaction; such payments are considered final and no refunds will be made.

 

V. Confidentiality of Library Patron Records

     A. The exemption for library records to the Open Records Law is found in section 22.7(13) of the Code of Iowa and reads as follows:

 

22.7 Confidential Records

The following public records shall be kept confidential, unless otherwise ordered by a court, by the lawful custodian of the records, or by another person duly authorized to release such information.

13. The records of a library which, by themselves or when examined with other public library records, would reveal the identity of the public library patron checking out or requesting an item or information from the library. The records shall be released to a criminal justice agency only pursuant to an investigation of a particular person or organization suspected of committing a known crime. The records shall be released only upon a judicial determination that a rational connection exists between the requested release of information and a legitimate end and that the need for the information is cogent and compelling.

 

 

B. The Director shall be the “lawful custodian of the records”. All requests for access to the registration file, circulation records, or information requests must go through the Director. Any person or agency requesting circulation records, electronic usage records or records of information request shall be requested to produce a court order for the release of the information. All cases of confidentiality must be considered by the Board of Trustees of the Hedrick Public Library in consultation with the Director. The Board of Trustees recognized that many records of this library pertaining to registration, circulation and the information request of its customers are confidential in nature and declares that no library employee shall make such records available to anyone, including any agency of state, federal or local government except pursuant of federal, state, or local law relating to civil, criminal or administrative investigatory power.

 

C. After consultation with the Director, the Library Board may vote at a public meeting to release the names, addresses and telephone numbers of registered borrowers for purposes unrelated to commercial gain. Any such requests must be made in writing to the Director.

 

VI. Schedule of Fees

      A. Late fines of print materials is 10-cents per item per day overdue.

       B. DVD's or Audio Books dropped in the drop box will be charged $1.00 per item.

       C. Late fees for DVD's and Audio Books is $1.00 per item per day overdue

Fax Machine

      1. Any of the public may use the fax machine to send or recieve a fax.

       2. The charge is $1.00 for the first page and $1.00 per additional page to send.

Printing and Copying

     1. Black and White copies are 10-cents for the first page and 10-cents for additional pages.

     2. Color copies are 10-cents for the first page and 10-cents for additional pages.