LIBRARY POLICIES

Library Card  |  Circulation  |  Computer / Internet Use  |  Safe Child  |  Acceptable Behavior 

LIBRARY CARDS  (printable Word version)

A) Eligibility: Any person five years old or older who resides, owns property, or works in Chambers County, Alabama or West Point, Georgia may register for a library card.

B) Non-residents: Persons residing or working outside of Chambers County, Alabama or West Point, Georgia will be required to pay an annual non-resident fee of $5.00 per year.

C) Proof of residence and identification: Proof of current residence and picture identification are required before a new library card will be issued.

A library card will be issued when one of the following is presented:

• Valid Alabama or Georgia Driver’s License showing current address.
• Valid Alabama or Georgia state issued ID card showing current address.

If applicant does not have a current Alabama or Georgia driver’s license or ID card, an acceptable form of address verification and picture identification must be presented. Below are listed acceptable forms of address verification and picture identification. One item from each list must be presented to apply for a library card.

Address verification: (must include name and local address)

• Mail postmarked within the last 30 days
• An imprinted bank check or deposit slip
• Current rent receipt
• Current utility bill dated within the last 30 days

Picture identification (I.D.):

• Passport
• Alien registration card
• Military I.D.
• School-issued I.D.
• Employee identification card
• Out-of-state driver’s license

D) Proof of employment for applicants working in service area: Applicants applying for a library card who work but do not reside in Chambers County, Alabama or West Point, Georgia are eligible to use the library free of charge. Applicants will need to present a current employee identification card or recent pay stub along with address verification and a photo I.D.

E) Parental responsibility: Parents are responsible for all materials borrowed by children who are under 16.

F) Lost cards: Replacement cost for a lost card is $2.00.

CIRCULATION POLICIES  (printable Word version)

A) Loan periods:

Books                              14 days with 1 day grace period

Audiocassettes & CDs    14 days with 1 day grace period

Videos and DVDs            5 days with 2 days grace period

Equipment                        3 days

B) Number of items loaned:

Books                                           20

Audiocassettes & CDs                20

Videos and DVDs (Bradshaw)   3 total

Videos and DVDs (LaFayette)    3 total

Equipment                                    3

C) Fines:

Books                               $.10 per day, $2.00 maximum fine

Audiocassettes & CDs     $.10 per day, $2.00 maximum fine

Videos and DVDs             $1.00 per day, $5.00 maximum fine

Equipment                         $3.00 per day      

D) Renewals:

1) Books, audiocassettes, and CDs may be renewed in person, by telephone, or at home via the patron review section in the library catalog.

2) Titles with patron holds will not be renewed.

3) Books may be renewed up to two times.

E) Hold/Reserve items: Patrons may place holds on items which are on order or checked out. When the item is returned, the patron will be notified by phone, and the item will be place on the hold desk at circulation for three days.

Items will normally be held for only three days. If a patron requests that an item be held longer than three days, we will try to accommodate the request.

Teachers may request that materials be placed on a special reserve for class use. Items may be placed on special reserve for a two-week period. Permission must be give by the Director or Head of Public Services.

F) Reference books: Reference books are non-circulating. In special cases, exceptions may be made by the Director or Head of Public Services.

G) Audiovisual (AV) Equipment:

1) AV equipment circulates for a period of three days. In special cases, exceptions may be made by the Director or Head of Public Services.

2) AV equipment may be renewed for one additional three day period unless another patron has placed a reserve on the item.

3) Library programming takes precedence in the use of AV equipment.

4) Patrons who do not follow the lending policies for AV equipment may be denied access to equipment.

5) Fines for overdue AV equipment are $3.00 per day.

6) Patrons are required to sign an AV equipment circulation form indicating their awareness of the value of the equipment and their responsibility for return, repair, or replacement.

COMPUTER AND INTERNET USE POLICIES  

Computer Use Procedures and Policies

1.YOU MUST HAVE A CURRENT LIBRARY CARD AND BE IN GOOD STANDING WITH THE LIBRARY TO LOG ONTO THE COMPUTERS.

2. Time Limits: Use of computers is available on a first come, first served basis. However, to ensure free access for all, library staff reserves the right to set a 30 minute time limit on computer use sessions. During high-use periods, the use of library computers to access reference resources is a top priority. Total computer use per person per day will not exceed 1 hour.

3. Hours of use: Computers will be shut down 5 minutes prior to closing.

4. Printing: The printing charge is $.15 per page for black and white copies and $.25 per page for color copies.

5. Saving Files and Documents: The library does not allow the user to save documents or personal files to the hard drive. All documents that are saved must be saved to a disk or a CD belonging to the user. Disks or CDs may be purchased at the circulation desk for $1.00. The library is not responsible for loss of data that may occur when saving documents.

6. Number of Users: No more than two people per work station.

7. Visitors: Visitors to the Valley area may use an Internet workstation by signing in at the circulation desk and presenting a valid driver’s license.

8. Non-residents: Regular users of the library’s computers who do not live or work in Chambers County or West Point, GA must pay a $5.00 annual non-resident fee for a library card.

CHILDREN UNDER 12

To use the computers, children under 12 years of age must have a parent or responsible adult seated at the computer with them at all times.

If children under 12 need access to a computer resource for homework projects,  a staff member will be available to assist them.

CHILDREN 12 to 17

A parent or guardian must be present at the computer workstation or give written permission in person for children age 12 to 17 to use the Internet without supervision.

Children 12 to 17 may use Microsoft Office products to complete homework assignments without parental permission.

Illegal and Unacceptable Uses: Patrons may use the library computers only for legal purposes. Examples of unacceptable uses include but are not limited to the following:

• Display of sexually explicit or pornographic materials;
• Harassment of other users or violation of their privacy;
• Libeling, slandering or maliciously offending other users;
• Violation of copyright laws or software licensing agreements;
• Attempting to crash, degrade performance or gain unauthorized access to the library's or to other computer systems and networks;
• Damaging equipment, software or data belonging to library or other users.

 Violations will result in the loss of Internet and/or library privileges. Illegal use of the computers also may be subject to prosecution by local, state or federal          authorities.

Disclaimer
The H. Grady Bradshaw Chambers County/LaFayette Pilot Public Library cannot control the content of resources available on the Internet and cannot be held responsible for its content. The Internet offers open access to information, ideas and commentary from around the world in an unregulated medium. As such, it offers access to a wealth of material that is personally, professionally, and culturally enriching to individuals of all ages, but also enables access to some material that some may find offensive, disturbing and/or illegal, inaccurate or incomplete. The availability of information does not constitute endorsement of the content by the Library. The Internet, as an information resource, enables the library to provide information beyond the confines of its own collection. Library patrons use it at their own risk. Use of Internet resources carries with it a responsibility to evaluate the quality of the information accessed. Access, use, or dissemination of information via the Internet in the library is the responsibility of the user. In the case of minors, it is a joint responsibility of the user and the parent or guardian. Librarians cannot act in the place of parents by supervising children as they explore the Internet.

SAFE CHILD POLICY  (printable Word version)

Statement of Philosophy

The Chambers County Library welcomes children of all ages. It is a doorway through which life-long learning takes place. The library is a public building and, as such, everyone is welcome.

Children in the library should make effective use of the library. Effective use includes reading books or magazines or working on homework or special reading or writing assignments.

Library staff have many duties to perform in order to serve all the citizens of the Chambers County and West Point area. They cannot monitor the behavior and whereabouts of each patron, including children. Staff do not take over parental responsibilities for children who come to the library.

A child could be tempted to go off with a stranger. A child could become ill. Any of these or other emergencies could take place in a public building. It is for the safety of each child that the Chambers County Library has adopted this Safe Child Policy.

Statement of Policy

Parents/caretakers are responsible for the child’s behavior at all times while in the building. A caretaker is defined as an individual at least 16 years of age who acknowledges this responsibility for the child. Children 10 years of age or younger must remain in the company of the parent or caretaker.

A child 10 years or younger who is attending a library program need not be accompanied into that program by a parent/caretaker, unless otherwise indicated. Parents/caretakers must, however, be present in the building during the programming in case an emergency should arise.

Child Left Unattended

Children 10 years of age or younger should not be left unaccompanied in the library. Unattended children who appear to be lost or frightened will be comforted by a staff member. The staff member will try to identify and locate the parents/caretaker.

• The child will be asked if he/she knows which area of the library his/her parent/caretaker planned to visit.
• The child will be taken to that area. If the responsible person isn’t there the child will be escorted around the library until they are located.
• If not able to be located in the library building, a staff member will monitor the child until the parent/caretaker returns to the library
• When located, the library policy on unattended children will be explained and a copy given to the parent/caretaker.
• Staff will record the parent’s/caretaker’s name, address, telephone number and the child’s name.
• Staff will refer any additional incidents to the police.

Unattended Children after Closing Time

Library staff must exercise appropriate procedures to ensure the safety of unattended children 17 years of age and younger when the library is closing.

The parent/caretaker of any child at the library without a ride at closing will be given a copy of the safe child policy.

1. If no ride has arrived within 15 minutes after closing time the staff will call the Police Department. Police and staff will monitor children left unattended. Parents are responsible for being aware of the times the Library opens and closes.
2. Staff will record the parent’s/caretaker’s name, address, telephone number and the child’s name.
3. Once found, the parent/caretaker will be given a copy of the Unattended Children after Closing Policy.
4. Staff will refer any additional incidents to the police.

Library staff members never give rides to these children or leave them alone in the building or on the library grounds.

Appropriate Behavior Policy

Parents or caretakers are responsible for monitoring the behavior of their children in compliance with the Chambers County Library Behavior Policy. The policy deems the following behaviors unacceptable for children:

• Loud conversation, laughter or noise which is disturbing to others.
• Engaging in disorderly conduct, committing a nuisance, or unreasonably disturbing and offending library users or staff.
• Displaying other behaviors inappropriate in a public library setting.

1. Disruptive attended children 10 years of age or younger:

• The parent/caretaker will be informed that the child is disturbing others and asked to control the child’s behavior.
• If the parent/caretaker refuses or is unable to control the child the librarian or staff member in charge will ask the family to leave.

         2. Disruptive unattended children 10 years of age or younger:

• Child will be asked to behave.
• Refer to “Child Left Unattended” portion of this document and proceed as outlined

          3. Disruptive children 11 years of age and older:

• Child will be asked to behave and given an oral warning
• If, after 10 minutes, the disruptive behavior continues, the library staff will attempt to notify the child’s parent/caretaker to come pick up the child. If the parents are unable to be reached, the library staff reserves the right to call the Police Department to come pick up the child.