Policy: Circulation
The following are rules and regulations of The Board of Trustees of The Richards Library. These are effective May 5, 2014 and will be reviewed biannually.
The Circulation Policy of The Richards Library exists to facilitate community access to the materials and information contained in The Richards Library collections.
Library Card
In order to borrow materials from The Richards Library and to have access to computing and online services, library users must have a Richards Library (or SALS member) card.
Cards are issued free of charge to Southern Adirondack Library facilitate community (both permanent and summer).
Registration requirements include:
- a photo ID and for summer patrons, a local reference.
- Children must be able to sign or print their own name to be eligible for borrowing privileges.
- Parents of children under five may sign for their child.
Loan period:
- Books (new & popular): 2 weeks
- Other books: 1 month
- eBook hardware (Kindle, Nook, etc.): 2 weeks
- Periodicals: 1month
- DVD’s: 1-week Reference items non-circulating
- Large Print materials: 1 month
- Audiobooks: 1 month
- Graphic Novels: 2 weeks
- Holiday items: 1 week
Non-circulating:
- Technology (laptops, iPad, etc.): non-circulating
- Genealogy materials: non-circulating
Staff Discretion may alter all loans. The library reserves the right to have non-circulating items in its collection.
Children’s Materials:
- All loan periods remain the same with the addition of the following:
- Summer Reading Materials: 6 weeks
- Puzzles & Games: non-circulating
Staff Discretion may alter all loans.
Loan Restrictions are as follows:
- Number of items loaned to any individual: 10 books, 4 DVD’s, or total of 10 items
- Number of items by same author: 5
- Renewal of new and popular items is once
- Renewal of DVD’s is once
- Renewal of all other items is twice
Fines:
Fines are assessed per item per day. If an item is returned after the library closes or on Sunday/ Holiday, the patron is credited for having returned the item on the last day the library was open.
- Adults $.10 per day not to exceed $5.00
- Children $.05 per day not to exceed $2.00
- Fines for Inter Library Loan items (Outside SALS) is $.20 per day
- Replacement Library Card charge is free the first time and $1.00 thereafter.
- Replacement Bar Code Charge is $.10
Variable Damage Charges may be assessed by the library staff
- Lost Materials must be paid based on Replacement Cost
The Library may waive or reduce fines and fees at its discretion when circumstances warrant.
Suspension of Borrowing Privileges:
To ensure that no one library user accrues an excessively high fine, library users will have their borrowing privileges suspended when they have any item or a total of overdue items so that accrued fines amount to $5.00 for adults and $2.00 for children. A payment plan will be made available to the patron. As soon as the fines are brought below the limit, the patron will immediately be allowed to borrow materials.
Patrons must use their own library card. Lost or stolen cards must be reported to the library immediately. You are responsible for any items checked out on your card. Privileges will be revoked system wide.
Hold Requests:
Library users may place reserves on items, which are currently checked out, and on items, which are on order. When a reserved item becomes available, the user will be notified by email if the user has supplied the library with an email address that the item is being held for them at the Library for 2 weeks. After 2 weeks, the item will be returned to borrowing library. A library user may have no more than five outstanding hold requests at any one time. Library users are responsible for cancelling any holds they no longer need.
Notification Methods:
The Richards library may notify patrons using the following methods: email, phone, print notices by standard mail