Circulation Policy

Circulation Policy.  2018

A.  Registration of Borrowers

  1. Anyone registering for a library card enters into a legal agreement with the Town of Ashby in which the borrower agrees to comply with the library rules. Library privileges may be withdrawn if the borrower does not comply. Borrowers are responsible for all items borrowed on their library cards and for replacement costs for items damaged or lost.
  2. Materials will be loaned only to registered borrowers.
  3. In order for new borrowers, over 14 years of age, to register for a library card, they must present proof of identification, showing their name and current address. Forms of identification accepted at the library include:
    1. Valid driver’s license.
    2. Utility bill with name and address printed postmarked with 30 days.
    3. A residency or census card from the Town Clerk’s office.
    4. A valid college ID plus proof of current address
    5. A valid high school id plus proof of current address.
  4. All new borrowers must complete a registration form. Children who are between 6 and 14 years old may apply for a library card with a parent or guardian. The parent or guardian that signs the registration form with the child is responsible for overdue, lost or damaged materials borrowed by the child. A parent or legal guardian will be required to show the above identification and sign permission for the child under the age of 14.
  5. Library cards need to be presented each time an item is borrowed. If borrowers do not have their library card with them, they will be allowed to check out with positive identification. The library reserves the right to cancel this privilege if borrowers abuse it.
  6. Lost cards may be replaced by a borrower in good standing at a charge of $2.00.
  7. Any Massachusetts resident can obtain a library card free of charge provided that he or she resides in a community that has a public library certified by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. Individuals whose primary residence is in a community where the library has been decertified may not have borrowing privileges at the Ashby Free Public Library.
  8. A library card from another C/WMARS library is valid at the Ashby library.
  9. Out of State residents must pay a yearly fee of $30 beginning July 1st, 2017 unless the borrower can provide documentation demonstrating that they own property in Massachusetts. Out of state residents would receive all services, which come with an in state library card in good standing, AT the Ashby Free Public Library.
  10. By state law, the borrowing records of all library patrons are private (MGL Chapter 78 Section 7).  Public libraries may not disclose records which reveal a patron’s borrowing information to governmental or civilian inquiries.  This policy applies to all patrons including minors.

 

B. Length of Loan

  1. Books and Books on CD will be loaned for a period of 21 days. They may be renewed once by telephone or in person during the library open hours. They may also be renewed online at the Ashby Library website or the C/WMARS website.
  2. DVDs with more than 2 discs are loaned for 14 days. DVDs with one or two discs are loaned for 7 days.
  3. Periodicals will be loaned for 1 week.
  4. Kindle will be loaned for 3 weeks. Please see Kindle Policy.
  5. Reference materials may be borrowed from the library at the discretion of the Library Director.

 

C. Reserves and Interlibrary Loan

  1. An item owned by the Ashby Free Public Library, but is currently checked out to another patron, may be placed on reserve. The patron who placed the reserve will be notified by phone, text, or email when the item is ready to pick up.
  2. The maximum number of holds that a patron may have on his or her card at one time is 20.
  3. Materials will be held for 10 days after the patron is notified. If the patron fails to pick up the reserved item within this time period, the item will be returned to the shelf or set aside for the next person who reserved it.
  4. If the Ashby Free Public Library does not own an item requested by a patron, every effort will be made to obtain the item for the patron through interlibrary loan.

 

D. Loan Limitations

  1. A patron is limited of 50 items that may be checked out on his or her card at a given time.
  2. A patron may check out only 6 DVDs per family, of which only TWO of the DVDs may be NEW. NEW DVDs are movies that have been purchased in the last three months.

 

E. Overdue Books

  1. When a checked out book, book on CD, or periodical owned by the Ashby Free Public Library returned after its due date, the patron is charged an overdue fine of .10/day with a maximum of $3.00/item.
  2. When a checked out DVD owned by the Ashby Free Public Library is returned after its due date, the patron is charged an overdue fee of $1.00/day with a maximum of $5.00/DVD.
  3. Reminder return notices can be provided to patrons via email or text.
  4. Patrons are blocked from checking out materials if either:
    1. their registration expires.
    2. they owe $10 or more in fines or replacement costs.
    3. they have one or more items that are listed as lost.
    4. they have 50 items already checked out on their card.
    5. they need to renew an Out of State card.
    6. they do not have a C/WMARS library card or a picture ID to provide.

 

F. Lost or Damaged Materials

  1. Patrons who have lost or damaged books or other material owned by the Ashby Free Public Library must pay the replacement value of the item(s) or purchase an exact replacement of the item before they will be allowed to borrow additional materials from the library.
  2. Patrons who have lost or damaged books or other materials owned by other C/WMARS libraries must contact the owning library

 

G. Museum Passes

  1. No more than two museum passes may be checked out per family at a time.
  2. Museum passes are expected to be returned to the library on the next library business day.

 

H. Book Drop Deposit

  1. The library provides a book drop outside each of the library entrances for the convenience of the public. The library is not responsible for items damaged or lost through the use of the book drops.
  2. An item will not be considered checked in until the start of the library’s next business day.

MSA 9/26/18