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Effective July 1, 2011

Acton Memorial Library strives to make available a collection which meets residents’ needs and to support the use of that collection by cardholders. These rules are intended to assist in maintaining the collection and making it accessible to the community; access to borrowing may be denied if a cardholder fails to comply with them. 

Acton Memorial Library is a member of the Minuteman Library Network (MLN).

 

LIBRARY CARDS

1)     Library cards are available to anyone 4 years and older who lives in Massachusetts or works in Acton. Valid name and address identification are required. In the event a new user’s address cannot be verified, the individual will be able to borrow two items at the time s/he applies for a card. The card will be held at the library until the address is verified.

2)     Users may only have a card at one MLN library, except for users affiliated with an MLN college, who may have two library cards.

3)     People staying in Acton less than two months may receive a card with which to borrow only Acton materials.

4)     Cardholders are responsible for keeping the library updated re: changes of name, address, phone numbers, email, etc.

5)     Library cards expire after 4 years. Updating/verifying the user’s name, address and contact information in person renews the card for another 4 years.

6)     Borrowers are responsible for all items checked out on their cards. Lost or stolen library cards should be reported to the library immediately.

7)     A parent or legal guardian must co-sign applications for children under 14 years of age.  The adult is responsible for items checked out on the child’s card and any fines incurred on the card.

 

BORROWING AND RENEWING MATERIALS

1)     In order to check out library materials, users should present a valid library card. In lieu of their card, users may provide an official photo ID.

2)     An individual carrying a library card is deemed by the library to have been given permission to use it by the cardholder.

3)     When a person comes in to pick up an item which is on hold for another borrower at that person’s request, they must either produce that user’s card or use their own card to check out the item. 

4)     Loans:

a)     New adult books circulate for 2 weeks and may be renewed once.

b)     All other books, CDs, cassettes, college courses on CD or DVD, and audiobooks circulate for 3 weeks and may be renewed twice.

c)     Periodicals circulate for 3 weeks and may be renewed once.

d)     Videos, DVDs, VCDs, CD-ROMs and electronic games circulate for one week and may be renewed once.

e)     Items may not be renewed if there is a reserve on them.

f)      Daily museum passes can be checked out the day before the reserved date if available and are due back the day they are used. Weekend passes may be checked out any time during the week prior to the weekend they are used. They are due back the day they are used.

g)     The maximum loans on a card at any given time are 150.

h)     Library staff have the right to limit the number of items borrowed by a cardholder on a topic.

i)      Reference materials do not circulate.

j)      Downloadable items:

i)      The maximum number of downloadable loans checked out on a card at any given time is three.

ii)    Lending periods may vary from title to title. Personalized default lending period(s) of one, two or three weeks may be set on a format-by-format basis. Lending periods of one, two or three weeks may also be set on a title-by-title basis. Due to licensing agreements, most downloadable items may not be returned early.

iii)  Downloadable titles cannot be renewed; often they can be downloaded again after their previous loan has ended if there aren’t reserves on the title.

 

RESERVES

1)     Reserves may be placed in the library, online, or by calling the library.

2)     A maximum of 20 holds per card is allowed, except for downloadable titles, for which the maximum is three.

3)     Rental books or DVDs may not be reserved.

4)     New entertainment DVDs in both the Adults and Children’s collections may only be reserved by Acton residents for the first six months they are in the collections.

5)     Users are notified by email or telephone when their reserves are available.

6)     Items are held at the circulation desk for 5 days. This may be extended on request if there are no other reserves on the item.

7)     When a reserved downloadable title is available for a user, an email notice will be sent and the user has 5 days to download the title.

8)     Museum passes may be reserved online or by telephone.  Reservations are taken up to 3 months in advance.  The number of passes which can be reserved by an individual is limited and may vary with the dates sought.

 

OVERDUE MATERIALS

1)     It is the borrower’s responsibility to return materials on time.

a)     Courtesy notices are sent to borrowers whose record contains their email address 2 days before an item is due.

b)     An overdue notice is sent when an item is 14 days overdue.

c)     A bill showing the replacement cost is sent when an item is 28 days overdue.

d)     A final notice is sent when an item is 6 months overdue.

e)     A letter authorized by the Acton Police Department (attached) may be sent when the item is 8 or more months overdue.

2)     If a borrower maintains that an item has been returned but the item is still on the borrower’s record and library staff cannot locate the item on library shelves, it can be designated ‘Claims Returned.’ A cardholder may have no more than 5 active ‘Claims Returned.’

3)     Fines:

a)     Fines may be paid in person by cash or check and by credit card at the self-check out station or online.

b)     On videos, DVDs, CD-ROMS and electronic games, the overdue fine is $1 per day with no grace period and a maximum fine of $10 per item.

c)     On museum passes, the overdue fine is $10 per day with no grace period.

d)     On adult books, books on CD or cassette, and college courses on DVD or CD, the overdue fine is $.15 per day with a 3 day grace period and a maximum fine of $15. 

e)     On adult magazines and paperbacks, the overdue fine is $.15 per day with a 3 day grace period and a maximum fine of $7.50.

f)      On YA and Children’s magazines, the overdue fine is $.10 per day with a 3 day grace period and a maximum fine of $5.

g)     On all other items except downloadable titles, the fine is $.10 per day with a 3 day grace period and maximum overdue fine of $10 per item.

h)     There are no fines on downloadable titles.

4)     Borrowers are delinquent and unable to check materials out when:

a)     There is more than $5 in fines on their card or,

b)     One item is assumed lost (4 weeks overdue).   

 

LOST AND DAMAGED ITEMS

1)     Borrowers may provide a replacement copy of a lost or damaged item providing the item is new and exactly the same edition. Library staff will provide the user with the ISBN when possible.

2)     Borrowers may be charged for missing pieces of sets or entire sets if the library is unable to replace the missing piece by itself.

3)     If an item has been lost and paid for and is then found and returned to the library within one month of payment, the library will refund the charge via Town check minus a $10 overdue fine.

 

PRIVACY

1)     The library recognizes the importance of protecting the privacy and confidentiality of its users' registration, circulation, and electronic access information.  

2)     Any person is entitled to view his or her own library account information in person with positive identification in our libraries.  Only users with proper identification may correct their library account information through the library.  The records of minors with their own cards are also considered to be private to those persons.

3)     MLN provides essential information to trusted partners who work on behalf of or with Minuteman; however, these companies do not have any independent right to share this information.  These companies must demonstrate that they agree to execute a document in the format provided by MLN specifically citing that user data will not be retained or sold or otherwise distributed or disclosed.

4)     Personal information of library users may be accessed by and used by a staff member of Acton Memorial Library or other members of MLN when the staff member is acting within the scope of his or her library duties. 

5)     The library may be required to provide a user's personal information to a local, state, or federal governmental entity pursuant to compulsory legal process.  While Acton Memorial Library will make every effort to respect the privacy of its users, if under a legal requirement to turn over data, such as a court order, subpoena, or search warrant, it will comply with the law.

6)     Acton Memorial Library and the Minuteman Library Network make every reasonable effort to maintain the accuracy of all information it collects and retains.  It is also committed to maintaining the security of all personal information.  Appropriate physical, electronic, and managerial procedures are in place in an effort to safeguard and secure the information it collects to prevent unauthorized access, alteration, or disclosure of data. 

7)     Despite precautions, no system is immune from unlawful intrusion through hacking, which violates both federal and state laws; therefore, Acton Memorial Library and the MLN cannot guarantee that information it collects can never be accessed by unauthorized users.

8)     There is no guarantee of privacy for email that travels over the Internet between a user and the Minuteman Library Network.  Users can remove their email address online, https://library.minlib.net/patroninfo/ or request that it be removed from their record by a library staff member. 

 

Approved by the Board of Trustees of Acton Memorial Library this 23rd day of May, 2011.