Circulation Policy
Adopted: 04/07/2010
         
I. Patron Registration

Application Process

• Applicants must complete the card application and provide valid photo identification and proof of current address. A list of acceptable forms of identification is available in the LINK Circulation Manual. 
• Applicants under the age of 14 must have a parent or legal guardian’s signature on the application. 
• Young adults (age 14-17) without valid photo identification and proof of current address require a parent or legal guardian’s identification and signature.

            South Central Library System (SCLS) Residents

• Reedsburg Residents will be issued a Reedsburg Library Card
• Rural Residents of Sauk County will be issued a Sauk County Card
• Residents that reside in a community with a SCLS library will be issued a 30-day temporary card and application will be forwarded to their home library for issuance of a permanent card.

Non-SCLS Residents / Reciprocal Borrowers

• Applicants who live in a Wisconsin library system with a reciprocal borrowing agreement with SCLS may apply for a library card.  Applicant must present a borrower’s card from their home system, valid photo ID and proof of current address.  An SCLS barcode will be added to the patron’s existing card.
• Applicants from systems without a reciprocal borrowing agreement with SCLS are not eligible for borrowing privileges.  In Wisconsin, this is limited to residents of Milwaukee County.
• Application forms for the Winding Rivers and Southwest Library Systems are available.  We will forward the completed form provided by these systems to the home library or system headquarters.  We will issue a 30-day temporary card, so the patron can use our library in the interim.

Temporary Registration

• Seasonal workers, students and other temporary residents are eligible for a library card.  Applicants must show a valid photo ID and proof of current local address. 
• If the address provided will be valid for less than 120 days or if a permanent address is not provided, the account type will be Limited Use, restricting the patron to a three-item limit.
• If a temporary resident is staying with relatives in the area, it will be suggested that the relative may register for a card and allow their guest to use it.

Child Custody

• The library patron database permits just one library account per person.
• If shared custody or a change in guardianship impacts a child’s registration, the situation will be referred to the parents to work out, through legal means, if necessary. 
• Parents may choose to use their own card for their children’s materials if a custody issue is a concern.
• Parents may be asked to present the card or reasonable proof of guardianship to receive or change information in a child’s record.

Card Updates and Replacement

• Automatic address update requests occur at regular intervals.  Staff will ask the patron to state current address, phone, birthdate and file the record.  ID and proof of address may be requested for confirmation. 
• New cards are issued at a charge of $1.00 if card is lost or damaged.
• Free replacement is permitted if a patron has moved.

Special Rules and Circumstances
Registration scenarios not addressed above or provided for within the LINK Circulation Manual will be at the discretion of the Library Director.

II. CIRCULATION OF LIBRARY MATERIALS

Necessity for Library Card

• Persons wishing to check out materials must have their library card.
• Exceptions may be made at the discretion of the staff member at the desk.  If an exception is warranted the staff member must see I.D. or personally know the patron.

           
Use of Library Card By Other Than the Registered User

• Library staff will consider physical possession of the library card to convey authorization to use the card for circulation of library materials unless the card has been reported to the Library as lost or stolen. 
• Permission to use another’s card is not intended as a means to avoid payment of fines or other charges on another account.  If abuse is suspected, use of the account in question may be restricted to the registered borrower and/or to age-appropriate materials.
• Authorization of use does not extend to computer access.

Circulation Periods

• Circulation periods are as follows:
• 7 Days:  Videocassettes, DVD’s and Rental books
• 14 Days: New books, Music CDs, CD-ROMs and Periodicals
• 28 Days: Books, Nonfiction DVDs (as marked) and Audio Books
• AV Equipment checked out per AV Equipment Policy
• If the due date for an item falls on a holiday or other closed day, the due date shall be the next date that the library is open.   Items returned in the overnight book return when the library is closed will be checked in as if returned the previous open date of the library.

Use Restrictions

• A patron must be 16 or older to check out CD-ROMs, DVDs and videocassettes unless a parent is present or the child presents a valid adult card for check-out.
• A patron must be 18 or over to check out AV equipment.     
• A patron must be 16 or have parent present to check out Interlibrary loan materials from outside SCLS.

Renewals

• Items may be renewed in person, online or over the telephone.
• Items may be renewed once.  If a special circumstance exists, then staff may allow a second renewal as long as the item has no holds.
• The automated system will block renewals of items with holds, items that have already been renewed, or if patron has fines over $10.00.

Hold Shelf

• Items will be held on the hold shelf for a maximum of 7 days. 
• Holds not picked up within 7 days will be re-shelved, returned to the owning library or passed on to the next hold as appropriate.
• Materials must be checked out before being removed from the library.
• The open hold shelves are intended to provide increased accessibility to patrons who wish to pick up their own holds.
• Library staff will make reasonable efforts to accommodate patrons who request that their materials not be placed on the open hold shelves.

Interlibrary Loan

• As a member of the South Central Library System, patrons may borrow available materials from other libraries within the system.
• Patrons may place holds online by using LINKcat.
• Upon request staff will place holds for the patron in person, or by phone.
• Items not available within SCLS may be available from other library systems.  ILL request forms are available at the circulation desk.  The Assistant Director will search for and place holds as necessary.
• An automated system notifies patrons when materials are available.
• SCLS delivery stops at the library Monday-Saturday except for holidays and bad weather. 

Circulation of Materials from Library Archives Off-Site

• The Library maintains a special collection in the Carnegie Building (Old Library) at 345 Vine St. 
• The Library Director will accept requests for certain items to be brought to the library to be used.
• This collection is not accessible to the general public however local historians may be granted access.  Requests to access the collections must be made to the Director in advance.

Overdue Library Materials

• Notification
• Overdue notices are generated by the Circulation system and printed at system headquarters.  The notices are sent to the Library to be verified before mailing. E-mail notices are sent directly from the automated system.
• First notice – states materials are overdue and should be returned
• Second notice – shows the replacement value of outstanding materials if items are not returned.
• The assistant director will attempt to notify the patron via telephone if mail notices have not resulted in return of materials.
• The assistant director will mail a theft notification letter to those patrons who are still delinquent.  This letter will alert the patron to Wisconsin Statute 943.61 regarding theft of library materials.
• Cases that involve more than $75.00 of lost materials on their record will be turned over to the police department for investigation if materials are not returned within 10 days of theft notification.
• Fines & Fees
• LINKcat records and displays each fine incurred by the patron.  The staff or self-check machine will inform the patron of current fines on their record at checkout and encourage payment. 
• When the patron has reached $3.00 in fines, check-out privileges are suspended.  (Self-check threshold is $10.00)
• Fines accrue based on the rules of the checkout library.
• Fine amounts for the Reedsburg Library are as follows:
• Children’s books and children’s audio materials are fine-free.
• Fines on most library materials are 10¢ per day, with no fines for days the library is closed.
• Fines for rental books are $. 30 per day.
• Maximum fine amount is $3.00 per item, per occurrence.
• The AV Equipment Policy governs fines for equipment.
• A $.50 charge is added to the patron’s record each time a notice is mailed.  This charge is in addition to fines accrued on the item(s).
• A $7.00 charge is added to the patron’s record if a theft notification letter is mailed.  Theft notice will be sent via registered mail.
• Damaged charges may include the repair or replacement cost as well as charges for the processing of the item(s).

Payments

• Fines and payments for lost or damaged materials may be paid at any South Central System Library or by mail.
• Payment for lost item(s) must be made to the owning library or libraries.
• Payment of fines is not required until fines reach $3.00.
• Partial payments may be made toward total fines at any time.

Refunds          

• When a patron pays for an item, and subsequently finds it, a refund may be given if the item is returned within six months of lost date. 
• To receive a refund the patron must return the item to a staff member at the circulation desk with the receipt provided at the time of payment.
• For return of materials owned by other libraries, staff will send the item, with the appropriate form showing possible refund to the owning library.  The owning library is responsible for any refund that is due. 
• Requests for refunds beyond six-months are at the discretion of the owning library’s director.

Special Rules and Circumstances

• Should a patron incur a large debt to the library due to loss of or damage to library materials through circumstances beyond the control of the patron (i.e. house fire, flood, car accident), the patron would still be responsible for the items.  It may be possible to provide assistance through a payment plan or other means to allow continued use of the library.  Such situations will be handled by the Library Director on a case-by-case basis.
• Situations not addressed by this policy or provided for within the LINK Circulation Manual will be handled at the discretion of the Library Director.

III. Confidentiality of Library Records

• The Board of trustees of the Reedsburg Public Library recognizes that the reading activity and interests of library users are and should be private and its protected under Wisconsin Statute 43.30 (1) which reads in part:

Public Library records. (1m) Records of any library which is in whole or in part supported by public funds, including the records of a public library system, indicating the identity of any individual who borrows or uses the library’s documents or other materials, resources or services may not be disclosed except by court order or to persons acting within the scope of their duties in the administration of the library or library system, to persons authorized by the individual to inspect such records, to custodial parents or guardians of children under the age of 16 under sub.(4), to libraries under subs. (2) and (3), or to law enforcement officers under sub. (5).

The Board interprets this document to include all transactions associated with the use of library materials including interlibrary loan hold shelf, records of reference questions, computer use and other documents or electronic records which would link the individual with particular materials or services.

• Library record inquiries by persons other than the cardholder require permission from the cardholder.  Permission requires a signed hold authorization form, or the library card of the patron inquired about.
• Disclosure of records to custodial parents or guardians of children under the age of 16 is permitted.
• It is the policy of the Library to contact legal counsel immediately and to resist the issuance or enforcement of any such process, order, or subpoena until such time as a proper showing of good cause has been made in a court of competent jurisdiction.  Requests for registration and circulation information by law enforcement officials should be referred to the Director.

• The above Wisconsin Law is overridden by the USA PATRIOT Act. (Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism).  Among other provisions, the USA PATRIOT Act: 1) authorizes the FBI, or any police department deputized by the FBI, to obtain a search warrant for “any tangible thing” which can include books, records, papers, floppy disks, data tapes and computers with hard drives. It permits the FBI to compel immediate production of records from a library including circulation, borrower registration, and   Internet usage records, without probable cause, (but with a search warrant), 2) prohibits a library employee who receives such a request under the law from talking with anyone, except an attorney about the request (search warrant from the Foreign Intelligence Act includes a “gag order”), 3) prohibits notification to a patron that his/her records have been requested, and 4) preempts and overrides all state laws declaring library records to be confidential. 

• Though we cannot guarantee complete privacy, the Reedsburg Public Library uses several measures to maintain the privacy of our patrons according to library policies: 
• The library does not keep any records relating to patrons that contain personally identifiable information, which are unnecessary to the efficient operation of the library.
• The library keeps records of Internet usage only long enough to get a circulation count. 
• The library system will not save online catalog searches, previous fine free loans, or Inter-library loan requests.

Library Hours: Monday - Thursday: 8:30 am to 8 pm Friday: 8:30 am to 5 pm Saturday: 9 am to 4 pm Sunday: Noon to 3pm Summer Hours: (Same except:) Saturday: 9 am to 1pm Sunday: Closed

Reedsburg Public Library 370 Vine Street Reedsburg WI 53959 (608) 768-READ (7323) Fax: (608) 524-9024 rplstf@scls.lib.wi.us