Purpose
The goal of the Griggs County Public Library is to have citizens use the collection as much as they need and want. To facilitate equitable access to circulating materials for all library users, the Griggs County Public Library does have specific loan periods for items in its collection. The public materials within the library building are for use by all citizens. The Library Board of Trustees has established the following policies whereby a person may borrow an item for use outside of the building for a set period of time.
Library Card
Library cards are issued free of charge to residents of Griggs County or those who own land in Griggs County. Proof of residence or land ownership and mailing address shall be required of all persons requesting a library card. Library patron or patron refers to anyone who holds a library card from the Griggs County Public Library.
All other persons who do not reside in Griggs County or own land in Griggs County will pay an annual fee established by the Library Board of Trustees.
Acceptance of a library card assumes that you will be responsible for charges for lost or damaged items checked out with your library card. No person may use another card without prior permission from the person. The permission may be by telephone to the library or in writing.
A person age 17 or younger must have a parent or guardian request a library card for them. The parent or guardian is responsible for the return or replacement of all materials checked out by the underage patron. The parent or guardian’s name is listed with the underage patron.
Transient residents must make a refundable deposit equal to the approximate replacement value for items borrowed from the library plus a non-refundable library card fee. Their name and permanent address must be recorded from a picture identification card.
Patron Types
The Library has established seven (7) patron types. The adult cardholder, non-resident family cardholder, and youth cardholders may borrow items as indicated in appendix B. They may ask to borrow materials from other libraries
- Adult: Any Griggs County resident or landowner age 18 and older.
- Non-resident: A family who is Non Griggs County resident or is not a landowner who pays a yearly fee for library card privileges.
- Youth: Any child of a Griggs County resident or a landowner age 17 and younger.
- Family: Any Griggs County resident or land owner age 18 and older and children. As a family this card holder may borrow double an individual card holder.
- E-Book patron: A person who requests a library card so he can have access to Library2Go. This card holder may not borrow items from the library or request material from another library.
- Suspended: Any patron whose card has been suspended for overdue books, lost or damaged items, or who demonstrate unacceptable behavior in the library.
- Inactive patron: any patron who has not borrowed an item from the library in the last two (2) years. After four (4) years the patron will be removed from the computer.
Confidentiality of Library Circulation Records
The Library Board of Trustees has established a policy to, as far as possible:
- Protect the privacy of any person who uses the library;
- Make no inquiry into the purposes for which a person requests information or material should be made;
- The library staff shall never, under any circumstances, answer to a third party about what a person is reading or calling for from the library’s collections.
Such information is privileged and if divulged would be an invasion of the person’s privacy. Records required in controlling the use of materials either on or off the premises of the library are for the sole purpose of protecting public property. Such records are not to be used directly or indirectly to identify the kinds of material used by an individual person, except insofar as the library may be helpful to such patron in finding what is needed.
Furthermore, it is the policy of the Library Board of Trustees never to yield any information about its patrons or their reading to any agency of government, whether local, state, or federal without an order from a court of competent jurisdiction. Any cost incurred by the library in any search through patron records under a court order shall be chargeable to the agency demanding such a search in accordance to the North Dakota Century Code Chapter 40-38-12.
Lending Periods
The library patron assumes the responsibility to return library items borrowed on or before the date the materials are due. If the patron has not returned the material on time, he/she has violated this policy and is subject to any charges or the revoking of their borrowing privileges.
A patron card is limited to 25 items and a family card is limited to 50 items.
See appendix B for loan periods by material type and the number of each material type that can be borrowed per card holder.
The following items may not be removed from the library:
Newspapers
Microfilm and microfiche
Historical file contents
Some reference materials
A patron may call, e-mail, use social media messaging, or stop at the circulation desk to renew materials. Special loans and renewals requests beyond those stated are allowed at the discretion of the librarians.
The Library Director may change the loan periods and renewal times as needed.
Returning items.
All items can be returned in either the book drop box or brought into the library and placed where indicated.
The following items must be returned in the building and placed where indicated:
- Kits;
- Items too large for the drop box slots;
- Items labeled “Do Not Put in Book Return Drop Box”.
Reserving Materials:
A patron may have up to 10 items on reserve at any given time. A patron may request materials be held for them by one of these five methods:
- In person in the library at the circulation desk;
- By phone;
- By email;
- Using their Atriuum account;
- Social media account message system.
After the request is received, the materials will be flagged by the staff on the computer and the patron will be notified when the item is available. The staff will phone and when possible email the patron that the requested material is available and how long it will be held. Requested materials will be held for seven (7) business days from notification date at which time the hold will be removed. The staff will note on the material who the item is for and the date they were contacted.
Requesting Materials From Other Libraries
Because the Library cannot have all materials that patrons may need, the Library will request material not available in the Library through the North Dakota State Library Interlibrary Loan program. The cost of this service will be partially funded by the service fees of set by the Library Director.
Overdue Notification
An overdue list is generated from the computer bi-monthly. Notices will be sent as follows:
- The first notice by email or phone if the patron doesn’t have email;
- Second notice of overdue materials mailed;
- The third notice mailed. Included in this notice will be a statement detailing the suspension of privileges. The overdue material will be listed as lost on the patron’s account.
Extreme cases of overdue items with replacement costs will be presented to the Library Board of Trustees for consideration.
Lost and Damaged Materials
Patrons will be billed for lost and damaged materials in the following manner:
- Fines for damaged materials will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
- Items are considered lost after 3 overdue notices.
- For materials that are in-print, the replacement fee will be the retail cost of replacement.
- For materials that are out-of-print, the replacement fee is based on the average retail cost of a comparable replacement.
- For a multi-part set (audio books, DVD box set, book set etc.) charges will be based on the retail cost of replacing the lost part, if it can be replaced individually; otherwise the charge will be the retail cost of replacing the entire set.
- Exchanges or replacement copies are not accepted unless it is an exact copy in new condition.
- Payment for lost or damaged items is non-refundable.
- The patron’s library services will be suspended until all lost and damaged material fee have been paid.
- Damage or lost equipment will be billed at repair or replacement cost plus a $5.00 service fee.
- The librarians have the right to waive or modify these assessments under extenuating circumstances.
Loss of Privileges
A patron may have their library privilege revoked for the following reason:
- Failure to return material.
- Failure to pay for lost or damaged material.
At the time of the suspended privileges, the Library Director will inform the patron in writing how their privileges can be reinstated.
A patron whose privileges have been suspended may appeal to the Library Board of Trustees if he or she desires.
Board of Trustee approved: 12/3/2020
Cooperstown, North Dakota 