POLICIES
Borrowing Policies
CIRCULATION REGULATIONS AND LOAN PERIODS
In conjunction with the eiNetwork Circulation and Standardization Committee recommendations, the following policies have been adopted.
A. BORROWING LIMITS:
- Each patron, regardless of age, may borrow per card:
a. Unlimited number of books b. 5 items of all other types
- Books: 3 weeks
- Books-on-Tape/CD: 3 weeks
- CD-ROM Games: 3 weeks
- Puppets: 3 weeks
- Magazines: 1 week
- Music CDs: 1 week
- Videos/DVD's running less than 6 hours -- 1 week
- Videos/DVD's running more than 6 hours -- 3 weeks
- Any item may be renewed two times unless there is an outstanding request for the title.
- Materials may be renewed in person, at any ACLA member library, by telephone, or online.
- Any circulating material in any ACLA member library may be placed on reserve with the exception of reference and non-request items.
- Requests can be made at the circulation desk, by telephone, or online.
- The patron will be contacted by telephone or e-mail when the item is available for pick up.
- Items will be held for 7 days.
- Library materials may be returned at the following places:
- Circulation desk
- Book Drops at the following locations.
- Wallace building: Open 24 hours a day.
- Baldwin Borough building
- Any ACLA member library.
- Fines for overdue items that belong to Baldwin Borough Public Library will be charged as follows:
- All Children's materials except Videos/DVD's: $.10/day
- All YA and Adult materials except Videos/DVD's: $.25/day
- All Videos/DVD's: $.50/day
- Overdue fines will not be charged on days when the library is closed.
- Patrons are notified by phone when item is overdue.
- If the materials are not returned, a bill is sent to the patron.
- If there is no response after a month, the overdue clerk then attempts to contact the patron by phone.
- After two weeks, if the item(s)are still not returned, a letter is sent to the patron outlining replacement costs.
- Borrowing privileges are suspended at all ACLA member libraries until the account is clear.
- A patron is considered delinquent if his/her fines exceed $10.00.
- Borrowing privileges will be suspended at all ACLA member libraries until the total fines are brought below $10.00.
- The maximum fine shall not exceed the current replacement cost of the item.
- For out of print items, the fine shall not exceed the current average cost of a similar item in the same format (hardback, paperback, DVD, etc.)
- The replacement cost for lost or damaged items is determined by using standard bibliographic sources.
- Baldwin Borough Public Library will NOT charge a processing fee for lost items.
- In accordance with Pennsylvania Act 1984-90, Section 428, records related to the circulation of library materials and other records identifying individual patrons or library usage will be considered confidential in nature and made available only by a court order in a criminal proceeding.
Updated November 2009
Policy accepted September 2009.
Borrowing Regulations
A. ELIGIBILITY
- Any resident of Allegheny County or any resident of Pennsylvania with a home library that participates in the ACCESS PA program is eligible for a library card.
- Only one library card is needed for use in any of the Allegheny County Library Association member libraries (see attached list).
- Adults must present a photo I.D. with a current mailing address or a photo I.D. with a utility bill that shows a current mailing address is needed to apply for a library card.
- Children ages 5-17 may also apply for a library card. A parent or guardian must present proper I.D., as outlined above, and provide a signature taking responsibility for items borrowed on the child's card.
- Library cards are issued at no charge to eligible patrons and are valid for three years.
- Library cards are renewed without charge upon verification of patron address and telephone number.
- Library cards may be used immediately upon registration.
- Replacement cards will be issued at a cost of $2.00 per card.
- Borrowers are responsible for the following:
- All library materials borrowed on their library card (regardless if materials were borrowed by the card holder or others)
- All overdue fines incurred on their library cards by themselves or others.
- The replacement cost of lost or damaged library materials.
- Reporting name and/or address changes to the library.
- Reporting lost or stolen library cards .
Updated April 2002.
Baldwin Borough Board of Directors Internet Policy
Baldwin Borough Public Library Internet and Computer Use Policy
PURPOSE: In response to advances in technology and the changing information needs of our community, the Baldwin Borough Public Library endeavors to develop collections, resources, and services that meet the personal, professional and educational needs of our community. It is within this context that the Baldwin Borough Public Library offers access to the Internet.
STATEMENT OF POLICY: The Internet is an unregulated global communication network and information resource with a highly diverse user population and information content. The library does not assume responsibility for the accuracy, quality, or timeliness of Internet information. As with all library materials, the determination of viability and usefulness of Internet information rest with the individual patron.
The library provides access to Internet resources equally to all library users and upholds and affirms the right of each individual to have access to constitutionally protected material. However, users need to be aware that obscenity and child pornography are not constitutionally protected. Internet computers shall not be used for any fraudulent or unlawful purpose, including any activity prohibited under any Federal, State or Local Law including activities in violation of 18 Pa Cons. Stat. Sec. 5903, which prohibits certain acts of public indecency.
A parent or legal guardian, not the library or its staff, is responsible for monitoring a child's use of the Internet and for the information selected and/or accessed by that child. The library strongly encourages parents or legal guardians to supervise their children's Internet use and to provide them with guidelines about acceptable use. While the library staff will work to provide a safe environment for children and uphold applicable laws, the library and its staff will not act in place of the parent.
Material on the Internet is copyrighted. It is the user's responsibility to be aware of any notices concerning the copyright of information and to respect the copyright laws of the United States.
CHILDREN'S INTERNET PROTECTION ACT (CIPA) COMPLIANCE
The Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) is a federal law that requires all computers in a public library to be filtered if that library accepts any federal funds for Internet access or computers used for Internet access. [Supreme Court decision: United States v. American Library Ass'n, Inc., No. 02-361 (June 23, 2003)] Baldwin Borough Library complies with the requirements of CIPA.
All computers in the Baldwin Borough Library are filtered. Please be aware that filters are unreliable, at times blocking sites of legitimate informational or educational value, or allowing access to sites that are illegal, obscene, or sexually explicit within the meaning of 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. Sec 5903.
The library uses filtering software that blocks or filters Internet access to some Internet sites that may not be consistent with the policy of Baldwin Borough Public Library. Any adult (17 years of age or older) may request that the filter or technology protection measure be disabled without significant delay by a library staff member authorized by the Library Director, consistent with the privacy policy of the Library.
An authorized staff member may override the filter or technology protection measure for a minor (age 16 years or younger) in the event that the filter wrongly blocks or filters Internet access to a site with legitimate informational value.
Baldwin Borough Public Library cannot be responsible for any patron's unauthorized use of a computer with a disabled filter.
COMPLAINT PROCEDURES
Any patron who wishes to file a written complaint concerning the filtering software on the library computers may do so within thirty (30) days of an incident to:
- The Library Director and/or the Library Board President
- The Director of the Electronic Information Network
- The Federal Communications Commission
See a library staff person for a complaint form.
Amended May 2004