General Policy Statement
Most materials are circulated for fourteen (14) days. Any patron having a valid library card may check out materials or use the resources of the Library. The Library only has late fees on wi-fi units ($1.00/day late) and Inter-Library Loan items ($1.00/day late). Once items have become fifty (50) days overdue, the overdue item will be charged to the patron’s account. If the patron’s account is $25.00 or greater, the patron is eligible to be submitted to the Collection Agency with a $10.00 submission fee added to the patron’s account.
The Library believes in fair and equitable access to our materials and as such the Library follows these circulation rules:
Total checkout limit for DVD’s is twenty-five (25) items per patron.
Total checkout limit for videogames is four (4) items per patron.
Total checkout limit for VoxBooks is three (3) items per patron.
Total checkout limit for wi-fi units is one (1) per household.
All other materials are ninety-nine (99) items per patron.
All print materials and audiobooks are only allowed five (5) renewals.
DVDs, videogames, and VoxBooks are only allowed two (2) renewals.
New Book Display items are only allowed one (1) renewal.
Total amount of holds is fifteen (15) per patron.
Employees may enforce limits on the number of items per subject that can be checked out per person or per family. Examples: science project books, holiday books, class assignments, term papers, easy books. If this happens, a note must be placed on the clipboard for all employees to see.
Lost Item Charge Policy
This policy serves as guidance for replacement of items in our collection that have been lost or damaged to the point of needing to be removed from our collection. The Culpeper County Library aims to pass on the cost of replacement to the borrower of said item, at the best possible price. The price listed for the original purchase may be higher or lower than the current price depending on the item needing replacement. Items that are replaced need to be the exact item that was lost or a newer edition of the
same item. The Technical Services Coordinator or the Director will have the final decision on what the replacement will be. See Appendix F for procedure and form.
Employees as Borrowers
The only way the public has to judge the service of a library is by the behavior of its employees. Only by developing and maintaining a reputation for reliability, integrity, and credibility can the Library continue to be seen as a viable, worthwhile service to the public. Libraries and their employee members hold a public trust to commit themselves to quality service that ensures the freedom of access to information and the free flow of that information. The following policy is a commitment to that trust.
Employees are governed by the same policies and procedures as the general public, except in the payment of late fines.
Employees will pay all of the same fees and fines relating to borrowing through the Inter-Library Loan system.
Employees are expected to follow all circulation policies and procedures, including but not limited to the prompt return of materials, especially items being requested by other patrons. Payment is expected for any item lost or damaged, or for an item that has not been returned and has reached the billing stage.
When paying for lost/damaged items, employees are charged the replacement cost, unless otherwise arranged.
Employees cannot override the circulation system. This includes the renewal of items. Employees must follow the renewal policy for the item checked out. Any item that is on reserve for another patron should be returned promptly by the due date.
Should an overdue reach the billing stage, the bill letter will be given to the Director. The Director will contact the employees directly and inform him/her that the overdue bill letter has been generated. Employees will have two (2) weeks from the date of the letter to either return the item or pay for it. Accommodations can be made to pay for the item on a scheduled payment plan. The scheduled payment plan must be reasonable and take into consideration any extenuating circumstances faced by the employee. Should the item not be returned or arrangements for payment not be made by the end of two (2) weeks, disciplinary action may be considered under Part D, Section VIII Standards of Conduct of the County of Culpeper Personnel Management Plan (p.47-50). To maintain confidentiality of Library employee records, arrangements for any payment should be made directly with the Director.
Should there be extenuating circumstances regarding the situations that need to be taken into account, it is the responsibility of the employee to make them known to the Director.
Employees are responsible for protecting the confidentiality of all borrowers, both public and employees. No borrower’s record should be accessed for any purpose other than assigned circulation work. Should employees receive inquiries by and agency regarding a patron’s library record, employees should refer them to the Library Director.
Holds
A hold item will be held for a patron for FIVE (5) working days only. After five (5) working days, that patron is placed at the bottom of the holds queue and the next patron in the queue is notified about the availability of the material. If a patron is notified of the availability of their hold and requests that their name be put at the bottom of the list, honor the request. If no other patron is on hold for the item, explain to the patron that the item will be returned to the shelf for circulation. All patrons will be phoned or e mailed (per patron request) concerning the arrival of their hold. Only those patrons having no phone number listed on their patron record will be sent a postcard. When calling to notify a patron that their hold has arrived, give the title of the item only if you are talking to the person for whom the book is hold. When mailing a postcard, do not include the title of the item on the postcard. A date must be included for when the item needs to be picked up by or it will go back into circulation or on to the next patron request.
The Library System's policy is to purchase one copy for every five (5) holds on a title.
Eligibility for a Culpeper County Library Card
Any resident and/or property owner of Culpeper County.
Any resident of Fauquier, Madison, Rappahannock, or Orange counties. Any resident served by the Jefferson Madison Regional Library, including the City of Charlottesville, the counties of Greene, Louisa, Nelson, and Albemarle. Since Jefferson Madison Regional Library allows any resident within the State of Virginia to obtain a card, there is no need for a formal reciprocal borrowing agreement. Any resident served by the Central Rappahannock Regional Library, which includes the counties of Spotsylvania, Stafford, Westmoreland, and the City of Fredericksburg. A formal reciprocal borrowing agreement was established between Culpeper County Library and Fauquier County Public Library in 1993 and with Central Rappahannock on March 31, 2000. This agreement allows residents of Fauquier County and Central Rappahannock to use the collections of Culpeper County and conversely Culpeper County to use the collections of Fauquier County Public Library and Central Rappahannock. Restrictions exist concerning placing interlibrary loans. Culpeper County residents are able to obtain library cards in the other surrounding counties through informal arrangements.
Any out-of-state resident with a verifiable local address who will be residing in Culpeper County for at least six weeks.
Any person employed in Culpeper County.
See Appendix E for forms.
The individual applying for a card must provide proof of name and address. The card may be mailed to them to verify their name and address, as stated below. Organizations may apply for a card. The Organization applying for a card is responsible for all items checked out on their card. Cards are good for three (3) years from date of registration and are made out to specific individuals, not families. Library cards are considered the property of the Culpeper County Library, and borrowing privileges may be suspended if the rules and regulations of the Culpeper County Library are not followed. The following guidelines should be followed for all applicants.
Children ten (10) years of age and under are designated as Juvenile. At eleven (11) years of age, the juvenile is changed to a Young Adult patron status. At eighteen (18) years of age, they will be changed to Adult patron status. Parents or legal guardians must sign any Juvenile or Young Adult registration form.
Any person eighteen (18) years or older who is a resident of the county or meets any of the criteria listed above is eligible for an adult library card. They must, however, provide proof of name and address.
The requirement of proof of name and address is fulfilled by a current identification card, such as Driver's License, State identification card, checkbook or any piece of mail that has been mailed to them and postmarked. If none of the above is available, the library will mail the card to the address given on the application.
Those patrons who have no verifiable address may check out two items. Once those two items are returned, two more items may be checked out.
Organziational Library Cards
If an organization requests a library card, an Application for Organizational Library Card must be completed and signed by the director/president of the organization and sent to the Library Director. Organizational memberships will be entered into the computer system by the Library Director.
Confidentiality of Library Records
The Culpeper County Library makes available a collection of print and audio-visual materials for the free and unrestricted use of the public. The use of the public library, the choice of materials, and the use of informational sources is properly the concern of the individual library patron. The Culpeper County Library will make every effort to see that this information remains confidential.
The Culpeper County Library will cooperate with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies investigating crimes for the purpose of criminal prosecution. The library patron's name, address, and telephone number will be provided when requested in regard to a particular item which is presented as evidence in prosecution (i.e., a book checked out from the Culpeper County Library is found at the scene of a crime). All information regarding use of library materials will be supplied only upon proper subpoena or court order.
Pursuant to Virginia Code § 2.2-3705.7(3), the Culpeper County Library will not provide individual patron information requested by any other citizens, organizations, or groups in regard to: 1) a particular item circulated by the library system, 2) circulation of materials
in a general subject area, 3) patron requests for general information available in library resource materials, or 4) library patron registration. All requests for information from any other citizens, organizations, or groups will be reported immediately the Library Director, or one of the Library Director’s designees, who will then immediately notify the office of the County Attorney, Culpeper County, Virginia. If the request is in the form of a subpoena or any other legal document, immediately notify the Library Director, or one of the Library Director’s designees, who will then immediately notify the County Attorney for Culpeper County, Virginia. Time is of the essence in notifying the County Attorney since responses to requests (VFOIA generally within five days, subpoenas in the time frame listed on the document) must be made in a very short amount of time to the requestor.
All library cards are considered the property of the Culpeper County Library.
Any patron who calls to check their patron activity or fines must verify their card number, address, phone number, birth date, and/or social security number. If correct information is cited, then give the patron the information.
The same applies for parents checking on their children's cards. If someone asks about a card other than his or her own, ask what relationship the questioner is to the patron about whose record he or she is inquiring. Only information regarding the card usage may be provided to the parent or guardian, but not identifying information including, but
not limited to address of the patron, unless proof of relationship is also provided (i.e. a court order or other documentation). If the questioner says that he or she is the legal guardian, ask the child's age. If age ten (10) or under, the information on the child’s card, as stated above, may be given to the legal guardian. The questioner must prove that they are the child’s legal guardian. If the child is age eleven to seventeen (11 – 17), any information on their record is confidential until the item(s) is overdue; then only the names of those materials that are overdue may be given to the parents/legal guardians. If over age eighteen (18), the patron is covered by confidentiality of library records.