Policies:

The Herington Public Library’s rules of conduct are intended to (1) protect the rights and safety of library users, (2) protect the rights and safety of staff members, and (3) preserve and protect the library’s materials, facilities and property.

Procedures for handling disruptive behavior and other prohibited conduct have been established, including calling local law enforcement when necessary. 

Repeat or severe offenders may be removed from the Library for a specified period of time and/or have their Library privileges suspended. Anyone wishing to appeal their exclusion may submit an appeal in writing to the Library Director and Board Members.

Conduct considered improper in the library includes, but is not limited to:

1. Alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs are not allowed in the Library or on the Library grounds.
2. Smoking is not allowed in the Library or within 50 feet of the Library entrances.
3. Food and drink are not allowed at or near computer terminals and workstations.
4. Animals are not allowed in the Library, except for those needed to assist a patron with a disability or for use in a Library-sponsored program that has been authorized by the Library Director. Animals may not be tethered at or near the Library entrances or on the Library grounds.
5. Photography, videography and any other recording in the Library or on the Library grounds must immediately cease upon request of a Library staff member.
6. Behavior disruptive to Library users or staff is not allowed.
7. Offensive odor is not allowed in the Library.
8. Intoxication is not allowed in the Library or on the Library grounds.
9. Offensive, threatening, harassing or abusive language or gestures are not allowed in the Library or on the Library grounds.
10. Soliciting or panhandling is not allowed in the Library or on the Library grounds.
11. Shoes and shirts must be worn in the Library.
12. Relocating furniture is not allowed in the Library by patrons.
13. Prolonged or chronic sleeping is not allowed in the Library or on the Library grounds.
14. Skateboarding, rollerblading and bicycling are not allowed in the Library or on the Library grounds, with the exception of transportation to and from the Library. Bicycles may not be brought into the Library.
15. Privileges may be limited or a permanent ban may be issued for repeated disregard for library behavioral guidelines, damaging Library property, stealing Library materials, or disobeying the direction of a Library staff member.
16. Physical assault or the threat of violence directed toward Library users or staff will result in a permanent ban.
17. Violation of certain provisions of this Code of Behavior may result in criminal prosecution.

~ Adopted on 4-9-2013 (Shelly Wirtz, Director)

~ Revised on 7-14-2015 (Shelly Wirtz, Director)

   ~ Reviewed on 2-14-2017, 2-11-2020, & 2-8-2022 – (Shelly Wirtz, Director)

Policy Statement:

A Herington Public Library account is required to borrow materials from the library. Library accounts are issued to help the library maintain accountability of library resources and make them available to the public.

Definitions:

An account is a record of each customer including their personal information, items checked out, on hold, associated fines or fees, requests, and other information that allows full use of library services and maintains customer accountability.

A block is a note or message associated with customer accounts. Blocks may include special messages added by staff or automatically generated blocks that indicate fines or fees are due, items are overdue or other circumstances that may affect the use of service.

Regulations:

1. Registration

A free library account is issued to anyone who fills out a library card registration form and presents proof of identification and current address. Minors under 14 years of age must have a parent or legal guardian sign the library card registration form. A parent or legal guardian’s identification maybe used for minors. A parent or legal guardian has legal responsibility for his or her child’s use of the library.

Identification should include:

1. Photographic identification, such as a valid driver’s license, passport, valid student I.D., valid military I.D. Card
2. Proof of current street address, such as recently postmarked mail, checks, rent receipt, driver’s license, etc.

Library accounts are required for use of library resources to protect the customer and the library from fraud or misuse of their accounts.

Library users may only have one active Herington Public Library account.

2. User Responsibilities

* Customers are responsible for all materials borrowed or services used with their account.

* Customers are responsible for making sure their personal information is current by informing library staff. Changes of address should be reported promptly, in person at the library, with proper identification.

* Customers should promptly pay all charges for overdue, lost or damaged material.

3. Account Login

Customer may access certain information about their library account through the public access catalog. This requires username and password. By default the customer’s username is their account number. Password is set to “userpass”. Customers should establish a new password to guarantee privacy. The library’s public access catalog instructs customers how to change their password.

4. Closing an Account

A customer may ask the library to delete his or her account from the library’s system. All items on the account must be returned. No fines or fees may be on the account. If the customer cannot come to the library to close their account, they should mail a letter requesting the account be deleted.

5. Confidentiality of Library Account.

Personal information or information about the materials a person has checked out on his or her card will not be given out by staff without a library account.

6. Suspension of Borrowing Privileges

A customer’s borrowing privileges will be suspended when there is $10.00 or more in fines or fees or lost materials on the account.

When fines are paid and/or lost items are returned, borrowing privileges are reinstated immediately.

Note: Exception to Customer Account Policy is at the discretion of the librarian.

~ Adopted on 6-10-14 (Shelly Wirtz, Director)

~ Revised on 9-8-15 & 3-15-17 (Shelly Wirtz, Director)

~ Reviewed on 2-11-2020 & 2-8-2022 – (Shelly Wirtz, Director)

Policy Statement:

The library allows customers with a valid Herington Public Library Account in good standing to check out circulating materials for a defined period of time. The library establishes loan periods and limits on items in the library’s collection in order to balance user needs and demands.

Regulations:

Loan Periods and Limits:

Loan periods and limits may vary on different types of items based on popular demand and the number of items the library has in its collection.

Current loan periods, Limits and renewal options for materials are:

Note:

• Longer checkout times & limits may be given upon request at the discretion of the librarian.

Renewals:

* Most circulating materials may be renewed twice. The renewal period is the same as the original loan period from the date the item is renewed.

* Items may be renewed by telephone or through the library’s online catalog.

* Items reserved for other customers may not be renewed.

* Overdue charges that have accrued up until the time of renewal are charged to the account.

Lost items may not be renewed.

Overdue Items:

* Overdue materials may be renewed if patron request that. Patron will be called about overdue items once they are one week overdue. Any materials with a two week overdue time will be sent a letter to inform patron that items must be returned in 30 days or their account will be charged for the amount the items cost.

Reserved Materials:

* Patrons may reserve materials in circulation but unavailable at time of request.

Patrons will be notified when the material becomes available and will be held for one week following notification.

Reference Materials:

* Reference materials do not circulate. Rare exceptions may be granted at the discretion of the librarian to loan materials for a few hours, overnight or a week at the most. Consideration may be given based according to demand, cost of the item and availability.

Note: Exceptions to Lending Policy are at the discretion of the librarian.

~ Adopted on 11-4-14 (Shelly Wirtz, Director)

~ Revised on 9-8-15 & 3-14-17 (Shelly Wirtz, Director)

~ Reviewed on 3-10-2020 &  3-8-2022 (Shelly Wirtz, Director)

Policy Statement:

The Herington Public Library provides interlibrary loan service to enhance and extend resources available to its users. Because the library cannot purchase or subscribe to every useful resource, interlibrary loan is an essential service to meet the informational needs of the community.

Definition:

ILL is a cooperative service agreement between libraries to lend or borrow materials in order to fill borrower requests.

Regulations:

Borrowing Materials from Other Libraries:

1. The interlibrary loan service is available to all HPL cardholders with accounts in good standing. (Less than $10.00 in fines or fees)
2. There are no restrictions on the type of materials borrowers may request. The library will attempt to locate books, articles, videos, etc. Interlibrary loan request are not made for items that are in HPL’s collection, unless the item is lost, more than 30 days overdue, or missing for over 30 days.
3. Generally there are no fees or charges for borrowing materials through interlibrary loan within the state of Kansas. The lending library may charge borrowers with a fee for postage, handling or photocopies.
4. There is a five item limit on how many items a borrower can have out at one time through interlibrary loan. Overdue charges of five cents a day are charged for interlibrary loan materials for a maximum of $2.00.
5. Borrowers are responsible for damage done to interlibrary loan material while in their possession. Fines for damage or replacement cost are assessed by the lending library. Fines for interlibrary loan items that are damaged by borrowers are determined by lending library. The HPL communicates charges to the borrower, takes payment of the fine and pays the lending library for the damages. The interlibrary loan librarian notifies borrowers of damage fines and fees by phone or mail.

Lending Materials to Other Libraries:

1. HPL does not lend magazines, non-circulating reference materials, book discussion kits, or any item that is irreplaceable through interlibrary loan. Popular, high demand items needed to fill demand of Herington’s borrowers are not loaned.
2. The loan period for interlibrary loan items is three weeks from the date that item is checked out to the borrowing library. Most items may be renewed unless there is a hold on that item.
3. HPL does not charge fees for items sent to other libraries on interlibrary loan, including overdue fees. The first ten pages of photocopies provided to other library through interlibrary loan are free, with a fee of five cents per page thereafter.
4. Borrowing libraries are charged for the list costs of items that are returned damaged and beyond use or repair. There is no charge for minor damage that can be repaired or minor wear and tear. Borrowing libraries will be billed for items that are lost and not returned. Libraries with outstanding fess for lost or damaged items may be denied interlibrary loan privileges.

~ Adopted on 6-10-14 (Shelly Wirtz, Director)

~ Reviewed on 4-11-2017, 3-10-2020, & 3-8-2022 (Shelly Wirtz, Director)

1. Materials:

* The Herington Public Library accepts donations of new or used books, DVDs, audio books, and music CDs, equipment, etc., as outlined below:

* Donations are accepted with the understanding that the Library retains unconditional ownership and makes the final decision on the materials’ acceptance, use, or disposition.

* Donations will be added to the collection if they meet the same criteria required of purchased materials. Library staff will make the final decisions on placement of donated materials following an established procedure. No final decision can be made at the time of the donation.

* Donated items that do not meet established criteria for placement in the collection will not be returned to the donor but may be sold, given to another library or organization, sold online, disposed of as trash, or recycled.

* Library Staff has the right to refuse or retain any donated materials.

* Materials must be in good, useable condition. Books that may be unacceptable and will be disposed of immediately are those that are water damaged, contain mildew or mold, are severely worn, yellowed, and musty, are handwritten, contain highlighting or other markings, strong smoke smell, or have no sale potential.

* Materials that will not be accepted, include, but may not be limited to:

Textbooks

Magazines

Encyclopedias

Series or sets of books (older than 10 years, such as, but not limited to, Reader’s Digest publications, Time-Life, Child craft, etc.)

Damaged DVDs, music CDs, audio books, etc.

* Donations must be delivered to the Library in boxes or bags that can be easily lifted and carried.

* Library Staff is unable to appraise donations for tax purposes by authority of Internal Revenue Service publication #561 which states that an excluded qualified appraiser is “the donor of the property”.

* A receipt acknowledging the number and format of the donated materials received can be provided upon request. (See forms sections F I.)

* A donor’s name will be added to a plaque for materials donated which when added to the collection are valued at 100 dollars or more.

1. Monetary:

* If a monetary donation is of $100 or more the donor’s name will be added to a plaque.

~ Adopted on 4-8-14, (Shelly Wirtz, Director)

~ Reviewed on 4-11-2017 (Shelly Wirtz, Director)

~ Revised on 4-9-2019 (Shelly Wirtz, Director)

~ Reviewed on 3-8-2022

Patrons are expected to be familiar with the Herington Public Library’s Internet Access Policy.

The Library reserves the right to terminate an Internet session.

Internet Access Policy:

General Mission:

In response to advances in technology and the changing information needs of the community, the Herington Public Library offers public access to the internet. The internet is a vast global electronic network that provides access to information of every kind. The internet is a key resource in supporting the mission of libraries to provide information and ideas of all types to all users.

Quality of Information, Privacy Issues, Access to Controversial Sites:

Users need to be aware that not all sources on the internet provide accurate, complete, or current information. Users need to be good information consumers, questioning the validity of the information they find. As users access sites on the internet, they should be aware that what information they send to internet sites may be used by companies or individuals for statistical purposes, mailing lists, or for more questionable and dangerous activities. If a user sends personal information via the internet, the Herington Public Library cannot control its use or distribution.

The library has no control over the information on the internet and cannot be held responsible for its content. While much information on the internet can be valuable, some internet information may be offensive, disturbing, or illegal. Filtered search engines (which are not under control of the library) may restrict access to sites which could be considered objectionable, but may also limit access to sites which have legitimate research value. No filtering system is completely effective or efficient. Filters can be bypassed at the discretion of the librarian.

Privacy and Confidentiality:

The Herington Public Library does not monitor an individual’s use of any sites except when material displayed on the screen is not appropriate in a public environment and other users’ sensibilities are violated. Patrons use the internet at their own discretion.

In general, the library will treat information concerning computer use as confidential. Requests for disclosure of information regarding an individual’s computer use will be honored only if approved by authorized staff, when agreed to by the library patron, or when required by local, state, or federal law.

User Responsibilities:

Users must comply with the United States copyright law, Kansas obscenity statues, and all other applicable laws. To access computers in the library users must agree to:

* Not access, create or display information that is obscene as defined by Kansas law (KSA 21 4301) (KSA 21 4301C)

* Not disclose or disseminate personal information that could threaten or create vulnerability for any person or the library

* Not use library computers for any illegal or criminal use

* Respect the legal protection provided by copyright and license to programs and data (US Code Title 17)

* Not tamper with computer hardware and/or software or attempt to gain unauthorized access to any data or computer network

* Respect other users’ privacy and rights

The library reserves the right to terminate an internet session at any time. Staff is authorized to take immediate action to protect the security of computers and the network and to ensure the fair and reasonable use of internet resources. This includes confiscating disks, requiring a user to leave the computer or the library, and/or the contacting of law enforcement authorities. Misuse of the computer or internet access will result in the loss of computer privileges. (See forms sections F II.)

Guidelines for Internet Access:

Age Limits and Parental Supervision:

There is no age limit for patrons. Parents/guardians who have children under the age of 18 are responsible for their children’s usage on the internet. The library is not held responsible for this.

Time Limits:

Internet access will be available, subject to periodic maintenance, during the library’s regular hours. Users must sign in at the front desk before using the library’s public access computers. Use of the public access computers will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. No telephone reservations will be taken. Those using the public access computers will agree, as a condition of use, that they have a 30 minute time limit. If another patron is waiting for a computer after 30 minutes, the patron will be informed that their time is up. If no patrons are waiting for a computer, patrons can stay on for another 30 minutes.

The user must end his/her session and leave the terminal when asked to do so by authorize library staff.

Food or Drink:

Food and/or drink are not allowed in the computer area. Any food or drink items must be left at the circulation desk.

Number of Users Allowed at Computer Terminals:

No more than two patrons are allowed per computer unless library staff grants permission for more than two users at the terminal.

Monitoring of Children:

Adults using computer resources are responsible for the behavior of any children accompanying them. It is not the responsibility of library staff to monitor the children of patrons who are using the computers.

Downloading Files:

Patrons must ask a library staff member if they wish to save files.

Printing:

Patrons will be charged for copies printed in both black and white and colored.

Staff Assistance:

Library staff will be available to assist the user in accessing the internet. The staff may be able to offer searching suggestions and answer questions; however, the staff cannot provide in-depth training or assistance with technical problems. There are tutorials available on the computers to help users learn more about using the features and programs on the computers.

~ Revised 10-8-2015 (Shelly Wirtz, Director)

~ Revised on 6-16-2017 (Shelly Wirtz, Director)

~ Reviewed on 6-9-2020 & 4-12-2022 (Shelly Wirtz, Director)

RULES FOR COMPUTER USERS:

(Effective January 2017)

1. Please leave all food and drinks at the checkout desk.
2. Please sign up for a time slot for computer users. The sign-up sheet is by the printer by the checkout desk.
3. There is a 30 minute time limit for computer use if others are waiting for the computer.

EXCEPTION:

4. Patrons using computers to work on employment, school, or other scholastic research take precedence over game playing.
5. There is a limit of two persons per computer.
6. Computer copies are 15 cents per page for black & white, 25 cents per page for color. Please pay the librarian for your copies you print.
7. Please respect the computer users who are seated next to you. Keep your conversations reasonably quiet.
8. The librarian on duty has the authority to end a computer session at any time.
9. Failure to comply with these rules can result in the loss of computer privileges in the library.

~ Reviewed on 7-8-14 (Shelly Wirtz, Director)

~ Revised on 6-16-2017 (Shelly Wirtz, Director)

~ Reviewed on 6-9-2020 & 4-12-2022 (Shelly Wirtz, Director)