Morrill Public Library
How Do I...Policies

Your Library Card

Erin Verbick

 

Your card allows you to check out materials from our Library and all of the Northeast Kansas Library System libraries. The collection includes books, DVDs, audiobooks, magazines, and much more. Library cards are free, but we charge $1.00 to replace a lost card.

If you’d like to fill out an application for a library card before you come in, download the one for adults here and the one for patrons under 18 years old here. For patrons under 18 years old, a parent/guardian must sign the application in person.

 

Circulation Policy

The Morrill Public Library is a member of Next, a joint service of the Northeast Kansas Library System and 50+ other member libraries. Anyone may borrow from the library freely and without charge.

Library Cards

Borrowers will be issued a library card after providing name, phone number, and a reference. Proof of current address is required. An alternate contact with accompanying information is required (e.g. work, family, friends). Children under 18 years of age must have a parent or guardian sign the application. In order to create a library experience, children must be at least first grade age and present to sign their card in order to obtain a card.

Unless otherwise noted, library cards are bearer cards and may be used occasionally by those trusted by the cardholder. They must have the card present to check out. It is responsibility of the cardholder to maintain the card, pay for any materials replacement charges for items borrowed on the card, and to report a lost card.

All library cards expire after one year, but can be renewed by library staff upon the expiration date.

Library cards will not be denied or abridged because of religious, racial, social, economic, or political status; or because of mental, emotional, or physical condition; age; or sexual orientation.

Loan Periods, Renewals, and Loan Limits

  • Three (3) weeks for books and audiobooks.
  • One (1) week for DVDs and magazines.
    • All DVDs and all magazines are loaned for 1 week. There is a limit of 4 DVDs checked out at one time per card. DVDs may only be borrowed by the patron whose name is attached to the card (i.e. they must be present). Friends and family members may not check out DVDs on another patron’s card even if they have it in their possession.
  • Interlibrary loan materials will follow this library’s loan periods, unless a special circumstance by the lending library dictates otherwise.
  • All materials may be renewed twice if there is not a waiting list for the item. Items may be renewed by phone, email or in person.
  • The library director may establish special loan periods for unique situations, for example for a group book club.
  • Patrons are encouraged to borrow materials that meet their needs. Limitations are placed on selected media formats. Non-circulating items in the library include materials marked reference, microfilm, newspapers, current issues of magazines, and rare or historically valuable books.
  • Patrons are encouraged to use the online patron catalog to renew and reserve library materials.

Inter-library Loan/Reserves

Materials that are not available locally through Next may be borrowed from other libraries upon request by patrons with current library cards. Any fees imposed by the lending library will be the responsibility of the patron borrowing the material.

Reserves may be placed by patrons in person, over the phone, or by email. Patrons will be notified by telephone or email when the materials are available. The patron may decide which contact method is preferable. There is no charge to the patron for placing a reserve or for inter-library loan services.

Restricted patrons may not reserve items until his/her restriction has been removed by either paying for lost/damaged items and/or returning overdue items.

Once reserved items are received at the library, they will remain onsite for check-out for seven (7) calendar days. If the item is not picked up by the patron within seven days, the item will be returned to the lending library or sent to next patron on the reserve list. Reserved items waiting at the library may be picked up on behalf of other patrons if arrangements have been made and at the discretion of library staff.

Returning Library Materials

An outside book drop is available to patrons. Charges are not assessed for overdue items. Lost or damaged materials are the responsibility of the borrower. The library will assess replacement costs and the borrower will be restricted until those costs are paid. The library upholds KSA 21-5804 that states:

[T]he object of the alleged theft is a book or other material borrowed from a library, it shall be prima facie evidence of intent to permanently deprive the owner of the possession, use or benefit thereof if the defendant failed to return such book or material within 30 days after receiving notice from the library requesting its return.

The library director shall determine when the patron will be notified of KSA 21-5804. Initiation of prosecution is the responsibility of the Board of Trustees.

Claims Returned or Claims Never Had

When a patron claims to have returned an item that is still on his/her account or if a patron claims he/she never had an item showing as checked out on his/her account, library staff shall politely ask the patron to recheck for the item at home. Library staff should also indicate to the patron that we will look for the item at the library to see if it is perhaps here, but not checked in properly.

If the patron has left and library staff finds the missing item in the library, library staff should contact the patron to let him/her know.

The library director should be notified of difficult situations. The library director will use his/her discretion on how to handle the situation, i.e. charge for the item or forgive the item.

Lost or Damaged Materials

If a patron loses materials checked out on his/her card, the patron will be responsible for the replacement costs of those items.

If materials are damaged so as to be judged by the library as being unsuitable for the placement back into the collection, the patron must pay the replacement costs. The library will see to the final disposition of the damaged materials, and the damaged materials will not be provided to the patron once payment has been received.

The library will do its best to obtain the most accurate replacement cost to the lost or damaged materials and provide that information to the patron. However, the replacement cost is to be determined by the library and will not be negotiated.

Sometimes patrons wish to replace lost or damaged materials on their own and provide the new material to the library. Only through arrangement with the library director can replacement materials from patrons be deemed acceptable. The library director retains the right to reject replacement materials and require payment for the lost or damaged items.

Generally, if a patron finds a lost item after payment to the library has been already been made, the library will not accept the returned material or refund the payment made. The patron may keep the material since s/he has already made the appropriate payment for it. The final decision in such matters is reserved for the library director.

Items that have been borrowed from another library that are lost or damaged shall follow the above procedures with the following exceptions:

  • Library staff will contact the lending library for replacement costs.
    • Any money collected for lost or damaged items shall be forwarded by the library director to the lending library.

Overdue Materials and Restricted Patrons

After an item is overdue by 30 days, the patron’s library card will be restricted systematically. The library staff shall monitor overdue item reports and contact patrons by letter to make notice of overdue items. After an appropriate time period has passed, which is determined by the library director, an invoice for overdue items will be sent to the patron.

If the patron is a minor, the invoice shall be sent to the minor’s guarantor, who should be recorded in the Next system. Once an invoice has been sent to a minor, the library staff should place a manual restriction and note on the guarantor’s library account (if one exists) until the items have been returned or appropriate payment has been made. Consideration to restricting other minors of the guarantor should also be considered at that time.

Next Consortium Policies

The Morrill Public Library shall abide by any approved policies set forth by participation in the Next consortium, which is administered by the Northeast Kansas Library System (NEKLS). A few of the primary policies are listed below:

  • Any Next library patron may pay fines at any participating Next library. In such situations, it is the policy of the Next consortium that the collecting library shall retain fines.
  • Any Next library patron may pay for lost or damaged items at any participating Next library; the collecting library shall be responsible for returning the money to the owning library for lost or damaged items.
  • It is up to the owning library for invoicing other libraries for lost or damaged items. If a library receives an invoice, they must pay. Any compromises are up to the discretion of the owning library.

The Morrill Public Library shall not remove any restrictions in the Next system for non-Hiawatha patrons unless all fines have been paid.

Borrowing Materials by Library Board and Staff

The same borrowing privileges and patron policies will apply to the library board and staff.