Library Policies:
Mission Statement
Borrowing Privileges
Computer Use Regulations
Confidentiality of Library Records
Fine Payments
Internet Usage
Loan Periods
Membership
Minor Patrons
Patron Behavior Policy
Reciprocal Borrowing Agreement
Volunteer
Mission Statement
The mission of the Warren County Library is to provide high quality, cost-effective, modern library services to all qualified residents of Warren County. Library services are planned in accordance with the identified needs of the residents and are provided equally and without discrimination to all qualified residents who adhere to the Library policies.
Goals and Objectives:
In order to fulfill its Mission Statement, the Warren County Library serves as:
1. Educational support center for students of all ages
2. Discovery and learning center for pre-school children
3. Learning center for adult independent learners
4. Center for information about the community
5. Center for scholars and researchers to undertake limited research
6. Recreational reading center of popular materials
7. Information center for community businesses
8. Comfortable quiet place to read, think, or work while using Library resources
9. Community activities center (where facilities exist)
10. General information center for community residents
Return to top
To receive your Warren County Library Card, you must present a valid form of identification and complete a registration form.
RESIDENTS of Warren County's 17 townships are eligible to receive a free card. Then they may borrow materials from the library's Headquarters in Belvidere, the Catherine Dickson Hofman Branch in Blairstown, the Franklin Branch in Franklin Township, the Northeast Branch in Independence Township, and the Phillipsburg Free Public Library in Phillipsburg.
CHILDREN may get their own library card when they are able to print or write their first and last names on the application form.
NON-RESIDENTS must pay the following fees to receive a library card:
- 3 months = $37.50
- 6 months = $75.00
- 9 months = $112.50
- 12 months = $150.00
NON-RESIDENT TAXPAYERS who own property in Warren County's 17 townships and pay taxes to the library are eligible to receive a free card.
Return to top
- You may borrow up to 50 items per card. The library reserves the right to place limits on circulating materials because of high demand.
- Library materials may be returned to any Warren County Library agency regardless of where the materials are borrowed.
- Bookdrops are provided at each agency for the return of all library materials except videos and any CD product. A $1.00 fine will be charged for any video cassette or CD product left in the bookdrop.
- New Jersey law and Warren County Library policies ensure that all of your library transactions are kept confidential. Therefore, if you want another person to pick up an item for you at the library, please remember that you must give them your library card. In this way, the library staff will know that you have authorized that person to retrieve your materials.
Return to top
- Books circulate for 4 weeks and high demand books for 2 weeks.
- Audio cassette books and books on CD circulate for 4 weeks, and 10 titles may be checked out per card.
- Music CDs circulate for 4 weeks and 10 titles may be checked out per card.
- CD-ROMs circulate for 4 weeks and 10 titles may be checked out per adult card.
- Magazines that circulate may be borrowed for 4 weeks.
- Videos and DVDs: a combination of 10 may be taken out per adult card. All juvenile, entertainment, and instructional (non-fiction) videos and DVDs circulate for 7 days. A $1.00 per day fine will be charged for each overdue video or DVD.
- Video Games circulate for 4 weeks, and 10 titles may be checked out per adult card. A $1.00 per day fine will be charged for each overdue video game.
- Leapfrog Platforms and Books: Platforms circulate for 4 weeks, with no limit on the number of platforms that may be borrowed. Leapfrog books circulate for 4 weeks and 10 may be taken out per adult or juvenile card. A $1.00 per day fine will be charged for each overdue Leapfrog platform.
- Circulating materials may be placed on reserve.
- All circulating materials may be renewed for 2 additional periods if they are not on reserve. Materials may not be renewed by phone.
Revised: 6/24/08
Return to top
- Service will be stopped for any patrons who owe the library money in the amount of $20.00 or more.
- Once patrons owe money in an amount less than $20.00, they may start borrowing again provided that each time they come in to borrow, they pay at least ½ of the total they owe.
- Once patrons owe $1.00 or less, they must pay the whole amount in order to have their services restored.
- This policy will go into effect August 11, 2008.
Adopted by the Library Commission 6/24/08
Return to top
Confidentiality of Library Records
All information regarding a borrower's use of library materials is confidential. This includes such information as ownership of a library card, when or if the card was used, what items were borrowed or used in the library, what reference questions were asked, what reserve items were requested or any other information relating the borrower's library usage.
If a properly executed court order is presented, an authorized employee can divulge confidential library information to a law enforcement agent.
Such information is considered confidential in accordance with American Library and New Jersey State Library resolutions and N.J.S.A. 18A: 73-43.1 to 18A: 73-43.3.
Return to top
To allow all patrons of the Warren County Library to use its facilities to the fullest extent during regularly scheduled hours, the Library Commission has adopted the following rules and regulations:
PATRONS SHALL:
*Engage in activities associated with the use of a public library.
Patrons not reading, studying, or using library materials may be required to leave the building.
*Respect the rights of other patrons.
Patrons shall not harass or annoy others through noisy or boisterous activities, by staring at another person with the intent to annoy that person, by following another person around the building with the intent to annoy that person, by playing audio equipment so that others can hear it, by singing or talking loudly to others or in monologues, or by behaving in a manner which can be reasonably expected to disturb others.
PATRONS SHALL NOT:
*Consume food or beverages, smoke or use tobacco or tobacco products in the library.
*Be under the influence of alcohol or drugs in the library.
*Engage in any illegal activity while in the library building.
*Interfere with the use of the library by other patrons, or interfere with library employees' performance of their duties.
*Deface or mar library materials.
Books, magazines, newspapers, recordings or other items of the library collection, nor shall they deface, mar or in any way destroy or damage library furnishings, walls, machines, or other library property.
*Enter the building without shoes.
Patrons must wear shoes or other footwear. Patrons whose bodily hygiene is offensive so as to constitute a nuisance to their patrons or employees may be required to leave the building.
*Bring pets or animals into the library.
(Other than guide dogs for the visually impaired)
Each patron shall be responsible for any fines, fees, or other charges due in accordance with the library's standard schedules. Failure to pay these fines will result in the suspension of borrowing privileges.
Any materials removed from the library must be checked out on a valid library card or through other standard library procedures such as interlibrary loan.
Any patron not abiding by these or other rules and regulations of the library may be required to leave the library premises. Library employees may contact the police if deemed advisable.
Any patron who violates these rules and regulations may be denied the privilege of access to the library by the Library Commission on the recommendation of the Library Director. A patron whose privileges have been denied may have the decision reviewed by the Library Commission.
Amended per minutes from 2/16/06 meeting of the Warren County Library Commission:
"When a patron violates our current Patron Behavior Policy we warn them and if their behavior continues, we ask them to leave the premises for 24 hours. Staff will keep a list with the patron name, date, approximate time of the incident, as well as a brief description of the incident. If the patron violates the policy a second time, they are also banned for 24 hours. The third time a patron violates our policy, they will be banned from that facility for a three-month period. At the time of the first violation, the patron will be informed about the "three-strike" rule."
Return to top
The Free Public Library of Warren County is concerned for the safety and well being of children left unattended in the library. We urge parents to remember that the library is a public building, and it is not in the child's best interest to be left unattended. The library has implemented the following policy for the safety of all children visiting the library:
- Children under the age of 6 years must be accompanied by an adult
caregiver (age 13 or over) at all times while in the library.
- Children 6-8 years of age must have an adult caregiver (age 13 or
over) present in the library.
- Children aged 9-12 may be left alone in the library for reasonable
periods of time, but parents are responsible for their behavior and will
be contacted if necessary. (Reasonable periods of time may vary with
child's maturity, but generally 2 hours is acceptable.)
- Children 13 and over may be in the library without an adult. Should
problems arise, the library may ask the child to leave or contact a
parent.
If problems arise while children are using the library or if they are left alone, the library staff will attempt to contact the parents. If the library staff is unable to reach the parents or guardian, other appropriate action will be taken. Parents are required to be at the library before closing to pick up children.
Definitions
An unattended child is any child under the age of 9 who is in the library unaccompanied by a parent or responsible caregiver (age 13 or over), or whose parent or responsible caregiver is not present in the library, as the case may be. An unattended child shall also include any child between the ages of 9 and 12 who is left unattended for an unreasonable period of time, as the case may be.
A vulnerable child is any child who would be at risk if sent out of the library building.
Parents, not library staff, are responsible for the behavior of the children using the library.
Adopted by the WCL Commission 4/20/00.
Return to top
The Warren County Library encourages the teamwork of staff and volunteers so that it can offer patrons the best service possible. Volunteers do not replace paid staff as the need arises, but do support and extend the services of the Library, as they contribute unique talents, skills, and knowledge. Volunteers provide enhanced service levels to patrons and educate others about the Library and its mission. The Warren County Library is committed to providing an array of volunteer opportunities at all levels of the library system and the best possible use of volunteer resources in order to offer quality library service from all of its agencies and programs.
The Warren County Library is in agreement with the Principles for Success as adapted by the Library Administration Division of the American Library Association. Specifically, the Library's volunteer program will include the elements of effective recruitment, selection, training, supervision, evaluation and recognition.
Volunteers will be placed, based on their qualifications and the needs of the library, without regard to sex, age, religious beliefs, and other protected categories under New Jersey and Federal Law.
While volunteers may be accepted who are under the age of eighteen years, they must have the written consent of a parent or guardian.
Volunteers will be trained and are expected to know the various laws and policies that affect their work within the Library.
The Library will assign a staff member to act as a volunteer coordinator in working with the various team leaders.
Return to top
- The number of library computers available for public use are limited and must be shared. Therefore, there will be a 1/2 hour time limit placed on their use when others are waiting.
- Usage of the library's computers will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Should a conflict in use arise between library members and non-members, priority will be given to the library member. Non-members may purchase a library card to qualify as a library member.
- While the library's public access computers may be used free of charge, there will be a 10 cents per page charge for any black and white printouts and a 25 cents per page charge for any color printouts.
- Users SHALL:
a. Provide their own formatted disks or purchase them at the desk for $1.00 each.
b. Check their floppy disks for viruses on the library's virus checker.
Users SHALL NOT:
a. Change the setup of any library computer.
b. Install their own software on the library computers.
c. Save anything on the library computers' hard drives.
The library is not responsible for any damage that may occur to a patron's software or storage method.
No programs of any type, including CD-ROMs circulated by the library, may be loaded into the computers.
Young children using the library's computers should be supervised by an adult.
Adopted by the Library Commission 2/27/97
Revised 3/19/98 and 4/16/98
Return to top
- Warren County Library ("Library") is firmly committed to its mission to provide high quality, cost-effective, modern library service to all qualified residents of Warren County, and considers providing its patrons with access to the Internet an integral part of that mission. To this end, the Library has designated certain computers which are available to patrons for access to the Internet to meet their informational and educational needs.
- The Internet is a largely unregulated world-wide network of computers that offers access to a wealth of information from around the globe. While information found on the Internet can be personally, professionally and culturally rewarding, it can also be inaccurate, disturbing, or even illegal.
- The Library, as a matter of policy, does not electronically monitor or filter patrons' access to the Internet, and therefore cannot be responsible for the content of the material they access while in the Library.
- The Library does, however, monitor the length of time that patrons use Library computers, and will limit patrons' use of Library computers to one-half (1/2) hour when other patrons are waiting to use those computers.
- It is the responsibility of each individual patron to decide which material is appropriately accessed on the Internet while in the Library. In so doing, patrons are reminded that some uses of the Internet, such as knowingly accessing or disseminating obscene material and/or child pornography, are illegal and punishable by law. Accordingly, any unlawful use of the Internet while in the Library is violative of the Library's Patron Behavior Policy, which prohibits any patron from engaging in any illegal activity while in the Library.
- Patrons are further reminded that the display of some information and images on a computer monitor while in the Library, which is a workplace, can be violative of state and federal laws that prohibit sexually hostile work environments. Accordingly, the Library strictly prohibits any patron from knowingly accessing or displaying any sexually explicit material on any computer while in the Library.
- The Library's prohibition of access to, or display of, any sexually explicit material on any computer in the Library is also meant to protect minor and adult patrons, who may reasonably find exposure to such material offensive and disturbing. As such, this prohibition is in keeping with the Library's Patron Behavior Policy, which prohibits patrons from interfering with other patrons' use of the library.
- Although this policy will be vigorously enforced by Library employees, it does not restrict access to all material that may be harmful or inappropriate if viewed or read by minors. Accordingly, parents and guardians of minor patrons are strongly advised to not allow their children to access the Internet while in the Library without adult supervision.
- The Library reserves the right to terminate a patron's Internet session, and/or suspend his/her privilege to Internet access while in the Library for any violation of this policy, and/or the Library's Patron Behavior Policy.
- Patrons who use any Library computer are cautioned that software and information downloaded from any source, including the Internet, may be infected with computer viruses.
- The Library assumes NO responsibility for any damages arising from a patron's use of the Library's computers or from access to the Internet while in the Library.
- Library employees will facilitate patrons' access to the Internet by assisting them in connecting to the Internet, answering their basic how-to questions, and making available to them any relevant user manuals that the Library has. However, Library employees will not provide patrons with any in-depth training on the use of the Internet.
- The Library does not offer e-mail accounts to patrons.
Adopted by the Library Commission 11/17/05
Return to top
|
