Policies
General Library Operation:
All
full-time residents and/or property owners residing in
Ludlow
, Cavendish,
Mount
Holly
or
Plymouth
are welcome to apply, free of charge to become a library patron. A
resident is defined as anyone who pays property taxes to the
aforementioned towns or who rents and lives full-time in these
communities and can provide a valid VT Driver’s License. A
current mailing address and phone number are required. All
other persons wishing to become library patrons may apply as per our Patron Card Policy. Service will not be denied
because of age, religion, sex, social, economic, or political
status.
The
library is open a minimum of 40 hours a week with the schedule
established by the Board of Trustees and the Library Director to
best meet the needs of the Community. The library observes all
federal holidays as well as Thanksgiving and Christmas. At
times this means that the library is closed during extended holiday
periods.
The
borrowing period shall be reviewed periodically by the Board and set
according to the Director’s recommendation. Some materials,
by virtue of condition, value or age may not be removed from the
library. This determination will be made at the discretion of
the Library Director.
Fines
are assessed at .25 per day for our overdue “Pay Collection”
books. These books may be borrowed for one week,
non-renewable. These are generally our newest acquisitions.
The purpose of this system is to enable the books to circulate more
frequently. No other late fees are levied. We gladly
accept donations in lieu of formal fines. Charges for
unreturned materials or those damaged to the extent that they cannot
be returned to circulation are based on the cost of a new copy.
Library
privileges may be denied or withdrawn at the discretion of the
Library Director. Reasons for denial may be, but are not
exclusive to, failure to return borrowed materials, destruction of
library property, disturbance, harassment or inappropriate behavior
on library premises.
We
do provide Public Internet Access and Wireless Internet Access. It is the responsibility of
the patron to use the PC’s in accordance with the library’s
Computer Use Policy which is posted by each
computer or available at the circulation desks. There will be no exception.
Library Governance:
A
Board of Trustees governs the library. As dictated by Vermont
Statutes, the trustees are responsible for all areas of the library.
The Board of Trustees generally meet on the third Tuesday of the
month at 6PM in the library. All are welcome.
The trustees hire a Library Director to carry out policy and
the operation of the library. The Library Director is
responsible for staffing and supervision of the library.
The
Library Director, Staff and Board of Trustees shall work
cooperatively with schools, community organizations and other
libraries to strengthen the services and resources that we provide.
The
Library Staff will provide guidance and assistance for people
seeking information in a friendly and courteous manner.
“
Ludlow
’s Library Friends” is a volunteer group welcomed by the Board
of Trustees to support the library with programs, special events and
the library staff.
Community announcements may be displayed in the library with
the permission of the Library Director. All materials must be
in support of non-profit organizations. No political materials
will be displayed.
Our community room is available for use by non-profit
organizations for meetings or programs with the permission of the
Library Director as long as they do not interfere with normal
library operation. Groups or individuals using the
library are subject to all library policies and are required to read
and sign our Community Room Policy (see attached).
Youth and the Library:
-
It is the
Library’s policy that the responsibility for a child’s reading
selection and borrowing lies solely with their parent(s) or
guardian(s). Children are encouraged to browse and to choose
books that meet their needs, interests and abilities.
-
Parent(s) or
guardian(s) are responsible to see that all materials are
returned promptly.
-
The Library
Staff is not responsible for enforcing the restrictions a parent
deems appropriate in terms of materials their child may access
either in book or Internet form.
-
Parents are
responsible for the supervision of their children. Young
children may not be left unattended in the Youth Library and
must be adequately attended at all times.
-
School age
youth may use the library unattended provided that they adhere
to the Library’s policies.
o During
their visit, youth are to remain inside the library. We do not have
the facilities for outdoor recreation.
o Youth
are to be productively engaged. Reading, computing, playing board
games, homework, quiet group activities etc.
o We
recognize that students are hungry after school. Snacks will be
permitted provided our guidelines are followed. This privilege may
be revoked at the discretion of the librarian. Snacks must be
brought with the students and consumed in a designated area.
Beverages must be in spill proof container.
o Fletcher
Memorial Library does not monitor or censor the information your
child can access through the
Internet. It is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to
ensure that their child uses the Internet in an appropriate and safe
manner. Parents and/or guardians are encouraged to be present and
supervise their child's Internet use at the Library.
Any restriction of a child's access to the
Internet is the responsibility of the child's parent/guardian.
v
Students need to abide by their
parent(s) or guardian(s) rules pertaining to leaving the library.
The Staff does not have the authority to give a student permission
to leave the library and return.
v
The Library assumes no responsibility for youth of
any age left unattended. Further, parents or legal guardians assume
all liability for damage done by their child to the library. This
includes damage to materials, computers, furnishings, and to the
facility. In the event that a youth is left at the Library past our
regular closing time and staff is unable to contact a parent or
guardian, our policy is to call the Ludlow Police Department and
leave the child in their care.
v
Failure to follow the above and/or adhere to our
Youth Computer Policy will result in Community Service at
the library.
-
violation of
library policy results in 10 hours of in-house Community
Service.
-
violation of library policy results in 20 hours of
in-house Community Service.
-
violation of library policy will
result in a suspension of your library privileges with the
length of time to be determined.
Reviewed, Revised, and Adopted: August 2008
Confidentiality of Records:
We
are obligated to protect and preserve our patrons' confidentiality
with regard to their library usage. All registration and
circulation records of the library must remain strictly
confidential. The Library’s circulation and registration
records and any other records identifying the names of patrons are
to be treated as strictly confidential. To ensure this
confidentiality, the Library uses a numerical identification system.
Such records shall not be made available to any agency of state,
federal, or local government except pursuant to such process, order
or subpoena as may be authorized under the authority of, and
pursuant to, federal, state, or local law relating to civil,
criminal or administrative discovery procedures of investigative
power.
Title 1: General Provisions
Chapter 5: Common Law; General Rights
§
317. Definitions; public agency; public records and documents.
(a)
As used in this subchapter, "public agency" or
"agency" means any agency, board, department, commission,
committee, branch, instrumentality or authority of the state or any
agency, board, committee, department, branch, instrumentality,
commission or authority of any political subdivision of the state.
(b)
As used in this subchapter, "public record" or
"public document" means all papers, documents, machine
readable materials or any other written or recorded matters,
regardless of their physical form or characteristics, that are
produced or acquired in the course of agency business. Individual
salaries and benefits of and salary schedules relating to elected or
appointed officials and employees of public agencies shall not be
exempt from public inspection and copying.
(c)
The following public records are exempt from public inspection and
copying:
(d)
(19) records relating to the identity of library patrons or the
identity of library
patrons in regard to the circulation of library materials;
Examples of confidential records include which books a
person has checked out or books for which a person has placed a
reserve request, a patron’s phone number/address, place of
employment, details of a reference question the patron asked, and
web sites accessed on the computer.
Under no circumstances is any information about library
patrons or their records to be given to anyone other than the
individual to whom the record refers.
Any request from an individual, officer or agency of any
state, federal or local government must be referred to the Library
Director.
Confidentiality of records also means that you should not
talk about library patrons and their records to anyone inside or
outside the Library, even in casual conversation, as this may
violate their rights under
Vermont
law.
All printed confidential material used at the Circulation
Desk (patron number/name/address printouts/application
cards/computer sign-in sheets) must be kept in their proper place
when not in use.
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