Library Materials Loan Policy


MARSHALL PUBLIC LIBRARY

LOAN POLICY

 Library Hours:

              Monday - Wednesday:  10:00 A.M – 6:00 P.M

              Thursday:  10:00 A.M. – 8:00 P.M

              Friday & Saturday: 10:00 A.M – 5:00 P.M

Eligibility:

Each person age 6 and older must have their own library card. The card must be presented each time when checking materials out of the library.  Library cards are free of charge to persons residing within the Marshall Community School System, with the exception of residents of York and Melrose townships.  Persons residing in these townships must apply at West Union library for a card.  Proof of residency is required when applying for a library card.  Persons residing outside of the eligible area are required to pay a $110.00 per year fee in order to obtain a library card.  The fee for a replacement library card is $1.00.  Only a current library card can be used to borrow library materials. 

Patrons who have not renewed their library card within three years will be deleted from the library’s software system.  Exceptions may apply to patrons who hold lost or late fees on their account.  Patrons who owe fees may be required to pay off those fees prior to regaining library circulation privileges.  Section 50-8. “Failure to return books or other materials; failure to pay fine or replacement fee” states:

Any person who shall fail to return any book, or other material belonging to or in the possession of the library or who shall fail to pay any fine or replacement fee, or who shall commit injury upon the library, according to the requirements of the bylaws, rules and regulations made and adopted by the trustees from time to time for the government thereof shall be liable, in addition to the amount of the fine or replacement fee or injury, to punishment as provided in section 1-5 of this Code for every such offense; and any person, for a willful violation of the rules adopted by the library board, may be prevented by the board of trustees from enjoying the privileges of the library and reading room, the trustees to be the sole judges of the sufficiency of the cause. 

(Ord. No. 16-18, § 1, 9-26-16)  State Law reference— Penalties, 75 ILCS, 5/1-5. 

Minor Children:

Marshall Public Library imposes no age restriction on the use or borrowing of any books or other materials, including all forms of physical media.  The library believes that this right properly belongs only to parents and legal guardians of minor children. To assist parents/legal guardians with parental controls, the SHARE online catalog allows for family accounts to be linked and monitored. In order to meet the needs of the community, the library acquires a wide variety of materials, and there may be some items that parents or legal guardians find inappropriate for their children.  For this reason, the library urges parents and legal guardians to take an active interest in their children’s use of the library and to guide their children as they deem best.  

 In order for a minor child (under the age of 18) to receive a library card, a parent or legal guardian must sign a release that declares that:

·         They are the parent or legal guardians of the named minor child;

·         They accept full responsibility for the return of books and other materials checked out by the named minor child, as well as liability for payment for the child’s overdue, damaged, or lost materials;

·         They accept full responsibility for the choice of materials borrowed by the minor child (or on the card issued in the name of their minor child).

Parents and legal guardians have the option of restricting the minor child from checking out physical media rated ‘R’ by the Motion Picture Association of America or rated “Parental Advisory” by the Recording Industry Association of America.  Not all of the library’s media are rated.  The library is unable to place lending restrictions on online or digital resources. 

Loan Limitations with a new library card: 

  • New patrons may borrow two print items per cardholder and two multimedia items per cardholder (Compact Discs, Audio Books, & DVD/Blu-Ray and Video Games).
  • After a patron has established borrowing responsibility with the library, these limitations may be removed after 60 days at the discretion of the librarian.

Loan Limitations:

  • Patrons who have established borrowing responsibility with the library may check out up to twenty items at any one time. 
  • DVD/Blu-Ray and Video Games are available for loan with a limit of 4 per cardholder.  The loan of new additions to the audiovisual collections is limited to 2 per cardholder.
  • Kid and Adult Kits are available for loan with a limit of 2 kits per person.
  • Compact Discs and Audio Books are limited to 5 per cardholder.

Loan Periods and Renewals:

  • The loan period for these items is as follows:  
    • Print items – 14 days
    • DVD/Blu-Ray and Video Games – 7 days
    • Compact Discs and Audio Books – 14 days
    • Kid and Adult Kits – 14 days 
  • All materials must be returned before 4:00 PM on the day due.
  • All items may be renewed twice, providing there are no holds on the materials for other patrons.  Other libraries may have additional restrictions on their interlibrary loan materials which we must enforce including different loan periods and/or renewal periods.
  • DVD/Blu-Ray and Video Games may be returned by leaving them in the media return box slot. 

Reserves/Holds:

  • Patrons may reserve materials which are not immediately available for patrons use, but are in the collection of Illinois Heartland Library System.       When the reserved materials are available to the patron who has placed the hold, the library will notify the patrons via phone, email, or text message.  The patron is responsible for supplying the current contact information to the library for this purpose. The specific title of the material will not be stated to anyone other than the library patron who placed the reserve.  If the patron is not available by phone, a message will be left if possible.       The date of the message will be noted and the material will be held for the patron for one week.  If the item is not picked up within one week the material will be placed back into general circulation and shipped to the next location. In no circumstance will the library leave more than one message regarding a hold on a specific item.  Relay of the message to the appropriate person in the household, and prompt retrieval of the material, are the responsibilities of the patron.

Fines:

  • The fine for over-due in‑house materials, except for DVD/Blu-Ray/Video Games, is $.10 per day per item.
  • The fine on an overdue DVD/Blu-Ray/Video Games is $.50 per day per title.  
  • If the instruction booklet for a Video Game is not returned with the game, the item will be considered “checked out” until both are returned.  If either is lost, the full cost of the item will be charged. 
  • Mailing fees are added to a patron’s record for all overdue notices mailed. 
  • Processing fees are added to a patron’s record for lost items. 
  • The fine on interlibrary loan materials is determined by the transacting library.  
  • Patrons who have over-due materials or have fines in excess of $5.00 on their borrowing record may not check out library materials. 

 Lost Materials:

·         The patron is responsible for a lost item and must pay the original cost of the item plus a processing fee.  The library will not accept patron provided materials in lieu of payment. 

Damaged Materials: 

·         If a patron returned an item in a condition that will prevent future circulation of that item, outside of normal wear and tear, the patron must pay the original cost of the item plus a processing fee. The library will not accept patron provided materials in lieu payment. (See City Ordinances Pertaining to Library Property, Appendix 1)

 Responsibility for Materials:

  • As a courtesy the library staff attempts to notify patrons who have delinquent materials, by phone, mail, email, or text message. Lack of notification of delinquent materials does not excuse the patron from responsibility for overdue materials. The patron is responsible for everything checked out on his/her library card.
  • The library assumes no responsibility for multimedia or the players in which they are played.

·         The library expects patrons to return items and pay fees in a timely manner.  However, the library does understand that some circumstances may prevent this from happening.   The Board of Trustees will therefore review fees on a case-by-case basis every three years for patrons who are inactive and who owe fines and/or lost item fees.  In the event a patron fee is waived, said patron may be placed on a one-year probationary period with limited borrowing privileges.  During that time, the same guidelines that apply to a new card holder will be applied to patrons who are on probation.  The Head Librarian has discretion to waive fines up to $50.00.

Microfilm:

·         Microfilm may be used in-house only.  The library staff will obtain the microfilm from the multimedia cabinet for the patron. Microfilm is also available for viewing via the library webpage.

 (Revised 04/13/05, 12/14/05, 03/14/07, 07/08/09, 10/12/2011, 10/10/12, 9/11/13, 8/14/13, 3/09/2016, 9/13/2017, 9/2019, 01/2022, 08/2022, 02/2025)