Fountaindale Public Library District provides items on loan to serve the needs of the Fountaindale community for the purposes of education, enrichment and discovery. Use of Library items is governed by the policy established by the Library Board of Trustees and any applicable rules or regulations adopted by the Library. The Executive Director as the executor of the policy for the Board of Trustees has discretion in determining what use is “in the best interest of the Library” and is authorized to act accordingly, including limiting the use of circulating items by individuals whose activities interfere with Library operations, adversely affect public safety or cause public disturbances. The Board of Trustees may modify, amend or supplement this policy as it deems necessary and appropriate.
Fountaindale Public Library District recognizes the rights of its patrons to freedom of access to library items. Library patrons’ records are confidential and shall not be made available to any outside agency, group or person to the extent provided by law.
As designated in the Patron Association guidelines below, individual patrons may grant access for hold pick up to their family members or other designees. Parents/guardians will be granted access to their children’s records up to and through age 17.
Cards that are presented by anyone other than the patron or an associated patron may be reclaimed by Fountaindale Public Library District.
Account PINs can be changed by the patron when presenting a Photo ID or when the account has an accompanying patron photograph, or by logging into their online account.
Cards must be in good standing in order for patrons to have full benefits. A card that is not in good standing is considered delinquent. Delinquency is defined by owing charges over our acceptable threshold, including collection agency fees or having items more than 14 days overdue.
As an identity theft precaution, the Library will photograph patrons for the sole purpose of including the photograph as an identifying piece in our patron database. Photographs will be taken at the time of patron registration and may be updated upon renewal of library cards. Patron photographs must be on file for select library privileges/services including, but not limited to, checking out Studio 300 and other equipment.
Parents/guardians are responsible for activity on their children’s accounts. The Library reserves the right to associate (link) the accounts of parents and/or guardians to the accounts of their children under the age of 18. Children who are associated with their parents may not verify or update contact information on their parents’ accounts.
Parents who are associated with children may not present the child’s card for general checkout if the parent(s) card has a delinquent status.
Adult patrons (age 18 and older) may grant the Library permission to associate their own account to the account of other designees of their own choosing. In creating these associations, adults give permission to other adults with whom they are linked to use their personal library cards for holds pickup, to check on or pay fees. General checkout on an adult’s card by someone other than the cardholder is not permitted.
Associations may only be requested by adults who are both physically present and provide photo ID.
The Library reserves the right to associate and block from use all patron accounts belonging to the same address based on the delinquency of any one patron account until all accounts in the household are in good standing.
Patrons apply for the right to use the services and facilities of Fountaindale Public Library District and agree to abide by the rules of the Library, to pay all billed charges to their accounts (as well as all Juvenile and Young Adult accounts linked by association) and to promptly inform the library of a lost card, change of address or change of personal contact information such as email and phone number.
Patrons understand that they are solely responsible for items checked out with their card.
A child’s parent/legal guardian will assume responsibility for charges incurred while the child (age 17 and younger) is or was in their care. Parents may temporarily suspend or permanently cancel a child’s account at any time, however charges remain the responsibility of the parent/legal guardian.
Residents of Fountaindale Public Library District are encouraged to begin the library card application process by visiting the Library. A valid photo ID with the resident’s name and current address must be shown in person at this time. An additional piece of identification will be needed if the photo ID address is not the current address. Acceptable pieces of identification are listed in Appendix 1. They may also choose to initiate the registration process online. Residents will be asked to visit the library to verify their application with the documentation listed in Appendix 1 within 30 days.
ANY RESIDENT AGE 18 OR OLDER of the Library District may obtain a patron card by completing an application with a valid photo ID with current address. An additional piece of identification will be needed if the photo ID address is not the current address. Acceptable proof of current residency are listed in Appendix 1. Proof of residency must contain a street address; no P.O. boxes will be accepted.
ANY RESIDENT AGE 17 AND YOUNGER may obtain a patron’s card when accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, who will provide the appropriate identification and sign the application on his or her behalf. Children of shared legal guardianship may have up to two library cards, provided that one or both addresses fall within the boundaries of the Library District.
BUSINESS, INSTITUTIONS AND/OR LOCAL ENTITIES — Owners or administrators of businesses, institutions or entities located within the Library District boundaries may obtain a business card upon furnishing appropriate documentation and showing a valid photo ID (see Appendix 1). A business library card is valid for one year. The business owner or institution shall be responsible for payment of any lost, damaged items, or fees. The library reserves the right to associate the business library card with the owner’s personal library card, when applicable. If the personal card is not in good standing, the business library card will be blocked. Only one library card will be issued per business.
PROPERTY OWNERS — Individuals who own property that is not their primary residence within the Library District boundaries may obtain or renew a patron’s card annually by furnishing a valid photo ID in addition to their property tax bill. The library reserves the right to associate the property owner’s library card with the individual’s personal library card within the Pinnacle system. If the personal card is not in good standing, the property owner’s library card will be blocked. A property owner who has already been issued a Fountaindale Public Library District resident card will not be issued a property card. Only one library card will be issued per taxable property.
SCHOOL — The Administrator or Library/Media Center Director of a public school that lies within Fountaindale Public Library District can apply for a school account, and can extend account access to teachers and faculty by providing their names on an annual basis. The institution will be responsible for the addition/deletion of names from the approved list of users. The library will not check out to individuals whose names do not appear on said list. Institutions are responsible for all lost and damaged library items borrowed by teachers and faculty who use the card. Borrowing privileges are valid for one year from August 1st through July 31st. Teachers and faculty may check out items for educational purposes and classroom use only. Loan periods for teachers and faculty are extended to four weeks. Interlibrary loan items and select equipment may not be checked out on these accounts. Any cards issued to teachers and faculty are only valid at Fountaindale Public Library and cannot be used to check out materials at any other library.
TEMPORARY VISITORS AND RESIDENTS IN TRANSITION — Seasonal visitors or residents in transition temporarily residing within Library District boundaries will be eligible to obtain a temporary patron’s card for all library services upon providing a photo ID or a letter from a social service agency/temporary employer. Additionally, the temporary visitor will need to bring in a piece of mail or other acceptable evidence of residency to gain library privileges or the Library will mail a postcard to confirm residency which will need to be returned by the temporary visitor. This process will need to be repeated every 90 days in order to extend privileges.
NON-RESIDENT PATRON — Eligibility for this type of card is also subject to the appropriate provisions of Illinois State Statutes. Any person who does not already pay taxes for library service may obtain a patron’s card by completing an application, furnishing a valid photo ID with current address (an additional piece of identification will be needed if the photo ID address is not the current address), and paying the non-resident fee currently in effect. All members of a non-resident patron’s household are then entitled to individual patron cards without additional payment. Payment of the non-resident fee entitles the patron to all library services.
RECIPROCAL PATRON — Any person presenting a current photo ID along with a valid patron’s card from a library participating in the Illinois reciprocal borrowing program may obtain reciprocal borrowing privileges upon completion of a Fountaindale Public Library District application. Reciprocal borrowing privileges are valid for one year, or until the expiration date on the reciprocal patron’s home library account, whichever comes first. Privileges will be denied if the patron’s home library deems their card to not be in good standing. Interlibrary loan and select equipment and services will not be granted to reciprocal patrons. Reciprocal patrons are also eligible for an Access Card which, for an annual fee, provides the same privileges to non-residents for Fountaindale services and programs as a resident cardholder, in addition to the borrowing privileges already extended to non-residents with the use of their home library card. Details are listed in the Access Card Policy on our website.
A renewal of account information is required every three years unless specified otherwise. The district may use automated means to verify addresses. If renewing in person, a valid photo ID with the patron’s name and current address must be shown in person at this time. One piece of current mail will be needed if the photo ID address does not match the address on the account.
It is the responsibility of the patron to immediately report lost cards to the Library.
The patron may use electronic versions of their library cards. The patron remains responsible for the use of the card and the account with such usage.
Persons age 12 and older can replace lost or damaged Fountaindale Library cards upon presentation of a current photo ID.
Parents/legal guardians can present their own photo ID on behalf of their children up to and through age 17 to be issued a replacement card without the child present.
There is no cost for replacement cards.
Items from our Library collection circulate from five days to three weeks depending on type.
Items from our Outreach collection circulate for four weeks.
Special loan periods and limits on number of items are set based on demand.
Newspapers, reference and local history items do not circulate. Overnight or weekly use of items in the reference collection may be authorized by the librarian on duty. Select equipment circulates in-house only.
Circulating items may be renewed by contacting the Library or online. Renewal limits are set by the library according to material type. Items that may not be renewed include those that others are actively waiting for, Studio 300 equipment and other specialty equipment and materials.
The Library does not charge late fines on overdue materials. Patrons are responsible for reimbursing the library for materials that are damaged or marked as lost (see Appendix 2 for Billing Timeline). Patrons with items more than 14 days overdue will have their account blocked until items are returned. Charges may also be added to a patron account for returning special equipment through the automated materials handling machine or book drops. If charged item(s) exceed the fee threshold, patrons can be submitted to a Collections Agency and suspended from library privileges. Privileges can be reinstated when patrons pay or return billed items. All patrons sent to Collections must pay a Collections Agency fee.
Fees associated with Studio 300 equipment are governed under the Studio 300 Policy.
Patrons using other libraries outside of Fountaindale Public Library District are subject to their policies regarding fines and fees.
Non-equipment items that are billed or lost and have not yet been paid for may be returned.
Items that are billed or lost will be charged to the patron according to the price stated in the item record. For items (excluding equipment and kits) owned by the district for more than 2 years, the charge will be reduced to 50% of the price stated in the item record when patron pays in person at the Circulation Desk. Patrons will be blocked from use with privileges suspended until the account charges are paid.
Patrons who return Fountaindale Library items in good condition within 90 days of paying for them will receive a refund on the cost of the item. All refunds shall be done by check, which typically takes 2-4 weeks to process.
The Library will determine when an item is damaged beyond repair and when damaged items are the responsibility of the patron to pay for according to the price in the item record. The damaged item may be returned to the patron if requested within 30 days.
Replacement copies will not be accepted in lieu of paying for damaged or lost items.
The Library utilizes collection agency services for adult patron accounts with charges in excess of $24.99. An additional non-refundable fee will be automatically added to the patron account when the account is sent to the collection agency. Non-equipment items in good condition can still be returned once an account is in collections. All library privileges will be suspended until the account is paid in full. Payment plans may be arranged with the Circulation Manager at the Library’s discretion.
Fountaindale Public Library District staff reserves the right to invalidate a library account and to grant temporary extensions of account privileges in appropriate circumstances.
Any individual shall be held responsible for willful or accidental damage to the Library collections caused by the individual and/or when checked out to their account or accounts for which they are responsible.
The Library is not liable for any damage to personal property that may have been caused by materials borrowed from the library.
The Board of Trustees of Fountaindale Public Library District will review the Circulation Policy and regulations periodically and reserves the right to amend them at any time. The Board authorizes the Executive Director to waive regulations under appropriate circumstances. The Executive Director is the chief person empowered to make decisions regarding the circulation of items and procedures as related to lending and borrowing.
Any appeals for changes to, or exceptions to, any portion of the Circulation Policy will be considered. An individual wishing to file an appeal shall submit it to the Executive Director in writing. The Executive Director will respond in writing.
