Policies

On this page:

• Cooperation with other Libraries
• Eligibility for Use
• Fines, Fees, and other Charges
• Other Policies

Cooperation with other Libraries

PURPOSE:

To provide the most effective library service to the residents of Columbia County Rural Library District.

POLICY

1. The Board of Trustees recognizes that no single library can meet all demands in its community.  Libraries in different political sub-divisions working together, sharing their services and resources, can meet more nearly the full needs of their users.
2. The Board of Trustees and the Director will be alert to opportunities of cooperation with other libraries to strengthen the services and resources of the library.

Adopted December 13, 2007

Eligibility for Use

BASIS FOR DETERMINATION OF ELIGIBILITY:
Columbia County Rural Library District is a junior taxing district and its major source of revenue is a property tax dedicated to library services. Eligibility for obtaining a library card to use District facilities, services, and the Internet is based on residency or property ownership in Columbia County or any specific service agreement entered into with other cities, towns, and counties within the state of Washington or outside the state of Washington.

Any person living outside the boundaries of the Columbia County Rural Library District or contracted service areas need to purchase a non-resident card (this includes residents living in the city limits of Starbuck, who do not own property in the county).  The cost for a non-resident card is $35 per year per person; $20 per year per person for senior citizens age 62 and over; $15 per person for a three-month card.

LIMITATIONS TO USE:
The use of District facilities and/or services may be limited when excessive demands of groups or individuals may curtail services to others.

Only residents (those living within Columbia County) or walk-in patrons are allowed access to the Library's databases, which are subscribed to and paid for by the Library District. An “Authorized User” according to the vendors for the Columbia County Rural Library District is considered to be staff, Columbia County patrons or walk-in patrons. Remote use is limited to the residents of Columbia County only.

DENIAL OF SERVICE:
The use of District facilities and/or services may be denied for due cause. Due cause includes, but is not limited to, failure to return library materials or pay associated charges, and violations of the District’s Patron Code of Conduct Policy, Requirements for Computer Use or other policies adopted by the Columbia County Rural Library District Board.

PROCEDURES:
The Director is responsible for establishing administrative procedures necessary to carry out this policy.

Adopted February 14, 2008

Fines, Fees, and other Charges

PURPOSE

The Columbia County Rural Library District Board of Trustees reaffirms its intention to carry out and fulfill the duties and obligations imposed upon all Library Boards under RCW 27.12.

POLICY

It is the policy of the Columbia Country Rural Library District Board of Trustees, through the Library Administration and staff, to protect and secure, by whatever lawful means necessary, the property and materials entrusted to it for preservation, research or loan to the general public the Columbia County Rural Library District system serves.  Following is a list of fines and fees that may be imposed pursuant to RCW 27.12.210; RCW 27.12.340.

To encourage readers to use the library without fear of accumulating fines, no overdue fines will be charged on material that is late.  However, as a courtesy to the library’s public, overdue notices will go out on the 11th day an item is overdue and once again on the 30th day an item is overdue.  All patrons will be held responsible and encouraged to return material on time so that other patrons may have the opportunity to check out library material.  According to RCW 27.12.340 “Willfully retaining any property belonging to the library is a class 4 civil infraction.”

All patrons will be held responsible for lost or damaged materials.  All costs listed herein are subject to periodic review and possible changes.

OVERDUE LIBRARY MATERIAL CHARGES
No fines charged on overdue material; however, courtesy notices will be generated on the 11th and 30th days an item is overdue.  Courtesy notice may be in form of email notice, phone call or paper copy.

LOST FEES
All items 180 days overdue convert to lost, and a lost fee is charged in lieu of an overdue charge.  The fee for lost items overdue is $1.50 per book up to a maximum of $6.00 plus replacement cost of material.

REPLACEMENT CHARGES
The actual cost of the material or a default cost for the material as indicated on the list below is charged

• The patron owes for the replacement cost of the item if lost.
• The patron owes both the lost fee and the replacement charges if the item is 180 days or more overdue.
• If the item is returned, the patron still owes the lost fee charge of $1.50 per book up to a maximum of $6.00 if the item is 180 days or more overdue.
• If item is returned prior to 180 days of being overdue, no fee will be charged.
• If the patron, with the approval of the Library Manager or Director, provides the Library with a suitable replacement for the lost item, the replacement charge and lost fee are waived.
• If a patron pays the replacement charges and the lost fee and later returns the “lost” item to the Library, no refund is given.  The patron may keep the book or donate it to the Library.

DEFAULT REPLACEMENT COSTS
These are costs incurred when the purchase price of an item is not available through library records. Default replacement costs are the same for Young Adult materials, Adult materials, and Juvenile materials.

Fines, fees and other charges may be waived by the branch manager or director.

Adopted February 14, 2008
Amended January 28, 2010

Other Policies

• Advertising for Positions (pdf, 14kb)
• Appeals and Grievances Policy (pdf, 39kb)
• Bulletin Board Policy (pdf, 25kb)
• Capital Asset Inventory Records Policy (pdf, 45kb)
• Carelessness "No Tolerance" Policy (pdf, 23kb)
• Child Safety Policy (pdf, 17kb)
• Circulation Policy (pdf, 27kb)
• Collection Development Policy (pdf, 152kb)
• Confidentiality of Library Records (pdf, 16kb)
• Continuing Education Policy (pdf, 14kb)
• Credit Card Policy (pdf, 16kb)
• Display and Exhibit Policy (pdf, 29kb)
• Domestic Violence Policy (pdf, 24kb)
• Freedom to View Policy (pdf, 15kb)
• Friends Board Policy (pdf, 19kb)
• Hiring/Termination Policy (pdf, 28kb)
• Interlibrary Loan Policy (pdf, 34kb)
• Internet Safety and Computer Usage Policy (pdf, 41kb)
• Library Exclusion Policy (pdf, 23kb)
• Library Facility Ownership Policy (pdf, 15k)
• Leave Sharing Policy (pdf, 23kb)
• Meeting Room Use Policy (pdf, 15kb)
• Meeting Room Use Procedure (pdf, 31kb)
• Patron Code of Conduct Policy (pdf, 35kb)
• Personal Leave and Attendance (pdf, 57kb)
• Public Records Policy (pdf, 35kb)
• Public Relations Policy (pdf, 14kb)
• Purchasing Policy (pdf, 25kb)
• Sabbatical Leave Policy (pdf, 15kb)
• Salary Step Scale (pdf, 15kb)
• Service of Process (pdf, 20kb)
• Sexual Harrassment "No Tolerance" Policy (pdf, 35kb)
• Social Software Policy (pdf, 22kb)
• Substance Abuse "No Tolerance" Policy (pdf, 24kb)
• Surplus Policy (pdf, 22kb)
• Tobacco Policy (pdf, 23kb)
• Volunteer Policy (pdf, 15kb)
• Whistle Blower Policy (pdf, 31kb)
• Workplace Violence Policy (pdf, 15kb)
• Workplace Wrongdoing Policy (pdf, 14kb)

Board of Trustees:

By-laws, Revised August 24, 2010.

Friends of the Library:

Washington State Library Trustee’s Manual, Section 21