Administrative Procedure #1.08 - Public Library Circulation
Purpose
The Library encourages everyone in the community to use and enjoy its facilities and services. To protect each individual's access to information and services, the Library has established rules governing the circulation of Library materials. These rules protect the borrowing privileges of Library patrons and preserve and protect the Library's materials.
This Procedure outlines the Library patrons’ financial responsibility for materials checked out on their cards, rules for circulation of Library materials, confidentiality of Library records, and eligibility for a Library card.
Scope
This Administrative Procedure applies to all patrons in the Benton County Library Service District, non-resident cardholders, and Library staff.
Procedures
Limits on Borrowing and Loan Periods:
The Library reserves the right to limit the number of items checked out by any one person. Materials may be checked out from and returned to any branch in the Library system.
Loan periods are enumerated in Appendix A.
A schedule of current fees and charges is attached to this document as Appendix A.
Replacement and processing fees are assessed for items when they are 30 days overdue. The fees are removed if the items are returned.
If materials are returned damaged beyond repair or if materials are lost, the patron will be billed at full replacement cost plus a non-refundable processing fee. Exceptions to this practice are outlined in Appendix A. Refunds will be given for lost and paid items returned within six months, less the processing fee.
Borrowing privileges and access to digital services are suspended for all unpaid accounts over a specified dollar amount.
A total over $25.00 due on any Library account will place a block on that account. Additional items may not be checked out until the balance is brought under $25.00.
The Library may contract with a materials recovery agency to resolve long-overdue accounts, if an account balance is over $40.00.
If requested, a payment schedule can be arranged for the patron.
Renewals:
Unless Library materials have a waiting list or are designated as non-renewable, they may be renewed. Varied renewal limits depending on item type may be applied as described in Appendix A.
Claims Returned:
When a patron claims that an item has been returned, the Library will search for the item. If the item is found or brought to the desk for checkout, the record is cleared. Unresolved "claims returned" items are placed in a special status and the patron is not financially responsible for the item. The Library reserves the right to track the number of claims returns on any card and restrict or suspend borrowing privileges if the process is abused.
Reserves/Holds:
Holds may be placed on all circulating Library materials. Up to 99 physical items may be placed on reserve at any one time. Different limits will be applied to downloadable items or streaming content.
When the item is available, patrons are notified using their preferred notification method. Items not picked up by the deadline will be given to the next person in the queue or returned to the shelves.
Confidentiality of Library Records:
It is the policy of the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library to safeguard the privacy of its users, regardless of age, and to keep patron transactions confidential. Administrative Procedure 1.07, "Confidentiality of Library Records," describes this policy in detail.
Goals
Define patron’s financial responsibility for items checked out on their library cards.
Define limits on borrowing and loan periods of Library materials, renewals, claims returned, reserves/holds, and confidentiality of Library records.
Define eligibility for a Library card.
Guidelines - Eligibility
Eligibility for a Library Card
All borrowers must provide proof of identity in the form of photo identification and their mailing address and meet the requirements set forth in one of the categories below. Exceptions to these requirements may be allowed for certain card types. Each individual may have only one library account.
All Library cardholders, including staff, volunteers, and board members, are subject to Library fees and borrowing rules.
Residents of the Library District and Non-Resident Property Owners
Any person who resides within the boundaries of the District will be issued, upon application, a library card at no cost.
Adult applicants are required to provide physical or electronic proof of residence in the form of a driver's license, rent receipt, checkbook, utility bill, recently postmarked mail, etc. Non-resident property owners must show proof of property ownership, such as a property tax statement, which can also be accessed online.
Library cards for children, grades five and below, require the signature of a parent or guardian, but no other form of identification. Cards for those in sixth grade or above follow the same requirements as adults except photo identification and proof of address may not be required.
Cards require updating periodically and may be deleted from the system if the card is inactive. System access may be restricted if the card is not updated upon request.
Non-Resident Free Cards
Non-residents working in the District will be issued a free individual card upon showing proof of paid employment in the District.
A person is considered to be “Working in the District,” when their employer has a physical facility present in the boundaries of the service district.
Non-residents attending school in the District will be issued a free individual card upon showing proof of school attendance.
These cards will be valid for one year and may be updated annually upon showing proof of continued eligibility.
Non-Resident Paid Cards
Any individual or household living outside the District may purchase a library card.
All members of a household residing at the same address may be issued a card for one fee.
The fee for a non-resident card shall be set annually. The current fee is listed in Appendix A.
A non-resident card can be paid in pro-rated increments of one month and up to one year, if requested.
Special Cards
The Library reserves the right to issue a variety of special cards for which non-standard borrowing privileges apply.
Responsibility
Patrons are financially responsible for all items checked out on their cards until those items are returned. The responsibility for returning materials on time rests with the patron and is not dependent upon receipt of a notice from the Library.
Patrons are responsible for notifying the Library about any changes in address, telephone number, e-mail address, name, or other relevant contact information.
Lost or stolen library cards must be reported immediately to Library staff. The Library reserves the right to deny future library cards in cases of theft, fraud, deception, or other illegal use of a library card.
Definition
Unless otherwise noted, "District" refers to the Benton County Library Service District, comprised of Benton County with the exception of the portion of North Albany within the Albany City Limits.
Review/Update
The Library Director will prepare this Administrative Procedure for review as needed for City Manager approval.
Appendix A (Loan Periods and Fee) shall be reviewed annually by the Library Director.
Last reviewed: 02-2025
