Tempe Public Library
Circulation Policy

Approved by the Tempe Public Library Advisory Board
October 5, 2011

I. PURPOSE

The Circulation Policy of the Tempe Public Library exists to facilitate community access to the materials and information contained in the Library’s collections.

II. TEMPE PUBLIC LIBRARY CARDS: ELIGIBILITY AND REGISTRATION

In order to borrow materials from the Tempe Public Library and to have access to computing and online services, library users must have a Tempe Public Library card. Cards are issued free of charge to Tempe residents and other Maricopa County residents. Cards are available for an annual fee to persons who reside outside of Maricopa County.

A.  CATEGORIES OF ELIGIBILITY

1.  TEMPE RESIDENTS

Any person who resides within the city limits of Tempe may receive a Tempe Public Library card free of charge. Tempe resident cards are valid for a two-year period.

2.  RECIPROCAL BORROWERS

The City of Tempe participates in a reciprocal borrowing agreement with the Maricopa County Library District to provide library services to residents of Maricopa County who live outside of Tempe. Reciprocal borrower cards are valid for a one-year period.

3.  NON-RESIDENTS

Persons who reside outside Maricopa County may purchase a card for a non-refundable fee of $30 per year. The non-resident fee will be waived for persons who own businesses located in Tempe and present proof of such ownership.

B.  REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS

1.  IDENTIFICATION

Applicants for a Tempe Public Library card must show identification which verifies a current residential address, and must provide their date of birth. Identification with only a post office box number or a hotel address is not sufficient. The Library may at any time require that current address verification be shown before a card may be used; therefore, on Library visits cardholders are advised to have appropriate forms of identification with them in addition to their card. The following are considered acceptable forms of identification:

a. A valid state-issued driver's license, driver’s instruction permit, or identification card showing photo and current residential address

b. A residential property tax statement for a Tempe residential property showing the name of the applicant, along with both a copy of a current utility bill for that property and an official photo identification card from a school, government agency, or employer

c. An official photo identification card from a school, government agency, or employer, along with a secondary piece of identification displaying the current residential address: acceptable secondary forms include a current rent receipt or residential lease, a current utility bill, a bank checkbook with current address imprinted on checks, a current bank statement, or mail postmarked within the last week

2.  AGE ELIGIBILITY

a. For applicants under the age of sixteen (16), a parent or legal guardian must be present in person with the applicant and approve the application.

b. Persons age sixteen (16) and seventeen (17) will be issued a Tempe Public Library card upon presentation of acceptable identification; the Library will mail written notification to the parents or legal guardians of children within this age group that their child has been issued a Tempe Public Library card. Parents or guardians will be responsible for all items checked out on their children’s cards.

III. LOAN PERIODS, LIMITS, AND RESTRICTIONS

The following loan periods and limits have been established to provide library users with an adequate amount of time to use library materials and return them so that they can be made available to other users.

A. LOAN PERIODS: The following loan periods are in effect:

1. Books and Periodicals: Twenty-eight (28) days

2. Audiobooks: Twenty-eight (28) days

3. Videos: Seven (7) days

4. Recorded Music: Seven (7) days

3. High Demand Items: Books and audiobooks that are in high demand by other library users may be assigned a shortened fourteen (14) day loan period.

If the due date falls on a day when the library is closed, the loan period will be extended until the next day that the library is open.

B. LOAN LIMITS: A library user may have up to fifty (50) items checked out at any time. Loan limits for specific media types are as follows:

1. Videos: Ten (10) items

2. Recorded Music: Ten (10) items

3. Audiobooks: Ten (10) items

C. RENEWALS: Three twenty-eight (28) day renewals of items with standard loan periods are permitted for items not reserved for another library user. Three seven (7) day renewals of video and recorded music materials are permitted if the item is not reserved by another library user. Items may be renewed in the library, or by telephoning the automated account information system, or by using the “My Account” feature in the Library’s online catalog. Library cardholders who wish to renew by phone or via the online catalog are advised to do so in advance of the due date in case their items are not eligible to be renewed.

D. NON-CIRCULATING ITEMS: The following materials are not available for checkout:

·         Materials in the Reference collections

 

·         The most recent periodical issues

 

·         Newspapers

E. RETURN OF ITEMS: All items must be returned to the Tempe Public Library, either inside the Library or in the 24-hour drive-up book drop.

IV. FINES AND FEES, NOTICES, AND COLLECTION AGENCY

A. OVERDUE MATERIALS

Overdue fines are assessed for items returned past their due date. Fines are charged to encourage library users to return their materials by the designated due date so that they are available to other users. Fine rates are as follows:

1. Standard loan items: 25¢ per day

2. Interlibrary loan items: $1.00 per day.

B. MAXIMUM FINE

In order to encourage the return of overdue materials, the maximum overdue fine per item will be $15.00 or the replacement cost of the item, whichever is less. The maximum fine does not include any fees that may be assessed as the result of damage, processing costs, or referral to a collection agency.

C. DAMAGED ITEMS

The following charges will be assessed for materials returned damaged:

D. REPLACEMENT COSTS

1.  BORROWED MATERIALS

When an item has been lost or damaged severely enough to require replacement, the library user will be charged the original retail price of the item plus a $5.00 nonrefundable processing fee. An exact copy of a lost or damaged item that is in new condition may be accepted as a replacement, along with a $5.00 processing fee. Replacements for lost or damaged audio-visual materials must be new and in a sealed original container.

2.  LIBRARY CARDS

Library users who have lost their Tempe Public Library card may apply for a replacement card by showing valid identification (see section II.B.1. above) and paying a $2.00 replacement charge. Lost cards must be reported to the Library immediately. If a card which was reported lost is found, it should be destroyed or returned to the library for disposal.

E. NOTIFICATION METHODS AND TYPES OF NOTICES

1.  NOTIFICATION METHODS

At the time of registration or anytime thereafter, patrons may choose their preferred method for receiving Library notices from the following options:

1. Email

2. Telephone

3. Print notices by standard mail

Email and telephone notices are preferable because of their timeliness and low cost. Print notices sent by standard mail may be delayed by several days. Borrowers who choose email as their preferred notice option are advised to set their computer software to allow receipt of messages from the Library’s domain, “tempe.gov”. Borrowers are advised to ensure that their correct contact information is on account. Account information can be viewed by logging into “My Account” at catalog.tempe.gov.

2.  TYPES OF NOTICES

Library users are ultimately responsible for monitoring the due dates of their borrowed materials. The Library makes every effort to notify patrons of important status changes to their accounts; however, the Library cannot be responsible for the reliability of email, telephone, or mail delivery systems beyond its control. Failure to receive a notice will not excuse the borrower from subsequent fines or fees.

The Library will provide the following types of notices to borrowers:

a. DATE DUE RECEIPT

At the time of checkout, borrowers are issued a receipt which lists the title of each item checked out and the date that item is due. Borrowers are advised to retain the date due receipt for future reference.

b.  EMAIL REMINDER NOTICE

Borrowers who have email addresses on record will be sent an email courtesy notice three days before an item becomes due. Reminder notices are only available by email.

c. OVERDUE NOTICE

In order to remind library users that they have one or more overdue items, a notice will be sent after materials are overdue for seven (7) days.

d. REPLACEMENT BILL

If materials remain overdue after twenty-one (21) days, a replacement bill for the cost of the unreturned item(s) will be sent. The replacement bill will notify the recipient that their account may be referred to a collection agency if materials are not returned.

F. COLLECTION AGENCY REFERRALS

Library accounts which have one or more unreturned items and a balance due of $25.00 or more will be referred to a collection agency for further attempts to recover the materials. Accounts are referred for collection approximately four weeks after the replacement bill is sent. When an account is submitted to the collection agency a non-refundable collection fee of $20.00 is added to the account. Owners of accounts submitted to a collection agency must respond within 120 days or their accounts will be reported to a credit reporting agency.

G. PAYMENT OF FINES AND FEES

The Library will accept the following forms of payment:

1. Cash, money order, or cashier’s check

2. Personal check drawn on a local bank (a bank with facilities in Maricopa County) for the exact amount due made payable to "Tempe Public Library”. The bearer must show proper ID before the check will be accepted.

3. Credit Card: Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express.

4. Online payment by credit card. Library users may pay their fines and fees online by logging in to their account at catalog.tempe.gov.

In cases in which a user may be unable to pay the entire amount owed to the Library, the Library will set up a payment plan for a minimum payment of $10.00 per month. For accounts actively participating in a payment plan, collection agency activities will be suspended.

H. WAIVER OF FINES AND FEES

The Library may waive or reduce fines and fees at its discretion when circumstances warrant.

I. REFUNDS

If a library user locates an item within one year after he or she has paid for it, a refund will be issued for the cost of the item minus any overdue fees accrued on the item. The $5.00 processing fee will not be refunded. Library users who request a refund must provide the receipt that was issued by the Library at the time payment was tendered. Refunds for amounts of $50.00 and under will be issued immediately. Refunds for amounts over $50.00 will be mailed directly to the library user from the City of Tempe Accounting office.

V. SPECIAL SERVICES

A. HOLD REQUESTS

Library users may place reserves on items which are currently checked out, and on items which are on order. When a reserved item becomes available the user will be notified that the item is being held for them at the Library until a specified date. A library user may have no more than twenty (20) outstanding hold requests at any one time. Non-circulating items may not be reserved. Library users are responsible canceling any holds they no longer need. Holds can be canceled online at catalog.tempe.gov, or by notifying the Library in person or by telephone.

 B. INTERLIBRARY LOAN

Library users may request that the library attempt to locate and borrow for their use a specific book or magazine article that is not available in the Library's collection. Library users who fail to return material borrowed for them via interlibrary loan will be charged for the cost of the item (as assessed by the owning library), plus a $30.00 processing fee. Library users who request an item via interlibrary loan and fail to pick it up upon notification by the Library will be assessed a fee of $5.00 for each unclaimed item. For more information regarding this service, see the Tempe Public Library Interlibrary Loan Policy.

VI. DENIAL OF BORROWING PRIVILEGES

To ensure that no one library user accrues an excessively high fine, library users will have their borrowing privileges suspended when they have one item that is overdue by 28 days or when their fines exceed $15.00. Any library user who has been referred to the collection agency will be denied further borrowing privileges until all delinquent materials are returned and/or all fines and fees are paid in full. A library user may also have borrowing privileges denied when the Library has reason to believe that the user has changed address without notifying the Library; when this is the case, the library user must present current acceptable identification (see II.B.1 above) before borrowing privileges are restored.

VII. RESPONSIBILITY

Library users are responsible for all materials checked out on their card or on the cards of children for whom they have legal responsibility. If library users allow other persons to use their card, all borrowed materials remain the responsibility of the cardholder. Lost cards must be reported immediately. Library users are responsible for all materials checked out on their card up to the time that they report the card as lost.

VII. CONFIDENTIALITY OF USER RECORDS

Pursuant to Arizona law (ARS §41-1354), the Tempe Public Library shall not disclose any record or information that identifies a user of library services as requesting or obtaining specific materials or services or as otherwise using the Library. Records may be disclosed only under the following circumstances:

A.  If necessary for the reasonable operation of the Library, as determined by a Library Manager.

B.  On the written consent of the library user.

C.  On receipt of a court order.

D.  If required by law.

Any person who knowingly violates this section is guilty of a class 3 misdemeanor.