Borrowing Policy

Policy Number: 2.G-03
Policy Title: Borrowing
Category: Operational Policies: Public Services
Adopted: October 2002
Last Review: March 2022

Background:

Perth & District Union Public Library makes materials widely available to the community in an equitable manner to support the educational as well as leisure pursuits of the community in accordance with the Public Libraries Act, RSO 1990 c. P44.

Policy:

Anyone with a valid membership card for Perth & District Union Public Library is eligible to borrow items for use outside the library. See policy 2.G-7: Membership for regulations governing obtaining a valid library card.

Only members in good standing may borrow items from the library. Those with fines over $20 or expired membership may not borrow items. Privileges will be restored when all outstanding accounts have been settled or membership renewed.

Users who do not abide by the library’s policies risk having their borrowing privileges suspended or membership revoked.

While the library encourages library members to use their cards when checking out materials, items may also be borrowed by presenting photo ID. 

Membership is not transferable. Because of privacy legislation, the library cannot, without express permission, check out a reserved item to anyone other than the person who placed the reservation. The library cannot provide information about items on a borrower’s account to anyone other than the borrower, with the exception of parents or guardians of those under 14 years of age. See policy 2.G-9: Privacy and Confidentiality of Information for more details.

There is no limit to the number of items a borrower may check out on a single card. Certain items are for in-library use only, such as those on the reference shelf. As specified in the loan period table, items may be renewed in person or online so long as no one else has reserved the item. Reservations may be placed in person or online. The library will notify the borrower when the item is ready for pickup.

Loan periods are as follows:

Digital materials such as eBooks and eAudiobooks downloaded through the library’s website may have different loan periods set by the online provider.

The library lends electronic devices such as eReaders, tablets, laptop computers, and mobile hotspots to library members as a way to extend access to technology and the internet. Electronic devices will be circulated in a case with any needed peripherals (e.g. power cable). Any electronic devices that provide access to the internet are subject to restrictions and regulations outlined in the library’s Access to the Internet Policy (2.G-2). The library does not assume responsibility for lost or corrupted files. No information is retained on the device after it has been returned.

The library may be able to obtain items not in its collection from other libraries through interlibrary loan services. The loan periods and fines for these items are set by the lending library.

All items must be returned or renewed on or before the due date. Overdue fees for adult material are 25 cents per day to a maximum of $7 per item. eReaders, electronic devices, book club sets and museum passes carry a fine of $1 per day to a maximum of $25. There are no overdue fees on children’s material, teen material, and non-catalogued items such as paperback books or puzzles.

Borrowers with items overdue for extended periods of time will be contacted by the library and requested to return those items. Items more than 30 days overdue will be declared lost and the borrower charged the full replacement cost. Items otherwise reported lost or damaged beyond repair will be charged to the borrower’s account.