Circulation Policy 4-20
Purpose
The Chatham Area Public Library District (CAPLD) is a tax-supported public library. This means that people residing within the boundaries of the Chatham Area Public Library District pay taxes to support the Library. People who live within the boundaries pay no additional fee to be eligible to receive their library card.
Library Cards
Library Card Responsibility
Library cardholders apply for the right to use the materials and equipment of Chatham Area Public Library and agree to abide by the rules of the Library and fees charged to their library card accounts. Cardholders understand that they are solely responsible for items checked out with their library card. Chatham Area Public Library Cards are not transferable. The Chatham Area Public Library is not responsible for damages, direct or indirect, resulting from the borrowing or use of Library materials or its equipment.
Patrons assume full responsibility for the return, damage or fees for materials loaned under this policy.
A parent or legal guardian is responsible for items checked out on juvenile cards. Legal guardians are responsible for notifying the Library when the child is no longer in their care.
Valid Cards
A Chatham Area Public Library card is valid when it meets the following conditions:
a) It is registered with the cardholder’s correct name and permanent address in the Library’s database;
b) The outstanding charges against the holder do not exceed $5.00;
c) The card has not expired;
d) The person in possession of the card is the one to whom it was issued or, in limited circumstances, authorized to use the card.
Renewals, Updates and Lost or Stolen Cards
A Chatham Area Public Library card is valid for 3 years from the date of issue. Resident Cards are renewed every 3 years without additional fees, provided the library cardholder is in good standing and still lives or owns property in the Library District. The Library may use automated means to verify your address or alternately, request proof of current address.
See the chart below with Categories 1 & 2, regarding identity and residency verification.
Cardholders are asked to promptly inform the Library of a lost card, change of address or change of personal contact information such as email and phone number.
Library Card Application
Residents within the Chatham Area Public Library District boundaries who are 16 years of age or older are encouraged to begin the library card application process. This can be done in two ways:
- By visiting the Library with pieces of identification from both categories as listed below. The person applying must provide the street address of their residence on the library card application; P.O. Boxes will not be accepted. If mail is received at a post office box, both the post office box address and the street address of the residence must be given.
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- By filling out an application on our website. This is only for those 18 years age and older.
Persons owing fines, fees or overdue materials to this or other libraries must take care of these obligations before a Chatham Area Public Library card will be issued.
If at any time a library card or notice is returned to the library through the post office, the patron’s account may be blocked and the patron may be asked to provide proof of residency using one of the documents from Column 2, Option A above before the card may be used again.
Second-Party Authorization
Adult cardholders, ages 16 and older, may designate another adult to pick up materials on hold or update contact information on their behalf. The cardholder must be physically present to make this designation. This permission information is to be recorded as a note in the cardholder’s library card account. The patron must grant permission in writing listing those individuals who are allowed to check out interlibrary loaned or reserved materials on their account. When picking up held or interlibrary loan materials, the authorized second-party should present the library card of the individual who reserved the material. The material will be checked out to this card.
Types of Cards
Resident Adult
Use of a library card is limited to the patron whose name appears in the library card account.
As a resident card holder, the borrower may physically take their library card to any public library in Illinois and ask to borrow materials. Those materials are the responsibility of the individual who borrows them and are subject to all of the fines, rules and regulations of the lending library. Often libraries limit the borrowing privileges of reciprocal borrowers, and it is important to be aware of local rules and procedures before making selections.
Resident Child
A child, under age 16, may be given a library card if the parent or legal guardian signs the card application and accepts financial responsibility for any fees or charges that the child incurs with that card. The parent or legal guardian who can verify with approved identification that they reside at the same address is accepted as proof of residency for the child.
A child who has a library card may access all available library materials, including books, movies and other items with the exception of certain equipment, like the WIFI hotspots and telescope.
The parents or guardians, not the library, are responsible for supervising the use of books and materials by their children.
Residential Status
Resident
A resident is any person who resides within the boundaries of the Chatham Area Public Library District and is taxed for library service on their property tax bills.
Non-Resident
Non-residents of the Chatham Area Public Library District are eligible to receive a Chatham Area Public Library card if they meet the following criteria. Non-residents are those living outside the boundaries of a library service area. Following Illinois State Law, these patrons must register for a non-resident library card at the participating public library located closest to the person’s principal residence and that is within the resident’s school district boundaries.
All laws that govern the Non-Resident Program will be followed. The annual non-resident fee is established by the Chatham Area Public Library Board of Trustees based on the Illinois State Library’s property tax formula.
Property Owners Living Outside the CAPLD Boundaries
Those who live outside of the boundaries of the Chatham Area Public Library District, but who own property within the boundaries of the Chatham Area Public Library District, may have one library card for use by each individual whose name(s) appears on the tax bill without additional payment. A presentation of a tax bill is requested for verification.
Reciprocal Borrower
Any person holding a valid library card from a library participating in the Illinois Reciprocal Borrowing Program may borrow library materials.
If patron’s library is not a part of the SHARE regional automation consortium which includes the Chatham Area Public Library, an application must be completed, the patron’s home library must be contacted to verify that the patron is in good standing, and the information from the library card application must be entered into the SHARE patron database.
Reciprocal borrowing privileges are valid until the user’s home library card expires.
All Chatham Area Public Library District policies apply to reciprocal borrowers.
The Chatham Area Public Library follows the ILLNET code which requires that a reciprocal borrower, whose home library is not a fully participating member of the SHARE automation system, place requests for items via interlibrary loan through their home library.
Use of the reciprocal card is limited to the patron whose name appears in the library card account.
The Ball-Chatham School District is served by two libraries: Chatham Area Public Library District and Lincoln Library in Springfield. Those living within the boundaries of the Ball-Chatham School District, but not in the Chatham Area Public Library District, must apply for a library card at the Lincoln Library in Springfield.
Staff
A Chatham Area Public Library card may be issued to library staff members who reside outside the jurisdictional boundaries of the Chatham Area Public Library District.
Staff library cards are valid until the staff member leaves the Library’s employment.
Borrowing Library Materials
To borrow materials from the Chatham Area Public Library, a patron must have a valid Chatham Area Public Library Card or present a valid library card from another Illinois public library. A Chatham Area Library District resident who has a valid card may present a photo ID with name and address on the ID, such as a State of Illinois driver’s license or ID, in lieu of the library card to checkout materials.
Children are not limited to materials in the juvenile collections. Parents must supervise their own child’s selection of library materials.
Cardholders from SHARE consortium libraries may check out items at the Chatham Area Public Library by presenting the card issued by their home library.
Cardholders from non-SHARE consortium libraries in the state of Illinois may be registered as reciprocal borrowers at Chatham Area Public Library by presenting their library card issued by their home library, filling out an application and presenting proof of address. The Chatham Area Public Library staff will contact the patron’s home library to ensure that the card presented is in good standing and clear of any outstanding fines, overdue materials, and blocks. Once registered, reciprocal borrowers may check out Chatham Area Public Library materials by presenting their library card or a valid photo ID.
Requests
Chatham Area Public Library resident cardholders may place a request for any circulating item that is available in the SHARE database either directly through their online account in the public access catalog on the Library’s website or with the assistance of the Library Staff.
The Library Staff will attempt to notify the patron when the requested item becomes available. The information is also available through a patron’s online account. The requested item will be held for seven days for the patron. After that time, the item is made available for circulation or returned to the lending library.
Loan Periods and Renewals
Loan periods and limits on quantities of specific types of materials that may be checked out are listed in the Loan Chart in Appendix A. Library staff may set other quantity limits when needed. Temporary restrictions may be necessary if there is a shortage of materials in certain areas or in order to ensure that an entire collection is not checked out at one time.
All circulating items owned by the Chatham Area Public Library may be renewed in person, by telephone, or by online catalog for an additional two-week period unless there are requests on the title or the material type does not allow renewals (see Loan Chart in Appendix A).
Items owned by other libraries within the SHARE automated catalog database may be renewed if there are no outstanding requests for them and renewals are still available on the item. The length of the loan period and renewal amount are set by the owning library.
Lending policies may be waived for an individual in special circumstances with the specific permission of the Library Director or designated staff. Vacation checkouts for extended periods of time are available only on Chatham Area Public Library materials at the discretion of the Library staff.
Overdues and Notices
Materials held by a cardholder beyond the due date will be considered overdue.
The Library does not charge overdue fines.
The Chatham Area Public Library will make a good faith effort to notify cardholders when their items become overdue according to their communication preferences and contact information set up at the time of library card registration. Overdue notification is a courtesy. The Library is not responsible if the notification is not received by the cardholder.
Patrons will be notified when their materials are due with the schedule found in Appendix B.
Interlibrary Loans
When resident patrons would like materials that are not available within the SHARE consortium of Libraries, Chatham Area Public Library Staff may request those materials outside of the SHARE consortium. This process is called interlibrary loan, or ILL. The Library makes every effort to borrow items at no or nominal cost. If a lending library charges a fee, the requesting patron will be notified of the cost before the item is formally requested and given the opportunity to withdraw the request.
Patrons borrowing through interlibrary loan must respect the due dates established by the lending library so that the Chatham Area Public Library will not lose the privilege of borrowing materials for any of its patrons. It is crucial, therefore, that materials borrowed through interlibrary loan be returned in a timely manner. Habitual failure to do so will result in individual loss of the privilege in order to preserve the privilege for other library patrons.
Lost and Damaged Materials
If an item is lost, the borrower is liable for the replacement cost of the item.
If an item is damaged, a charge will be assessed based on the cost of repair. If the item is damaged beyond reasonable repair, full replacement price will be charged. The fees will remain on the account until they are paid. It is the discretion of the Circulation Supervisor or their designee to determine if an identical replacement of the item is acceptable in lieu of payment.
Borrowers who pay for a damaged item within 30 days may have that item. After 30 days, the damaged item charges will remain, but the item will be discarded.
The Library Director or their designee may place borrowing restrictions on a patron who habitually damages materials.
A full refund will be made if the materials owned by the Chatham Area Public Library are returned in good condition within ninety (90) days of the date of payment for the loss.
Items borrowed from another library will be subject to the charges and fees set by that library for lost or damaged items.
Theft or Deliberate Damage of Library Materials
The Chatham Area Public Library District Board of Library Trustees will enforce rules and regulations pertaining to the removal of library materials from the Library or to the mutilation of same. The definition of “library material” as stated in Illinois Criminal Code of 1961 shall apply.
Any person attempting to remove books or other materials from the Library without checking them out will be charged up to the replacement cost of each item stolen or damaged, may have suspended library privileges according to established procedures, and/or may be prosecuted by the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office.
CONFIDENTIALITY
The Chatham Area Public Library District, in accordance with the Illinois Public Library District Act, will keep all records about patron transactions and the identity of registered Library patrons confidential. No such records or identities will be disclosed except as provided by law, and the Library District legal counsel has been consulted.
In accordance with the Library Records Confidentiality Act, a library patron’s registration and circulation records information may not be disclosed to anyone other than the patron regardless of age or relationship except as provided by law.
APPENDIX A
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APPENDIX B
Timeline for Overdue Notices
3 days before the due date: Courtesy notice will be sent via email or text message.
7 days, 14 days, and 21 days overdue: Notices will be sent.
28 days overdue: Billing Notice will be sent for the full replacement cost of the item(s).
Last Amended: June 18, 2024