The Corinth Free Library’s general objective is to provide material that will meet the day to day educational, cultural, and recreational interests and needs of the community.
In implementing this, the policies are:
1. Hours Open: The library will be open under the supervision of the librarian for 35 hours per week. Regular hours are: Mon. and Tues. 10-5 and 7-8:30; Thurs. 10-5; Fri. 10-4; Sat. 10-3.
2. Holidays Observed: The library will be closed on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, Washington’s OR Lincoln’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, July 4th, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Halloween night if it falls on an open night, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve. (The library may remain open Washington’s or Lincoln’s Birthday at the discretion of the librarian.) Holidays which fall on a day when the library is already closed will be observed on the closest open date, or be treated as a floating holiday for the staff with the building remaining open for the regular schedule. The librarian will decide which option will work better in each case.
3. Opening, Closing, Emergency, and Security Situations:
a. Opening and Closing Routines: On opening, all doors to the public shall be unlocked, the flag put out, lights and machinery turned on, weather permitting the steps and walk shall be swept, shoveled, or salted as needed. On closing, the middle row of lights shall be left on, the heat shall be turned down, all machinery turned off, the flag shall remain out until the last closing of the day, all doors shall be locked.
b. Electrical Failures Emergencies: In case of an electrical failure, the closing of the library shall be at the discretion of the librarian. As a guideline: in warm weather the library may remain open, if the downstairs is too dark it shall be closed. In cold weather if the power is off for more than one half hour the library may close.
c. Fire Emergencies: In case of a fire, the building shall be evacuated and the fire department called from outside the building.
d. Health and Accident Emergencies: An accident report should be filed with the librarian. Any reported accidents should be brought to the attention of the board at the next meeting.
e. Weather Emergencies: During weather emergencies the library shall be closed at the discretion of the librarian. As a guideline, look to the closing of other local businesses. The librarian may open one half hour late to shovel.
f. Security Situations:
i. Theft: In case of theft or break-in the police shall be notified. The board shall be notified by telephone or at the next meeting.
ii. Code of Behavior; Problem Patrons: No food or drink will be allowed near any of the library’s computers. Other food and drink, except that provided during special programs and meals of the staff, may be banned from the building at the discretion of the staff. (ie: ice cream) No bare feet are allowed in the building. No wet swimsuits are to be worn in the building. Patrons causing a disturbance will be asked to leave the building. If a patron refuses to leave, the police shall be called; if necessary the call may be placed from outside the building.
4. Telephone Policy: Patrons may use the phone at the discretion of the librarian. As a guideline: patrons may use the phone mainly in the case of emergencies, children may make short calls home for a ride. No long distance calls shall be made by patrons.
5. Building and Grounds Maintenance: The librarian is responsible for maintaining the building and grounds. These duties may be delegated to the aide and/or volunteers. Board members may occasionally be called upon to assist with certain tasks. The village crew mows and rakes. No smoking is allowed in the building at any time. Smoking is prohibited as per NYS Law within 100 feet of all entryways.
6. Registration of Borrowers, Issuance of Library Cards: All residents of the counties within the SALS/MVLS may apply in person or online for a library card (no library cards will be issued through the mail). Applicants must present a valid Photo ID with their name and current address. Two forms of ID will be required if a Photo ID is not available, or if the current address is different from that on the Photo ID. A parent or legal guardian must sign for anyone under the age of 18. Pre-school aged children are issued a JR (juvenile restricted) card. This limits the use of the card to the materials in the children’s room. At any time after a child enters school the parent or guardian may choose to allow that child to have an unrestricted juvenile card. The first card issued is free; replacement cards are $1. An Internet Use Only card may be issued for those who do not wish to have borrowing privileges.
a. Summer/transient Borrowing Policy: Summer residents who own local property shall be treated as regular borrowers; their winter residence shall be noted in their file. People who have no local address may apply for a TM (temporary card). A valid ID with a current address is required.
7. Circulation Policies:
a. Confidentiality of Library Records: The New York State Confidentiality Law protects the privacy rights of library users. This law prohibits the release of any information relating the name of a person and his/her library use without a properly executed subpoena from a court of law. Under this law, librarians cannot:
* tell a third party whether a person has a library card
* write the name of a borrower on a book card which is placed in the
book
* tell a parent what his/her child has borrowed, even if it is overdue
* send a reserve notice or overdue reminder on a postcard if the
postcard contains the title of the book
* reveal the nature of someone’s reference question to another person
This law makes it quite clear that a person’s library use habits are strictly private; there are no exceptions for children or anyone else. It applies to every library in the state, without exception. All library personnel should be aware of this.
b. Loan Periods, Fine Rates, Maximum Amounts by Type of Material: For loan periods and limits see the tables in Polaris. New materials, including video/DVDs, are not renewable. The library reserves the right to alter the duration of the borrowing periods and renewals, or the number of items allowed.
Overdue fines will no longer be charged as of October 2021. Items damaged will be charged a price commensurate with the extent of the damage, not to exceed the cost of the item. Items not returned will be billed for the replacement cost of the item. Never shall the charge exceed the value of the material.
First time borrowers (NB New Borrowers) are allowed 1 item. In the case of one adult who chooses not to allow minor children to have their own card, one item per family member may be taken. After materials have been returned on time and in good condition borrowers receives full privileges for their card.
c. Reserve Policy: Anyone with a library card in good standing may place a reserve on an item. Items not claimed 10 days after the item was placed in “hold” status – the reserve shall be considered canceled.
d. Copier Income and Income from Fines: Money collected from fines and the copier shall be placed in the general fund; deposits shall be entered separately in the spreadsheet.
e. Lost and Assumed Lost Materials: Lost books or other materials must be paid for by the borrower. Materials not returned after 60 days shall be considered lost and the borrower will be billed for them. Borrowing privileges shall be suspended until the borrower has settled his/her bill to the satisfaction of the staff and board.
f. Damaged Materials: Materials damaged beyond repair must be paid for by the borrower. In the case of lesser damages, the borrower shall be fined an amount consistent with the damage, not to exceed the replacement cost of the book. Borrowing privileges shall be suspended until the borrower has settled his bill to the satisfaction of the staff and board.
g. Interlibrary Loan Circulation Policy: Every effort shall be made to cooperate with ILL; however, new titles shall not be eligible for ILL for 4 months and local reserves shall take precedence.
h. Definition of Patron Delinquency and Loss of Borrowing Privileges: If a borrower has 5 or more books overdue – for any amount of time – or 1 or more books out for over 60 days; borrowing privileges shall be revoked until all books are returned or fines paid.
8. Reports:
a. Annual Library Report: The State Annual Library Report shall be finished and sent to SALS by their deadline. The financial section of the report shall be prepared by the treasurer, and the library director shall do the balance of the report.
b. The annual meeting of the library board shall be the January meeting. At this meeting, the library director shall present the annual report. A written report to the community shall be made available by the end of the first quarter.
c. The Board of Trustees shall meet at least quarterly, with a separate budget meeting to be scheduled in December.
9. Gifts and Memorials:
a. Books and other materials will be accepted on the condition the librarian has the authority to make whatever disposition of them she deems advisable.
b. Gifts of money and stock will be accepted if the conditions attached are acceptable to the library board.
c. Personal property and other objects not regular library materials can be accepted at the discretion of the Board of Trustees.
d. The library will not accept materials that are not outright gifts.
e. Memorial stickers shall be placed in books or on other items at the request of the donor and the approval of the librarian. Memorial items shall be chosen with the librarian’s help.
10. The library shall at all times have a friendly, pleasant atmosphere and relationship with the community. Periodically items of publicity should be sent to the local papers and an attempt should be made to publicize any innovations, additions, or little known services.
11. The library endeavors to purchase those books which are of permanent as well as current value and represent the needs and interests of the community. The inter-library loan system is used to supplement our own collection. As a flexible guideline, look to the current usage statistics to determine where heaviest use of the collection occurs. Each year about 5% of the total book collection should be discarded.
a. The library will provide other materials which help to meet its objectives. These may include periodicals, newspapers, audio and video cassettes, CDs , DVDs, filmstrips and software.
b. The library should make an effort to collect local history material if it is not preserved elsewhere in the community.
Revised 07/08/2019