Muir Library Policies

POLICIES

OF THE 

MUIR LIBRARY


Approved January 7, 2013

Updated May 11, 2021

Updated Jan, 2022

Update July, 2022

GENERAL POLICIES OF THE MUIR LIBRARY


CONTENTS


Use of the library

Library Behavior……………………………………………3

Children…………………………………………………….. 3

Registration………………………………………………….4

Overdue material…………………………………………….4

Circulation time for material…………………………………4

Gifts………………………………………………………....4

Building use………………………………………………….5

Computer…………………………………………………….5

Printer & Copier………………………………………………5

Internet Acceptable Use Policy……………………………….5

Materials selection policy…………………………………………….6

Policy by format of material………………………………….6

Policy by subject of material………………………………….7

Withdrawal procedure………………………………………..8

Gifts………………………………………………………….8

Reconsideration of materials…………………………………9

Reconsideration form………………………………………...10

Library Bill of Rights…………………………………………11

Freedom to View Statement………………………………….12

Closing of the library…………………………………………………13

Cooperation with other institutions…………………………………..13

Revision of policies…………………………………………………..13


USE OF THE LIBRARY




We ask patrons to follow all Muir Library policies and guidelines. Violations of policies or guidelines may result in removal from the facility and/or suspension of library privileges. 

 Denial of library services is by the director’s recommendation with review by the library board.



Therefore, it is Muir Library Policy that all children under age eight (8) must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian or other responsible person at least sixteen (16) years old. Children under the age of 16 are not considered appropriate guardians for younger children in a library setting. Library staff cannot supervise children in the Library.


If a child under eight (8) years of age is left unattended in the library and library staff determine that the child’s behavior has become a problem for other patrons or the library staff itself, the library staff will attempt to locate the child’s parents to resolve the problem. If a parent cannot be reached, the Winnebago Police Department or the Faribault County Sheriff’s Office will be called to escort the child home or keep the child until parents can be located. Library staff are not permitted to remain after hours with an unattended child or to give a child a ride home. If a parent cannot be reached by the time the library closes, the police will be called to escort the child home or keep the child until parents can be reached.


In any situation involving the safety of youth and specifically whenever parents (or other caregivers) or law enforcement personnel are contacted, library staff will complete an Incident Report. 

















It is the policy of the Muir Library to provide free access to information to users of all ages, while attempting to protect them from unwanted exposure to graphically depicted obscenity and child pornography and to restrict access by minors to materials harmful to minors.


Users wishing to access the Internet at the Muir Library must agree to comply with the following Rules of Conduct:

4.   Users will not disclose, use or disseminate personal information regarding minors without written authorization of the parent or legal guardian of the minors involved.

  a.   Users must sign up to use the Internet in person or by phone.

  b.   Access sessions will be limited to 60 minutes, unless otherwise authorized by library staff.

   c.   Users must end their session and leave the terminal when asked to do so by authorized Library staff, even if they have not completed their access session.

   d.   Installation, downloading, or modification of software is prohibited.

  e.   By mutual agreement, no more than two persons may share one access session as long as their behavior or conversation does not disturb other users or Library staff.

  f.   Prompt payment is required by users who incur charges for printing or other authorized fees.

  g.   Users will respect the privacy of other users, and will refrain from attempting to view or read material being used by others.


Library employees are authorized to take prompt and appropriate actions to enforce the Rules of Conduct, and/or to prohibit use by persons who fail to comply with the Internet Acceptable Use Policy as stated or implied herein.  To preserve their own personal safety, users should avoid disclosing personal information over the Internet.  Parents are responsible for their children’s use of the Library resources and facilities.  Parents are requested to monitor their children’s Internet use.



MATERIALS SELECTION POLICY


The Library Board has adopted and subscribed to both the ALA Library Bill of Rights and the Freedom to Read Statement as the basis of orientation and philosophy in selection of materials.


The Library Board upholds the principle of intellectual freedom as necessary for the freedom and welfare of everyone. It will therefore oppose any effort toward proscription, censorship or other abridgement of individual rights.


Library materials are selected through the use of professional reviewing media, basic lists of standard works and evaluations by the librarian. Recommendations and requests from patrons are welcome and encouraged. Such requests do not automatically result in purchases if they do not meet the criteria outlined in the policy.


POLICY BY FORMAT OF MATERIAL




POLICY BY SUBJECT OF MATERIAL


3. Reference – The most complete reference collection would not provide answers to all reference questions. The goal is to provide reference material only on the most frequently requested information. Cost is an important criteria considered in regards to reference material. The availability of the MINITEX reference services is sufficient for infrequently asked questions or information in expensive works. More and more credible sources have online information available.

4. Legal and Medical Books – Only materials of general interest to the lay person are purchased. Care is taken that reviews indicate the authority and competence of the authors.

5. Genealogy and Heraldry – Only general works and reference volumes on the procedures of genealogy are considered for purchase. Patrons wishing to do extensive family research can be referred to the museum and Interlibrary Loan.

6. Local History – Material on the history of the county and its communities is actively sought through the museum and state and county historical societies. 

7. Political and Social Issues – Attempts are made to provide information on the entire spectrum of political and social issues. Materials are never automatically excluded from selection because they are likely to be objectionable to those in the community holding differing views.

8. Religious Materials – A well balanced collection representing all the major religions of the world is the library’s goal. Sacred scriptures of the various religions are included as are authoritative studies in the history of religion, theology, as well as comparative religions.

9. Sex Education – General books on sex information that are well-balanced, authentic and up-to-date and scientific in treatment are considered for purchase.

10. DVD – Selections to be considered for ordering are from the following categories: information, cultural, educational, family, documentary, popular and classic.


WITHDRAWAL PROCEDURE


In order to maintain a well-balanced and useful collection, a continual practice of withdrawal is required. The library cannot possibly serve as an historical archive for little used and dated material. This task must be left to larger libraries. The exception to this is in the area of works of purely local historical interest which can be retained. The retention of outdated or no longer used materials would cause the waste of much needed shelf space. It also would hinder patron access to useful materials in the collection. To facilitate the task of withdrawal, the following guidelines will be followed:



GIFTS


The library welcomes gifts of books and other materials with the understanding that they will be evaluated in the same manner as purchased materials. If found not to be useful, the materials will be sold, donated to other agencies or discarded. Books kept for book sales will be discarded after one year. 


Cash donations are also welcomed and selection will be made either by the librarian or by the librarian in consultation with the donor. In either case, the selection of materials should correspond to the library’s established selection policy except that consideration of cost may be less important. An appropriate book plate listing the donor and/or the donor’s request will be placed on the material.


Real Property and/or stocks will be accepted. If there are any attached conditions, they must be acceptable to the Library Board and the City Council.


RECONSIDERATION

A patron who objects to the library’s ownership of specific library materials may complete the form available at the library or on the library’s website. Such requests will be forwarded to the director. The director and selected board members will reply to such requests about the selection of the materials with information from reviews and by reassessing its value to the collection. Patrons may schedule a conference with the director to discuss the material in detail. The director will report such conferences with a summary to the Library Board, give a written decision concerning the retention or removal of the material and forward such decisions to the patron and to the Library Board. Should a patron not be satisfied with the decision, the patron may schedule a meeting with the Library Board to appeal. The Library Board will hear such an appeal and shall issue a written decision for the patron and the Library Board minutes.




REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION OF LIBRARY MATERIALS

Your Name________________________________________________ Date______________


Address_________________________________________ Phone_________________________


Title of material_________________________________________________________________


Author_________________________________ Publisher_______________________________


















Signature of Concerned Patron


LIBRARY BILL OF RIGHTS

The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their services.

I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.

II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.

IV. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.

V. A person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views.

VI. Libraries that make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.

Adopted June 19, 1939, by the ALA Council; amended October 14, 1944; June 18, 1948; February 2, 1961; June 27, 1967; January 23, 1980; inclusion of “age” reaffirmed January 23, 1996.

http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/index.cfm 



FREEDOM TO VIEW STATEMENT


The Freedom to View, along with the freedom to speak, to hear and to read, is protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. In a free society, there is no place for censorship of any medium of expression. Therefore these principles are affirmed:


This statement was originally drafted by the Freedom to View Committee of the American Film and Video Association (formerly the Educational Film Library Association) and was adopted by the AFVA Board of Directors in February 1979. This statement was updated and approved by the AFVA Board of Directors in 1989 and endorsed January 10, 1990 by the ALA Council.


http://www.ala.org/vrt/professionalresources/vrtresources/freedomtoview 







CLOSING OF THE LIBRARY


In interest of public safety the library will be closed during inclement weather if the following conditions are met:




COOPERATION WITH OTHER INSTITUTIONS


The library recognizes the necessity of cooperation with other libraries and institutions in order to provide services to its patrons. Consequently, the library works closely when possible with other public, academic and school libraries. The library has a formal cooperative contract for sharing resources with member libraries of the Traverse des Sioux System as well as State Libraries and also honors patron cards from other regions participating in reciprocal privileges.




REVISION


Library policies are revised by the Library Board as time and circumstances require and shall be reviewed annually at the beginning of each year.