Circulation Policy

Purpose

The Woodward Public Library has a variety of materials, in a variety of formats, available to all persons, and in doing so, supports the library's mission of building an educated, vibrant community by providing equal access to information, materials, and innovative services and programs.

To provide for efficient and equitable circulation of materials, the library sets the following policies regarding borrowing eligibility: loan limits for various materials, limits on the number of items that can be checked out, renewals, reserves, interlibrary loan, overdue charges on library materials, and damage replacement assessments.

The library utilizes an integrated automated circulation system to maintain, monitor, and report overdue notices, billings and balances, and user registration.

Mission Statement

WPL strives to build an educated, vibrant community by providing equal access to information, materials, and innovative services and programs.

Registration Guidelines

  • The registration process qualifies a customer to have access to the library’s collections. Any person who lives in Woodward County and the following surrounding counties may apply for a library card at no charge. Ellis, Dewey, Major, Woods and Harper County. All applicants must provide a valid photo ID with their current physical address and/or a form of identification verifying their current physical address.
Examples of Acceptable Proofs
  1. A valid Oklahoma driver’s license with a current address
  2. Personal check with printed name and current address
  3. Utility bill or receipt postmarked within the past 30 days
  4. Property tax statement
  5. Current student I.D. card
  6. Current payroll stub
  7. A post office box, hotel, or motel address will not be accepted as proof of residency.
  • A customer shall only have one library card.
  • Library cards are valid for one year from the date issued. At the end of that year, customers will be asked to verify their current address by showing current identification. Customers may show current identification on their next subsequent visit to the library. Library cards that have not been updated within three years of their expiration will be removed from the library’s database.
  • Applicants under the age of 18 must have a registration form signed by a parent of legal guardian unless they are lawfully emancipated (required documentation). Parent or legal guardian and minor must be present.
  • The name and address provided for identification verification must match the information on the application.
  • Customers are required to present their library cards at the time of check out. A photo ID or library barcode stored on an electronic devise may be used. A customer under the age of 18 will be required to verify the information on their card.
  • Library cards will not be issued 15 minutes prior to closing.

Institutions and Educators

An institutional or educator’s card is available for any agency, company, or organization located in Woodward County and educators; educators, being defined as teachers from public and private schools, home schools, daycare centers, and preschools. Proof of employment or affiliation is required. Verification of continued employment or affiliation will be required to renew an expired institutional/educator’s card. An institutional or educator’s card must be presented when borrowing library items. A limit of 20 items may be checked out for a period of 31 days. The items are not available for renewal. Only three DVDs shall be checked out at one time and are only checked out for one week. In the case of group cards, the library assumes that the person presenting the card is authorized to use it; circulation information will be released to the bearer.

The Woodward Public Library reserves the right to limit the number of items and shorten loan periods for seasonal, special displays, school assignments, and high-demand material. The card shall not be used as a personal library card.

Replacement of a Lost Library Card

The initial library card is free of charge. There is a $1.00 charge for a lost card. There is no charge to renew an expired card, for replacing a card due to normal wear, change of address, or legal name change. A replacement card for a child under the age of 16 will require the presence of a parent, a guardian, or a legal caregiver.

Customer’s Responsibility

It is the customer’s responsibility for all use made of his or her library card. By signing the application form, it is the cardholder’s responsibility to inform the library of lost or stolen cards and change of address. The library is not responsible for the consequences of failing to notify the library of such changes. All items checked out, all fines incurred on a customer’s library card, or restitution charges for lost or damaged material are the responsibility of the cardholder.

Circulation Of Library Materials

Checkout Limits

Most library customers may have a total of 10 items checked out on their library card, 5 of which can be DVDs.

Loan Periods

The majority of library materials may be checked out for 14 days with the following exceptions:
  • Reference Material - In-library Use Only
  • Items – Educators or Institutions - 31 days
  • Interlibrary Loan - Indicated by Lending Institution
  • Equipment - 3 Days
  • Mobile Hotspots - 7 days

Exceptions may be made for reference material if, in the judgment of the director if it is necessary to take the material out of the library. A non-refundable deposit of $20.00 and a phone number will be required. Loan periods and limitations by subject and format are set by the Woodward Public Library with the support of the library’s board of directors and the City of Woodward.

Renewals

Materials will automatically renew twice if another patron has not placed a hold on the item. Materials may also be renewed through the library’s online catalog.

Interlibrary loan materials may be renewed only with the consent of the lending institution. See the Interlibrary Loan Policy.

The following materials may not be renewed:
  • Materials on an educator’s or institutional card
  • Items on reserve for another customer
  • Items previously renewed twice
  • Mobile Hotspots

Reserve Requests

Library materials that are checked out may be placed on hold or reserve. Customers may place holds in person, by telephone, and via the library’s online catalog on the Woodward Public Library’s website. A maximum of 2 holds may be placed on a customer’s library card. Customers will be notified by telephone, email, or United States mail that the held item is available for pickup. Requested items will be held for up to 3 days at the main circulation desk. The Woodward Public Library reserves the right to determine if an item may or may not be placed on reserve. Reserves are not accepted for customers who have overdue items on their account.

Interlibrary Loan Requests

All customers with a valid library card may use the interlibrary loan service. A customer may have no more than five interlibrary loan requests active at one time. Customers are responsible for all charges incurred with an ILL request such as postage, photocopy charges, overdue charges, charges associated with lost or damaged items, etc. See the Interlibrary Loan Policy.

Overdue and Fines

A fine will accrue for each item that is not returned by the due date. An item is considered overdue if not returned by the time the library closes. Overdue charges do not accrue on the days that the library is closed. A customer’s borrowing privileges will be suspended if the customer has $5.00 or more in outstanding charges. Installment payments of accumulated fines and bills will be accepted. The maximum fine for any one item is the cost of the item; except for DVDs, the maximum fine is $15.00 per item.

Overdue fines are calculated as follows:

  • Books and magazines $ 0.10 per day
  • Audiobooks and DVDs $0.50 per day
  • Equipment $2.00 per day
  • Interlibrary loan material $ 0.25 per day
  • Mobile Hotspots $2.00 per day

Fines and outstanding charges will be brought to a customer’s attention at the checkout desk. The library does not mail notices for fines incurred. Library staff shall attempt to collect fines according to policy; however, staff members are urged to use discretion in unusual situations. See Policy on Waiving Fines and Restoring Borrowing Privileges Fine charges for all library material are set by the library with the support of the Woodward Public Library Board of Directors and the City of Woodward.

Lost and Damaged Material

Charges for lost or damaged items include the replacement cost plus a $5.00 non-refundable processing fee. Installment payments will be accepted.

The library does not generally accept replacement copies of lost or damaged items. However, the library will accept a replacement copy provided it has the same ISBN or another standard identifying number as determined by library staff. A replacement copy must be new and of the same format. A $5.00 processing fee still applies to all accepted replacement copies.

Overdue charges for lost or damaged items are waived when the customer pays the replacement cost of those items. If a customer does not return an item within 30 days of the due date, the item will be declared “lost” and the customer will be charged for the price of the item plus the $5.00 processing fee. If a lost item is subsequently found, the customer will not be refunded. The item becomes the property of the customer who paid for it. A customer who claims to have returned or did not check out that item is not responsible for fines or lost charges on that item. Return claims will be tracked on a customer’s card. The library will not be responsible for any damage a library item might cause to the borrower’s personal equipment.

Charges for Damaged or Lost Items

  • Missing Barcodes: $1.00
  • Lost or Damaged DVD Case: $2.00

Lost or damaged charges for all library material are set by the library with the support of the Woodward Public Library Board of Directors and the City of Woodward.

Library Notices

  • The Woodward Public Library provides a notification service for hold items, pre-due notices, overdue notices, and other service-specific reasons. Notices are available by email, text-messaging, or mail.
  • Customers can select a preferred method of notification, but keep in mind that not all notices are available by all notification methods.
  • It is the responsibility of the cardholder to notify the library of any contact information changes.
  • For cardholders who receive their notices by email, it is the cardholders' responsibility to make sure their email address is correct and to allow any filtering system on their computer to receive library notices. NOTE: Some web-based email engines treat the message as spam.
  • Failure to receive notice does not absolve the borrower of any fines or fees attached to their account.

Failure to return library items is by law a misdemeanor and punishable by a fine. At the discretion of the library, the Woodward Public Library Board of Directors, and the City of Woodward, customers in violation of this law may be turned over to the district attorney’s office for collection or prosecution. See Appendix 11.10

Suspension of Privileges

A customer’s borrowing privileges will be suspended if the following limits have been reached:

  • A customer with overdue library material.
  • A customer who claims to have returned items that are deemed lost on three separate occasions will be required to pay for lost items that are currently checked out in their name. Borrowing privileges will be reinstated once the lost items are paid for.
  • A customer with outstanding library charges of $5.00 or more.
  • An insufficient check that is not paid after customer notification.
  • A customer whose borrowing privileges are suspended may not use another customer’s library card to check out library material.

Confidentiality of Customer Records

Oklahoma law protects the confidentiality of library users’ records. Customers may ask for access to their own record; however, other individuals may not inspect a customer’s record except with the customer’s authorization or by order of a court of law.

Parents of minor children under the age of 18 may have access to their child’s record. Oklahoma Statute 1040.75 defines a juvenile as an unmarried person less than 18 years of age. The Woodward Public Library supports the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights, Freedom to Read Statement, Freedom to View Statement, Statement on Labeling, and Intellectual Freedom Statement. See Customer Confidentiality Policy.

Withdrawal of Parental Consent

The signature of a parent, a guardian, or a legal caregiver acknowledges responsibility for library materials checked out to the child. It is the policy of the library not to act in loco parentis in keeping with the principles of equal access to information and materials for all customers. Therefore, the library will not restrict any customer, including children, from access to any type or class of materials or from any information in the library. If a parent, a guardian, or a legal caregiver does not wish his/her child to have access to particular materials, they will need to discuss the restrictions with the child in the context of their parent-child relationship. If a parent, a guardian, or a legal caregiver wishes to withdraw the acknowledgment of responsibility from his/her child’s card, the library staff will deactivate the child’s record so that no materials may be checked out to that card. The child’s access to the library’s collection is then available only through the parent, guardian, or legal caregiver’s library card.

Amendments

The Woodward Public Library with the support of its board of directors is authorized to amend or revise this policy as deemed necessary. Adopted April 2009.