Lake Agassiz Regional Library

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LARL Policies

INTERNET AND COMPUTER USE POLICY

Lake Agassiz Regional Library provides computer use to library customers through its branch libraries and Library LINK Sites. Access is intended to ensure equitable access to information and on-line resources for residents of the seven-county region that would otherwise not be available through the Library’s collections.

Library computers with Internet access will be filtered to meet the requirements of the federal Child Internet Protection Act (CIPA). Adults 17 years or older may request unfiltered access.

Library computers may be used only for legal purposes and may NOT be used to:

• Display or print graphics that are obscene, child pornography, or harmful to minors in accordance with any applicable federal, state, or local law.

• Violate copyright laws or database license agreements, or engage in other illegal activity.

• Engage in any activity that is deliberately offensive or creates an intimidating, disruptive, or hostile environment.

• Gain unauthorized access to resources or entities.

• Establish or maintain a business for commercial gain.

• Harass, invade the privacy of, or vandalize the data of any other individual(s).

• Degrade, alter, or disrupt equipment or system performance.

• Download, save or install software to the hard drive.

• Gamble.

Each local library sets sign-up procedures and time limits for those occasions when others are waiting. Please see a staff person for details.

User Responsibilities
• Adhere to the library’s Internet and Computer Use Policy.

• Respect the rights and diverse values of other library customers.

• Refrain from viewing sites that are inappropriate in a public setting.

• Follow local branch procedures for computer sign-up and time limits.

• Pay for all pages printed.

• Provide personal storage devices (disks are available for purchase).

Sanctions
Violations of the library’s policy or failure to adhere to local procedures may result in the loss of Internet, computer and/or library privileges.
Illegal use of library computers may be subject to prosecution by local, state or federal authorities.

Intellectual Freedom
The Lake Agassiz Regional Library recognizes the right of individuals to determine what information is most appropriate for their needs. Library staff is available to assist in locating information, but it is the user’s responsibility to evaluate and make the final decision regarding that information.

Internet Disclaimer Statement
The Internet is an unregulated global electronic network. Information available over the Internet may be controversial, inaccurate, misleading, or offensive as well as culturally stimulating, educational, or professionally and personally useful. Other than the filtering required by CIPA, LARL does not control access to material found on the Internet, nor protect users from finding materials that may be considered controversial or offensive. The Library does not monitor and has no control over the information found on the Internet and is not responsible for its content.

Library Liability
Library customers use the library’s computer hardware, software, and documentation at their own risk. Lake Agassiz Regional Library is not responsible for providing detailed instruction on computer use, equipment malfunction, loss of data, any damage to a user’s disks, data, etc., or electronic transactions of any type which are related to the public use of library computer resources.

Adopted by the Lake Agassiz Regional Library Board of Trustees, November 1998; Aug. 19, 2004; Sept. 15, 2005

POLICY FOR PUBLIC INTERACTION WITH LARL'S ONLINE COMMUNICATION TOOLS

Lake Agassiz Regional Library (LARL) presents its online communications tools as a way to further involve its customers in library activities and decisions. We welcome the opportunity to interact with our customers in this way and to generate lively conversation about various topics and consider suggestions from library users. We look forward to receiving a diverse array of opinions.

Library staff will moderate all information submitted. Suggestions and comments will be judged in accordance with LARL’s existing policies and procedures.

LARL reserves the right to refrain from publishing or remove information and comments. Comments containing the following will not be posted:

promotion of products for sale or giveaway
solicitations for political, charitable or any other type of donations
gambling or lottery information
copyrighted material not attributed to its source
material or information that violates local, state or federal law
obscenity, indecency or profanity
content that encourages unlawful conduct
sexually explicit language
language that promotes discrimination against an individual or group based on race, color, religion, gender, age, national or ethnic origin, disability, marital status, or sexual orientation
language judged by library staff to be insulting or to constitute a personal attack on a fellow contributor’s character.

Any opinions or comments expressed in the Library’s online forum are the views of the contributor and may not reflect the viewpoint or policies of LARL.

Adopted, LARL Board of Trustees: January 17, 2008

WIRELESS ACCESS POLICY
Wireless access is provided free of charge by Lake Agassiz Regional Library (LARL) for customers who have the required hardware and software needed for this service. Users must read and agree to the following conditions in order to use the Library’s wireless access.

1) Wireless users agree to abide by the Internet and Computer Use Policy. Print copies of the policy are available in your local library.

2) Users of wireless equipment are responsible for setting up their own access to LARL’s wireless network. Library staff will not provide technical assistance.

3) LARL will not assume responsibility for the safety of equipment or data resulting from connection to the wireless network.

4) Virus and security protection is the responsibility of the wireless user.

5) Using LARL’s wireless network to access material that is obscene, considered child pornography, or harmful to minors and consistent with any applicable federal, state or local law will result in loss of privileges.

6) LARL reserves the right to limit bandwidth as necessary, to ensure network reliability and fair sharing of network resources for all users. Users are expected to not use applications that will use large amounts of network bandwidth.

7) Wireless access is provided for on-premise use only.

Adopted, LARL Board of Trustees: February 16, 2006

REGISTRATION POLICY

Any resident with an address within the Lake Agassiz Regional Library region, with the exception of those residing within the city limits of East Grand Forks, regardless of age, who shows an acceptable proof of address, may register for a free library borrower’s card at any LARL agency.

Persons who own real property in the region, even though they reside elsewhere, are eligible for a library borrower’s card good for full use in the library. Borrower’s cards may also be issued to all members of their families living at the same address.

Students enrolled at schools and colleges within the region will be classified as residents while they are enrolled, provided they reside in the region while they are students.

A non-resident who has a current, valid borrower’s card from a library, which has a reciprocity agreement with LARL, will be entitled to library privileges.

A non-resident not otherwise eligible for a borrower’s card may apply for a Fee Card by payment of an annual fee. This card entitles the person and members of his/her immediate family living at the same address use of the library for one year from date of issue.

Nursing homes, hospitals, retirement centers, prisons, businesses, childcare providers and other agencies may apply for borrowing privileges for their institutional library needs.

Residents who are unable to visit the library due to physical or other disability may apply for borrowing privileges for their homebound library needs.

Borrowers, both individual and institutional, are responsible for all material checked out on their library borrower’s card number and for any charges incurred. Borrowing privileges are suspended if the person has overdue materials or reaches a certain threshold of overdue materials or service charges. It is the responsibility of the borrower to notify the library of changes in name, address or other registration information, or of a lost or missing card. A lost card may be replaced for a service charge. A replacement card invalidates the borrower’s previous card.

CIRCULATION POLICY

Library materials and services of the Lake Agassiz Regional Library (LARL) are available to the general public. Borrowing privileges are extended to those persons properly registered with the Lake Agassiz Regional Library.

It is the responsibility of the borrower to return materials on time because library materials are publicly owned and must be as accessible as possible to all citizens.

Loan Periods and Borrowing Limits
• 21 days (3 weeks) – most books, cassettes, CDs, Discover Your Library! Kits, past issues of magazines, artwork.
• 7 days (1 week) – DVDs and videos.
• Ten (10) each: videos and DVDs.

Renewals
• An item can be renewed once unless there is another request for that item.

Reserves
• Borrowers may reserve circulating items in the catalog. Materials will not be recalled from one borrower for use by another.

Service Charges for Late/Lost Items
• 21 days after the due date, a $2 per item late fee will be added. A replacement fee, in addition to a $3 processing fee, will be added to materials
not returned.

Overdue Notices
• Register your e-mail address to have a reminder e-mailed to you seven days after the due date.
• It is the borrower’s responsibility to return materials on time. Notices are courtesy reminders only.

Other
Circulation records will be treated in a confidential manner. In accordance with Minnesota statute #13.40, Subd. 2, private information contained in these records will not be released to anyone except upon issuance of a court order, or when assistance is requested by Library personnel from local law enforcement authorities in recovering overdue material.

This policy replaces the circulation and overdue policies of the individual libraries within the Lake Agassiz Regional Library.

BEHAVIOR POLICY

Library users are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that makes quiet study possible, maintains the integrity of the library's collections, and respects the rights of everyone to benefit from the library and its services in a clean, safe and pleasant environment with the least amount of interference. Unacceptable behavior by a few shall not be permitted to disrupt the enjoyment of library services by the majority of citizens.

The Library is defined as the library building, its surrounding parking lot and sidewalks. There are thirteen fixed library buildings in the Lake Agassiz Regional Library. All these facilities are covered under the purposes of this policy.

Essentially, behavior that disturbs other library users, threatens their safety, or prevents staff from providing service to other library users is unacceptable. Behavior or activities prohibited by federal or state statute, or local city or county ordinances are also prohibited. The local law enforcement agency shall be contacted to deal with offenders.

The following are guidelines for acceptable behavior in Lake Agassiz Regional Library branches; it is not intended to be an exhaustive list:

• Shirt & shoes required
• Food & beverages only in designated areas
• No pets allowed unless designated as a necessary resource.
• Refrain from use of cell phones
• No soliciting

Updated 5/28/08