Privacy, Subpoenas, and Search Warrants
The Board of Trustees is
responsible for determining the rules of behavior necessary to protect the
rights of individuals to use library materials and services, to protect the
rights of library employees to conduct library business without interference,
and to preserve library materials and facilities.
The Board of Trustees believes that library patrons have the right to use
library materials and services without being disturbed or impeded by other
library users; that library patrons and employees have the right to an
environment that is safe, secure and comfortable; and that library patrons and
employees have the right to materials and facilities that are accessible and in
good condition.
The Hampton Falls Free Library welcomes patrons of all ages to use and enjoy the
facilities, collections and programs offered by the library.
Behavior Guidelines for Library Users
Shirts and shoes must be worn in the library.
Food and beverages may only be brought into the library with the approval of the library staff.
Animals must be left outside of the building unless needed to assist a disabled person or part of a library-sponsored program.
Bicycles should be parked in the bike rack.
A parent or other adult who is
responsible for the child should accompany all children
8
years old and younger. Unattended children are a safety concern for all library
users.
At the discretion of a
responsible adult, a child age 9 or older may be left unattended
to read for pleasure, select materials, complete a homework assignment, or
attend a
program. The child must know how to reach their
adult in case this need arises.
The parent/guardian is
responsible for insuring appropriate behavior of their children
in the library. Disruptive behavior, including running, shouting, pushing or
other rowdy,
rambunctious activities will not be
permitted. If the patron is a child, the parent/guardian
is responsible for
insuring appropriate behavior of their children. In the case of unaccompanied children,
a parent/guardian will be called to pick
them up.
Young children accompanied by a
parent or caregiver may sign up to use a computer
for
educational and recreational purposes. It is the responsibility of the parent or
care-
giver to ensure appropriate use of online terminals and
other electronic resources by
young children. Pounding on the
keyboards and other potentially damaging activities
are not
permitted.
Adopted 1/6/2002
Revised 7/21/2008
Additionally, as our service to our community is the reason for our library, it is our intention to ensure that any action taken in enforcing the Borrowing Procedures take fully into consideration the respect and dignity due our patrons and that such actions not damage that relationship.
It is our intent that the Library Director be directly responsible for enacting and communicating any penalties such as the revoking of library privileges or billing for lost materials, and that he or she has the sole discretion of the Library Staff in such matters.
Adopted 2/16/2003
The Hampton Falls Free Library believes in open access to information and is dedicated to providing education, information, recreation and inspiration to the community. It subscribes to and supports the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights and its interpretations including the Freedom to Read and the Diversity in Collection Development statements.
The Internet is a global network of information accessible with a computer. It provides access to information and resources outside the town of Hampton Falls. This access is intended to provide yet another source of information to the citizens of Hampton Falls. Internet access in the Library is a privilege and requires that individual users act responsibly, obeying all local, state and federal laws and treating library materials and equipment in a responsible manner. Failure to obey library policies and procedures will result in loss of Internet privileges.
The Library does not monitor and has no control over the information accessed through the Internet. Not all resources on the Internet provide accurate, authoritative, complete or current information. Because of the open nature of the Internet, there may be areas deemed inappropriate. All patrons use the Internet at their own risk and are cautioned to use good judgment in doing so. Librarians will offer guidance and suggestions as to the most successful use of the Internet but cannot be held responsible for any information found on the Internet.
The Hampton Falls Free Library encourages parents to guide their children’s Internet experiences, in the same manner as they guide their children’s television viewing and their reading materials. Parents are expected to monitor and supervise their children’s Internet use. They are responsible for their own children’s access to the Internet.
Procedures:
The Hampton Falls Free Library offers Internet access free of charge to any valid cardholder regardless of age who uses these facilities. Parents must sign a consent form for children under 18. Children under 7 must be accompanied by a parent.
Patrons may reserve a half hour at a time on the computer by either calling on the phone or coming into the library. If, after this time, no one is waiting to use the computer, patrons may continue until someone else wants it.
Guidelines for Use:
Users displaying objectionable material on the screen or playing
objectionable sounds will
be asked
to exit their program, as this would
constitute an inappropriate use of a
public resource.
The Library staff has the right to discontinue computer privileges for anyone not following Library policy.
Users must observe all existing copyright laws, patent protection and licensing agreements.
Users are prohibited from loading their own software or downloading software from the Internet.
Users who damage software or hardware are liable for its repair or replacement.
The Library assumes no responsibility, direct or indirect, arising from the use of its equipment or its Internet connection.
I agree to abide by the conditions of the Hampton Falls Free Library’s Internet Use Policy and certify that I have read and fully understand the guidelines. I agree to be responsible for any damage to the equipment caused by my use.
Date______________________
Name________________________________________ Card# ______________
Signature ________________________________________________________
Address __________________________________ Phone #________________
If under 18, parent’s signature _______________________________________
Adopted 1/12/1999
The Hampton Falls Free Library strives to protect the privacy of library patrons to the fullest extent of the law. No confidential information about library patrons will be revealed to the authorities without presentation of a subpoena or search warrant.
The library will retain only as much information as required to provide services. Personal information regarding patrons will be discarded as soon as it is no longer needed. The library keeps no permanent record of Internet sites visited, electronic databases used, or searches performed by patrons.
Some search warrants or subpoenas issued under the USA Patriot Act come with a “gag order” automatically attached, preventing staff from telling the patron or the public that information has been provided to the FBI.
The library staff will comply with law enforcement when supplied with a legal subpoena or warrant. The staff, trustees and library attorney will review the following procedures on a yearly basis.
If a staff member is approached by anyone alleging to be a law enforcement official, do not disclose to that individual any information. Immediately contact the Library Director.
The Library Director (or person in charge) will ask for identification from the agent-in-charge and verify validity.
Ask for a copy of the search warrant and its affidavit.
Fax the warrant to the library attorney so s/he can review it as soon as possible.
Remind library staff not to interfere with the parameters of the search, but that they are not required to answer questions from law enforcement. If the library is asked for consent to search items beyond the scope of the warrant, decline.
Keep track of any expenses incurred as a result of the search.
Double check to see if a gag order has been included with the court order.
Apprise the library trustees if possible.
Library users will be informed that their usage is subject to the U.S.A. Patriot Act through notices at the circulation desk and on the library’s website. For more detailed information, consult the U.S.A. Patriot Act file in the Library Director’s Office.
Adopted 7-15-2003
Public libraries have traditionally provided free meeting space for the members of their communities to encourage free expression and free access to ideas presenting all points of view on subjects of all kinds.
The Hampton Falls Free Library supports this concept and endorses the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights, which states:
"Libraries which 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 or individuals or groups requesting their use."
The fact that a group is permitted to meet at the Library does not in any way constitute an endorsement of the group’s policies or beliefs by the Library staff or Board of Trustees.
The Hampton Falls Free Library has a meeting room available to the public, with a maximum occupancy of 50 persons as stated by the Fire Marshal. As the Library is supported by the taxpayers of Hampton Falls, it is subject to the same general rules and prohibitions that govern the use of other tax-supported facilities in the town.
The meeting room is available for use by local non-profit organizations. Application for the use of the meeting room is made through the librarian at the circulation desk. All meeting room users must complete the form “Application for Use of the Meeting Room” before their initial meeting at the Library. Once this form is completed and approved by the Library Director and/or Board of Trustees, users may book additional meeting times by telephone if preferred.
All reservations will be processed in the order in which they are received.
A group wishing to charge a fee may do so only with the permission of the Library Director or the Library Trustees. The proposed fee must be shown to be necessary to cover the costs of the program or class.
No meetings may be held in any public service areas.
All programs must be free and open to the public.
Library-initiated programs will be given priority in reserving the Meeting Room.
Programs may not disrupt the use of the Library by others. Attendees must enter and exit the building in a quiet, orderly manner. All groups shall be responsible for providing adult supervision of children in the building and on the grounds and parking lot. Persons attending the meetings are subject to all Library rules and regulations.
Youth groups must have an adult sponsor and one adult in attendance for every six young people.
The Meeting Room must be left in a clean and orderly condition. The organization is responsible for meeting room setup. Groups serving food and beverages will be responsible for setup and cleanup, will provide all their own supplies, and will remove all trash and garbage. No alcoholic beverages, smoking, or open flames will be permitted.
If the Library is forced to close as a result of inclement weather or other extraordinary circumstances, the Librarians will make every effort to contact the applicant, but it is each organization’s responsibility to notify those who would be attending any meeting. The Library is not responsible for any costs incurred by an organization as a result of such closing.
Each group shall be responsible for any and all damages caused directly or indirectly to the Library, its collections, equipment, facilities, or services by or during its use of the Meeting Room.
The Library, its staff and Trustees are not responsible for personal articles.
The Library assumes no responsibility for the safety of any property brought onto the premises.
The Meeting Room was not intended for the use of any individual for their private work for tutoring, artwork, office space, or an area to "spread out".
The Library allows authors and performers to sell their books and recordings in the Library as a part of their program.
Groups using the meeting room on an ongoing basis may not store items there except by arrangement with the Library Director
The Meeting Room is handicapped accessible, as are the rest rooms. Access is through the Meeting Room door.
If using the Meeting Room outside of library hours, arrangements must be made in advance with the Library Director.
Meeting room privileges will be withdrawn upon cause.
No organization or individual will be permitted to place in the library any receptacle which solicits donations unless approved by the Library Director as a project which supports the Library’s mission, goals, and/or programs.
Dated Nov. 18,
2001
Revised October 19,
2003
Displays and Exhibits Policy...
The Hampton Falls Free Library welcomes exhibits of art and other displays of interest to the community. the choice of works or items to be exhibited rests with the Library Director and the Board of Trustees.
The Hampton Falls Free Library assumes
no responsibility for the loss, theft, or damage of any property
connected with
any show and all artists must sign a waiver accepting full responsibility for
the safety of all items
in the exhibit.
Selecting a suitable area, venue or method of display is at the discretion of the Library Director.
Any materials and labor associated with mounting an exhibit shall be the responsibility of the artist.
Exhibits must be scheduled in advance
with the Library Director within a time frame that is acceptable to the
Library
Director.
Selection Policy ...
The Hampton Falls Free Library endeavors to provide the adults and children of Hampton Falls with the best possible print and non-print recreational, informational and educational materials to meet the diverse needs and interests of the community.
The Board of Trustees and staff endorse those sections of the Library Bill of Rights, the Freedom to Read statement and the Freedom to View statement developed by the American Library Association that concern themselves with book selection and library programs. The Librarians shall always have copies of these statements available for those who wish to study them.
All materials and programs chosen for the Hampton Falls Free Library shall be judged individually on the basis of merit, subject matter, community interest and need in a balanced library. No material or program shall be excluded on the basis of a single idea, word, phrase or passage lifted out of context.
In areas considered controversial, more than one point of view shall be represented by materials and/or programs in the library. They may represent points of view sometimes considered unorthodox or unpopular by the majority.
While collections for adults and children are housed in separate areas, the library will not act in loco parentis, censor, label or restrict access to library materials or programs because of a person's age, race, religion, gender, or socio-economic status. Parents are the appropriate judges of their own children's library materials and staff members encourage those who wish to supervise their children's borrowing to accompany them on their library visits.
In the event that a patron objects to an item or items in the collection, or a program, he/she will be asked to fill out a "Request for Reconsideration" form provided by the library. Consideration shall be made by the Librarian and the Trustees who shall present a written decision within 30 days of the filing.
During reconsideration, materials challenged will remain in circulation and programs will continue as scheduled.
Selection Criteria
Materials are selected in accordance with one or more of the following
guidelines:
*Artistic,
historic, literary and/or scientific merit
*Community
request and/or anticipated popular demand
*Favorable
reviews
*Price, in
relation to budget
*Relationship
to existing materials in the collection
*Clarity and
accuracy of information and presentation
The Librarian shall use professional selection tools, which currently include Booklist, Library Journal, VOYA, and The New York Times Book Review to choose media that has been favorably reviewed and that will contribute to a balanced library collection. In addition, the Librarian may also consult Books in Print, Public Library Catalog, Fiction Catalog, Children's Catalog, trade journals and other authoritative subject bibliographies.
Audiovisual Materials
Audiovisual materials currently collected by the Hampton Falls Free Library consist of juvenile and adult abridged and unabridged audio books, DVD's and videocassettes that are of broad family appeal and general interest.
Selection of these materials is made by the Librarian after careful review of standard selection guides such as Audiofile, Booklist and Library Journal, and ongoing evaluation of collection needs and usage. Requests from the community will also be considered.
Other audiovisual formats may be acquired for the collection at a future time to fulfill the Library's mission of meeting the diverse needs and interests of the community.
Electronic Materials
Electronic materials currently collected by the Hampton Falls Free Library consist of educational and informational CD-ROMs, such as National Geographic and the Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia, for in-house use.
The Library has access to EBSCOhost, provided by the New Hampshire State Library, and will download and print articles requested by customers at a the current cost of photocopying a page.
Factors that influence purchase of electronic materials include content, access, support and cost.
Other electronic formats may be acquired at a future time to fulfill the Library's mission of meeting the diverse needs and interests of the community.
Gifts
Gifts will be evaluated using the same criteria as for purchased materials.
Gifts of books and media, money, objet d'art, personal property and real property shall be welcomed on the condition that the terms are acceptable to the Trustees and/or that the Library is authorized to make the final disposition of such materials in accordance with NH RSA 202-A.
The library staff and Board of Trustees are not trained to appraise materials and cannot provide an estimated value for any gifts received. However, the Librarian will be pleased to issue a letter acknowledging the item(s) received and affix bookplates as requested.
Gifts become the property of the Library and will be used as deemed most appropriate for the development of the collection.
Networking
In order to maximize the Library's resources and fully cooperate with libraries throughout New Hampshire, the Hampton Falls Free Library actively participates in Interlibrary Loan service as established by the New Hampshire State Library. Access to online services such as EBSCOhost and Article Express provided by the New Hampshire State Library allows the Library to offer document delivery quickly and efficiently.
Periodicals
Periodicals of general interest that meet the recreational, informational and educational needs of the community will be collected by the Library.
Under the direction of the Librarian, the staff is responsible for making judicious periodical selections after careful review of selection guides, such as Gale Directory of Publications and Broadcast Media, Library Journal, and Magazines for Libraries, and ongoing evaluation of collection needs and usage. Requests from the community will also be considered.
With the exception of National Geographic and Consumer Reports, back issues of magazines are kept for one year after publication; newspapers are available for one month. Every effort will be made to distribute or recycle the above materials.
The Library will attempt to supply all requests for articles not found in the Hampton Falls Free Library through interlibrary loan and through EBSCOhost and Article Express, a document delivery services provided by the New Hampshire State Library.
Collection Evaluation
In order to maintain the value of the library collection, the Hampton Falls Free Library recognizes the need to examine the condition and usage of all print and non-print materials, and dispose of materials that are no longer deemed useful to the collection. To that end, the library is engaged in an ongoing inventory/weeding process. Statistics from this process are compiled and used to determine future allocation of the acquisitions budget. Outdated materials will be replaced as use and the budget allow. Memorial gifts no longer deemed useful to the collection may be withdrawn after consulting the donor whenever possible, and a new item on a related topic shall be purchased in its place.
To determine which books to thin from the collection, the library staff will check each title against the most recent editions of the Public Library Catalog, and Fiction Catalog, and Children’s Catalog to see if a book, although dated, should remain. The Librarian will review the circulation history of the book and its state of repair. As a rule, the criteria set forth in the CREW Method: Expanded Guidelines for Collection Evaluation and Weeding for de-selecting books will be followed, with the exception of local history materials or titles by local authors.
Materials to be discarded may be sold at the Library Book Sale, donated to local entities, donated to charity, or recycled.
Adopted 9/8/1998
Last revised 4/21/2008
Volunteers are important to the success of the Hampton Falls Free Library and viewed as a valuable resource. The Library aims to give volunteers meaningful responsibilities, appropriate orientation and training, effective supervision, and recognition. Volunteers are expected to perform their duties without compensation to the best of their abilities and support the mission of the Hampton Falls Free Library. Any incurred, out-of-pocket expenditures must be pre-approved by the Director. Applicants for a volunteer position who are not known in the community or who are working with children may be requested to undergo a background check.
Role of Volunteers: Hampton Falls Free Library uses volunteers to enhance public service to the community. Volunteers generally provide support services to staff and/or work on special projects. ID badges will be provided and worm by volunteers working in public areas.
Selection: Volunteers are selected by the Director based on their qualifications and the needs of the library. Volunteers under the age of 18 need a signed parental permission form which will be kept on file.
Supervision: Volunteers will work with and be trained by specific staff. Volunteers are expected to take direction from the staff person who is responsible for their work, and may be removed by the Library Director.
Schedules; Volunteers will work during hours when adequate supervision is available. Work schedules and specific time commitments will be arranged by each volunteer and the staff person responsible for their work. Volunteers who cannot meet a scheduled work time should inform the library staff as soon as possible.
VOLUNTEER JOB DESCRIPTION
Requirements:
1.
Ability to interact with staff and public in a positive and pleasant manner
2. Dependability
Skills:
1. Ability to follow directions
2. Knowledge of alphabetical order
3. Manual dexterity
4. Some typing/keyboard proficiency
5. Organizational ability
Duties: Any one, but
not necessarily all, of the above-listed skills will be required to perform the
following tasks:
1. Shelving books and other materials
2. Covering books
3. Organizing newspapers and magazine collection
4. Reading and organizing shelves
5. Assisting with programs for adults and children
6. Carrying out one-time projects
7. Repair and mending of materials
8. Assisting patrons with computer use
9. Occasional outdoor projects
Adopted February 19, 2007
The Hampton Falls Free
Library may be closed when inclement weather creates hazardous road conditions
that make driving unsafe for patrons and staff.
The decision to close the
library will be made by the Library Director based on weather reports, school
closing announcements, and road information
available on the NH Department of
Transportation 511 web site (http://www.511nh.com). The Director will notify all
staff members scheduled to work,
as well as the Chairman of the Board of
Trustees. A staff member will come by to empty the book drop once the roads are
passable to protect library
materials from weather-related exposure.
Adopted
February 13, 2005
Updated March 17, 2008