This manual contains the official policies of the Library.  As policies may be amended this manual will be annotated to show such amendments and their effective dates.

 

 

PREAMBLE

 

The purpose of the Free Public Library of the Township of Hamilton is to provide the residents of Hamilton Township with access to books, other resources, and services for education and information.  Library services shall be available to all residents who want them. To provide satisfactory Library service, the Board realizes the need for (1) recruiting and maintaining a competent professional and clerical staff, (2) fostering a proactive approach to maintaining and upgrading all aspects of the Library operation, (3) acting as a repository and to disseminate the history of the community, (4) efficiency of operations and fiscal responsibility, and (5) the maintenance of order to assure fair and equitable services to all users of Library resources and facilities. 

The policies herein are set forth to address the preceding needs.  This document supersedes all previous statements of Library policies in whatever form they may exist as of the date of adoption by the Board of Trustees.

 

 

CHAPTER I - GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

The following will apply to all persons within the confines of the Library:

 

1.      All patrons are expected to behave in an orderly manner, respecting the rights of others all times.

2.      Verbal communications will be kept at a low, conversational tone and volume.  Audio devices played may not be audible to other patrons.

3.      No food or drink shall be consumed except in specifically designated areas and in meeting rooms with the approval of the Director.

4.      No alcoholic beverages are allowed.

5.      Smoking is not permitted.

6.      Library telephones are restricted to staff use.  A public telephone will be provided for borrower use.

7.      The Library is a public facility and all Federal, State and Municipal laws and rules pertaining to assembly and distribution of materials apply within its confines and premises.

8.      Parents and/or adults accompanied by children are required to maintain control of such children.

9.      Staff will notify the police to attend to unattended children left after closing and shall make an effort to contact a parent or guardian to advise them that their child is in custody.  Under no circumstances shall staff offer to transport nor accept custody of such unattended children.

10. In the event that a patron becomes disruptive, the police shall be called immediately.

11. All non-public areas of the Library are reserved for staff use only and are “off-limits” to patrons.

12. Access to the Library building during other than normal hours of operation for purposes other than meeting room usage as approved by the Director must be approved by the Board of Trustees.

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HOURS OF OPERATION

 

13.   The normal hours of operation of the Library shall be Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.  In the event of change to these hours, advice of such change shall be made via the Library official website and provided to the press.  

 

  HOLIDAY AND SCHEDULED EARLY CLOSINGS

 

14.   The Library shall be closed in observance of the following:  New Years Day, Martin Luther King Day, Presidents' Day Weekend, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Election Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving Day, Thanksgiving Friday, and Christmas.

15.   The Library will close at 5:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve Day and New Year’s Eve Day.

 

WEATHER OR OTHER EMERGENCY CLOSINGS

 

16.   In the event of an officially declared State of Emergency or the closing of Hamilton Township Municipal offices, the Library shall be closed.

 

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CHAPTER II - BOOK AND MATERIAL SELECTION

 

The professional staff, under the guidance of the Library Director, shall determine what books and other materials shall be acquired, subject to the following:

 

1.       If controversies should arise between the Library Director and the general public over selection of books or other materials, the final decision as to the disposition of action will rest with the Board of Trustees.

2.      The selection of all Library materials shall be as objective as possible, not affected by the selector's own beliefs, and with differing views of controversial issues represented in the Library's collection.

3.       Priority for the selection of materials and holdings shall be given to that subject matter which best reflects the interests and needs of the community.

4.      The Board of Trustees and the Library Director subscribe to the principles of the Library Bill of Rights endorsed by the American Library Association.

 

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CHAPTER III - MEMBERSHIP FOR RESIDENT AND NON-RESIDENT BORROWERS

 

1.       The Library is fully supported by the taxpayers of Hamilton Township, thus its services and resources shall be without charge only to those persons who live or pay taxes on real estate within its official boundaries.  A Library card will be issued only to those persons presenting identification which confirms their address, e.g. driver’s license, utility bill, official student ID, etc. at the time of application. Resident Library cards expire every three (3) years.

 

2.       Complimentary cards shall be issued to non-residents who work for Hamilton Township upon application which includes verification of employment.  Otherwise, a non-resident fee of $75.00 per year for adults and $20.00 per year for students will be charged.  Students must present verification of school enrollment.  Complimentary cards are issued for one year only and must be renewed annually.

 

3.       Library cards shall not be issued to persons under the age of eighteen (18) years without parental or guardian consent.  Upon acceptance of a Library card, all borrowers acknowledge their liability for fines and book damage charges.

 

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CHAPTER IV - DISPLAYS AND EXHIBITS

 

The Board of Trustees and the staff welcome and encourage groups or individuals who wish to provide attractive, educational and cultural exhibits at the Library.  Use of the Library's facilities for displays and/or exhibits is not a right, but a privilege, which is subject to review and approval by the Library Director. The Board of Trustees and the Library Director subscribe to the principles of the Library Bill of Rights as endorsed by the American Library Association; all prevailing laws, statutes and ordinances regarding equal access; and case law as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction.

The Library Director may grant permission for displays and exhibits in the Library subject to the following conditions:

 

1.      The Library assumes no responsibility for the preservation, protection or possible damage or theft of any item displayed or exhibited. All items placed in the Library are done so at the owner's risk.

 

2.      No poster, display, exhibit, pamphlet, brochure, leaflet, or booklet shall be exhibited or distributed without permission from the Library Director.  Any dated materials will be removed within twenty-four hours of the event or service.  Materials shall be displayed for thirty days or longer at the discretion of the Director.

 

3.      No outside organization or individual shall be permitted to display or exhibit any materials, posters, etc. which advocate the election or defeat of a candidate for public office or which advocate an affirmative or negative vote for or against any proposition, whether political or otherwise.

 

4.      No organization or individual shall be permitted to place in the Library any box, receptacle, or canister which solicits donations. Displays and exhibits shall be segregated into commercial, governmental and organizational areas to be assigned on a first come, first served basis and at the discretion of the Director.  Displayers and exhibitors may only use Library furniture designated for that purpose.

 

5.      No materials may be exhibited in such a manner that they deface Library property or the property of other exhibitors.  Further, no exhibit is permitted that presents a hazard to the welfare of persons in the Library confines or premises.

 

6.      Under no circumstances shall the Library be encumbered with the labor for movement, setup, dismantling or removal of materials displayed except that the Library may dispose of any materials not removed promptly by an exhibitor after sufficient notice and the Library Director is authorized to establish such fees as may be necessary to recover the cost of such effort.

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CHAPTER V - MEETING ROOM POLICY

 

            The Hamilton Township Public Library is a municipal facility.  As such all laws and ordinances pertaining to the use and occupancy of public space apply to the Library.  The Library meeting rooms shall be available free of charge to not-for-profit organizations located within Hamilton Township to hold meetings of an educational, cultural, or civic nature and may be available to other organizations for a fee as determined by the Board of Trustees.  All meeting room usage shall be subject to the following:

 

1.      Meeting room applications will not be approved for any organization or event which may disrupt the normal operation of the Library in any way, shape, or manner.

2.      All applications for use of the Meeting Room are to be submitted to the Library Director at least three weeks in advance on forms secured at the Library and must be accompanied by a $25.00 deposit which will either be refunded or credited depending upon the type of organization.  Replies will be mailed, faxed, or emailed to the applicant. Applications will be considered in order of receipt, with Library sponsored activities taking priority over other meetings.

3.      No admission fee may be charged.

4.      Meeting usage hours shall be limited to normal Library operations hours unless specifically approved by the Library Director.

5.      The room usage fee for other than resident not-for-profit organizations shall be $25 per hour.  The fees for all other entities are as follows for time periods indicated:

 

9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.            $175.00

1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.            $175.00

9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.            $350.00

5:00 p.m. - 9:45 p.m.            $200.00

9:00 a.m. - 9:45 p.m.            $400.00

 

6.      Checks for room rental should be made payable to the “Hamilton Township Public Library”.

7.      Refreshments may be served with prior approval of the Library Director.  The persons using the room are responsible for providing food, dishes, equipment, etc. and for all clean up.

8.      Organizations showing media may use Library projectors, if appropriate to the media, but must provide their own operator.

9.      Any group using the room will be responsible for leaving it in good condition.

10. The Library assumes no responsibility for loss or damage to any property of a group or injury to members of a group which occur during the use of the meeting.

11. Notification of cancellation of a meeting should be made to the Director at least 48 hours in advance.  Organizations that do not adhere to the cancellation policy will be required to submit a $50.00 non-refundable fee for the next booking.

12. The Library reserves the right to refuse future use of meeting rooms to any individual or group violating the above regulations.

13. The Board of Trustees reserves the right to limit the number and frequency of public meetings.

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CHAPTER VI - GIFTS AND DONATIONS

 

 

1.      DONATIONS OF MATERIALS:  The Library will accept gifts of books, pamphlets, periodicals, pictures, audio-visual materials,  electronic media, and the like in useable condition which may be added to the Library collection if, and only if, they are deemed consistent with the criteria and principals used in selecting materials for purchase.  The Library will not accept a gift of material for which donor ownership cannot be verified nor will author published material be accepted without a notarized affidavit absolving the Library of any legal consequences.

 

2.      DONATIONS OF CONSEQUENCE:  The Library will accept gifts of unrestricted money, real property, stocks, annuities, furnishings, equipment, art, decorative objects and the like if they are deemed consistent with and appropriate to the Library’s mission.  Under no circumstances will the Library provide an estimate of value of any such donations; however, all such donations will be acknowledged in writing by the Library Director.

 

3.      RESTRICTED GIFTS:    The Library will accept restricted gifts only when the benefit of the gift to the Library is deemed to exceed any costs of administration of the restriction(s) and/or maintenance of the donation.

 

4.      TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP:  Materials and gifts donated to the Library become the exclusive property of the Board of Directors which may exercise its sole discretion regarding the ultimate disposition of such material or gift.

 

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CHAPTER VII – RESERVED

 

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CHAPTER VIII - GRANTS

 

The Board of Trustees is charged to continually identify sources of additional funding for both normal operations and special needs.  The following governs such activity.

 

1.      All grants to the Library must be approved by the Board of Trustees.

2.      The Library will not pursue grant opportunities outside of its mission; however, it may be party to grant opportunities that benefit its broader constituency; such as the Township of Hamilton, Hamilton Township Not-for-Profit entities, Friends of the Library, etc.

3.      The Library will not be party to any grant application that requires change to the Library policy on Internet Access by Minors.

4.      The Library will not pursue grant opportunities that will increase continuing operating costs after the initial funding period unless the benefit of such opportunity expands Library services into an area of envisioned future services.

 

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CHAPTER IX - PERSONNEL

 

1.       Policies pertaining to recruitment, appointment, salaries, promotion, tenure and dismissal and retirement must be in accordance with the NJ Civil Service regulations as well as contractual agreements. Position/Titles may, when necessary, be revised by the Trustees and submitted to Civil Service.

2.      The Library will conform, in general, to NJSA.

3.      In general, the normal working conditions for all employees shall relate to the standards indicated by the New Jersey Library Association, so that all staff members should have conditions of employment that ensure job satisfaction and high morale.

 

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CHAPTER X - STAFF DEVELOPMENT

 

1.      ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS:  The Director or a staff member and one Trustee, may have their way paid to at least one convention or other meeting relative to Library work each year. A special item for this will be included in the budget each year.  Additional meetings or delegates will be governed by time and distance elements, not to exceed budgetary item appropriated for this purpose.  As far as possible, the privilege of attendance at such meetings is rotated.

 

2.      PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT:  The Library is a public institution supported by taxation and it thus belongs to the people. Therefore, the first duty of the Library staff is service to the public.  Each patron should be given friendly, courteous and prompt service. All requests will be given professional attention.

 

3.      IN-SERVICE TRAINING:  The Library shall adhere to all State Library requirements for staff training.  Further, upon the recommendation of the Director, the Trustees will consider arrangements so that staff members may take advantage of non-mandated opportunities for special study, as long as this does not impact on the efficiency of the individual or place undue strain upon other employees.  The Library shall reimburse staff for all reasonable and prudent expenses incurred for training.

 

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CHAPTER XI - REFERENCE SERVICES PROVIDED

CHAPTER XII - RULES FOR USE OF PUBLIC-ACCESS  COMPUTERS   1.  The computers available for public use are a shared resource.   The library does not limit access to materials or attempt to prevent users from viewing materials some individuals may find offensive.   2.  Library computers designated for public access will be available on a first-come, first-served basis and may not be reserved in advance.  All users must register at the reference Desk.   Users are limited to 30-minute time sessions when others are waiting to use the computers.  All printing and/or downloading must be completed within this time limit. 3.  Library computers designated for public Internet access or other use may be used without charge; however, a fee of $0.10 per page for black-and-white/color printing or $0.15 per page for color printing will be charged. 4.  Only Internet access and any Library-provided software may be used on the Library’s computers.  Software owned or supplied by users may not be used on Library computers.  The library does not provide e-mail accounts; however, patrons may access their web based e-mail accounts through library computers. 5.  Users may not alter or attempt to alter the setup of Library computers. 6.  User data may not be saved or stored on the hard drives of Library computers.  Users must supply their own flash drives, portable hard drives, etc. to save their data.    7.  The use of library computers for the transmission, dissemination and /or duplication of information is regulated by state and federal laws. All library users must comply with these laws.   Computer users should refrain from using computers or internet resources to conduct a business or commercial enterprise or engage in commercial activity such as the distribution of advertising. Computer programs protected by copyright laws must not be copied for personal use.   8.  Users must respect the privacy of other computer users at all times.  Representing oneself as another user, modifying passwords, attempting to gain access to someone else’s data or search history, and “hovering” over others users is strictly prohibited.. 9.   A maximum of two persons may sit and/or work together at any one computer. 10.  The Library will install and maintain commercially available antivirus, spyware, etc. protection software on its computers and network; however, the Library is not responsible for any damage done to computer users’ media, data, hardware or software by any virus which may have been contacted on or through Library equipment or by the malfunctioning of Library hardware, software, or communications..

 

11.  Time permitting, Library staff will try to help users with resolving basic computer problems; however, staff is not available to offer extensive explanations or provide in-depth training. 12.  Misuse of Library computers in any way, shape or manner may result in the suspension or loss of the privilege to use them. 13.  The Library will perform network, hardware and software maintenance during off-hours; however, the Library, at its sole discretion, may limit user access to computers and/or terminate a user’s session for the purposes of problem resolution.   *** End ***   CHAPTER XIII – RESERVED *** End *** CHAPTER XIV – RESERVED *** End ***

CHAPTER XV - INTERNET USE POLICY

1.      Public access to the Internet is limited to adult users and minors with parental consent only.

2.      Library Internet access will be guided by the principles and user rights as delineated in the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights in Cyberspace.

3. Electronic information services, and networks provided by the Library will be readily, equally, and equitably accessible to all Library users.
4. Access to information will not be denied or limited because of its controversial content or because of personal beliefs or fear of confrontation. The Library does not monitor an individual’s use if the internet: nor does the Library use filtering software.
5. Information retrieved or utilized electronically is considered constitutionally protected unless determined otherwise by a court with appropriate jurisdiction.
6. Responsibility for and any restriction of, a child’s use of the Internet rests solely with his or her parents or legal guardians.
7. The Library assumes no responsibility for any damages, direct or indirect, arising from its connections to the Internet.  The Library makes no guarantee, either expressed or implied, with respect to the quality or content of the information available on the Internet.  The provision of access does not mean or imply that the Library endorses or sanctions the content or point of view of any of the information or commentary which may be found on the Internet.
8. The Library cannot protect individuals from information and images which may be personally offensive or disturbing and bears no liability for the display of such.
9. The Library will terminate the session of individuals displaying of information and/or images which cause a disruption.
10. Parents or guardians are responsible for the Internet information selected and/or accessed by their children. The Library has no authority to act In Loco Parentis; however, the Library will make available on-line and/or printed materials on protecting children such as, “Dealing with Cyber Bullies”, “Safe Blogging”, and “Social Networking”; all recommended by the American Library Association and the New Jersey State Library Association, targeted at youth, teen and parent users respectively, and encourage parents to review this information with their children.

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