Policies

Getting a Library Card:

  • Bring in a valid ID (driver’s license or state ID).
  • Fill out the application available at the circulation desk.
  • A parent with a valid ID needs to fill out the application for patrons under 16. The parent’s library card should not have fines or fees associated with it.
  • Agree to our rules and regulations regarding materials. See below.
  • There is no fee for a library card.
  • It costs $1.00 to replace a lost card.
  • Each patron needs to have his or her own card. People can only check out books on their own card.

Your library card is valuable; treat it as you would your credit card. As a library cardholder you are responsible for the following:

  • Returning all materials borrowed on your library card by the due date or paying late fees.
  • Paying the replacement fees for library items that are lost or damaged while checked out to your account.
  • Immediately reporting a lost or stolen card.
  • Reporting any change of address, telephone number or e-mail address.

Parents are responsible for items checked out on their children’s card(s).

Borrowing limits:

  • New borrowers may generally check out one video and one book.
  • Established borrowers may check out ten items on a youth card. Adults may have a total of thirty.
  • Patrons with overdue items or fines over $3.00 will not be allowed to check out additional items.
  • DVDs are limited to four per card for adults and two per card for children and may be checked out for one week with no renewals available.
  • New and popular fiction may be checked out for one week with one renewal.
  • New and popular non-fiction may be checked out for two weeks with one renewal.
  • New audio books are checked out for two weeks and may be renewed once.
  • Older audio books are checked out for four weeks and may be renewed once.
  • Regular books may be checked out for four weeks with one renewal.
  • Magazines may be taken out for one week with no renewals available.
  • New and popular items on reserve will be held for one week. After that they will be returned to the shelves for other patrons to check out.
  • Inter-library loan books will be held for up ten days and generally follow the renewal policies of the lending library.

The library provides:

  • Adult fiction and nonfiction
  • Large Print books
  • Young adult fiction and nonfiction
  • Juvenile fiction and nonfiction
  • Picture books
  • Magazines and newspapers
  • DVDs
  • Audio books on CD
  • Digital audio books
  • Local history collection
  • Photocopier ($.25 per copy 8.5×11 b&w)
    • additional fees for color or larger sizes
  • Public access computers
  • Wireless 24/7 internet access
  • Children’s stories and crafts
  • Summer reading program
  • Family programs
  • Author talks

Circulation:

  • New adult fiction ————– 1 week
  • New adult nonfiction ———- 2 weeks
  • Other books —————— 4 weeks
  • Magazines (no renewals) ——1 week
  • DVDs (no renewals) ———– 1 week
  • New audio books —————2 weeks
  • Audio books ——————- 4 weeks
  • CD-ROMs (no renewals) ——2 weeks
  • Puzzles and puppet kits ——-2 weeks
  • Special collections ————-variable

Overdue Fees:

  • New adult books——————25 ¢ per day
  • Adult fiction and nonfiction——–10¢ per day
  • Magazines ————————10¢ per day
  • DVDs & CDs ———–$1.00 per day
  • Audio Books  ——————–25 ¢ per day

There are no fines on any juvenile items.

The maximum overdue fine on any one item is $3.00 per item for books and $5.00 per item for all other material types.
Damaged or lost items will be charged at full replacement value.

Library Behavior:

The library encourages visits by all children. No child six or under may be left unattended. A parent or responsible adult must remain with the child. Children under 10 should have a parent or responsible adult in the building with them.

Behavior on the part of library users which disrupts library services cannot be tolerated. This library reserves the right to ask anyone to leave the premises.

Internet Usage:

Ø      Show your valid card at the desk. You must pay any fines or fees associated with your card before you can use our internet terminals. Sign in on the clipboard at the desk and sign out when finished. Use of computers is on a first-come, first served basis.

Ø      You may also request to use a laptop in the main room of the library.  Headphones are available to borrow or you are welcome to use your own.

Ø      You may use the internet for up to 1/2 hour and if no one is waiting, you may request another 1/2 hour up to a total of 1 hour of usage per day. This applies to both desktop and laptop computers.

Ø      Filtering software is not used on any of the public computers. We prohibit any use of library equipment to access material that is obscene, child pornography, or “harmful to minors” and from being reckless about whether a person is present who will be offended or alarmed by the display or distribution.

Ø      To clear information on desktop computers, please close the internet window by clicking the red X. Check the taskbar at the bottom to see if other windows are open. Do not log off or shut down the computer. On laptops, close all windows, go to Start, click on turn off the computer, click on turn off. Wait until the computer is off before closing the lid. We are not responsible if you leave windows open on the internet computers.

Ø      Copies from the desktop computers are $.25 per page. You can also print from laptop computers. Please use print preview so you know how many pages you will be printing.

Ø      The library reserves the right to terminate an internet session that disrupts library services or that involves user behavior that violates the library’s policies.

People 14 up to 18 years old:

Ø      You also need to have an internet agreement on file at the library.  Your parent needs to come in to the library to sign this agreement. It says:

Ø      The library cannot and will not monitor a user’s internet use, except for length of use to ensure equal opportunity of access for everyone. The user, or the parent of a minor, is responsible for his or her internet session at all times.

People under 14 years old:

Ø      You may use the internet as outlined above if you have a parent with you at the internet terminal.

Donation Acceptance:

Items donated to the library are generally accepted if storage space is available. We reserve the right to not accept dirty or damaged books. Items may be added to the collection or sold in the book sale. The Friends of the Pember Library hold a book sale every Saturday from 10 AM to Noon and many donations go to that cause.

Memorials and Gifts:

The Pember Library greatly appreciates memorials and gifts. Recently, we have been very fortunate to have a donor who has given money every year for audio books in memory of her husband: the Ashton Tenney Memorial Audio Book Collection. Other gifts have permitted the Library to purchase Windsor chairs for our reading room. Books donated in remembrance of a friend or loved one will have memorial nameplates in the front of each book.

Snow Closings:

The Pember Library will be closed if the Granville Central School has a snow closing. We may also close on other days or close early because of bad weather. The information will be posted on our website.