Bacon Free Library Policies May 2019 LIBRARY RULES: The Bacon

Bacon Free Library

Policies

May 2019

LIBRARY RULES:

The Bacon Free Library is committed to being a warm and welcoming place for all

community members. To that end, we have a few rules which, when followed by

everyone, will allow all patrons to enjoy the beautiful BFL space. Failure to comply with

the rules of the library may result in expulsion from the library.

● Food and drink is allowed in the library, except at the public computer. We ask that,

as a courtesy, you clean up any crumbs created and keep drinks covered. Please

let a staff member know immediately if you need assistance with a spill or mess.

● Cell phone use is allowed in the library. We ask that patrons practice discretion

during events and when others are using the library for quiet reading or work -

using the foyer to take/make calls whenever possible. If this is an issue, a

librarian may ask that a patron use their cell phone outside of the library.

● NO SMOKING - anywhere on the premises or grounds of the Bacon Free

Library, including e-cigarettes.

● If a patron loses a library material, they must pay the full replacement cost of the

item, not replace the item itself.

● Library privileges may be limited for the following reasons:

○ damaging library property;

○ stealing library materials;

○ harassing, either verbally or physically, any staff or patron;

○ and/or inappropriate behavior.

● If a patron misses 3 consecutive programs which they registered for and have

limited space, the library reserves the right to revoke their program registration

privileges for 6 months, at the discretion of the Library Director.

● Only service animals are permitted into the library. No other pets are allowed,

unless at the discretion of the Library Director or Assistant Director.

● Parents are responsible for the behavior and supervision of their children. Library

staff cannot be responsible for unattended children and we ask that all children

under the age of 8 be accompanied by a caregiver when visiting the library.

● Shirts and shoes must be worn in the library.

CIRCULATION POLICY:

● Most library materials circulate for 3 weeks. High demand books circulate for 2

weeks. DVDs circulate for 2 weeks and magazines for 1 week. Most materials

may be renewed three times, unless another library user has requested the item.

Library users can renew materials in person, over the phone, or via the internet.

● To encourage prompt return of library materials, late fees are assessed at a rate

of 20¢ per day with a $4 per item maximum charge. The fee for lost or damaged

items is the cost of replacement & processing of that item. There is no fee to

replace lost library cards.

● Library cards must be presented at time of check out. Staff may also accept a

valid driver’s license. Staff may use their discretion with longtime patrons in good

standing in terms of checking out items without a library card.

PROGRAM POLICY:

● All programs held at, or sponsored by, the Bacon Free Library are free and open

to the public. As space is limited, attendance is on a first come, first served basis

unless otherwise noted.

● The BFL generally does not require registration for events, but might request it

for the purpose of having sufficient supplies available for a specified program.

MUSEUM PASS POLICY:

● The BFL has discount passes that provide access to several local museums and

organizations, thanks to the generosity of the Friends of the Bacon Free Library.

● Patrons may reserve the passes by calling or emailing the library. Passes are

available on first come, first served basis.

MEETING SPACE POLICY:

● The BFL does not have a private or guaranteed quiet meeting space. Groups can

have meetings in the library at the discretion of the Library Director. Factors

affecting this decision include time requested, staffing, and programs/events in

the library.

● All requests will be given consideration as the BFL prides itself in being a

meeting place for the community.

STAFFING POLICY:

● Dress Code

○ BFL staff will dress neatly at all times, cognizant of their role as a public

figure in front of patrons and during events.

○ On a day to day basis, dress can be casual while maintaining neatness.

● Patron Interaction

○ Staff should always be courteous and welcoming to patrons.

○ Staff is also responsible for the overall atmosphere in the library and, as

such, may speak to patrons (including children) who are not adhering to

the library’s behavior policies.

● Mandated Reporters

○ Library staff are all mandated reporters of suspected child abuse.

○ If library staff sees something they might consider questionable, they must

report it to the Library Director (with information on the child and caregiver)

who will then assist in reporting to the proper authorities.

○ If a staff member believes a child is in imminent physical danger, the staff

member is authorized to call the police and, if they can do so safely,

intervene for the protection of the child.

COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY:

Overview:

In accordance with the will of BFL benefactor, Oliver Bacon, the goal of collection

development at the Bacon Free Library is to “to provide popular materials and learning

resources for the enjoyment and use of the public, with a special emphasis on

supporting the educational needs of our children.” In addition, materials are selected to

satisfy a broad range of interests and topics.

To this end, our collection will:

● represent a variety of viewpoints, in accordance with the ALA Library Bill of

Rights;

● include a variety of formats, as deemed reasonable to meet a variety of user

needs;

● seek to meet the needs of the residents of the town of Natick;

● and respond to trends in popular materials.

Selection Process:

● Adult materials are selected by the BFL Library Director in accordance to popular

demand, range of interests and formats in keeping with the allotted budget.

● Young Adult and Children’s materials are selected by the Assistant

Director/Children’s Librarian in accordance with popular demand, educational

requirements of our patrons, a variety of formats and interest levels in keeping

with the allotted budget.

Selection Criteria:

● Importance of subject

● Reputable print and online reviews

● Timeliness of material

● Prominence of author

● Award winners

● Top holds according to Minuteman Library Network

● Staff recommendations

● Patron requests and/or interest

Types of Materials:

● The Bacon Free Library is committed to having the most popular materials

available which meet the needs of our patrons of all ages and interests. This

includes, but is not limited to:

○ hardcover and paperback fiction and non-fiction;

○ books on CD;

○ ebooks;

○ electronic databases and journals;

○ electronic resources through Overdrive and Boston Public Library;

○ music CDs;

○ periodicals;

○ children’s DVDs;

○ information on local history;

○ and additional materials as requested by patrons.

Objections to Library Materials:

All objections of library materials should be brought to the attention of library staff.

Library staff will provide the patron with a Material Challenge Form, if desired. The

Material Challenge Form will then be submitted to the Library Director, who will evaluate

the original reasons for the purchase of the material. The Library Director will then

respond to the person making the objection in writing. Should objections remain, they

will be forwarded to and addressed by the Board of Library Trustees. Library materials

are not rejected or removed from the collection because some content is considered

offensive by some readers. They are judged on overall quality and value as dictated by

the Selection Process & Criteria sections of the Collection Development Policy.

DESELECTION POLICY:

In order to provide easy access to relevant and in-demand materials and information,

deselection of library materials (also known as weeding) is frequent and thorough,

keeping collections current, trimmed and useful. The Bacon Free Library does not have

the space or the mandate to keep materials that do not circulate regularly.

Materials may be withdrawn from library collections for any of the following reasons:

● when the information in the materials becomes outdated or obsolete;

● when the materials are no longer of interest or in demand;

● and/or when the condition of the damaged material is not worth the cost of

repairing.

Materials in need of mending will be reviewed by trained staff who will then make the

professional decision to mend, discard, or replace using the following criteria:

● age

● relevance

● condition

● number of copies in Minuteman Library Network

SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY:

Definition of Social Media:

The Bacon Free Library uses social media to maintain a welcoming online space where

the public can learn about, share, and discuss library events and library-related topics.

For the purpose of this policy, the library defines social media as any online space to

which the library posts content, including but not limited to the library website, social

networking websites, media sharing websites, and business directory websites.

Responsibility for Content:

In many cases, the public may post public comments to library social media. We respect

diverse viewpoints and encourage thoughtful discussion. The library is not responsible

for the content of public comments and has no obligation to remove objectionable

comments. The library reserves the right to remove content that is not topically related

to the library or its services. Additionally, the library reserves the right to remove any of

the following:

 content that promotes discrimination;

 content that constitutes or encourages illegal activity;

 commercial solicitations;

 profane language;

 sexual content or links to sexual content;

 content that violates another party’s intellectual property rights;

 private information about an individual shared without that individual’s consent;

 content that compromises safety or security;

 content regarding political campaigns and ballot measures;

 or libel.

The library evaluates information that it posts online, but sharing or linking to content

online does not mean that the library endorses or is affiliated with the content or content

creator.

Photographs taken by staff of library events and posted to our social media outlets may

be reproduced with the Library Director’s permission. However, the Bacon Free

Library’s first priority is the privacy and security of our patrons, especially those below

the age of 18. Verbal permission will be requested for using photos on the library’s

social media outlets. Written permission will be requested if the library would like to use

photos beyond our immediate social media outlets.

COMPUTER USAGE POLICY:

The Bacon Free Library currently has one computer available for patron use and also

provides free wireless access for patrons bringing in their own equipment to the library.

The expectations are as follows:

● Viewing of certain text and/or images in the library may infringe the rights of other

patrons to a public space free from the display of materials that may constitute

sexual harassment. Library staff reserves the right to prohibit the public display of

images and/or text, even though those images and/or text may not be offensive

to an individual patron.

● It is not permitted nor acceptable to:

○ alter, tamper with, repair, circumvent, remove, or damage configurations,

software, or hardware on the library computer;

○ use library computer or Internet access for illegal, fraudulent, harmful,

obscene or abusive purposes;

○ send any virus or harmful code to any third party;

○ and/or attempt to or to actually break into or violate the security of any

computer file, database, or network, or violate another person’s privacy or

access, alter, steal, corrupt or destroy any data.

● The library assumes no liability for any damage to the user’s data or equipment,

loss of the user’s privacy sustained while using library equipment or any

damages, direct or indirect, arising from its connections to the Internet.

● The library can make no guarantees with respect to the quality or content of the

information available on the Internet. Not all the information on the Internet is

accurate, current, or complete. Users are encouraged to evaluate the validity of

information accessed via the Internet. Users are also encouraged to work with a

librarian to ascertain the authenticity of an online resource as well as searching

out reliable sources.

● Patrons can print, copy and fax at the BFL for 10¢ per page, whether in black &

white or color.

VOLUNTEER POLICY:

● All library volunteers must have a CORI on file with the town of Natick.

● All requests to volunteer at the Bacon Free Library must be reviewed and

approved by the Library Director and/or the Assistant Director.

● Due to privacy issues, library volunteers are prohibited from working the desk

with patrons. Only staff may assist patrons with checking materials in/out of the

library.

ART EXHIBITION POLICY:

● We encourage local artists to display their work on our walls. The artwork must

be 2-dimensional, framed and ready to hang with wire. We have a professional

hanging system to secure the work and offer physical help and advice during the

hanging process. Note: the paintings hang fairly high on the walls, so larger work

is encouraged. Depending upon the size of the art, 10-15 pieces are needed to

fill the space.

● The artist shall be responsible for hanging the artwork using only the wall display

system provided for that purpose or otherwise if agreeable to the Library Director,

provided that nothing is used to mar the walls or woodwork surfaces of the library

building. The artist shall remove all artwork promptly (within 48 hours) following

conclusion of the agreed display period. Art property not removed after notice to

the artist may be disposed of without liability.

● Although the library will endeavor to secure the art property being displayed,

there shall be no responsibility of liability by the Bacon Free Library, the Friends

of the Bacon Free Library or any individual representing them for any damages,

misplacement or theft of art property for any cause.

● All artwork is to be framed (no glass-only frames are acceptable) and in good

condition. The artist should provide label cards for the artwork being displayed.

The Library’s Art Display Coordinator shall have the right to make final decisions

about displaying artwork that could be considered controversial, not appropriate

for all visitors or otherwise deemed unacceptable.

● One month prior to the display period, the artist should provide biographical

information to the Coordinator that may be used for press releases or other

announcements to local media of various forms.

● If the artwork is available to purchase, a price list should be provided. It is

requested that a contribution of at least 10% of the sale price be donated to the

Bacon Free Library or the Friends of the Bacon Free Library if any artwork is sold

as a result of being displayed in the library.

● Any flyers, invitations or announcements prepared by the artist that will be

distributed to the public are to be reviewed by the Coordinator before printing.

RIGHTS OF USERS:

The Bacon Free Library adheres to the guidelines set down by the American Library

Association in terms of The Library Bill of Rights. These rights relate to issues of:

● library users’ First Amendment rights;

● confidentiality;

● access to information;

● and intellectual freedom.

To see the complete ALA Library Bill of Rights, click HERE

Library FAQ’s

Can I pick up books on reserve for a family member or friend?

● If your family member or friend gives you their permission and their library card,

you may pick up their library items.

● Without the library card, we can only release reserved items being held for

someone else with the following:

○ A copy of the emailed “Ready for Pickup” notification (valid only for

the item or items listed.)

○ A phone call of permission from the cardholder (Library card

number required at the time of the call.)

Can I pay fines for a family member or friend?

● Fines can always be paid on overdue items being returned at the desk. Without

the library card, however, no information from the account can be disclosed

(such as previously incurred fines or items still checked out.)

● Fines can be paid for family members without their cards, but we cannot issue an

itemized receipt for fines paid or disclose the titles of fined items.

I am returning these library materials for my family member or friend. Can you tell

me what is still checked out on the account?

● No. Without the library card, we cannot disclose any information about the

account.

Can you access my account over the phone to renew items, change a pin

number, place requests, check on the status of requested items or inquire about

my due dates?

● We are happy to help you manage your account over the phone with your

account number. We do not access an account without the number, except to

report a card lost or stolen.

● We can renew an item with the item barcode number (found on the item or the

date due receipt). We can place requests over the phone without your card

number, but require your name, PIN number, and the address and phone

numbers listed in your library account.

How long do I have to pick up an item I placed on reserve?

● You will receive an email or call when the item is available to pick up. All items

placed on reserve must be picked up from the library within 7 days of notification,

otherwise they are returned to the lending library.

HELPFUL HINTS

● Library accounts can be managed online with a library card number and PIN

(personal identification number.) If you do not have a PIN, you can set one

online, get one at the library (library card or photo ID required,) or over the phone

(library card number required.)

● Accessing your account online allows you to renew items, check due dates, pay

for fines or lost materials by credit card, update your email address, place

requests, etc.

● Minuteman also has a library app through which, once you are logged in, you can

access your account, the catalog, databases and your library card!

● If you give your library card to a family member or friend to pick up materials for

you, we must assume that permission to access account information and to use

the account has been granted.