Only Marion-Perry County Library card holders may check out materials from the Library. Patrons are responsible for use of their library card, damages to materials (including replacement costs), incurred fines, and lost materials.

Checkout Limits: 10 items                  Checkout Period: 2 weeks

Fines

• $0.10 per day per book/audio up to a maximum of the value of the item.
• $0.10 per day per DVD, up to a maximum of the value of the item.

(Example: If a book costs $20.00, your fine will not exceed $20.00.)

Renewals

• Renew by phone by calling 334-683-6411 or on-line through Atrium on our website.
• Items may be renewed no more than three (3) times.
• Two (2) week renewal for books, audio books, and DVDs, if:

+ The item is not on hold for another patron or

+ The Patron’s record is not barred from renewing.

Damaged or Lost Items

     Patrons will be charged for any lost or damaged items.

PLEASE REMEMBER YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL ITEMS CHECKED OUT ON YOUR LIBRARY CARD! ALL PATRONS HAVING OVERDUE ITEMS, UNPAID FINES, AND/OR LOST/DAMAGED ITEMS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO CHECK OUT ANY ITEMS OR HAVE USE OF THE COMPUTERS.

 Food and/ or beverages are only allowed in the designated areas of the library.

The following activities are not allowed in the library:

• Smoking
• Creating a disturbance by making noise, talking loudly, using profanity, or engaging in other disruptive conduct
• Interfering with another person’s rights to use the library or with the staff’s performance of their duties
• Threatening behavior, including, but not limited to, violence, threats of violence, and possession of weapons
• Bringing animals into the library except those needed to assist a disabled person or used in library programs
• Playing audio equipment so that others can hear
• Misusing the restroom (i.e., using them as a washing or laundry facility)
• Soliciting or canvassing of any kind
• Entering areas posted as “Staff Only” without permission
• Leaving a child under the age of 12 unattended in the library
• Using cell phones is prohibited. Please turn them on vibrate or turn them off. If you receive a call, please step outside the library to take your call.
• Running
• Sleeping

     Those who damage or deface library materials or property may be prosecuted. Parents will be held liable for damage done by a child.

Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. An adult is defined by the Marion-Perry County Library as age 18 and up. Persons under the age of 18 cannot supervise a child.

     The safety and well-being of young children left unattended at the library is of serious concern. Young children left on their own often become frightened or anxious. Older, school-aged children may be able to come to occupy their time for a short while, but being children, soon become bored and disruptive. Other patrons are disturbed and the children require excessive supervision by library staff. The Marion-Perry County Library cannot be responsible for unattended children.

     The following statement is meant to express the concern for unattended children and their safety and well-being. It is not the library’s intention to seek out unattended children but rather have a reasoned course of action if a problem arises. Our policy states:

     “Parents, not the library staff, are responsible for the behavior of the children using the library. Parents will be notified if their children are left unattended and require supervision. If parents are unavailable, proper authorities will be contacted.”

New patrons who wish to check out a DVD for the first time may only check one out. When that item is returned on time, the patron may check out normal limits of DVDs from that point on.

• Patron must be 18 years or older to check out a DVD.
• Patron must have no overdue items or outstanding fines to check out a DVD.
• A fine of $0.10 per day will be assessed for late DVDs. Parents will be responsible for fines accumulated by their children.
• All DVDs borrowed for 2 weeks must be returned by closing the day they are due. If they are due on a holiday or a normally closed day, the DVD must be returned the next day the library is open. Normal business hours are posted at the library.
• Patrons are responsible for paying for lost or damaged materials. Parents are responsible for damaged or lost materials by a child.
• DVDs may be renewed up to two (2) times consecutively.

Internet Policy

•   It is the mission of the Marion-Perry County Public Library to provide resources to meet the cultural, informational, and educational needs of the people.
• The library offers Internet access as a partial fulfillment of this mission statement. The access is provided primarily for research and informational retrieval. Priority in the computer use is given to academic users. Other uses, including non-academic web browsing, email, and personal bill paying are considered secondary. The library may require that no secondary activities take place if they interfere with the goals of supporting instruction and research.
• Unacceptable uses of the internet and/or computers are uses that are harmful to minors. The term “material that is harmful to minors” means any communication, picture, graphic image file, article recording, writing, or other matter of any kind that is obscene (United States Code Title 47 Section 231).
• A thirty minute time limit will be enforced when patrons are lined up to gain access.
• A thirty minute time limit will be set for the children’s lab computer unless the child is doing academic work.

The library accepts no liability for Internet information viewed or copied. Though many valuable information tools exist on the internet, some material may be inaccurate or illegal. Chat rooms, internet game playing, controversial and pornographic sites are not to be accessed on the library’s computers.

     Computer Lab Rules  

Computer users must agree and abide by these rules at all times:

• Computer use is a privilege, not a right. Patrons who violate the Computer Use Policy will be asked to vacate the computer immediately, and the patron may be asked to vacate the library. A note will be placed on the patron’s record. Violators will lose their computer privileges for one year or longer as determined by the director.
• Computer users must have a patron card on file with the Library.
• Computer users may not have any overdue items or any unpaid fines with the Library.
• Computer users must sign in and out.
• Cell phones must be turned off.
• Patrons must be 12 years or older to use a computer unattended by a parent. Children using a computer who are under the age of 12 must be supervised by an adult. Children under the age of 12  must use a children’s computer with the Cybersitter program.
• Computers are primarily for resource and research use and will be given first priority. Bill paying, music/video sites, games, personal interactive web sites, chatting, instant messaging, bulletin boards, etc are secondary to academic use.
• Accessing sites that contain pornography or other graphic images that may be unsuitable for public viewing is not acceptable.
• Only one person per computer. Sharing will only be permitted with staff approval.
•   Students ages 12 and up may use the computer for homework and school assignments as a first priority. Use of the computer for other activities must be approved by the staff. If students abuse the computer they will be asked to leave the library and will be banned from the computers for a length of time to be determined by the director.
• Students under the age of 12 must be supervised by a parent or responsible party while on the computer. The computer is primarily for homework and school assignments. One child and one adult are allowed on the computer when the child needs assistance on the computer.
• Food and drinks are not allowed.
• No saving to hard drive.   
• Do not shut down the computer.
• We reserve the right to check patron’s history on the computer at any time.

 Fees for Services are as follows: 

Faxes and Scans

$1.50 for the first page, $1.00 for each additional page

(Faxes may be sent, but not received)  

Earbuds purchased from the library

$1.00.

Printouts from the computer or copies made on copier

$0.25 a page for black and white

$0.50 a page for color

All pages generated must be paid for at the time of printing