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A.  Eligibility

1. City Residents.  All residents of the City of Forest Grove shall be eligible for borrowing privileges at the City Library without having to pay a registration fee.
2. Non-Residents.  Persons residing outside the City limits of Forest Grove may be eligible for borrowing privileges under either of the following conditions: 

• a.  Residence in a unit of local government that has a contractual agreement with the City of Forest Grove to provide library services to its residents.
• b.  Payment of a yearly fee may be charged(see I.4 below) granting borrowing privileges to either an individual or household. 

B.  Borrowers Cards

1. Borrowers identification cards shall  be issued to eligible persons before they are allowed to check out materials from the library. 
2. Applicants must present some form of identification, verifying their name and current address when registering for a library card.
3. Library cards will be issued to minor children meeting the eligibility requirements.  Notification will be given to their parents or legal guardian outlining policies and responsibilities.
4. Library cards or some form of current identification shall be required to complete any transaction. 

C.  Borrower Responsibilities

• Persons borrowing library materials are responsible for returning these materials by the due date.  These materials should be returned in the same condition they were when borrowed except for the wear incurred by normal and prudent use.
• Patrons are responsible for all charges resulting from the use of their library card.  Implied consent of the patron is assumed when a library card is presented to complete a circulation transaction.

D.  Withdrawal of Borrowing Privileges

• Borrowers who repeatedly and excessively keep materials overdue or who repeatedly return materials damaged or who otherwise abuse their borrowing privileges may, at the Library Director’s discretion, have these privileges suspended or withdrawn.  Parents or legal guardians may revoke the library cards or their minor children by notifying the Library Director. 

E.  Circulation Periods and Restrictions

1. Non-Circulation Materials.  Books and other  materials designated “Reference” shall not circulate (i.e. be checked out.)  Current issues of magazines and any other materials that the Library Director deems too fragile, hard to replace, valuable, or in too great an in-library use demand shall also be non-circulating. 
2. Loan Periods.  All circulating library materials will be due three weeks after the check out date.
3. Renewals.  All library materials, except those requested by another borrower, may be renewed.

F.  Holds

1. When a library user requests a piece of material for check out, library staff put a ‘hold’ on the piece of material, restricting its renewal and causing it to be set aside for the requesting borrower when it is returned.  

G.  Overdue Materials

1. Fines.  There will be no fines charged for overdue materials.
2. Notification.  Borrowers will be notified of overdue materials in a timely manner.  A bill for the lost materials will follow if the materials are not returned.
3. Exceptions.  No notices will be given for overdue books in the uncatalogued paperback collection.

H.  Inter-Library Loans

1. The City Library may act as intermediary for borrowers in requesting the loan of materials from other libraries.  These transactions are referred to as inter-library loans. 
2. Fees.  All fees charged by the lending library (i.e. photocopying, etc.,) over and above normal library rate postage will be paid by the borrower.

• Materials from the City Library that are loaned through other libraries shall become the responsibility of the borrowing library.  Costs incurred by the City Library above normal library rate postage sheall be charged to the borrowing library.

I.  Charges

1. Lost Materials.  Patrons who have lost or have not returned materials checked out to them shall be charged the list (retail) price for the materials, or in the event the material is no longer available through normal channels (i.e. a book no longer is in print,) a standard replacement price on each item type is in place.  Borrowers may also purchase replacement materials subject to the approval of the Library Director.  A processing fee will also be charged on all lost materials. 
2. Damaged Materials.  A charge will be determined for any damage to library materials.  This charge shall not exceed the cost of replacing the materials and shall be based on the cost of supplies and labor for repair.  A precoessing fee will also  be charged on all damaged materials that can no longer be circulated.   
3. Refunds.  A refund may be issued upon presentation of proof of payment for materials, which have been lost, paid for, and subsequently found.  An administrative fee may be charged on all refunds issued.
4. Non-Resident Fees.  When and where contractual agreement between the City of Forest Grove and other jurisdictions for the provision of library services by the City Library do no apply, non-resident fees set by Council resolution may be imposed.

J. Confidentiality

1. Library patron circulation records are confidential and are exempt form the public disclosure laws, in accordance with Oregon Revised Statute 192.501.  It is the policy of the Forest Grove City Library to protect the right of privacy of all individuals by not disclosing such records without a patron’s library card or current identification.

• Similarly, it is the policy of the Forest Grove City Library not to disclose patron registration information, including verification of the fact that an individual is a registered borrower and any specific information such as name, address, telephone, employer, or other personal information except to the borrowing patron and to a library employee acting within the scope of employment.