Circulation Policy

Ada Community Library Circulation Policy


1. ELIGIBILITY FOR A CARD

A. Documentation

1. To be eligible for an Ada Community Library card, applicants must provide photo identification and proof of residency in the form of either:

      • A current driver's license OR
      • Some form of photo I.D. along with printed or digital (not handwritten) material showing the applicant's name and address. This can include-but is not limited to-canceled mail, personal checks, pay stubs, bills, insurance statements, or renter's agreements.

B. Age


1. Only persons 18 years of age or older may sign up for a card.

2. Minor applicants  must provide proof of parental consent in the form of either:

      • A legal guardian's signature and driver's license number on the card application.
      • A legal guardian's verbal consent and driver's license number given by phone to an ACL staff member.

3. Upon submission of a minor's application, the legal guardian may add additional individuals to whom information concerning the minor's account will be given, and to whom notice regarding the account will be addressed.

 

C. Residency


1. Residents of the following library service areas are eligible for a free library card per ACL district residency, Open Access Agreement, or Consortium sub-agreeement:

      • Ada Community Library
      • Boise Public Library
      • Caldwell Public Library
      • Garden City Library
      • Kuna Library District
      • Meridian Library District
      • Nampa Public Library 

        2. Residents of other Consortium library service areas must go to their "home" library to obtain a free card, which may then be used at any Consortium library.

 

3. Residents of other counties and noncontiguous Ada county areas not covered by Consortium members are required to purchase and out-of-district (OOD) card.

 a. An OOD card will cost an amount to be determined each year by the Library Board, based on the most current Ada County average property assessment. An OOD card expires after one year. The OOD fee must be paid again upon renewal each year. A biannual card may be issued with a prorated fee.

b. Seniors (62 years of age or older) are entitled to a reduced rate OOD card, good for one year, for $25.00 per year, or may be issued a biannual card with a prorated fee. Senior household (one fee) is defined as a senior and legal spouse.

c. Patrons are required to pay only one OOD fee per family, while each family member may have their own card under that one fee.
     1. A family is defined as a patron, the patron's legal spouse, and their minor children. Any other adults that may be living in the household must pay a separate OOD fee to receive a card (including grandparents and children over 18).

d. Residents of other Consortium districts who choose not to receive a free card from their home library may purchase an OOD card from ACL.

e. Nonresidents who own property in ACL district may be issued a courtesy OOD card based on their property tax payment in our district.

 

2. LOAN POLICIES


A. Checkout limits per card


1. On each card at an ACL district location, a patron may check out up to: An unlimited number of books out at any one time, with particular item material limits to be determined by library management.

 

2. Individual patrons are limited to one card per person.

 

3. Checkout loan periods, renewals, and grace periods will be determined by library management.

 

B. Fees


1. There are no overdue fees for most ACL district-owned items with the exception of certain identified in-demand materials. The fee on these items is $1.00/day.

2. A lost item or damage resulting in replacement of item will be assessed a replacement cost plus a $5.00 processing fee.

3. Refunds for lost items returned in acceptable (circulating) condition after being paid for can be given only within 45 days from the date the item became lost, minus the processing fee.

4. Accounts with materials overdue or lost may be blocked until the item is returned or replacement charges have been paid.

5. Unresolved charges of $50.00 or more may be turned over to a collection agency and a $10.00 charge added to the account.

6. Per Consortium agreement, no checkout is allowed on cards with a $10.00 or greater charge on the patron's account.

 

C. Terms of proper card use:

 

1. Patrons may check out on any Consortium library card without blocks or charges that limit checkout by the following methods: library card, identification, card number.

2. Responsibility for items checked out on a card falls to the account holder (or his/her legal guardian) regardless of who physically used the card to check out.

3. Patrons must report lost/stolen cards immediately or are expected to accept responsibility for items checked out on their lost/stolen cards.

 

Right to privacy: The Board of Trustees of the Ada Community Library feels very strongly about protecting user privacy and confidentiality in both library material transactions and computer use. See "Right to Privacy Policy", adopted July 10, 1991; revised August 19, 2003.

 

Adopted by the Ada Community Library Board of Trustees May 17, 2005. Revised February 26, 2008. Revised February 17, 2010. Revised August 28, 2018. Revised March 17, 2020. Revised August 25, 2020.