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Circulation Policies

Adopted September 1992; Last Revised September 2023.

 

Borrowing Privileges - Eligibility to Borrow

All residents of the city of Clinton are eligible for a free Clinton Public Library (CPL) card. Clinton property owners residing outside the city of Clinton are eligible for a free library card after providing a copy of their current Iowa property tax statement. Children under the age of 14 must have a parent or legal guardian co-sign their card application. Parents or legal guardians are responsible for all fees and bills accrued on a minor's library card.

 

Individuals issued a CPL card are eligible to borrow materials from the Clinton Public Library when the following conditions are met:

  • No materials which are more than one month overdue on their card.
  • No outstanding charges in excess of $5.00 have accrued to their card.
     

Organizational Cards

If an organization is interested in obtaining a library card, an official request must be made on the organization’s letterhead from the head of the organization specifying the person responsible for materials loaned. The organization will adhere to the library rules and policies including charges.
 

Clinton County Cards

Rural residents of Clinton County may register for a library card at any one of the six libraries in the county. There are no service restrictions.
 

Non-Resident Fee-Based Cards and Visitors

  • Non-residents who are not eligible for free cards may obtain a card for $50 per year.
  • College students attending local colleges as either residents or commuters are eligible for Clinton Public Library Cards.
     

Identification to get a library card

Library cards can be issued with identification containing current address. Young children can be issued cards when accompanied by parent or guardian with proper identification. If your ID doesn't have your current address, please bring your ID with an item containing your current address:

  • Utility bill (electric, gas, phone, cable TV)
  • Car registration
  • Cancelled letter addressed to your name at the address in question
  • Bank statement or checkbook

We will make accessibility accommodations on a case by case basis.

 

Fines and Fees

As of January, 2023, the Clinton Public Library (CPL) is fine free for all regular materials. Specialty and high demand items such as kits and equipment including hotspots will be charged late fees. The general rule is that fees do not exceed the cost of replacement (listed in the item record).
 

Eligible items on your account will be automatically renewed

An item is eligible if there are no holds, the user has not exceeded the allowed number of renewals on that item, the item is from a RiverShare Library.
 

Notices

An initial notice of overdue materials will go out to the patron 10 days after the due date of the item. Patrons are also responsible for any costs incurred by the library in its efforts to secure the return of the material.    
 

Fees

The library reserves the right to adjust the fee schedule as needed. Fees are not refundable once collected.

  • Photocopy & Printers Fee: $0.15 per page for black and white; $0.35 for color. If enlargement or reduction is required by the patron, the “per page fee” applies to each step in that process. Enlargement and reduction is not an exact science and may take several pages.
  • Faxing fee: $1.00 per page.
  • Lost Library Cards Fee: $1.00 for each card. Patrons may have only one active card at a time. Note: This does not apply to patrons who may be providing a special service for other patrons or representing the library. The library will make a special registration to accommodate.

 

Length of Loans

The Clinton Public Library (CPL) circulates materials in a variety of formats including books, magazines, audio-books, kits, and video formats. The following terms of loan are applicable only to CPL material.


Item
Length of Loan		 Renewals Allowed Reserves Allowed
Notes
Books & Audio Books 21 Days Yes Yes  
Magazines 21 Days Yes Yes  
Music CDs 21 Days Yes Yes  
Reference Overnight possible No No With supervisor permission
Videos 7 Days, Limit 10 Yes Yes  
Kits 21 Days No Yes  
Equipment Depends on item Yes Yes  
Hotspots 1 week No Same Day Pickup  
Playaways 21 Days Yes Yes  
Vacation Loan 60 Days (4x/year) No -- No equipment of hotspots

 

Lost and/or Damaged Materials

Materials borrowed via any mechanism are the responsibility of the library patron. Replacement cost (listed in the item record) is the responsibility of any patron who borrows and loses or damages any library material. We do not accept like items for replacement. Damaged items can only be repaired by library staff.

In the case of children under the age of 18, it is the PARENTS RESPONSIBILITY to pay for lost or damaged items. 

  • Bindery repair: Actual Cost (minimum $14.00)
  • Minor in-house repair (tape, glue, covers etc.): Actual Cost (minimum $3.00)
  • Major in-house repair (CD, DVD, VIDEO and other special containers): Actual Cost (minimum $6.00)

Materials borrowed through interlibrary loan which are lost or damaged are charged to the patron according to the bill provided by the lending library.

Interlibrary Loan

Interlibrary loan (ILL) is the process of requesting material, not available within the Clinton Public Library (CPL) or Rivershare Consortium, from another library.  Materials borrowed through interlibrary loan have a circulation period which is determined by the lending library, not CPL. Most ILLs can be renewed. If ILLs are not returned on time, future loans may be restricted and could result in CPL losing borrowing privileges from those libraries. As of November 2019, the Board of Trustees has opted not to recoup the interlibrary loan costs.

Wireless Internet Hot-Spots

CPL provides wireless Internet Hotspots for check out on a first come first served basis. Each Hotspot comes in a container and includes a charger and instructions. If any of these items are not returned there will be replacement fees charged to the account. Hotspots are checked out for 1 week with no renewals. A $1.00 fee will be charged to the account for each day it is not returned. The total cost of the Hotspot and items may vary and is listed in the item record.

Guidelines for Borrowing and Use:

  • As with any electronic device, use care when handling.
  • Hotspots must be checked out from and returned to the Circulation Desk.
  • A valid Clinton Public Library card with current address must be presented at time of checkout.
  • Borrowers must be in good standing with the Library with no outstanding fees over $5.00.
  • Hotspots may be borrowed for a 7-day loan period and may not be renewed.
  • Borrowers must understand and sign the agreement at the circulation desk in the presence of library staff every time a Hotspot is checked out.

Fines and Liability:

  • The overdue fee is $1.00 per day.
  • It is the borrower’s responsibility to protect the Hotspot from loss or damage.
  • The replacement cost of a Hotspot is $120.00
  • The replacement cost of the container is $10.00
  • The replacement cost of the charger is $8.00
  • The replacement cost of a Hotspot is subject to change and listed in the item record.

 

Cake Pan & Cookie Cutter Policy

  • Checkout is for 2 weeks.
  • Limit of 2 cake pans, and 2 cookie cutter sets per library card.
  • Items cannot be renewed.
  • Items are holdable to all Rivershare libraries.
  • All items must be washed before returning to the library.
  • Please return items to the circulation desk. Do not put these items into the book drop.
  •  A damage fee of $2 will be charge for items that are returned dirty.
  • Overdue items are .50/day.
  • Replacement fee for lost or damaged items is based on the price of a new replacement.
     

Handling Instructions

Before and after usage, wash the items in warm, soapy water and dry it thoroughly. Most of our items are dishwasher safe, but not all.
 

Show Us Your Cake & Cookies

We would love to see your creation! Please share a picture on our Facebook or Instagram page and tag us @IACPL.

 

Seed Library Policy

The Seed Library operates on the honor system. We encourage everyone to learn basic seed-saving techniques and check-out our resources available in the library. If you are unable to save your own seed, please consider donating a packet or two of fresh, commercially grown, open-pollinated (nonhybrid, non-GMO) seed to keep our library stocked. Returned seed is what allows us to keep our Seed Library running. If you would like to volunteer to help with our Seed Library please contact the library.
 

How it works:

  • Select up to 5 packets per visit, a maximum of 15 per season
  • Plant your seeds and watch them grow!
  • Collect seeds from the plants you grew
  • Share your seeds by returning them to the library and filling out a return form
     

Show Us What You Grow!

We would love to see how you’re helping your community grow! Please share a picture on our Facebook or Instagram page and tag us @IACPL or you can mail them to the Library at 306 8th Avenue South Clinton, IA 52732 c/o Seed Library.

 

FITBITS

The Clinton Public Library is excited to have been selected to receive a Resolve to Stay Active: A Fitbit Kit for Your Community award in 2019. This award supports public libraries which serve populations that are underrepresented in biomedical research in providing access to health technology and consumer health resources. The award is funded by the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) All of Us Research Program, whose mission aims to provide quality health education resources to enable individuals to make informed decisions about their health. To learn more about the All of Us Research Program visit https://nnlm.gov/all-of-us.
 

Clinton Public Library Fitbit Lending Information
 

Guidelines for Borrowing and Use

  • As with any electronic device, use care when handling.
  • Fitbits must be checked out from and returned to the Circulation Desk.
  • A valid Clinton Public Library card with current address must be presented at time of checkout.
  • Borrowers must be in good standing with the Library with no outstanding fines over $5.00.
  • Fitbits may be borrowed for a 28-day loan period and may not be renewed.
  • The library will do a factory reset when the Fitbit is returned.
  • Borrowers must understand and sign the agreement at the circulation desk in the presence of library staff every time a Fitbit is checked out.

Fines and Liability

  • The overdue fine is $1.00 per day.
  • It is the borrower’s responsibility to protect the Fitbit from loss or damage.
  • The replacement cost of a Fitbit is $100.00
  • The replacement cost of the wristband is $20.00
  • The replacement cost of the charger is $20.00

 

Policy Reviewed, Revised & Scheduled for review by the Clinton Public Library Board of Trustees

Adopted Revised Reviewed Date of next review
Sept 1992 May 2005 Dec 1999 Feb 2024
  May 2007 Sept 2002  
  May 2010 Jan 2003  
  July 2015 May 2007  
  Jan 2020 Dec 2019  
  Feb 2021    
  Feb 2022    
  Sept 2023