3.6 Issuance of Library Cards
A valid Library Card is required to borrow any materials from Springfield Town Library.
Initial Adoption Date: No earlier than 1976, exact date TBD (as well as other modification dates)
3.6.1 Resident Membership
Library Cards are issued free of charge to all Springfield residents and taxpayers. Some addresses have a Springfield or North Springfield zip code for mailing purposes but are actually residents of other towns. Residency is determined by where property taxes are paid. Renters should contact their landlords to determine in which town property taxes are paid. Cardholders may designate others to use their library cards or to pick up materials.
The signature of a parent or guardian accepting responsibility for materials borrowed with the Library Card is required before issuing a Library Card to a child under 12 years of age. Children will not be restricted in their use of the Library beyond the rules that apply to children’s cards and all borrowers. Although librarians may offer guidance for material selection, they are not responsible for the selections children make.
Initial Adoption Date: May 3, 1976 policy included cards for all Vermont residents (Please note that other modifications may have been made, more research is needed to determine those).
Modified Dates:
February 5, 1980 - Modification: "Library cards are available to all children: The children's card is used until the patron has finished the eighth grade. However, the user is not restricted to the children's department. Children may use any materials in the library with the exception of checking out AV equipment.”
June 12, 2024 - Modification: Added clarification that those who receive mail from Springfield Post Office may not be eligible for a resident membership due to the property taxes being paid in another town. Added language stating librarians are not responsible for the selections their children make.
3.6.2 Non-resident Membership
Library cards may be issued to non-residents upon receipt of an annual fee not to exceed the per capita tax support for the Springfield Town Library. The fee is waived for non-residents who pay Springfield property taxes at least equal to the per capita tax support allocated to the Library.
The Library Director shall keep the Library Board of Trustees apprised of needed changes to the annual non-resident fee. Upon Library Board of Trustee approval, a request will be made to the Selectboard for such change. The Library Director has the authority to set a prorated fee schedule.
The non-resident fee may be waived for an individual instead of payment for presenting a program, with the approval of the Library Director. Non-resident cardholders may designate others to use their library cards or to pick up materials.
Other certain non-residents are offered a library membership free of charge. This category of patrons includes the following groups who do not reside or pay taxes in Springfield: employees of the Town of Springfield, employees of the Springfield School District, and students who attend a public school in Springfield.
Initial Adoption Date: May 3, 1976
Modified Date: June 12, 2024: Modifications: Deleted language regarding temporary residents. Combined all types of non-resident memberships into this one policy statement, eliminating separate statements. Removed the requirement for school employees and students to only use the membership for school-related borrowing. Removed reference to students from Baltimore and students attending Holy Family School. Added language regarding parent/legal guardian responsibility for monitoring choices made by children.
3.6.3 New Patron Membership
The Springfield Town Library extends temporary borrowing privileges to individuals who do not have the necessary forms of identification and/or proof of residency for another type of library membership. Patrons with a New Patron membership are subject to restrictions regarding the number of items that can be borrowed at one time.
The New Patron membership is valid for 30 days and can be renewed as long as all previous items have been returned.
Initial Adoption Date: June 12, 2024
3.6.4 Organization Membership
The Springfield Town Library extends borrowing privileges to Springfield-located nonprofit organizations, schools, and businesses by offering each one an ‘Organization Card.’ An Organization Card allows that organization to borrow library materials for the sole purpose of carrying out that business’ organizational goals and objectives. It is not intended for personal use.
To obtain an Organization Membership, the Springfield-located business owner or administrator must fill out an application, which must be renewed annually. By completing and signing the application, the owner/administrator agrees that the Organization Member is responsible for the full-value replacement of any materials borrowed with the Organization Card and not returned.
At the time of the application, owners/administrators must designate authorized users. The list of authorized users may be amended at any time in writing. As more than one person may be authorized to use the Organization Card and access the records for the Organization’s library account, authorized users must present either the Organization Card or another form of identification, such as a driver’s license or employee identification card, when borrowing materials using the Organization Membership.
Initial Adoption Date: June 12, 2024
3.6.5 Equipment Loan Policy - Rescinded June 12, 2024
3.6.6 Interlibrary Loan
Inter-Library Loan service is offered at no charge to all who hold a valid Library Card, except that when the lending library charges a fee, that fee will be the responsibility of the borrower.
Initial Adoption Date: Portions adopted at least as early as February 11, 1971, prior to becoming a town department: Includes language about avoiding needless duplication of services and “The library pursues a liberal policy of interlibrary lending to other libraries in accordance with the provisions of the Interlibrary Loan Code (American Library Association Interlibrary Loan Code).”
Modified Date: May 3, 1976 - Modification: ‘Interlibrary loans service is offered to all who hold library cards”
3.6.7 Fees
Springfield Town Library became a fine-free library on July 1, 2023. All programs and services provided by the Library are available to everyone at no charge, except for library memberships for non-residents and fees for special services. Special services include but are not limited to copying, printing, faxing, laminating, and replacement of lost or damaged items. While the library doesn't impose fines for overdue books, fines may be imposed on certain items, and replacement costs for lost items will be charged. The Library Director may waive fees when there are mitigating circumstances. The Library will gladly accept any voluntary donation to offset the cost of library services.
Initial Adoption Date: Portions adopted at least as early as February 11, 1971, prior to becoming a town department
Modified Dates:
May 3, 1976 Modification TBD after further research.
January 8, 1980: “Maximum fines are set to encourage return of long overdue material.”
Other modifications were made and are to be determined after further research on 8/8/2017 and 3/20/2018.
September 12, 2023: Rescinded the old policy that included fines and adopted the new version.
3.6.8 Restriction of borrowing privileges
Any borrower who fails to return materials beyond two weeks of their due dates will have their borrowing privileges restricted until said materials are returned.
Any borrower who loses, or damages materials beyond usefulness shall be charged their replacement cost. Charges for materials of special value will be determined according to their current replacement cost. Replacement costs for materials borrowed from another library through Interlibrary Loan are determined by that library. The Library Director may waive any or all of these charges when there are mitigating circumstances.
In severe cases (total value of $500 or more), failure to pay replacement costs for lost or damaged materials, or other fees incurred may result in penalties in accordance with Springfield Town Ordinances (Code 1990, § 7-89; Ord. No. O-1994-1, § II, 12-19-1994). The Library understands the ramifications of legal action and its unintended consequences for the affected party. The Library shall try to minimize that impact whenever possible while recovering or seeking compensation for missing materials. Whenever possible, the Library Director shall offer restorative justice practices prior to pursuing legal action.
Initial Adoption Date: May 3, 1976
Modified Dates:
May 10, 2010 - research to be done to determine modification.
July 10, 2024 - Changed title; moved first 2 paragraphs to Code of Conduct section; corrected grammar; removed references to Books in Print and Bowker Annual; and removed information about fines as we are a fine-free library. Added language to ensure legal action is a last resort to reduce the impact on a person’s credit score and ability to secure housing.