These links are printable policies and procedures for Santa Rosa County Library System. The information below the links are the policies in its entirety.
Santa RosaCountyLibrary System Policies Effective August 1, 2006
Santa Rosa County Library System’s mission is to be a gateway to the heritage of the past and to the promise of the future, offering opportunities for enrichment and discovery through broad resources, knowledgeable staff, courteous service, and comfortable, friendly, and safe library environments. Library policies established towards this mission include: Confidentiality and Privacy, Copyright, Collection Development, Borrowing and Circulation; Electronic Resources, Internet Use and Public Computers, and Facilities.
Confidentiality and Privacy of Library Records and Personally Identifiable Information about Library Users
Confidentially is the protection of a user’s personally identifiable information and includes, but is not limited to, information that is sought or received, resources consulted, borrowed, acquired, or transmitted, online and networked searches, reference interviews, circulation records, interlibrary loan records, and other uses of library materials, facilities, or services.
Users are entitled to view and/or update personally identifiable information either online or in person with verification such as a personal identification number.
The Library takes reasonable steps to ensure data integrity and protection of personally identifiable information and regularly destroys it when no longer needed.
Copyright Law Compliance
The Santa Rosa County Library System complies with the with Copyright Law of the United States of America, Section 107, the Fair Use Doctrine, which governs the making of reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy of reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement.
Collection Development
The purpose of this Collection Development and Management Policy is to guide the Santa Rosa County Library administration and staff in the selection and management of the Library collection and to inform the public of the principles upon which the Library makes decisions regarding the selection and management of the Library collection.
The Library will strive to acquire and provide materials to inform, educate, entertain, and enrich citizens of Santa Rosa County and to offer opportunity and encouragement to pursue lifelong education, examine all sides of issues, keep abreast of new ideas, become informed citizens of the community, the nation, and the world, improve occupational performance, use leisure time to enjoy and explore books and other library materials, and discover and develop creative abilities.
The Santa Rosa County Library System Director is responsible for selection and management of the Library collection within the framework of this policy. The Library Director may use qualified professional library staff to assist with collection selection and management and all selectors will exercise impartiality and judicious selection practices, not personal opinion, prejudice, or censorship. Library users and staff will be encouraged to make suggestions for purchase of materials. Other community resources and area library resources will be considered and not needlessly duplicated. Interlibrary loans will be used to obtain materials from other sources.
Collection Development Objectives: The Santa Rosa County Library System will strive to provide circulating and reference materials in broad areas of knowledge and include works of enduring value and timely materials on current issues with the following objectives to:
Acquire materials with different viewpoints in all subject areas and formats
Consider public demand, considering the few as well as the many
Encourage children to enjoy reading and learning and promote use of library collection
Evaluate materials using standards which are flexible, open, and responsive
Facilitate timely availability of new materials
Gather local history, family history, and genealogy resources for designated library locations
Maintain reference sources for general areas of knowledge and information in all locations
Offer library materials with equity and free of charge to all residents
Provide location independent access to electronic collection
Refrain from promulgating particular beliefs or views
Supply enough copies of popular materials for circulation demands
Support formal and informal learning for all ages and supply enough copies for multiple uses
Donations and Gift Materials: When Santa Rosa County Libraries receives donated materials or monetary donations to purchase materials, the same collection development and management policy used to evaluate and purchase materials for library collections will also be used to determine suitability or need of donated materials for the library collection or to purchase materials with monetary donations. The library reserves the right to dispose of donated materials that are not suitable or not needed for the collection by discarding them or donating them to Friends of the Library groups for sale, exchange, or discard. All donated items and items purchased with “gift” or “memorial” money will be integrated into the general collection and may be identified with an appropriate bookplate. Checks made payable to the library should be given to the Friends of the Library group for that library to deposit and purchase materials for the collection made by either the library manger or the Friends group.
Borrowing and Circulation
Library borrowing privileges will be extended by issuing library cards to:
Permanent Florida Residents
Persons who pay ad valorem taxes in the State of Florida
Non-residents who are students at local colleges
Non-residents who are active duty military personnel residing in Florida
Non-residents who temporarily reside in Florida for leisure or employment purposes
To verify Florida residency, library staff will accept documentation showing applicant’s address including, but not limited to, driver’s license, voter registration, utility statements, lease agreements, mail received at the applicant’s Florida address. Applicants not meeting these conditions may purchase a non-resident library card for an annual fee of $20.00 per person. The library card will be issued and the applicant will be sent an invoice for payment.
Personally Identifiable Information collected by the Library and entered into the borrower’s record will consist of name, primary and alternate addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses. Residency verification will be viewed by library staff, but not be entered into the registration record.
Responsibility of Borrowers: Library borrowers are responsible for all materials checked out on their library card. Parents are responsible for their minor children, declared in Florida State Statute 275.261 as persons less than 16 years of age, and their name and address will be entered into their minor’s record.
Persons with challenges that restrict personal visits to libraries may designate, through a written note, a person to check out library materials for them by using their library card.
Methods of Borrower Registration: Library cards may be obtained through:
In-person visits at one of the Santa Rosa County Libraries
The Santa Rosa County Library System Registration process available on the library’s website including a decision tree allowing the applicant to indicate:
Pick up library card at a designated library the following day after application
Mail the library card to a valid Florida address
Other registration methods made available by library administration
Account Password: Each registered library user will have a personal identification number (PIN) or password.
Circulation Procedures: Library borrowers should use their library card barcode to check out materials. However, when library borrowers do not have their library cards, library staff shall access their records by name, ask the borrower for a personally identifiable data element contained in the user record, such as phone number or address, verify the user, and proceed with the transaction.
Lost Library Cards: When a library borrower reports a lost card, library staff should immediately delete the record from the registration database. Upon request, library staff should issue another library card at no charge.
Loan Periods:
All circulating materials will have a standard loan period of 21 days.
Some materials do not circulate and must be used in the library, for example, reference and special collections such as genealogy.
Some materials may have temporary loan periods different than their standard loan period during high demand periods or for program purposes.
Borrowing Library Materials Limit: Each library borrower may have a total of 30 items checked out at one time.
Return of Library Materials: Materials may be returned to any Santa Rosa County Library location and should be returned by the due date.
Renewals: Unless a request has been placed, a user may renew an item five (5) times either in person, through telephone, or self-service through the Santa Rosa County Library System Catalog renewal process available on the library’s website
Requests and Holds: Requests and holds may be placed on all circulating materials either in person, by telephone, or self-service through the Santa Rosa County Library System Catalog request process available on the library’s website. The requestor may designate the “pick-up” library and when the pick-up library receives the requested item, the user will be notified by e-mail, telephone, or written notification. After notification, the item will be held for seven (7) days and, if not picked up, will be returned to circulation.
Recalls: Library staff may recall an item for the purpose of library operations.
Past Due Materials and Notifications:
Borrowers will receive notifications through e-mail, telephone, or written notices when materials are past due.
When items are returned, no past due fees will be charged.
Materials Not Returned and Charges for Replacement:
When an item is 30 days past due, the library will send the borrower a written reminder statement through the U.S. postal service that the item is past due.
When an item is 60 days past due, the library will send the borrower a written charge statement through the U.S. postal service for replacement charges for the item not returned, assessed as the cost of the item defined in the item’s database record.
The borrower may either return the materials, without penalty, or make non-refundable payments to the Santa Rosa County Library Administration Center.
Suspension of Library Privileges:A library borrower will have privileges suspended when they have one (1) item past due for thirty (30) days.
Lost Materials: If a borrower reports that an item is lost, the library will withdraw the item from the library database and the library will send the borrower a written charge statement through U.S. postal service for replacement charges assessed as the cost of the item defined in the item’s database record. The borrower should make non-refundable payments to the Santa Rosa County Library Administration Center.
Damaged or Incomplete Materials: When material is returned with damages or returned with missing pieces, authorized library staff will determine if the material is “no longer useable” and if so determined, library staff will withdraw the item from the library database and the library will send the borrower a written charge statement through U.S. postal service for replacement charges assessed as the cost of the item defined in the item’s database record. The borrower should make non-refundable payments to the Santa Rosa County Library Administration Center.
Interlibrary Loans: Library users may request materials not owned by the Santa Rosa County Library System by providing the requested information either in person, by telephone, or self-service through the Santa Rosa County Library System Interlibrary Loan process available on the library’s website. When the material is received, the requestor will be notified via e-mail, telephone, or written notification. The lending library determines the loan periods for their material.
Electronic Resources, Internet Use, and Public Computers Compliance with Laws: Library users must comply with federal, state, and county laws and with library policies while using all library resources, public computer equipment, and Internet access. These laws and policies address privacy, copyright, obscenity, child pornography, computer hacking, unauthorized access or damage to computers or networks, installing or spreading computer virus programs.
Damages to User Data: The Library can not assume responsibility for damages, direct or indirect, arising from use of its public computer workstations for downloading data that may contain computer viruses or other harmful content.
Use as Intended: Library public computer users must use library computer equipment and software as it is installed and may not copy, delete or modify it.
User Storage Media, Attached Devices, Saving Work: Library public computer users may bring their own storage media for accessing personal information or downloading work from the public computer or may attach portable USB devices as long as they do not require electrical outlets or require software to be loaded onto the computer. No individual work is saved on the library computers and user files are routinely deleted.
Computer Use Schedules: All Santa Rosa County Libraries comply with all access and use policies, but procedures for scheduling computer use and time limits may vary slightly in each library and each library maintains procedures for the respective library. Any dispute over these procedures will be settled by the Santa Rosa County Library System administration.
Library Computer Use - posted in all libraries in plain view of computer users.
Please register with the staff upon arrival.
Advance reservations may be made in person or via phone and will be held for five (5) minutes only if others are waiting.
Walk-in use is permitted, if computers are available.
You will be assigned one (1) hour and may continue if no one is waiting. When your time is up, you may schedule later sessions. Some libraries have “express” computer stations for fifteen (15) minute time limits.
No more than two (2) persons may use one (1) computer at one time.
Library staff will assist you with using computer hardware and software to the best of their ability and within time constraints of assisting all users.
You may use your personal storage media (floppy disk, thumb drive, CD) to access your personal document.
You may save your work to your personal storage media (floppy disk, thumb drive, CD) in compliance with U.S. Copyright Law.
You may not save your work to the hard drive; files are routinely deleted.
You may print your work or documents in compliance with U.S. Copyright Law.
The library is not responsible for any unsaved work, any damage, or loss of data.
You must use the computers in compliance with all library policies regarding expected behavior, public computer use, and Internet use.
Facilities Facilities - Courteous and Respectful Behavior Expected from Library Visitors Library visitors should show respect for other visitors and library staff and should not engage in behavior that may materially interfere with the public’s right of access to library facilities, the safety of users and staff, and the protection of library resources and facilities. Library visitors should:
Refrain from violating public safety, criminal behavior, or any local/state/federal laws
Abstain from engaging in excessively loud talking or noise
Avoid boisterous conduct or other disturbing behavior
Be responsible for personal belongings they bring into the library
Use library facilities, equipment, and furnishings properly, safely, and for their intended purpose
Use library parking areas, sidewalks, and lawns properly, safely, and for their intended purpose and not for recreational activities.
Enter library staff workrooms, storage areas, or non-public areas only when authorized by library staff
Abide by policies that govern all Florida and Santa Rosa County public buildings including:
No tobacco products
No alcoholic beverages
No weapons unless authorized by law
No animals except service animals
No soliciting
No petitioning
No campaigning
No Gambling
No destruction of property or materials
No indecent exposure or sexual activity
Library visitors who engage in activities that interfere with the rights of others will be dealt with first by library management in a timely, direct, and open manner in an effort to constructively resolve issues and, if not effective, will be reported to law enforcement officials.
Library visitors may use devices such as computers, iPods, cell phones, audio players, calculators, and others if the noise level is kept low and does not disturb others and no electrical connections or other library resources are required.
Library visitors are permitted to eat and drink in libraries as long as the visitor makes every effort to refrain from spilling and creating situations that would harm library materials, furniture, or equipment. Library staff will monitor the library and, if problems are detected, ask library visitors to refrain from that activity.
Facilities - Children’s Behavior and Safety in the Library
Parents, and only parents, are responsible for their children’s access and use of library materials.
Parents should ensure appropriate behavior of their children while in the library.
Children must not be allowed disrupt or disturb other library visitors and must not abuse library materials, equipment, or furniture.
Children should not be left unattended in the library since their safety is at risk.
Library staff are not responsible for unattended children and can not monitor them
Unaccompanied children of any age will be placed in the care of law enforcement officials.
Facilities - Service Animals
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person with a disability is allowed to bring their service animal into the library and must care for and supervise the service animal and in the event that service animal is aggressive with library visitors staff, the person may be asked to take the animal from the building.
Library Sponsored Programs – Animals used in conjunction with library sponsored educational programs for the public are permitted in the library building for the duration of the program and must be accompanied by the owner at all times.
Animals Left Unattendedoutside the library building or in automobiles for extended periods of time will be reported to the local police by the library staff.
Facilities - Petitioning and Solicitation on Library Property
Non-library activities, petition, or solicitation of any kind is not permitted inside library buildings.
Facilities - Exhibit Spaces, Bulletin Boards, and Literature
Santa Rosa County Library System will provide exhibit areas, bulletin board space, and literature distribution space to community groups engaged in educational, cultural, intellectual, civic, government, charitable, or non-commercial activities. Such materials can not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.
Space is provided based on availability each library. The library manger or delegated staff will determine whether the library has adequate space for materials and will determine the placement of materials. If a dispute arises regarding suitability for materials to be placed in library exhibit, bulletin, or distribution areas, the dispute will be settled by the Santa Rosa County Library System administration.
Materials may remain for no longer than one month. If the delegate placing the materials does not remove them when the time has expired, library staff will remove them. The Library is not responsible for loss or damage to exhibits or materials.
Notices will be placed near the exhibit space stating that use of library space does not constitute endorsement by the library of the exhibitors or of the viewpoints of exhibit content.
Facilities - Meeting Room Use
Santa Rosa County Libraries provide free use of meeting rooms to individuals, groups, or organizations engaged in educational, cultural, intellectual, civic, government, charitable, or non-commercial activities. Meeting room space is provided on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of groups or individuals requesting their use. Programs offered to the public at large must base attendance on an equitable basis without regard to origin, age, background, or views. Libraries will post a notice stating that the Library does not endorse the views or beliefs of organizations using the Library meeting room space.
Meeting room space is scheduled on a first come, first served, and space available basis. Library, Friends of the Library, or County sponsored programs have first priority for use of library meeting rooms and other reservations may be cancelled for their use. The Library or Friends of the Library programs may promote products or services in conjunction with library fund raising activities.
Each library will coordinate the scheduling, managing, and monitoring of their meeting room space using the following policies:
Applicants must fill out an application form and provide contact information.
Group or individual use is limited to four (4) uses per month.
Meeting room space may be used on days when the library is open.
Meeting rooms may not be used for personal, business, or private profit or for commercial advertising or solicitation of business.
Groups and individual may not charge admission fees.
Fees for materials necessary for program participation may be charged.
Groups may restrict meetings to their own membership.
Groups are responsible for their own publicity and it must indicate that the event is not a library sponsored event.
Groups or individuals may use their own or library Audio Visual equipment. If library equipment is needed, reservations should be made and the meeting room contact is responsible to get any needed instruction from library staff in advance of meeting time.
Light refreshments may be served if space is adequate. Kitchen facilities and equipment available as part of the meeting room may be used, but staff room kitchens or equipment may not be used.
Groups and individuals must arrange tables, chairs, and equipment in the room, using only furnishings found in the meeting room, and must return the room to the way it was found.
Meeting room users should clean up food, drinks, containers, and large trash and leave facilities clean (not expected to clean restrooms or vacuum).
Meeting room use must not disrupt other library use.
The Library is not responsible for loss or damage to exhibits, equipment, supplies, or other materials brought to the Library by the meeting group, including personal belongings of program attendees.
Meeting room groups may not store equipment, materials, or supplies in the meeting room except with special permission granted by the Santa Rosa County Library System administration.
In the event of cancellation, library staff should be immediately notified.
Group size must be within the capacity of the meeting room space as posted.
Materials must not be attached to walls, windows, doors, or furnishings.
All promotional literature must be removed.
In addition to the meeting room policies and procedures, meeting room users must comply with other library policies related to user behaviors.
