RUSSELL LIBRARY CIRCULATION POLICY
BORROWER ELIGIBILITY AND REGISTRATION
ELIGIBILITY
Eligibility for borrower registration is based on a person’s residency. A person is a resident of the town in which that person lives a majority of the time. Any resident of Middletown is entitled to have a Russell Library borrower’s card and to borrow materials from the library, subject to the library’s regulations.
A person who lives in another town in Connecticut is able to borrow materials from this library using their hometown library card through the state’s BorrowIT CT program for reciprocal borrowing.
A Middletown resident is able to borrow materials from most other public libraries in Connecticut by presenting their Russell Library card. The rules and regulations of the loaning (transacting) library take precedence over the home library in the case of reciprocal borrowing.
Current students, faculty, and staff of schools, colleges, and universities in Middletown can also obtain a Russell Library card by showing their school IDs. These cards expire upon the student’s expected graduation date or, in the case of staff and faculty, after five years and can be renewed.
REGISTRATION
Library card applications are a contract whereby applicants agree to Russell Library’s borrowing guidelines and accept responsibility for all use of their patron account.
A resident 18 and older is issued an adult card. Adults must present a photo ID and proof of residency to apply for a library card. Examples of each include:
(1) Current Picture Identification (ID)
● Connecticut identification card, such as a driver’s license, or a U.S. driver’s license from out-of-state
● Passport
● Permanent Resident Card
● Military ID
● School-issued student ID
● Consular ID
● Employee ID
(2) Address Verification (must include name and Middletown residential address if different from address on current picture identification)
● An imprinted bank check or deposit slip Current rent receipt (confirming 30 day occupancy
● Other computer-generated bill or mail
● Current utility bill dated within the last 30 days
● Other computer-generated bill or mail
A resident under 18 is issued a youth card. Children under the age of 18 do not need to provide proof of residency or parental consent to obtain a full access library card. The child or an adult with them should be able to provide a Middletown address for the child. If a parent or legal guardian objects to subsequent fees, those instances will be addressed on a case-by-case basis by the Borrowing Manager or an Assistant Director.
REGISTRATION PERIOD
Middletown adult and youth cards are issued for a five-year period and are renewable unless the cardholder has unpaid fines or fees. The expiration date on the hometown card of BorrowIT CT patrons determines the registration period for local borrowing.
GROUP/ORGANIZATIONAL/SCHOOL BORROWING
A group or organization is issued an adult or youth card depending on the population served, and may borrow materials provided that the leadership of the organization agrees annually in writing to assume responsibility for any materials signed out by its staff or other authorized personnel. Organizational cards are valid at Russell Library only.
Middletown schools can apply for one institution card per school. The principal must sign a letter taking responsibility for any overdue, billed or lost materials. The card will be held by the principal or the school media specialist. Upon request, Middletown school staff may be issued an individual school staff card, regardless of whether or not they reside in Middletown. They must show proof that they are a Middletown school system employee.
Cards expire on June 30th each year and a new letter or proof of current employment must be presented each fall to reactivate the cards for the upcoming school year. Any outstanding overdue, billed or lost materials must be cleared before the card is reactivated. School institution and school staff cards are valid at Russell Library only.
LOCAL COLLEGE STUDENTS
A student from Connecticut attending Wesleyan University or Middlesex Community College may borrow materials on their hometown library card as a BorrowIT CT reciprocal borrower.
A Wesleyan University, Middlesex Community College, or foreign exchange student without a Connecticut local library card or from out-of-state is given a college student card, which expires at the end of the school term or year and is valid at Russell Library only. These students may obtain cards by presenting a current student ID card with an expiration date.
TEMPORARY 90-DAY CARDS
A temporary 90-day card is given to temporary residents who have no legal permanent residency except a local institution or other temporary housing. A temporary 90-day card is limited to a loan of 5 items at any time and is valid at Russell Library only. The card is renewable for successive 90-day periods provided no fines or other charges are owed.
OUT-OF-TOWN RESIDENTS
Non-residents are served through the State Library’s BorrowIT CT reciprocal borrowing program. An out-of-town borrower must present a valid card from their local library, will be registered in the Library Connection Inc. (LCI) database, and is subject to the same rules and regulations as are Middletown borrowers.
OUT-OF-STATE RESIDENTS
Out-of-state residents have no borrowing privileges except through a local cardholder who takes responsibility for all borrowing.
LOAN PERIODS & LOAN LIMITS
LIBRARY CARDS
Patrons must be registered in the Russell Library/LCI database to check out materials.
BORROWING GUIDELINES
Borrowing guidelines, including loan periods and limitations, can be found on Russell Library’s website at https://russelllibrary.org/borrowing-guidelines/.
CIRCULATION
The Library Director is authorized to establish and periodically revise loan periods and loan limits for materials for which there is higher than normal demand; for materials in collections of limited size; for items that require special treatment or care; and for establishing interim policies for new, experimental, or introductory services. The Library Director is also authorized to designate materials as circulating or non-circulating and to designate which materials may be held.
Borrowing guidelines, including loan periods and limitations, can be found on Russell Library’s website at https://russelllibrary.org/borrowing-guidelines/.
DOWNLOADABLE MEDIA
Loans are subject to the policies of the commercial distributor, the LCI consortium, and Russell Library.
DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY
The library assumes no responsibility for damage caused to a patron’s personal property by library materials or equipment.
COPYRIGHT
Borrowers are reminded to comply with federal copyright law, including limits on reproduction and public performance.
FINES & OTHER FEES
OVERDUE MATERIALS
An item becomes overdue the day after the due date.
FINES
Russell Library does not charge fines for overdue items. However, other libraries may charge fines for materials borrowed from their library.
LOST MATERIALS
If an item is reported lost or if an item reaches the final billing notice, the borrower is charged the replacement cost of the lost item.
If the actual cost of the item is not known, the item will be billed at the average replacement costs listed for the appropriate format and subject area.
Audiovisual materials will be billed at actual cost if known or at a reasonable charge reflecting the current cost of that type of item.
If any part of a CD/DVD package which is necessary to the use of the product is lost, the patron will be charged the full replacement cost for the set.
DAMAGED MATERIALS
Patrons who return items that are damaged so that they can no longer circulate will be billed the cost of replacement.
Patrons are expected to pay the full cost of a lost or damaged item at time of payment.
RETURN OF PAID ITEM
Patrons who pay for a lost item and then return it within 3 months will be reimbursed if the item is in the same condition as it was at the time it was loaned.
BORROWING SUSPENSION
A borrower’s privileges will be suspended when they owe Russell Library more than $100. When a borrower owes less than $100, they are nonetheless obligated to pay the amount owed, including fines charged by other libraries.
DISPUTE RESOLUTION
If a borrower would like to discuss a fee on their patron account, they may speak with the Borrowing Manager or an Assistant Director to resolve the dispute.
STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS
Records of unpaid overdue charges and lost items shall be discarded seven years after the date the charge or the item became due.
Approved 2023-01-17