Bell Memorial Public Library serves the Town of Mentone and Harrison Township. Residents or those paying property taxes in either of the two are eligible for all library services.

Families not residing nor paying real property taxes in the service area may purchase nonresident family membership at the cost of eighty dollars per year.

Library cards will be issued to those six year so of age and over who have correctly filled out an application form. A parent or guardian must sign for anyone under the age of eighteen, unless said person is an emancipated minor.

Library cards must reach he patron through the U.S. mail to verify the address given. The only exceptions to this rule are cases where other family members already have library cards, or where the individual making application is well know it a staff person.

The library’s collection is available to the public, despite residence, on an in-house basis.

Eligibility for library usage may be suspended for: willful destruction of library property, failure to return or replace materials borrowed, refusal to meet overdue fine obligations, or for loud and/or abusive language or behavior within or on library property. Borrowing privileges will also be suspended for anyone using, or allowing the use of their card by a nonresident attempting to avoid the payment of a nonresident fee, or by those avoiding payment of over due fines or charges.

The borrowing period is three weeks for books, unless otherwise stated (reference materials). Books less than three months may not be renewed. Other titles may be renewed for an additional three weeks. Titles appearing on a reserve list may not be renewed.

Any TVSC student may be issued a Bell Memorial Public Library, card, with the following restrictions-if the student lives in an unserved area and does not have a PLAC or reciprocal card, no videos, no magazines, and no CD-ROMs can be checked out. A parent must come to the library and fill the green card out.

Patrons may request that materials be reserved for them. When the item is available, the patron will be notified by telephone within the toil-free calling area. (Those living outside the toil-free area are encouraged to call in to check on availability.) The item is kept on the reserve shelf for three days. If not claimed within that time, the next person on the list is notified. The name of the person missing his/her “turn” then goes to the bottom of the reserve list for that book. Videos are not reserved except for educators needing blue-dot videos.

The borrowing period for magazines is one week; exceptions are the current issues of weekly magazines. These may not be checked out until the next issues arrive. The patron must replace any lost, or badly damaged magazine, If the patron is unable to find a copy, the replacement fee is $5 per magazines costing less than that amount, or $10 for magazines over $5.

Videotapes are due on the second day before closing time for that due-date. [Example: a tape borrowed on a Tuesday would be due before 8:00 p.m. Thursday.] The door to the library is closed to incoming traffic five minutes before closing time.

     The library item lost or damaged to the point it is not suitable for circulation must be replaced by borrower at the retail price of that particular edition. The cost of shipping and in-houseprocessing are added. The in-house processing fee is $3. In addition, any overdue charges for the item apply.

Adults may not borrow materials if they have overdue/lost material charges totaling $20 or more. The limit for children is $1. Materials may not be borrowed by anyone in a household if a fine total is over $20. A household is defined as a group of individuals living at the same physical address.

Overdue fines are as follows: 5 cents per day per book, audio recording, or magazine, plus postage on all reminder notices; 3 dollars per video tape or computer game per day

Overdues will be forgiven for a period not to exceed four days, for a death in the immediate family, or the illness of the only driver in the household.

Citizens are encouraged to use the library’s bulletin board in the lobby. Because of space and staffing limitations, the library is unable to allow the use of the building by outside groups for meetings, etc.

No sales will be conducted on library grounds that do not directly benefit the library or are a part of a library program.

VIDEO RULES

1. Videos may be checked out only by adults, or by children whose parents has signed the slip allowing the child access to all videos.

2. The limit on videos is 3 longs (60 mm. or over) and 3 shorts per patron. Blue-dot tapes do not count toward the above limit.

3. Tapes are due on the second day five minutes before that day’s closing time. The closing hours are: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday-5p.m. Thursday-8p.m. TAPES BEING BORROWED MUST BE CHECKED OUT BEFORE THAT TIME.

4. Lost tapes, or those with a broken security seal, must be replaced by the patron.

5. Patrons must rewind tapes. There will be a fifty-cent fee for each tape returned not “not ready to view.

6  Video tapes may not be renewed nor may they be reserved.

7. The overdue charge, set by our Board of Trustees, is $3.00 per tape per day.

8. Video tapes must be returned to the inside book slot. No audio-visual material should be place in the outside book return.

9. Should the tape break, please inform the circulation clerk when you return it. Most breaks can be fixed in our workroom. Please do not attempt to mend the taped yourself. Notify person at circulation when you return it.

COMPUTER GUIDELINES - After school

Students sign up for an hour session. Each student may sign up 3 times a week. If no one is using a computer and patron has already used 3 hours maximum time limit, the patron can go ahead and use more time until computer is needed. Unscheduled periods of time, or those not claimed after ten minutes into the schedule time, may be claimed by walk-in patrons. Children who have completed first grade may use the computers by the window, (C&D) up to one hour, providing they are able to run the programs without help form the staff. Younger children must have an adult beside them at all times. Sign-up sheets will be posted each Sunday for the following week.

Bell Library is a part of a statewide network that allows the use of materials from another library by Bell’s patrons. Interlibrary loan materials are delivered to this library once a week. Patrons wanting information not available locally, may request that it be ordered from another source. The patron pays 25 cents per request to help offset the cost of the transaction. At the time of the request, the patron must indicate whether they are willing to pay postage or copying fees connected with the request. If not, the searchers will only seek to fill the order within the state.

RECIPROCAL, PLAC, AND OTHER NONRESIDENT BORROWERS:

Bell Library has a no-cost reciprocal agreement with Akron Library, by which all patrons of this service area may use the Akron Library; likewise, all resident borrowers from Akron Library may borrow Bell’s materials.

Reciprocal and nonresident borrowers are expected to follow all rules, limitations, and restrictions placed upon resident borrowers.

Public Library Access Cards (PLACs) are available from any library in the state. The cards allow access to all public libraries in the state. Those living in a library’s service area pay only the PLAC fee, which is set each year by the State Library. Those not living in a service area must first purchase a nonresident card, and then the PLAC. Bell Library requires a completed application from these individuals. A bar coded library card will be mailed to the individual for use at this library and a telephone check made to the “home” library to learn if patron has overdue charges of more than $20. The only exceptions to this rule are those instances where the individual is well known to a staff person.

All children under 5 years of age must be attended by an adult or mature adolescent. Children over and under 8 years of age may spend up to half an hour in the library unattended. Children 8 and up may use the library for extended lengths of time unattended, however children of any age are not permitted to loaf in the library. They must read, use the computers, or actively search for library materials. The library staff assumes no responsibility for the welfare of visiting children. The Library staff is not responsible for materials used or borrowed by a child. Even if the staff had the time, it is not within their duties nor their areas of expertise to judge the appropriateness of a given piece of material for a given child. These duties lie strictly with the parent. If your child is unable to select materials that meet with your expectations, please accompany them to the library and help them to make their choices. Children who have completed first grade may use the two computers by the window(C&D) up to one hour. Younger children must have an adult beside them to use the computers. No child is permitted to “play” with the electronic equipment, even if the power is off. Parents are responsible for keeping small children with them or seeing the child is playing safely in the toy corner. No child, still putting objects in his/her mouth, should be left unattended with the toys. All toys should be put away before the child leaves the building.

GIFT POLICY

Books may be purchased in memory, or in honor, of a person. The request is presented in writing to the director with the following information: amount to be spent, any specific titles or interest areas to be considered, and the names of the donors. The book/books may be ordered with the library’s next monthly book order. Donors will be notified to whom the check should be written, and the amount. Upon arrival, the person honored, or the family of the one being memorialized, will be advised of the gift and invited to view the book before it goes into circulation.

Monetary gifts may also be given to the library in honor of, or to memorialize someone. In such cases, the library will use the full amount as requested for equipment or circulating materials. Again, titles or subject areas may be specified.

The library accepts gifts of books, pamphlets, periodicals, audiovisual materials, furniture and equipment. However, the library reserves the right to use them or dispose of them as it sees fit. The appraisal of a gift for income tax purposes is the responsibility of the donor. A letter acknowledging the gift will be mailed to the donor to use in conjunction with a previously made appraisal.

OTHER RULES AND REGULATIONS

No guns, knives with blades over 3 inches, or other weapon may be brought onto library property.

The library is a smoke, drug, and alcohol-free entity. Failure to adhere to this policy will result in suspension of all borrowing privileges. The only exception to be made to these rules is in the case of an individual needing to carry one day’s medication for a health problem. Sleeping is not permitted in the library. Anyone perceived as being asleep will be awakened and asked to leave the premises. Lost or Damaged Library Materials

Patrons will be charged the retail price for all lost or damaged library materials. Fees will be collected for shipping and in-house processing as well as the overdue charges and postage on reminder cards for the material. No refunds will be issued for payments made for lost material, if the material is found at a later date. Material overdue for 9 months or more will be considered lost.

Reserves

Renewals

Notice