Circulation Policy

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Circulation Policy

The Library maintains a Circulation Policy and applicable procedures to ensure that all patrons are provided with consistent and equitable services from Library staff members and that every patron has clear expectations of their rights as a James Prendergast Library Association (JPLA) cardholder.

Registration

Registering for a library card must be done in person, or online registration is permitted for a temporary account; temporary patrons must come in person to provide identification. Library cards obtained through online registration will give cardholders 3 weeks of access to all JPLA digital resources and allow individuals to place holds on physical library materials. Registering for a JPLA library card is free for all New York State residents. Out-of-state residents will be required to pay an annual $10 fee to maintain a JPLA library account.

Applicants must supply photo identification and proof of address, and complete and sign the Library’s card application. Please see the attached Appendix A for details on accepted forms of identification.

By signing the card application and receiving a library card, applicants certify that the information they provided is true and correct to the best of their knowledge and that they agree to obey all policies of the James Prendergast Library.

Cardholders are only allowed one JPLA card in their name. Upon application for a library card, the Library will verify that the applicant does not already have a card within the Chautauqua Cattaraugus Library System. If the Library finds that an applicant has a pre-existing account, the applicant will instead update the information on the existing account. If any patron is found to have multiple JPLA accounts, those accounts, along with all fines, items, and holds associated with them, will be merged to the most recent record.

The Library reserves the right to withdraw borrowing privileges from any patron providing the Library with false registration information.

Juvenile and Young Adult Registrations  

A parent or guardian may obtain a library card for their child by providing a valid form of identification and signing the card application. Upon signing, the parent/guardian assumes responsibility for all materials and any fines incurred through the use of the child’s card. The parent/guardian is the account guarantor and the child is the account guarantee. The child must be present at the time of registration.

Young adults aged 14-17 unaccompanied by a parent/guardian may obtain a library card by presenting

appropriate identification. Library staff retain the right to modify the registration process for youths in situations where the above policy does not apply.

Juvenile and young adult patrons are not permitted to check out DVDs or non-traditional items (science kits, literacy boxes, board games).

Lost cards and Replacements

Cardholders are responsible for the safekeeping and use of their card, including all items and fines charged to their account, unless the card has been reported lost or stolen. Lost cards should be reported to the Library immediately to avoid unnecessary charges.

Replacement cards can be issued; a wallet-sized card costs $1.00 to replace and a keychain card can be provided at no cost. Children’s replacement cards are free. No more than 3 free replacement cards will be provided annually.

Patron Accounts

So that the Library can maintain accurate contact information of our patrons, JPLA library cards are set to expire one year from the date of initial registration or the date of a card renewal. To renew the card in person, a patron must present their library card; to renew over the phone, a patron must relay their library card number.

When renewing a library card, a patron will be asked to provide their current address, phone number, and email address. If the information provided differs from what is currently in the account, the patron’s record will be updated. The Library reserves the right to request that a patron complete a new registration form.

Authorized Users

Patrons are allowed to grant authorized users access to portions of their account information. Permissions include the ability to check out items on the account; place and pick up holds on the account; and view borrowing history. The Library also considers access to and payment of a patron’s fines as authorized permissions. Computer access is not an authorized permission. Authorized users can be added or removed at any time by the cardholder.

Online Account

All JPLA system cardholders have access to an online account. Accounts can be accessed at prendergastlibrary.org. To sign in, users must have their library card number or username, and password. Patrons can use their account to view checkouts and holds, place holds, renew items, and set preferences for their account.

A password is needed for patrons to access their JPLA online account as well as our digital materials. Patrons may reset their password in person, online via prendergastlibrary.org, or via the phone by providing their library card number, or their name with one additional identifier matching the information on their account (i.e. address, phone number, email, date of birth).

Confidentiality of Patron Accounts

The Library complies with New York State law regarding the confidentiality of patron records. The law states: “Records related to the circulation of library materials which contain names or other personally identifying details… shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed except that such records may be disclosed to the extent necessary for the proper operation of such library and shall be disclosed upon request or consent of the user or pursuant to subpoena, court order or where otherwise required by statute.”

Library staff members will not discuss a patron’s record of loans, holds, renewals, or fines with anyone other than the patron, their authorized users, or with other library staff members, except to the extent necessary for efficient and effective service to the public.  

Patron Account Retention

JPLA library cards are marked inactive after a period of three years from the current expiration date of the card. All information associated with an account will be retained for three years after the card has been marked inactive.

If an account has not been renewed after those three years of being marked inactive, the record and all associated information will be expunged completely from our system. An account with overdue fines or fees cannot be marked inactive.

Borrowing Privileges & Responsibilities

Patrons are required to present their JPLA library card or photo ID when borrowing materials. All cardholders reserve the right to have a receipt printed that lists the due dates for their items. Item due dates may also be accessed via the patron’s email, online JPLA account, or by calling the Library.

Borrowing privileges may be limited or rescinded if the cardholder or cardholder’s guarantees have lost or damaged items, or unpaid fines or fees exceeding $10.00.

Loan periods and number of renewals are determined according to demand for the material and value of the material. [see Appendix B].

Patrons may apply for extended education checkouts which will be noted on their account; this permits a loan period of 6 weeks for books, audiobooks, and periodicals. Extended education accounts cannot be used for extended loan periods on DVDs or non-traditional items.

Returning and Renewing Items

The Library maintains an outdoor bookdrop for our patrons’ convenience. Items returned via the bookdrop when the Library is closed will be backdated to the last day the Library was open. Returns made while the Library is open are treated as being returned during that day. The bookdrop is not checked on Sundays or on holidays.

An item may be renewed unless a hold has been placed on the item or the item’s allotted number of

renewals has been exhausted. An item can be renewed within three days of the due date. Patrons are prohibited from returning an item and then immediately checking it out again, but may request to have their loan period extended for special circumstances at the discretion of Library staff.

JPLA provides patrons with overdue notices indicating that they have not returned an item: the first at 7 days overdue and the second at 14 days overdue.

An item is deemed lost at six weeks past the item’s due date. The patron is billed for the item’s price and a processing fee of $2.00. The patron receives a letter notification about this bill. If the item is returned to the library, the bill will be voided and only overdue fees will be owed.

Digital materials are returned automatically after three weeks and cannot incur late fees.

Holds and Interlibrary Loan

Patrons of JPLA have access to the collections of the other 25 libraries in the Chautauqua Cattaraugus Library System. Patrons may request in person, by telephone, or online, that materials from other CCLS libraries be delivered to their library of choice. Items will be held one week after the patron has been notified of the availability of the item.

Patrons may request materials not available in the JPLA catalog, or at CCLS libraries, through the interlibrary loan (ILL) system. Patrons will be charged $4.00 for an ILL request upon checkout. Loan periods and renewals for ILL materials are determined by the owning library.

Fines

The current rates for fines and other charges are listed on the fee schedule [see Loan Periods and Fee Schedule Appendix].

Juvenile and Young Adult accounts do not accrue overdue fees.

All patrons are responsible for any fines related to damaged or lost materials.

Cardholders reserve the right to receive a copy of a receipt for all payments or reductions in fines. Cardholders are responsible for requesting a copy of a receipt at the time of the transaction.

Payments received for lost items or damaged materials are transferred to the owning Library. All other fees or fine payments made at JPLA are retained by JPLA.

Contesting Fines

Patrons wishing to contest fines on their library accounts must do so in person at the Library. Ultimate discretion for the voiding of fines falls to the Library Manager or his or her designee.

Patrons contesting fines on the grounds of hospitalization, theft, or any other event outside of the control of the patron or the Library will be asked to provide documentation of the event, including but not limited to a copy of a police report, hospital bill, or doctor’s note that verifies the date of absence.

Fines for damaged or lost items owned by another library must be contested at the owning library. JPLA can provide patrons with the name and contact information for the owning library of an item.

Replacement Copies

In the case of loss or irreparable damage to JPLA materials, the cardholder will automatically be charged the original price of the item. Patrons should contact JPLA to discuss any replacement or payment that is different from the automatically charged fee.

Patrons who lose or damage items originally owned by a CCLS library besides JPLA must contact the owning Library to discuss any replacement or payment that is different from the automatically charged fee.

Claimed Returns

In such instances where a cardholder notices an item still on their record that they believe was returned, they should contact a Library staff member. JPLA or the owning library will look for the item on their shelves. If the item is located, all fines on the patron’s record associated with that particular item and loan period will be voided.

If the item is not located within the library system, discretion for whether the fine should be voided or upheld falls to the owning library. Instances in which a claimed returned item cannot be located and no fine was assessed will be noted on the patron’s record.

Appendix A : Accepted forms of identification

You must have photo identification and proof of address to register for a card. Persons age 14 and older applying for a library card are required to present valid photo identification.

The following items will be accepted by Library staff as valid forms of identification. This list is not exhaustive; a photo ID is defined as an item containing a photo of the applicant, with first and last name of applicant.

Appendix B: Loan Periods and Fee Schedule

Approved by the James Prendergast Library Board of Trustees 11/17/2022; revised 2/20/2025