[OPLINLIST] Questions About Your Library Compilation

[Amy Garrett]

Hi All,

I would like to thank-you for providing information about each of your
libraries. Forty (40) libraries from across the state provided the
following answers:

Do you waive fines for seniors?

Ten (10) libraries stated that they do not charge fines for seniors,
specifically. Almost all of these libraries consider a person a senior at
60 or when they present a Golden Buckeye Card. Three (3) libraries
(Herbert Wescoat Memorial in McArthur, the Athens County Public Library
(Nelsonville) and the Wornstaff Public Library do not charge overdue fines
to anyone.

We are planning (after Board approval) to not charge seniors overdue fines
beginning sometime in late January.
Questions About Your Library	Do you allow teens to work off overdue fines?

Although we have tabled this discussion until later, five (5) libraries
said that they had done this at least once and the Mechanicsburg Public
Library provided the most detailed information about “how to . . .”.

How many VHS/DVDs do you allow patrons to check-out at a time?

While 10 libraries stated that there was no limit, those that did provide
limits ranged from 2 to 50 per card. We currently allow patrons to
check-out 5 videos and 5 DVDs per card. We hope to change this to 10 in
either format and allow patrons to mix and match as they wish up to 10.

How may CDs do you allow patrons to check-out at a time?

While three (3) libraries do not circulate CDs at all, fourteen (14)
libraries that do circulate CDs have no limit. For those who do have
limits, the numbers range from 4-50. We currently allow patrons to
check-out 6 music CDs (no limit on Books on CD) per card. We hope to raise
this number to 10 in 2006.

What is your lending period for VHS/DVDs?

We currently allow 3 days for entertainment VHS/DVDs and 14 days for
nonfiction/documentary items, the numbers were wide and varied for many
other libraries. Some libraries have different check out periods for
videos vs. DVDs or for new vs. old items. The range for check-out went
from 2 days to 21 days with 19 libraries stating that they allowed a 7-day
check-out period. While we plan to keep our nonfiction items circulating
for the same period, we are currently planning to increase our circulation
period for entertainment items to 7-days.

What is your lending period for CDs?

Again, a wide and varied number, but the majority of libraries (including
us) said that these items circulate for the same amount of time as books
and most libraries (18) stated that this period was 14 days.

Do you allow patrons to place reserves on the above items?

While seven (7) libraries said that they did not allow reserves/holds to
be placed on videos/DVDs, 27 libraries stated that yes reserves may be
placed on any of these items. At this time, we do not allow patrons to
place holds/reserves on our videos/DVDs, but plan to allow this (including
for the new items) beginning sometime in January.

Do you allow patrons to renew these items?

Many libraries do not allow renewals on VHS/DVDs (including us), but
eighteen (18) do. The most interesting responses that I received were from
Washington-Centerville, which allows patrons to check-out their
videos/DVDs for 4 days and then patrons may renew them for 3 days and the
Worthington Public Library, which allows patrons to check-out DVDs for 5
days and then renew them for 3 more days.

Do you charge (any) non-profit organizations to use your meeting room(s)?

This question was asked of select libraries because I found that this
question had been asked and answered (OPLIN Listserv Archives) before. Of
the sixteen (16) libraries asked, only one (1) said yes and three
(including us) stated that they do charge some non-profit organizations to
use their rooms. We plan to make the room free and accessible to all
non-profit organizations beginning in early 2006. However, library
programming does take priority and a group may be bumped if warranted.

Happy Holidays!

Amy Garrett
Head of Adult Services
Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library
3512 Darrow Rd.
Stow, OH 44224
(330) 688-3295