Library board changing overdue fines, other policies

The James River Valley Library System Library Board is working on adjusting some policies, including its policy on overdue fines for books.

“It’s confusing. The computer can’t figure (the policy) out,” said Joe Rector, JRVLS director. “As this policy is being interpreted now, if you have 50 books two years overdue, it’s a $1 fine, total.”

The board voted to change the policy to charge 5 cents per item per day the item is late.

A second vote will be required in order to put the policy into effect, Rector noted, and from there the new policy will be posted in the library for patrons to see for at least one month before it goes into effect.

Under the current policy, items five to 12 days overdue incur a 50-cent fine, items 13 to 20 days overdue incur a 75-cent fine and items 21 to 28 days overdue incur a $1 fine. At that point borrowing privileges are restricted.

A final notice is mailed for items 29 to 36 days overdue and the police are notified when items are 37 to 44 days overdue, but no additional charges are mentioned past the $1 fine.

The library is also working on new policies for its electronic book readers, which will be able to be checked out and removed from the library, and for its iPads, which will remain within the library.

The policies involve having patrons sign legally binding contracts stating they will pay for damaged or lost equipment.

The e-reader and iPad policies will be checked by a lawyer and then implemented.

The library board also voted to charge out-of-county borrowers $30 per year for JRVLS library cards. Those borrowers will also need to show up in person in order to get a JRVLS library card.

Out-of-county borrowers have become problematic because of the library’s e-books.

“We pay $3,000 a year for e-books, and that’s primarily for people who are here, people who are taxpayers,” Rector said. The JRVLS pays a fee based on the number of people in its user area. Then people can check out e-books. However, if people from outside Stutsman County have e-books checked out, other people will have to wait to check them out.

Smaller libraries outside Stutsman County that do not want to pay a fee have been directing their patrons to Stutsman County for e-books.

In other news Wednesday, the board:

* is determining what fixes need to be made to the elevator at Alfred Dickey Library, which has been malfunctioning.

* sought further information about mending a leak in Alfred Dickey’s roof, and fixing the 80-foot by 10-foot section of the roof.

* asked for more information about a change in providers for the library’s website.

* discussed the dissolution of the old library foundation, which no longer has a quorum and can therefore no longer make decisions.

* learned an anonymous individual pledged to donate $10,000 to the library.

* promoted the children’s librarian, Jennifer Senger, to assistant library director, after noting she had already been performing those duties, including the managerial duties. Her salary was increased from $29,000 to $34,000.

Sun reporter Kari Lucin can be

reached at 701-952-8453 or by email at klucin@jamestownsun.com

Tags: local news, news, library