Circulation

Access to Materials

The Amherst Town Library welcomes all individuals to use its collections and services within the library facility. Free and open access to the total library is essential to the role of the public library.

In accordance with Article V of the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights, the Amherst Town Library does not restrict access to any materials on the basis of a person’s gender identification, race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, physical ability, or age.

The Amherst Town Library adheres to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and makes every attempt to accommodate the needs of persons with disabilities with regard to use of the library facility, participation in library activities, and attendance at library programs.

In order to borrow library materials, the Amherst Town Library requires that individuals establish a library account according to the guidelines outlined below.

Registration and Eligibility

Application for a library account may be completed in person or online through the library catalog.
To obtain a library card, individuals must appear in person and presentrequired documentation(see Appendix A)
The Library does not distribute library cards through the mail or disseminate library card numbers over the phone or by email.
Library accounts are available for free to anyone living, working, or owning property in Amherst. Accounts are also available to Amherst students and institutions, and to non-residents for a fee (see Appendix A).
In the interest of good customer service, Residents and Non-Resident Property Holders, Town Employees, and Students who are able to present proof of identity but unable to present proof of eligibility at the time of registration may be granted aprovisional account(see Appendix B). Individuals with a provisionalaccount must present required documentation for eligibility (see Appendix A) on their next library visit to validate their account.
All library cardholders (see Appendix B) receive the same benefits and levels of service regardless of Resident or Non-Resident status.

Library User Records

In accordance with NH RSA 91-A:5 and RSA 201-D:11, library user records are confidential. The Amherst Town Library will not divulge titles that are currently checked out, items that are overdue, or materials that have been requested to anyone other than the library cardholder without the express permission of the cardholder.

Borrowing Privileges and Responsibilities

Checking out Materials

Individuals should present avalidcard(see AppendixB) to borrow circulating library materials. Exceptions will be made for individuals with a provisional account on their first visit.
If a cardholder cannot present their card at the time of checkout, a current photo ID displaying their name and address (such as a driver’s license) will be accepted. If the address on the ID does not match the Library’s records, the cardholder is required to verify their address verbally before checkout. Cardholders will be assessed a fee (see Appendix D) to replace a lost card.
Library cardholders (or the parent or guardian of a cardholder under age 18) are financially responsible for all items checked out to their account. Library users are expected to treat the library materials carefully and respectfully. Materials should be returned to the library in the condition in which they were borrowed.
Most library materials are available to be checked out for home use.Select items may be designated for in-library use only.Items circulatefor a specified period based on the type of material (see Appendix C).

Self-Checkout

Cardholders may checkout circulating library materials at the ExpressCheck terminal using a valid library card (see Appendix B) or by entering the username and password associated with their account.

Loan Limits

The Library does not impose a limit on the number of physical materials a cardholder may borrow at any time. Limits on digital materials may apply.

Renewing Materials

Materials will be automatically renewed twice unless a cardholder hasexcessive feeson their account (See Appendix B).
Renewals are not available on materials with requests or on Hot Books & Hot DVDs (see Appendix C).
An additional renewal may be granted for books over 500 pages and audiobooks containing more than 15 discs.

Returning Materials

Library materials may be returned in the library, in the outdoor book drops, or to another GMILCS library (see Appendix E). Interlibrary loans must be returned to the Amherst Town Library.

Overdue Materials

The Amherst Town Library does not charge overdue fines.
Cardholders will be notified if they fail to return library materials on or before their due date.
Notices are delivered on a regular schedule to the selected notification method in the cardholder’s account.
If materials are not returned after delivery of overdue notices, cardholders will be billed for the replacement cost of the materials.
Bills will be sent via USPS to the cardholder’s mailing address.

Lost Materials and Damaged Materials

Cardholders will be charged the replacement cost of materials that are lost or damaged beyond repair (see Appendix D).
Cardholders may be assessed a fee for materials which are damaged but repairable at the discretion of library staff.
Cardholders may be assessed a fee rather than the replacement cost of the material when the Library is able to replace a part of a lost or damaged material (i.e. one disc of an audiobook, instructional booklet, hanging bag).

Payments, Waivers, Refunds

The library accepts cash and check payments. Debit card and credit card payments are also available through the online catalog.
At the discretion of the Library Director, the Library will accept replacements in lieu of payment, for the full cost of lost or damaged materials.
Lost items that have been paid for may have replacement costs refunded if items are found and returned within three months from the date of payment,only if the Library has not yet purchased a replacement.Thereis no refund for lost Interlibrary Loan materials.

Reserving Materials

Requests for materials will be fulfilled in the order in which they were placed. Cardholders that fail to retrieve a reserved material by the pickup date indicated in their account forfeit their position in the queue and will need to request the material again.

Lost or Stolen Cards

Library cardholders are responsible for all materials checked out on their library account. Cardholders agree to report lost or stolen librarycards immediately.After reporting the loss, cardholders will not be held responsible for any materials that are subsequently checked out on the account, or for charges on such materials.

If a lost or stolen card is returned to the library, it will be held at the Circulation desk for 30 days. In order to obtain a replacement card or reactivate a lost card a photo ID is required. Replacement cards are subject to a fee (see Appendix D).

Change of Address

It is the responsibility of cardholders to keep their account accurate and up-to-date. Changes of name, phone number, email, and address should be reported to library staff or updated through the “my account” feature of the online catalog.

Library Card Renewals

Cardholders must renew their library cards on or before the expiration date for uninterrupted access to library materials and services.

To renew an expired library account a cardholder must provide required documentation with the name and current address of the cardholder (see Appendix A).
Documentation may be provided by the cardholder in person or electronically through the library website.

The Amherst Town Library may purge the records of those cardholders whose accounts have expired.

Closing a Library Account

All library materials must be returned to the library and all fees paid before an account may be closed. It is the responsibility of the cardholder to verify that all materials have been received by the library and that there is no outstanding account balance.

Revocation of Library Privileges

The library reserves the right to restrict or revoke a library account if borrowing privileges are abused. Borrowing privileges may also be suspended if a cardholder has excessive fees (see Appendix B).

Common Borrower Card

The Amherst Town Library has entered a reciprocal borrowing agreement with other libraries within the GMILCS consortium. The agreement enables Amherst Town Library cardholders to check items out from the other libraries in the consortium. Libraries may choose to limit access to certain collections. A validlibrary card (or currentphoto ID displaying the patron’s name and address) must be presented to use the service. If the address on the ID does not match the address in the library database, the patron is required to verify their address verbally before checkout. The policies of the lending library will prevail so patrons should be aware that loan periods, fine schedules, etc. may differ from those at the Amherst Town Library. Items may be returned and fines may be paid at any participating libraries. Reparations for lost or damaged items should be made with the owning library.

Items obtained through interlibrary loan are subject to the Interlibrary Loan policies and procedures even if they are borrowed from a GMILCS library.