Library Card

 

How to obtain a Library card:

Interlibrary loan
Adults
  • Applicants 18 years and older must present proof of name and current address.  Examples are a driver's license, automobile registration, rent receipt, postmarked mail, checkbooks which include home address, sheriff's photo I.D., or similar documentation.  Applicants must prove street address, even if mail is to be sent to a P.O. Box.
  • Applicants are expected to sign their name legibly on their registration/contract card.
  • College students living in Cortland temporarily must provide their college I.D. number, local & home address.
  • People living outside of the 5 counties of the Finger Lakes Library System are required to pay a $10 annual fee for a card.

Youth

  • Any child age 3 and older may be issued a library card.
  • Parent or legal guardian must have no fees on account and sign.

 The library offers interlibrary loan for items which are not in the collection and may be owned by another library within the 33 member system. If you cannot find the item you want to borrow,  please place a hold request on the online catalog or with a staff member.

Circulation Policies

 

Loan Periods  

Limits 

  • Standard loan period is 21 days
    New fiction books (adult, YA, & J) are loaned for 14 days 

  • New items are available only to Cortland County library patrons for 4 months, then they become available to other libraries in the System

  • Music cassettes and CDs are loaned for 21 days

  • VHS and DVDs are loaned for 7 days

  • Magazines are loaned for 21 days

  • Most Cortland items can be renewed up to two times, except those on a waiting list

  • Renewals by phone or online--no renewals by email

 

  • Each patron can have up to 30 items out at one time 

  • Total number of specific material type a person can have out at one time is:

    • New items - 5

    • VHS - 4

    • DVD - 4 (only for 18+)

    • BOCD - 4 

    • Music CD - 4 

 

Fines  

Replacement costs  

  • Patrons will receive a two-day grace period before fines begin to incur

  • Both adult and youth patrons are charged $.10 a day with a maximum fine of $5.00 for any one item

  • Patrons are charged $1.00 a day with a maximum fine of $5.00 for audio/visual materials (BOCD, BOT, DVD, & VHS)

  • Fines are not charged on Sundays or holidays

  • Costs vary according to item type (BOCD, VHS, DVD, and paperback book)

  • If a book is damaged or lost, the replacement cost will be the price of the book or a minimum of $20.00 PLUS a $5.00 processing fee

 

Reserves/Holds  

Overdues  

  • Number of days a patron has to pick up a hold is 7

  • Total number of holds a patron can have at one time is 10

  • Unfilled holds expire in the system in 120 days
  • A Pre Overdue notice is sent 1 day before the item is due, in e-mail format only
  • First overdue notice is sent 30 days after an item is due
  • Second overdue notice is sent 45 days after an item is due (via US mail)
  • 60 days after an item is due a billing notice is sent with a replacement cost for the item(s) not returned
  • A patron account statement is sent if the fine is $50 or more and is 30 days overdue
  • Items overdue 30 days are considered Long Overdue
  • There is a block displayed if the patrons has items that are long overdue

Patron Accounts  

Confidentiality of library records

  • Patrons address is checked in 1 year

  • Patron cards expire in 5 years

  • If there is no activity on a card for 3 years, an e-mail will automatically be sent (if set up)

  • Reading history (if activated) in a patron's account is available for 3 years or 1000 titles

  • Total number of claims a patron can have at one time is 10

  • Total number of claims allowed before a patron loses library borrowing privileges is 25

 
New York State Civil Practice Law and Rules 
§  4509.  Library  records.  
    Library records, which contain names or  
other personally identifying details regarding
the users of public, free association, school,
college and university libraries, and library
systems of this state, including but not limited
to records related to the circulation of library
materials, computer database searches, 
interlibrary loan transactions, reference queries,
requests for photocopies of library materials,
title reserve requests, or the use of audio-
visual materials, films or records, shall be
confidential and shall not 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.
 
 

Copyright 2011 Cortland Free Library. All Rights Reserved.