Library Policies

The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their services.

• Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information and enlightenment of all people of the community the library services. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background or views of those contributing to their creation.
• Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.
• Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.
• Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with restricting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.
• A person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background or views.
• Libraries that make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless or the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.

Adopted June 19, 1939, by the ALA Council; amended October 14, 1944; June 18, 1948; February 2, 1961; June 27, 1967; January 23, 1980; inclusion of “age” reaffirmed January 23, 1996.

Source: https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill

Created March 21, 2011

The Community Library has adopted the American Library Association’s Code of Ethics, and uses them to help guide their decision making and services.

• We provide the highest level of service to all library users through appropriate and usefully organized resources; equitable service policies; equitable access; and accurate, unbiased, and courteous responses to all requests.
• We uphold the principles of intellectual freedom and resist all efforts to censor library resources.
• We protect each library user’s right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired or transmitted.
• We recognize and respect intellectual property rights.
• We treat co-workers and other colleagues with respect, fairness and good faith, and advocate conditions of employment that safeguard the rights and welfare of all employees of our institution.
• We do not advance private interests at the expense of library users, colleagues, or our employing institutions.
• We distinguish between our personal convictions and professional duties and do not allow our personal beliefs to interfere with fair representation of the aims of our institution or the provision of access to their information resources.
• We strive for excellence in the profession by maintaining and enhancing our own knowledge and skills, by encouraging the professional development of co-workers, and by fostering the aspirations of potential members of the profession.

Revised January 2023 Draft 

Mission Statement 

The Community Library brings information, ideas, and individuals together to enhance the cultural life of the community. 

The Purpose of the Collection Development Policy 

The Community Library Collection Development policy guides the selection of material to support the reading, information, and learning needs of the diverse local and international community we serve in the Wood River Valley. The policy establishes guiding principles for acquisition, organization, maintenance, and weeding of library materials. The policy addresses our general collections in these ways: 

• To inform the public of the philosophy of collection development 
• To identify our patron base, including demographics, preferences, and library usage statistics, to better serve all visitors to the library 
• To describe the library collection and how it is organized and managed 
• To describe criteria for selection and acquisition of library materials 
• To establish a framework for continuous evaluation and improvement of the collection 

The Collection Philosophy 

The Community Library endeavors to apply the highest professional standards to our acquisition and collection maintenance activities, as outlined in the ALA Code of Ethics. In keeping with our mission statement to serve diverse community members and global visitors equitably and inclusively, The Community Library embraces the professional guidelines established by the American Library Association and the rights established by the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States, as linked below. 

• First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States 
• The ALA Library Bill of Rights and Freedom to Read Statements 
• The ALA Freedom to View Statement  
• The ALA Access to Library Resources and Services for Minors Statement  

Library cards are free to all patrons. The Community Library is not tax funded and has no geographical barriers to membership—our doors are open to all residents of and global visitors to our premises in Ketchum, Idaho. We welcome people of all ages, races, creeds, religions, national origins, sexual and gender orientations, and political and social views. The library collection is constantly evolving, and our selectors strive to provide wide access to information deriving from many cultural backgrounds, social values, and beliefs.  

The library upholds the right of all individuals entering our portals to explore many avenues of information, though the content might be controversial, unorthodox, or unacceptable to others.  Diverse viewpoints that may be expressed in items in the library collection signify a commitment to intellectual freedom, and not an endorsement of any singular point of view. We recognize that some patrons may encounter items that use offensive language, content, or imagery. Library users may find other personally objectionable material embedded in primary historical resources and modern publications. Librarians are available to guide patrons to material tailored to their own tastes and needs. The Community Library is committed to offering equal and free access to unaltered historical and current information, diverse and inclusive stories, and a myriad of resources. 

Community Profile and the History of the Library 

The Community Library operates in the rural Wood River Valley in the mountains of central Idaho. The Library recognizes the region was historically occupied by Bannock and Shoshone peoples, and includes trails travelled by Nez Perce, Salish, Kalispel, and Blackfoot nations. Archaeological evidence of Native land occupation in Idaho has been dated to over 13,000BP.  

Sun Valley, a world-renowned destination ski resort area, is the area’s core attraction and economic driver. Alongside residents and part-time homeowners, tourists and seasonal workers come to the valley from all states and a wide range of countries, drawn by jobs, the scenery, and by the numerous recreational activities available in all seasons.  The official 2021 U.S. Census provides the most recent comprehensive demographics of this area at QuickFacts Blaine County, Idaho. 

Located in Ketchum, Idaho, the Community Library was created in 1955 to deliver library services creatively and responsively to both residents and visitors far beyond the town’s boundaries. Special emphasis was given to children’s services to stimulate early and lifelong interest in reading and learning. The founding members of the library deliberately chose to forego funding via tax districts, instead relying on proceeds from their cornerstone Gold Mine Thrift Store and generous patron donations. This freed the Community Library’s founders to open the collections to patrons coming from beyond city, county, and state lines.  

Currently operating as a 501-3C independently funded entity, the Community Library is open to all members of the public, including visitors from around the world. Free library cards are available to all who wish to apply in-house, and free access is provided to circulating books, computer stations, Wi-Fi, databases, and 60,000 downloadable eBooks, eAudiobooks, and streaming videos. Historically, the library board has used its resources to build a strong and open-minded reading ethic, curating offerings wide in scope and diversity to serve both our local and global community. 

We endeavor to recognize and support members of all demographics reached by the Community Library. The collections contain literature, arts, and sciences in print and downloadable form over a wide variety of subjects and genres. We strive to maintain a collection with both new titles and classic core resources, with some rare offerings of bibliographic beauty for a very wide range of readers, listeners, streamers, and contemplative thinkers. 

Collection Management Policy 

We are committed to maintaining a broad and deep collection throughout our collections, including both popular circulating titles and a strong and enduring core collection. Our cardholders evince a strong interest in current events and new publications, making the provision of current publications one of our basic policy goals. The library staff works to stay responsive to local demand while building and maintaining balanced offerings with a global perspective. 

Collection management policy focuses on maintaining a wide selection of learning and recreational materials within the budget structure mandated by the Board of Directors. Newly published materials are acquired from various vendors. Librarians use a selection process that includes consulting numerous professional publications and online resources devoted to book, audio and DVD reports and reviews.  Title selectors aim to identify and order items that will meet the total spectrum of patron needs, while advocating for literacy, encouraging recreational reading, and supporting lifelong learning. 

Adult Library  

The Collection Description and Selection of Library Materials 

The adult lending library includes hardcopy magazines, newspapers, books, audiobooks on CD, music, and movies and documentaries on DVD. Fiction, Science Fiction and Mystery are grouped by author, and our broad collection of nonfiction is organized by the Dewey Decimal System. Our online offerings include more than 60,000 electronic books, audiobooks, and videos available for download via the internet. We can provide links to many databases, historic photo collections, and other resources from around the web. Wi-Fi access at the Library is free, and we have several computer stations and a printer open to the public. 

Collection selectors are sensitive to a wide variety of user requests. Selection choices also support life-long learning over many subjects and fields. Core collection concentrations include travel, recreation, all levels and tastes of fictional literature, arts and crafts, culinary arts, biography, social issues, and local and global history. 

Library-wide, one in five of our active borrowers at any given time is a juvenile. Usage statistics are evenly split between fiction and nonfiction. Our patrons like adventurous reads–mysteries and suspense fiction, deep literary tomes and travel tales, beach reads and biographies–a wide variety of genres circulate well. Graphic novels serve as a bridge for maturing readers to Science Fiction and Futurist literature.  

There is a high demand for newly published reading material in both current events and recreational reading—easily a quarter of all adult print checkouts circulate out of the new fiction and nonfiction displays. Downloadable titles comprise almost 40% of our collections, including eBooks, eAudiobooks, and streaming videos, currently available through the following apps: Axis360, Libby, Kanopy, and Vimeo. Circulating DVDs, music CDs, and Audiobook CDs round out our audiovisual offerings for users outside of cable and internet range, travelers, and commuters. 

Our Foreign Language collection contains nearly 1,000 fiction and nonfiction titles in Spanish,  as well as works in French, German, Italian, and other languages. The Library offers regular classes in English as a second language. To meet the interests of our widely travelled residents, we also offer the opportunity to learn over 70 languages via the interactive online platform, Pronunciator. Our collections also include some rarer lexicons in indigenous languages, including Sahaptin, Navajo, Hawaiian, and Shoshoni/Numic. 

Evaluation and Improvement of the Community Library Collections 

We support patron feedback about our core collection and monthly acquisitions. Acquisition request forms are available at the circulation desks for our cardholders. We also provide free interlibrary loan sharing when the request does not fit our acquisitions criteria, or our collection budget cannot meet immediate demand. Titles over a year old may be acquired through our ILL (Interlibrary Loan) program, borrowing books from public and university libraries across the USA. 

Patron donations of print and AV may help extend the breadth of the collection and depth of popular, well-circulating titles. The Donation Policy can be found on our website, here.  

Weeding Policy: Deletion of Adult Library Materials 

Weeding policies vary in different collections of the library. In the print collections, competition for shelf space does require periodic weeding of material that does not meet core standards, is not circulating well, and/or has been damaged in use. 

Removing dated or unused books allows us to refresh the collection and make room for new releases and updated subject matter. Other criteria may apply, including accuracy, relevancy, and currency. Some downloadable titles may elapse as DRM rights expire, or currency and relevancy changes. Recommended core titles, collections of local or regional significance, local authors and histories, rare and unusual books, and reference collection material may be identified and retained regardless of circulation rates. 

Access to Community Library Collections 

Our Library collections are an ongoing conversation with the whole community that shares and supports our mission. Our goal is to provide the widest possible range of ideas, subjects, and stories to tell, in myriad formats, at no charge to our widely diverse membership. Library cards are free. 

Reconsideration Procedures

Updated June 2019 

Loan Limits and Guidelines 

Adult Materials
	Loan Limit	Loan Period	Renewals	Holds
Adult Books	None	21 days	1	Yes
Adult New Fiction (within 6 months)	3	21 days	0	Yes
Adult New Mystery (within 6 months)	3	21 days	0	Yes
Adult New Science Fiction/Fantasy (within 6 months)	3	21 days	0	Yes
Adult New Nonfiction (within 6 months)	3	21 days	0	Yes
“Lucky Day” Collection	1	21 days	0	No
Adult Audiobooks (per category)	6	21 days	1	Yes
Adult CDs (per category)	6	21 days	1	Yes
Adult DVDs (per category)	6	7 days	1	Yes

Children’s Materials
	Loan Limit	Loan Period	Renewals	Holds
Children’s Books	None	21 days	1	Yes
Children’s Audiobooks	6	21 days	1	Yes
Children’s Music	6	21 days	1	Yes
Children’s DVD	6	7 days	1	Yes

Other Materials
	Loan Limit	Loan Period	Renewals	Holds
Circulating Regional History Items	3	21 days	1	Yes
eReaders	1	21 days	1	Yes
Digital eBook/eAudiobook -Axis 360, RBdigital, etc.	3	14 days	As available	Yes
Digital Streaming-Kanopy, etc.	5 per month	3 days	No	No
Interlibrary Loan (ILL)	3	Per lending library.

Library Cards:  

Library membership is open to all persons regardless of residency, and library cards are free-of-charge. We ask that each borrower have their own library account.   New members may apply in person at any library desk or register online with a follow-up visit to a library desk. A photo ID will be requested when your card is issued.  Account updates are required every three years or when your contact information changes. 

Membership Types: 

Introductory – All new members will be designated as Introductory and limited to six (6) items at any one time during the first three (3) months.  After three months in good standing, the member will be updated to full status as Adult, Juvenile or Parent/Teacher, and our standard Loan Limits and Guidelines apply.  

Adult — Applicants 14 years and older will become Adult members after a three-month Introductory period. 

Juvenile — Applicants under 14 will be issued Juvenile memberships.  Juvenile accounts must be attached to a Responsible Party who is an Adult or Parent/Teacher member in good standing over the age of 18.  

Parent/Teacher – Applicants who are parents or teachers may specify their account as Parent/Teacher. The three-month Introductory period will apply. This Borrower Type allows for communications and holds to be through the Children’s Library. 

Application: 

By applying for membership and upon issuance of a card with The Community Library, applicants agree to abide by The Community Library Public Behavior Policy as a condition of membership in good standing. Members assume financial responsibility for materials checked out on their account. 

Applicants for The Community Library cards should: 

1. Visit a library Service Desk to apply in person or apply online at www.comlib.org; 

2. Please provide a current telephone and/or email — a current mailing address is also requested; 

3. Present a valid photo identification (or other acceptable method of ID as deemed appropriate by library staff) to a library staff; 

4. Set up/confirm your 4-digit PIN # and preferred method of communications (phone, email or text) for check-out slips, due notices and hold arrivals;  

5. Receive your library card, which will show your 14-digit account #.   

Account Management: 

You may visit the Library’s Service Desk or contact us at (208) 726-3493, Ext. 1, or online at circdesk@comlib.org with account inquiries or requests: 

• Renewals must be done no later than three weeks after the due date. 
• Interlibrary Loans (ILL) renewals are subject to approval by the lending library and arranged by contacting our Reference Librarian (208-726-3493×110). 
• Updates on accounts must be done by the account holder (or Responsible Party). 
• Using another’s account without permission or providing false info will result in blocked privileges.  

Terms of Use: 

Borrowing will be restricted when:  

• Items are more than two weeks overdue. 
• Member account is expired or has an Account Balance. 

Placing a Hold:   

Up to six holds per member may be placed on items currently checked out using one of the following options: 

1. Logging into your online account at www.comlib.org/catalog — you will need your Library Card # and PIN; 

2. Visiting a Service Desk in-person; or, 

3. Calling the Library’s Service Desk. 

When the item(s) you have on Hold becomes available, an email will be sent – alternatively, a courtesy phone call will be made if this preference is indicated in your account. Hold items will be held for 7 days — if others have holds on the item, it is released after 3 days. 

Picking Up a Hold: 

• Adult hold items will be available at the Self Service Hold Shelf for pick up near the East Entry. You will retrieve your hold by the first FOUR letters of your last name (ex. SMIT) and the LAST four of your account number (ex. 1234).  Please present the hold at the Service Desk or Self Check for check out.   
• Children’s and YA items will be held at the Children’s Service Desk near the West Entry (unless otherwise arranged). 

Returns:  

Items may be returned: 

• At our 24-hour Exterior Automated Drop by the Main Entry at 415 N. Spruce. 
• At our Interior Automated Drop located within the Main Library foyer during Library hours.   
• At the Children’s Library desk during Library hours. 
• By USPS mail to: The Community Library, P.O. Box 2168, Ketchum, ID 83340. 
• By UPS or FedEx mail to: 415 Spruce Avenue North, Ketchum, ID 83340. 

Notifications: 

Notices will be sent as follows: 

Courtesy Notice: two days before the item is due.  

Overdue Notice: one day after the item is overdue. 

Final Notice/Invoice Mailed: one month after the item is overdue.  

After Final Notice is issued, the account will carry an Account Balance and privileges are restricted.   

Resolving an Account Balance:  

When an item has been determined to be Damaged or Lost, the Library member’s account will be charged for the original cost of the item. Members with outstanding Account Balances are not eligible to borrow, use ILL services or access digital platforms.  

• Please see a Service Desk to make payments or resolve account issues. 
• The Library accepts long-overdue items to resolve Account Balances up until the item has been replaced or removed from the system. 
• The Library accepts a like-kind replacement copy of the Lost or Damaged item up until the item has been replaced or removed from the system. 

• Once payment to resolve an Account Balance is made, there is no option for refund.  

Confidentiality of User Records:  

The Community Library recognizes that its circulation records and other records identifying the names of library members along with specific materials and personally-identifiable information are confidential in nature. Such records may be disclosed only to the person positively identified as the patron to whom the materials have been loaned.  Please see the CLA Privacy and Confidentiality Policy for further details. 

Library Communications:  

Members may also be contacted via email, telephone or mail for other Library communications, including newsletters, event announcements, fundraising or other library related activities. Please contact us at info@comlib.org with concerns about general library communications.   

Updated August 22, 2012

Statement of Policy

The purpose of the Community Library is to provide open public access to all of the Library’s written, recorded, filmed, and electronic resources and to its educational and informational services. The Library and its staff are committed to providing a safe and welcoming atmosphere in which to carry out this purpose.

The foregoing commitment can only be fully achieved if users of the Library respect the rights of all other users and Library staff. This general statement underlies the more specific provisions of the Library’s Code of Conduct set forth below and basically requires that Library users (all patrons, cardholders, and visitors alike) act in a manner that will not interfere with the functioning of the Library or disturb others.

CODE OF CONDUCT

1. No Library property may be misused, mutilated, damaged, or defaced, nor any material be removed from the Library without appropriate processing.

2. All materials borrowed from the Library must be returned or renewed in a timely manner.

3. Use of the Library’s search, copy, print, and other information machines (including computers and computer workstations) is subject to reasonable limitation at the discretion of the Library staff. Additional rules governing the use of Library computers are set forth in the Library’s Internet Use Policy.

4. For the benefit of all users, we ask everyone to please maintain a quiet demeanor within the Library and respect the need for restrained conversation and noise in reading and study areas.

5. Disruptive behaviors such as shouting; loud talking; or the playing of music on portable devices without headphones is not permitted anywhere in the Library. Cell phones must be silenced and may only be used in main entrance vestibules or in designated phone rooms.

6. Interference with or the harassment or intimidation of other users, the Library staff, or Library volunteers represents unacceptable behavior. This includes all unwanted or abusive attention by word, act, look, or gesture.

7. Smoking, and the use of narcotics, or hallucinogens, is not permitted.

8. Food and beverages may not be consumed in the public areas of the Library, except for capped bottled water, which is permitted in the Library except for in the Regional History Department, around computer keyboards, or in any other areas specifically designated by the Director of the Library. Alcoholic beverages are not permitted except as authorized by the Library director for specific library functions.

9. Shirts and shoes must be worn at all times inside the Library.

10. Children under the age of nine, for their safety and well-being, must be accompanied by a responsible adult or teenage (14 years old or older). Please see the Unattended Children Policy.

11.Animals, other than those trained to assist disabled users or approved as participants in designated Library programs, are not permitted in the Library.

12. The designated parking spaces for Library staff and disabled users of the Library must be respected. There are additional parking spaces around the Library as well as across the street from the Library’s main entrance.

13. Upon request, users may be asked to show staff members their Library cards or other appropriate identification.

The Community Library staff has been authorized to administer the Public Behavior Policy and, if necessary, to modify and/or adapt it to special circumstances. If aware that a patron’s behavior or conduct is subject to court order or ruling, the staff shall endeavor to ensure that such patron’s use of the Library is not inconsistent with such order or ruling.

As to that patron, such an order or ruling shall be deemed to be a part of the Library’s Code of Conduct.

Users who do not comply with the Code of Conduct or any reasonable request of the staff may be asked to leave the Library premises. Continued noncompliance may result in action ranging from suspension or termination of Library privileges to prohibiting access to the Library premises. Egregious behavior that is considered dangerous and/or illegal may be reported to the police.

The Community Library Donation Policy 

Your donation to the Community Library is greatly appreciated.  Donations of new and well-cared for bestsellers and core materials create savings for the Library. Eclectic donations of new and unusual material allow us to increase the breadth of subjects of our collection. However, a library representative must approve donations of more than one bag or box before bringing them into the building.  Special or entailed donations must pass administrative review. 

Obsolete, excessively dusty, moldy, or rodent-run materials cannot be accepted for reasons of staff and patron health.  Please read our policy below before bringing any bulk donations to the Library – you may talk with a librarian about your collection during business hours. 

Thank you for supporting community sharing and recycling of books, CDs, DVDs and other resources. All items donated to the Community Library become the property of The Community Library Association without conditions.  We have tax credit receipts for your donation upon request. 

We may be able to accept (clean, undamaged, in good to excellent condition): 

• Hardback, trade paperback and children’s books for general readers of all ages. 
• Travel Guides that are less than 4 years old. 
• Current and up to date training manuals for CPR, First Aid, and other materials related to community health and safety. 
• Current and state-of-the-art DIY manuals and how-to books. 
• Audiobooks and music on CD. 
• DVD documentaries, popular TV series, and movies. 
• Books, photos, oral and written histories, biographies, videos, and other items pertaining to the history of Idaho in and around the Wood River Valley region – please consider contacting the Regional History Librarian about any of these materials. 

 We do not accept: 

• Dusty, moldy, torn, marked, highlighted, water-damaged, or chewed materials. 
• Travel guides that are over five years old. 
• Older and highlighted textbooks, college annuals, and alumni publications (unless of regional historical interest). 
• Catalogs. 
• Magazines (unless of regional historical interest). 
• Homemade tapes, VCR cassettes, home recorded CDs or DVDs (unless of regional historical interest). 
• Very large donations, estate leftovers, and house clearances.  If some materials fit our donation policy, we can take one box or one bag per week.  For large clearances, consider contacting Better World Books ahead of time for large shipments, or other regional libraries and thrift stores. 

We will add what we can to our collections, but can make no promises that materials will be retained in the Library after being donated. Materials that are not cataloged may be: 

• Placed on the Bloom Bookmobile Truck for sharing and outreach to children, teens, and parents around our valley. 
• Passed on to the Gold Mine Thrift Store to help raise money for The Community Library. 
• Placed in other future book sales, auctions or shopped to book wholesalers or collectors. 
• Recycled. 
• Items with excessive mold, dust, mouse-chewing, or other condition issues will be discarded for health reasons.  Please do not bring these items to the library! 

For a receipt for your donation, please speak with a staff member during business hours in house, or phone (208) 726-3493.  Individual small donations (1-3 items) may be marked as such and dropped into the Community Library book drop.   

Larger donations of up to a box can only be accepted during hours the library is open:  

• Monday 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
• Tuesday 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. 
• Wednesday 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. 
• Thursday 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. 
• Friday 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. 
• Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. 

Don’t forget, donations of clothing, furniture, objet d’art, and other gently used gifts, gadgets and goods are very welcome at the Gold Mine Thrift Store and Gold Mine Consign, the cornerstones that have supported the Community Library since our founding in 1955. 

Created on March 21, 2011

The Community Library is a privately funded library and shall maintain free access to the use of its resources to the fullest extent possible.

1.Library Access:

1a. The Community Library shall permit free use of materials and services within the Library building as well as attempt to provide these services to those residents incapable of physically accessing these resources.

1b. The Community Library endorses and subscribes to the American Library Association (ALA) Policy as adopted by its Council in January 2001 regarding the provision of equitable access for persons with disabilities and undertakes to use its best efforts to comply with said Policy to the extent that doing so does not fundamentally alter the nature of goods and services offered by the Library, result in an undue burden on the Library, and that the Library is able to fund the costs of doing so within the constraints of its Annual Budget and/or from funds it is able to raise privately from time to time.

1c. Charges for special services may be imposed by the Director of the Library. These decisions will be made available to the public and reviewed annually. Some of these include color printing charges, photocopying fees, or meeting room use fees.

2. Borrowing Privileges:

2a. A library card may be acquired without a fee.

2b. The Community Library allows any person to acquire a library card for free as long as they provide photo identification and a working contact address, post office box or other mailing address, telephone number, and/or e-mail address.

2c. Computer use and Internet use is also free to any patron or Library visitor.

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is a process through which library material, or a copy of the material, is made available by one library to another upon request. If the Community Library does not have the material that a user needs within its collection, library staff will attempt to borrow it from another library via the ILL system.

1. Eligible Borrowers

Interlibrary loan service is available to any patron in good standing (i.e., card is not blocked for fines, overdue materials, or incorrect contact information) who has been issued a current Community Library borrower’s card.

Patrons who do not have a Community Library card can use Interlibrary Loan services, but are required to use the materials at the Community Library in the Learning Commons. A library card can be obtained at no cost from the Community Library.

2. Requesting ILL Service

Requests can be made online or by telephone from any Community Library cardholder in good standing. When requesting an item for interlibrary loan, the following information will assist library staff in locating and requesting the item: exact title of the item, author or editor’s full name, publisher, and date of publication.

3. Request Restrictions

3a. Material Types

Some types of materials are not available for lending by other libraries and, consequently, the following will not be requested on interlibrary loan: reference material (e.g., directories, encyclopedia sets, indexes, standard library reference tools); bound volumes or individual issues of magazines and newspapers; software; rare, archival, manuscript or fragile items; popular books published within the last year; and books currently in the collection of the Community Library which are not listed as lost or missing and includes items that are in high demand, such as book club books. Reserves can be placed on such items.

*We will borrow audio-visual materials (videos and sound recordings) from other libraries based on their lending policies. However, these items can be more difficult to acquire.

3b. Number of Requests Accepted

A library user may have up to three (3) outstanding interlibrary loan transactions at any one time. This includes requests that are pending as well as materials that the user currently has borrowed through interlibrary loan. Patrons will be asked to prioritize their requests to assist staff with their acquisition.

Patrons can request materials more than once, but not twice in the same loaning period.

3c. Copyright Compliance

The Community Library complies with Federal copyright law and CONTU (National Commission on New Technology Uses of Copyrighted Works) guidelines that established the following guidelines for copying interlibrary loan:

Requests for photocopies must include the copyright warning and the library user must acknowledge awareness of the copyright warning.

The Library may request only a total of five (5) articles a year from the last five years of a specific magazine.

The Library may request only one (1) article a year from any one issue of a magazine.

4. Circulation of Interlibrary Loan Material

4a. Loan Period

The lending library sets the materials’ due date. Typically, interlibrary loan materials will be loaned to patrons for a three-four week period.

4b. Renewals

Library users are encouraged to return materials at the end of the loan period so that materials are not absent from the lending library for an unreasonable length of time. Renewals are only permitted if the lending library allows such an extension. Requests to renew an item must be submitted two days in advance of the due date for the item.

5. Agreement to Accept Charges from Lending Libraries

The Community Library will make every effort to request materials from those libraries who do not charge for lending their materials. Many libraries, however, charge for lending materials from their collections. Library users are responsible for any charges applied by the lending library including photocopy charges, postage for the loan of microfilm or microfiche, overdue fines, or fees for damaged or lost materials. Library staff will make every effort to notify the library user as to any fees that will be assessed by the lending library. If lending charges are not paid at the time the material is picked up, they will be attached to the user’s circulation record and handled in the same manner as fines and other charges.

6. Fees, Overdue Fines and Charges for Damaged or Lost Materials

There is no charge from the Community Library for an interlibrary loan request. Although, patrons are responsible for any charges assessed by the lending library for the service or for any damage to an interlibrary loan item. If an interlibrary loan item is lost, the library user will be responsible for the cost of the item, plus any other additional associated fees.

7. Lending Materials to Other Libraries

7a. Lending Charges

There is no charge to other libraries to borrow materials from the Community Library’s collection, nor will charges be assessed for overdue items. If an item is not returned by the borrowing library to the Community Library, the borrowing library is responsible for the replacement cost of the item.

7b.  Loan Period

Community Library materials will be lent to other libraries for four weeks, with the possibility of renewal depending on the type of materials.

7c.  Format of Requests That Will Be Accepted

To facilitate processing of interlibrary loan requests, the library will mainly accept requests submitted through the online loan system. Exceptions to this may be made on a case-by-case basis.

7d. Materials that will be lent to Requesting Libraries

The Community Library will lend new books (or new-to-us books) after six months of being in circulating status.

The library will also send photocopies of periodical articles or pages from books in accordance with federal copyright law.

In order to insure that local Community Library users have access to the latest materials, the following items will not be loaned via interlibrary loan: books with long reserve lists; items designated as “high demand”; oversized books, audio-visual materials (videos and sound recordings); software; reference materials (e.g. directories, encyclopedia sets, indexes, standard library reference tools); bound or current issues of magazines and newspapers; and rare, archival, manuscript or fragile items.

Updated 2024

Updated June 19, 2013

USE OF COMPUTER RESOURCES, GENERALLLY

The Community Library (hereafter “TCL”) provides access to computer equipment, programs, databases, and the Internet (collectively, the “computer resources”) for informational and educational purposes. All users of the TCL’s computer resources, both staff members and patrons, are expected to use these resources in accordance with this policy and only for legal purposes.

INTERNET ACCESS

TCL provides high-speed, broadband Internet access to the pubic via its many public computers and its high quality Wi-Fi network for the purpose of making available the vast array of information resources and services on the web. TCL provides this access free of charge and without the requirement of a library card. Tech help is available on a limited basis through TCL’s tech classes and Office Hours (see comlibwordpress.comlib.org for more information).

The Internet and its available resources contain a wide variety of material and opinions from varied points of view for which TCL cannot be held accountable.

GUIDELINES FOR USE

Access to TCL’s public computers is available on a reserved or a first-come-first-served basis. The Public Internet Computers may be used for 30 minutes and extended up to an additional 30 minutes provided that there are no other patrons waiting. The Word Processing Computers and Business Workstation may be reserved for 120 minutes and extended up to another 60 minutes when there are no other patrons waiting.

Files may be downloaded or saved to TCL’s computers on a temporary basis to the T: (PublicDocs) folder. TCL assumes no responsibility for data saved to this location. All data saved to this location is visible by other users of the same computer. All data in these locations is periodically deleted by TCL staff. Patrons can delete data from the location by clicking Start, Computer, then opening the T: drive, selecting a document, then striking the Delete key on the keyboard. Removable USB disks may be purchased from at circulation desk for $12.00.

TCL’s public Wi-Fi network (SSID “CommunityLibrary”) is unsecured and unencrypted. It is the sole responsibility of the patron to ensure the safety and security of any device connecting to this network, including anti-virus and firewall software among other protections. TCL is not liable or responsible for any damages to computer software or hardware that may occur during or through use of its public Wi-Fi network.

TCL provides access to a number of iPad tablets for checkout and in-house use. Included on all iPads is a selection of popular Apps and web services. Patrons may log into these Apps and services with their credentials but are responsible to log themselves out after use. TCL assumes no responsibility for any damages caused by patrons who leave themselves logged in to any and all Apps and services. Check-out iPads may be found in the general TCL’s Online Public Access Catalog where availability may be viewed and holds placed. Check-out iPads require an additional signed release and financial guaranty. In-house iPads are available on a first-come-first-served basis for use in the Reference Room only.

Black and white and color printing are available for purchase through TCL’s LPT:one software. Black and White prints cost $.10 per page and are duplexed (printed two-sided) by default. Color prints cost $.50 per page and are also duplexed by default. Printing from patron owned Wi-Fi enabled computers is available by downloading and running the LPT:one Mobile Client. See the TCL website for details and instructions: comlibwordpress.comlib.org. Prints can be paid for using cash or credit card. The minimum credit card charge is $.25 and a preauthorization of $10.00 will be made.

RESTRICTIONS

Computer resources may not be used for the following purposes:

• Violation of any applicable, federal, state, or local laws, ordinances, rules, or regulations.
• Harassment of other persons or parties.
• Libel or slander of other persons or parties.
• Destruction of or damage to equipment, software, or data belonging to TCL or other users.
• Gaining or attempting to gain unauthorized access to any computing, information, or communications devices or resources on TCL’s network or any other.
• Disruption or unauthorized monitoring of electronic communications on TCL’s network or any other.
• Unauthorized copying, downloading or distribution of copyrighted or other protected material (i.e. piracy).
• Violation of computer system security.
• Unauthorized use of computer accounts, access codes, or network identification numbers assigned to others.
• Use of computer communications facilities in ways that unnecessarily impede the computing activities of others.
• Violation of software license agreements.
• Violation of FCC network usage policies and regulations.
• Violation of another person’s or party’s privacy.
• Gambling activities of any kind.
• Any and all other matters which TCL, at its sole discretion, subject to constitutional limitations, and in consideration of the best interests of the public, determines to be an unacceptable purpose.

Created November 1, 2016

Terms of Use

• Laptops are configured to work only in the library and may not be taken outside the library building;
• Users are not permitted to consume food or beverage while using our laptops;
• Users are responsible for saving their work – upon shut down or return, files may automatically be deleted;
• The laptop and accessories become the responsibility of the user upon check out;
• Loss, theft, or damage may result in charges to the user’s account.

Circulation Guidelines

• Only current adult cardholders in good standing may check out our laptops;
• Laptop users must complete and sign a “Laptop User Agreement” and deposit a valid photo identification – or other adequate collateral – at the front desk during check out;
• Laptops will check out for two (2) hours with renewals possible in two-hour increments subject to availability;
• Laptops are due no later than 15 minutes prior to closing;
• Laptop returns should be directly to the desk staff;
• Laptop chargers will remain at the front desk. If a laptop needs power, it must be checked back in to charge.

May 21, 2011

The Community Library makes its meeting rooms available to the public under the terms of this policy to further its mission of providing free access to all forms of knowledge to the public. The Library meeting rooms are open to organizations engaged in educational, cultural, intellectual or charitable activities. The Library makes its meeting rooms available to area businesses for non-commercial purposes, such as employee meetings or retreats. Neither the Library itself not the meeting rooms are designed to accommodate commercial or pecuniary activities of any kind. This policy does not apply to the use of the meeting facilities for Library activities or for activities or events sponsored by the Library.

“Meeting Facilities” shall include the two public meeting rooms, and the Lecture Room, as well as any other enclosed areas the Director may, from time to time, designate as meeting facilities.

The Meeting Facilitates of the Community Library shall be available to Community Library cardholders and local organizations subject to the following conditions:

1. The scheduled use shall not conflict with Library sponsored programs or the Library’s ability to deliver its existing services.
2. The following legend must prominently appear on any sign, advertisement, invitation or other notice or announcement of an event to be held in Community Library Meeting Facilities: “This event is neither sponsored nor endorsed by the Community Library.” Failure to include such legend will result in forfeiture of the right to use the applicable Meeting Facilities.
3. Unless approved by the Library, use of Library Meeting Facilities by an individual or an organization for meetings or events which are open to the members of the general public or which are advertised or promoted to encourage attendance by members of the general public shall not exceed two times per year and shall not exceed once per month.  Use of Meeting Facilities by an individual or an organization for meetings or events at which attendance is limited to organization members and/or their invited guests shall not exceed five times per year and shall not exceed once per month. Meetings which are open to the general public may pose a greater likelihood of imposing additional burdens on Library personnel and may be more disruptive to the quiet enjoyment of the Library by patrons.
4. The user shall be responsible for assuring that permitted occupancy limits pursuant to applicable fire or safety codes are not exceeded. The user will restore the premises to a clean and neat condition following the assembly. The Community Library will be reimbursed for any costs to the Library resulting from the use of a Meeting Facility by an organization or individual. Any fees, term ad conditions or other requirements for the use of a meeting facility shall be specified in the relevant use agreement.

Updated February 6, 2024

To book a Meeting Room:

• From the Library’s website, go to “I want to” -> “Reserve a Room (direct link)
• Choose from: All Categories, Conference Rooms, Workshops, or Idaho Room
• Choose your date and time, as available (blocked in green)

If you’re booking the Idaho Room and need help with the technology, you can download a PDF of instructions here.

Need help? Call the front desk at 208.726.3493.

Updated September 2020

The Community Library strives to provide a warm, welcoming and safe environment conducive to lifelong learning for people of all ages. Sharing this environment with other people requires that everyone follow the Public Behavior Policy.

The Community Library encourages children to use its facilities and services. While the Library is concerned for the safety of children in and around the Library facilities, the Library does not act in place of parents (inlocoparentis). A parent, legal guardian, teacher, custodian or caregiver is responsible for being a monitor. The Community Library is not responsible for any consequences of parents, legal guardians, teachers, custodians or caregivers not fulfilling their responsibilities.

The Community Library is a public building, open to all. The safety of children is a priority for The Community Library.

The Community Library will adhere to the following Unattended Child Policy:

• Children under the age of nine (9) may not be left alone in the Library and must have adequate, close, supervision while in the Library.
  
• Children under the age of nine (9) must be supervised by a parent or responsible caregiver aged fourteen (14) or over, at all times while in the Library. Parents or caregivers must remain with the child in the library facility. A child aged 9 or older may attend a program in the program room by him/herself; however, the caregiver must be ready to meet that child promptly when the program ends or have made clear arrangements with the child regarding leaving the Library on their own or with a designated caregiver. Staff does not monitor the arrival or departure of any child from a program or the building.
  
• Children nine (9) and older who can understand and follow the Patron Behavior Policy and who can care for themselves are allowed to be in the library unattended. They should have contact information for someone who can assist them in an emergency. Staff does not monitor the arrival or departure of any child from a program or the building.
  
• Children between the ages of nine (9) and fourteen (14) years may be left unattended for a maximum of two hours.

Library staff will attempt to contact a parent, legal guardian, custodian or caregiver when:

• the health or safety of an unattended child or vulnerable adult is in doubt;

• a child or vulnerable adult is frightened while alone at the Library;

• the behavior of an unattended child or vulnerable adult disturbs other Library patrons and has caused staff to ask the individual to leave the Library;

• an unattended child has not been met by a parent, legal guardian, custodian or responsible caregiver at the Library closing time.

If a parent, legal guardian, custodian or caregiver cannot be reached, Library staff will contact law enforcement officials to take charge of the situation involving the unattended child. Library employees and volunteers are not permitted to transport children anywhere at any time.

Parents, legal guardians, custodians, caregivers, children and vulnerable adults who are in violation of this policy or the Public Behavior Policy are subject to suspension of Library privileges.

An unattended child is defined as:

A. a child under the age of nine (9) who is not accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, custodian or caregiver age fourteen (14) or older;

B. a child under the age of fourteen (14) who is not accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, custodian and who does not know or have the information necessary to contact a parent, legal guardian or other responsible adult;

C. a child under the age of fourteen (14) who is not accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, custodian and who is not picked up by closing time and who needs assistance procuring transportation;

D. a child under the age of fourteen (14) who is not accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or custodian and who appears to need staff help beyond assistance with normal library services.

I. Introduction

The Community Library’s commitment to your privacy and confidentiality has deep roots not only in law but also in the ethics and practices of librarianship. In accordance with the American Library Association’s Code of Ethics:

“We protect each library user’s right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired, or transmitted.”

Outlined below are the rights of library patrons, as well as the responsibilities of this institution, which are based in part on what are known in the United States as the five “Fair Information Practice Principles.” These five principles outline the rights of Notice, Choice, Access, Security, and Enforcement:

II. The Community Library’s Commitment to Our Users’ Rights of Privacy and Confidentiality

This privacy policy explains your privacy and confidentiality rights, the steps this library takes to respect and protect your privacy when you use library resources, and how we deal with personally identifiable information that we may collect from our users.

1. Notice & Openness

We affirm that our library users have the right of “notice”—to be informed about our policies governing the amount and retention of personally identifiable information, and about why it is necessary for us to gather that information. We post publicly and acknowledge openly the privacy and information-gathering policies of the Community Library. Whenever policies change, notice of those changes is disseminated widely to our users.

The Community Library avoids creating unnecessary records, retains only records needed for the fulfillment of the mission of the library, and we do not engage in practices that might place information on public view.

Information we may gather and retain about current and valid library users include the following:

• User registration information required to conduct Library business
• Circulation information for the duration of an item’s loan
• Electronic access information required to provide users with online access to accounts

2. Choice & Consent

This Policy explains the Library’s information practices and the choices patrons may make regarding the manner in which personal information is collected and used. The Library will not collect or retain any private or personally identifiable information other than that information required to open an account.

You have the option of providing us with your e-mail address for the purpose of notifying you about your library account. By default, we will also use your e-mail address to communicate with you about Library programs, services, and to provide you with our monthly Library newsletter. You may unsubscribe from any of these communications at any time and, further, request that we remove your e-mail address from your record entirely.

We will keep your personally identifiable information confidential and will not sell, license or disclose it to any third party without your consent, unless we are compelled to do so under the law or to comply with a court order.

3. Access by Users

Individuals who use library services are entitled to view and/or update their information. You may either view or update your personal information online or in person. In both instances, you will be asked to provide some sort of verification such as a pin number, password, or photo ID to ensure your identity.

The purpose of accessing and updating your personally identifiable information is to ensure that library operations can function properly. Such functions may include notification of overdue items, recalls, reminders, etc.

4. Data Integrity & Security

Data Integrity: The data collected and maintained by the Library must be accurate and secure. Reasonable steps are taken to assure data integrity and security. Personally identifiable information is protected from unauthorized disclosure.

Tracking Users: We remove links between patron records and materials borrowed when items are returned and we delete records as soon as the original purpose for data collection has been satisfied. We permit in-house access to information in all formats without creating a data trail. We do not ask library visitors or web site users to identify themselves or reveal any personal information unless they are:

• borrowing materials
• requesting special services
• making remote use from outside the library of web services restricted to registered users under license agreements (Valueline, et al.)

Public computing sessions are not linked to personally identifiable information in anyway. All public computing session records are deleted at the end of each month. We remove cookies, web history, cached files, or other computer and Internet use records from all public computers every time a public computing session is closed.

Third Party Security: When connecting to resources outside the Library’s direct control, the only information released is that which affirms authentication. The Library is not responsible for protecting personal information gathered by outside websites.

Staff access to personal data: Only authorized Library staff with assigned confidential passwords may access personal data stored in the Library’s computer system for the purpose of performing library work. No personal data will be disclosed to any other party except where required by law or to fulfill an individual user’s request. The Library does not sell or lease users’ personal information to any individual or entity.

5. Enforcement & Redress

Our library will not share data on individuals with third parties unless required by law. Users who have questions, concerns, or complaints about the Library’s handling of their privacy and confidentiality rights should file written comments with the Executive Director of the Library. We will respond in a timely manner and may conduct a privacy investigation or review of policy and procedures.

We authorize only the Executive Director to receive or comply with requests from law enforcement officers. We will not make library records available to any agency of state, federal, or local government unless a subpoena, warrant, court order, or other authorized request legally requires compliance. All staff and volunteers have been trained to refer any law enforcement inquiries to library administrators.