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Alanson Library Policies:

Library Card Policy - Residents of the Littlefield, Maple River, Little Traverse, and Pleasantview townships all receive free cards with full privileges (including michicard) for a period of 3 years with free renewal if they still live in the townships.

Students attending Littlefield schools can receive a free card with full privileges (no michicard ) for 1 year with free renewal after that if they still attend Littlefield schools.

Seniors (over 60) can use the Alanson Area Public Library without charge. The privileges will be limited to only the books available on the shelves of the Alanson library. They will not receive a library card but rather a number to be used in checking out books.

Any non-resident wanting an Alanson Area Public Library card may purchase one for $50 per family. Each member of the family will receive their own card with full library privileges except for michicard.

Loan Period and Material Limits -
    videos - 1 week
    new books - 2 weeks
    regular books - 3 weeks (includes magazines)

    overdue fines - fines accrue per item per calendar day with the exception of days the library is closed.
        The fine schedule is $ .10 per day
        Lost/damaged book is $ replacement cost
        The maximum overdue fine per item is $5.00. If your fines and fees total $10 or more your borrowing privileges will be suspended until the charges are paid.

renewing items
Any item may be renewed for the standard loan period unless it is reserved for someone. You can renew by phone, on line or in person a maximum of 2 times per item.

Conduct Policy - The purposes of the library's rules for behavior in the public sector are to protect the rights of individuals who are in the library to use library materials and/or services, to protect the rights of staff members to conduct library business without interference, and to preserve library materials and facilities.

According to Michigan statues, the library board may exclude from the use of the library any and all persons who shall willfully violate such reasonable rules and regulations as the board may adopt (MCL 397.206). Such exclusion from this library shall occur on the orders of the director or his/her designee. In this document, "withholding of library privileges" is defined as meaning that an individual may not enter or use the library.

On the premises of the Alanson Area Public Library, the violation of any federal or state statues or local ordinances will also be regarded as a violation of library rules. The laws and ordinances that follow are cited by way of illustration and not limitation.

Assault/assault and battery
Fighting
Larceny
Knowing destruction, damage, defacement or removal of property
Indecent/obscene conduct or exposure
Selling or use of controlled substances
Intoxication
Disturbance of peace by loud/aggressive behavior
Solicitation for acts of prostitution
Harassment of patrons or staff
Loitering in a menacing manner
Possession of a firearm, knife, or other weapon

Persons who violate the above laws and/or ordinances are subject to the withholding of library privileges as follows:

First Offense: library privileges will be revoked for 1 (one) month
Subsequent offenses: library privileges will be revoked for 1 (one) year

The following conduct policies are also in force:

No alcohol may be consumed on the premises except at a scheduled meeting and with the necessary permit/s. Out for the day.
No smoking in the building. One warning. Then out for the day (public act 368 of 1978, rule 21531)
No eating or drinking except in designated areas. One warning, then out for the day.

Internet Use and safety - It is the policy of the Alanson Area Public Library to:

Prevent user access over its computer network to, or transmission of, inappropriate material via internet, electronic mail, or other forms of direct electronic communications;
Prevent unauthorized access and other unlawful online activity;
Prevent unauthorized online disclosure, use, or dissemination of personal identification, information of minors; and
Comply with the children's internet protection act (pub. L. No. 106-554 and 47 USC 254 (h) and Michigan's public act 212.

Key terms are defined in the children's internet protection act.
Technology protection measure: a specific technology that blocks or filters access to visual depictions that are:
Obscene, as that term is defined in section 1460 of title 18, united states code, or
Harmful to minors, meaning any picture, image, graphic image file, or other visual depiction that:
taken as a whole and with respect to minors, appeals to a prurient interest in nudity, sex, or excretion;
Depicts, described, or represents, in a patently offensive way with respect to what is suitable for minors, an actual or simulated sexual act or sexual contact, actual or simulated normal or perverted sexual acts, or lewd exhibition of the genitals; and
Taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value as to minors.

Sexual act, sexual contact: meanings are given in section 2246 of title 18, united states code.

Inappropriate network usage
To the extent practical, steps shall be taken to promote the safety and security of users of the libraries online computer network when using electronic mail, chat rooms, instant messaging, and other forms of direct electronic communications. Specifically, as required by the children's internet protection act, prevention inappropriate network usage includes;
Unauthorized access, including so-called "hacking" and other unlawful activities; and
Unauthorized disclosure, use and dissemination of personal identification information regarding minors. It shall be the responsibility of members of the library staff to supervise and monitor usage of the online computer network and access to the internet in accordance with the policy and children's internet protection act.

Responsibility of users:

In order to use internet access computers in the Alanson Area Public Library, users must agree to:

    1. act responsibly in use of the network and avoid actions that cause interference to the network or cause interference with the work of others on the network
    2. respect the privacy of others
    3. comply with all applicable law and regulations including unauthorized copying of copyright-protected materials, violation of software license agreements.
    4. users may not:
        a. intentionally introduce viruses or Trojan horses on the internet
        b. post any information that might be legally actionable
        c. use the system to hack or otherwise obtain unauthorized access
        d. display for others sites which violate their rights
        e. install personal software, attach equipment or modify operating systems or network configuration. .

Users under the age of 18 must have a parent present to use the computers.

Confidentiality - The library privacy act, PA 455 if 1982 (MLC 397.605), guarantees the privacy of library records. A record of overdue items may be released to the parent of guardian of a minor in an effort to secure the return of the items (Library Privacy Act Amendment 1966, PA 188) In all other cases, no record of library material requested or obtained can be released to anyone without a court order or written permission.

Michigan Library Privacy Act - public act 455 of 1982 and usa patriot act; for the purposes of this policy, a library record (as defined in the Michigan library privacy act, is a document, record, or other method of storing information retained by a library that contains information that personally identifies a library patron, including the patrons name, address, or telephone number, or that identifies a person as having requested or obtained specific materials from a library. "library requests might include but are not limited to : circulation records, written reference request5sm, virtual reference request, computer usage data.

All records, formal and informal, in the Alanson Area Public Library containing patron registration information and the subsequent borrowing records of patrons are strictly confidential except as allowed in this policy.

In order to prevent an unreasonable invasion of personal privacy, the contents of registration and circulation recurs shall not be available to anyone beside the library staff in the performance of library duties except under the written order of the director, such order having been issued pursuant to a proper legal process, order, or subpoena.

Upon receipt of any process, order, or subpoena from a state or local law enforcement officer (Michigan privacy act) the officer shall confer with the director or his/her designee and the legal counsel of the Alanson Area Public Library to determine if such process, order, or subpoena is proper and enforceable.

In the event the legal process fails to sufficiently identify or name in specific terms the record on file in respect to an identified library patron, the request is considered to be defective and not binding upon the library.

Selection policy - As a public body, the library will operate in accordance with the requirements of the first amendment and will ensure that the library collection is a marketplace of ideas which are contained in divergent materials and formats. The library board endorses the American library associations library bill of rights, freedom to read statement, and statement on labeling. In pursuit of ideals set forth in these co-documents, the library board supports the following policy regarding the selection of library materials.

Procedures
Both book and non-book materials shall be chosen at the discretion of the library director and such staff members as the director may designate. Selection of materials shall be determined by the staffs professional judgment, which shall be based upon either first hand examination of the materials or on reviews taken from competent reviewing sources. Suggestions for titles from library patrons are welcome with the understanding that these titles shall be subjected to the same criteria that are used for staff-selected items. Materials will be purchased in non-book formats when that is the most useful form of presentation of the information.

Controversial materials
The board considers it the duty of the library to provide library patrons with materials representing the full spectrum of current thought on issues in contemporary society, including access to digital information. Individual items which in and of themselves may be controversial or offensive to some may appropriately be selected if their inclusion will contribute to the balance and effectiveness of the library collection as a whole. Insofar as facilities and resources permit, the library staff shall attempt to include all sides of controversial issues in the collection.
Factors to be considered in adding specific material/s to the library collection shall include:
Present collection composition
Interest
Demand

Gift and Donation Policy - A gift to the Alanson Area Public Library is a wonderful and enduring way to pay tribute to friends and family. Cash donations may be ear marked for specific materials.

Gift bookplates or nameplates will be affixed to those materials chosen or accepted by the librarian according to a donor's request.

Books or other new library materials purchased by the donor for presentation to the library will be accepted provided that they meet the library's collection development policies. These items will be integrated into the regular library collection in normal sequence, available to all library patrons, and handled as any other material belonging to the library.

No gift shall be accepted by the library unless it is freely given to the extent that the library may use the gift as it sees fit. The library board reserves the right to make the final decision on the disposition of any gift.

Donations of used books or other materials will be accepted provided that, in the opinion of the professional staff, they enhance the value of the library collection. The library may or may not put materials into the collection based on their physical condition and usefulness to library patrons. Material that does not meet the library's selection criteria will be disposed of at the discretion of the library. Books not added to the library's collection may be sold with proceeds to benefit the library collection. The library is not obligated to keep donated materials for any length of time.

The library does not appraise items for tax purposes. The library will provide a receipt to the donor for the descrition of the gift.

Donations that we do not accept:

Outdated reference books, encyclopedias
Books that have water damage or have mildew
Readers Digest condensed books
Textbooks
Periodicals and magazines