LIBRARY POLICIES
Your child’s library card presents opportunities for many fascinating, educational and entertaining experiences, and we are pleased that you, as a parent, are encouraging your child to explore them.
The public library provides a wide variety of materials representing many points of view on topics of interest to the community. All libraries contain some materials that some parents find inappropriate for their children.
It is not the library’s policy to decide what ideas your child should be exposed to, therefore, we hope you will continue to participate in the learning process by helping your child select materials and by sharing them at home.
We provide the alternatives. You make the choices.
The mission of the Sullivan Free Library is to meet the educational, cultural and leisure needs of the community. In keeping with this mission, the Library offers public computer terminals with access to the Internet. All Internet resources accessible through the Library are provided equally to all Library users.
The Internet is a global, unregulated electronic resource that allows the Library to offer a wide range of information and resources. The Library cannot be responsible for the content of Internet sites. Users must evaluate sources of information for accuracy. As with print materials, it is the right, and the responsibility, of parents to monitor their children as they explore this resource. Library staff cannot act as a substitute parent or be responsible for unsupervised children on the Internet terminals.
The Library reserves the right to limit time spent on its computers and terminals and to charge for paper used in printing. The use of the Internet for illegal activities is forbidden and could result in suspension of Library privileges and/or legal actions. All users are required to follow Library’s Rules for Computer Use.
Due to the constantly changing features of the Internet, the Library reserves the right to change this policy without notice.
You will need to bring your own laptop or PDA device to the library, and it will need to have built-in WiFi or you will need to install a WiFi network card (not provided by library).
Most WiFi equipment will be compatible. However, the library makes no guarantees as to compatibility of your equipment with the library’s wireless network, nor as to reliability or security of connections to the network or to the Internet.
We provide wireless coverage for the entire library. However, wireless signal strength may be weaker around some hidden spots and at the library corners.
Printers are not part of the wireless Internet access service in the library. If you need to print, save the file to a jump drive, log in on one of our public computers and send your print job to our printer.
The library’s public wireless network is open to anyone who agrees to abide by the Library’s Internet Access Policy (above). The policy prohibits abusive or illegal activity while using the Internet inside the library. PLEASE READ THIS POLICY PRIOR TO ACCESSING THE LIBRARY’S WIRELESS NETWORK.
No special encryption settings, user names or passwords are required.
You can search the library catalog by visiting www.midyork.org, click on the Catalog link to access the Library catalog or the Online Databases link, to log on with your library card number to access the online database.
Adopted by the Board of Trustees 10/18/05
You may not use Library computers to perform illegal activities. Illegal use may result in loss of library privileges and/or legal action.
ACCESS:
All Internet resources accessible through the Library are offered equally to all Library users. You must be younger than 13 to use the computers in the childrens area. It is the right and responsibility of parents to monitor their children as they explore this resource. Library staff cannot act as a substitute parent or be responsible for unsupervised children on the Internet terminals.
SIGNING IN:
You MUST sign in, using either your library card number or, if you do not have a library card, with the guest pass number issued by the staff. By signing up for computer time, you are stipulating your agreement to abide by our policies. PERSONS FOUND USING SOMEONE ELSE’S LIBRARY CARD NUMBER WILL HAVE THEIR COMPUTER PRIVILEGES SUSPENDED FOR ONE WEEK. In addition, the card number they were using will also be suspended pending an investigation of its use.
TIME LIMITS:
Computer use is limited to 90 minutes per day. If someone is waiting to use the computer, the person who has been on for the longest amount of time will be given a warning and logged off.
The staff may, at its discretion, limit computer use with respect to the number of sessions and the number of persons using the computer.
Failure to abide by any of the regulations governing computer use may result in the immediate suspension of your computer privileges.
PRINTING:
Printing is allowed as long as it can be accomplished within your time slot. Printing must be paid for at the desk BEFORE you will be able to print. For students working on school assignments, the first five sheets of paper are free. Additional sheets will be $.20 each for black and white and $.25 each page for color copies. If you wish to provide your own paper, copies will be $.10 each to cover the cost of ink cartridges and you MUST let the staff know you want to use your own paper BEFORE you print.
ASSISTANCE:
Library users are free to browse the Internet. Staff will be glad to help you get started or to answer questions, but may not be able to offer in-depth training or assistance due to time constraints.
CAUTION:
Your privacy is not guaranteed when using the Internet. You must evaluate the source of any information you find for accuracy.
PUBLIC TERMS OF USE
Public users should have no expectation of privacy in posting on Sullivan Free Library sponsored social media sites.
Sullivan Free Library social media resources may be considered public records.
By choosing to comment or post on the Sullivan Free Library’s social media sites, public users agree to give SULLIVAN FREE LIBRARY permission to use the content of any posting without compensation or liability on part of SULLIVAN FREE LIBRARY.
Complaints or negative comments should not be deleted, but should be engaged like any other patron complaint. Staff may move the discussion to a private venue such as chat or messaging.
Library staff are available to respond to comments and questions Monday through Saturday during library open hours only.
SULLIVAN FREE LIBRARY reserves the right to delete posts that are of the following nature:
Users may not post comments, tags and images that impinge on another’s privacy or that may be considered objectionable or inflammatory. Violations include, but are not limited to:
Off-topic and/or disruptive posts.
Commercial promotions or spam.
Duplicated posts from the same individual.
Threatening language and personal attacks.
Private, personal information published without consent.
Obscene or libelous content.
Copyright infringement/plagiarized material.
Political advocacy.
Posts that violate laws or library policies.
Repeat offenders will be removed from SULLIVAN FREE LIBRARY social media resources.
PHOTOS AND VIDEOS
Since SULLIVAN FREE LIBRARY is a public building, attendees at SULLIVAN FREE LIBRARY sponsored programs do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy. Photographs/video may be taken during any event. These photographs and videos may be posted on library maintained social media accounts or included in press releases. If you do not want your photo to be potentially used please let staff know prior to the beginning of events.
Reporting Violations:
Library staff and users may report violations of this policy to the Library Director/Library Manager.
Any user who feels they have been unfairly banned from the SULLIVAN FREE LIBRARY’s social media resources may file an appeal in writing with the library board. Appeals will be reviewed at the next regular meeting of the board provided the appeal has been received seven days prior to the meeting.
DISCLAIMER: The SULLIVAN FREE LIBRARY is not responsible or liable for the content of postings by third parties on any SULLIVAN FREE LIBRARY sponsored social media site. Postings do not reflect the opinions or positions of the SULLIVAN FREE LIBRARY, its employees or its board of trustees.
Approved by the Sullivan Free Library Board of Trustees 09-20-2022. The Sullivan Free Library Board of Trustees reserves the right to amend this policy with no prior notice.
Donations of books and materials will meet the same criteria as purchased materials. The library retains unconditional ownership of all donations and will make the final decision on acceptance, use or disposition. The appraisal of the gift for tax purposes will be the responsibility of the donor, although the library can provide a receipt for the donated items.
The library will accept large donations of gently used books that have been properly stored with the understanding that the books will be evaluated for: 1) addition to the collection 2) potential for online sale to support the library 3) for sale in the library onsite bookstore and 4) to be included in book sales. Books that are in poor condition will be recycled or discarded.
When the library receives a cash gift for the purchases of materials, whether as a memorial or for any other purpose, the general nature of the subject area of materials to be purchased shall be based upon the wishes of the donor. However, the library staff, in accordance with the needs and selection policies of the library, will select the specific titles.
Specific collections and memorial collections shall not be shelved as separate physical entities and collections shall be accepted only with the donors understanding that the collection will be integrated into the general collection. Book plates may be used for memorial identification.
All gifts may be utilized, sold or disposed of in the best interest of the Library. When gift items are withdrawn from the collection, the Library will not notify the donor of the withdrawal. The Library will not automatically replace worn-out, damaged, or lost gift items.
THE LIBRARY IS NOT ABLE TO ACCEPT:
Textbooks more than 2 years old
Encyclopedias
Magazines series collections such a National Geographic
Books that are dirty, musty, moldy or mildewed
Books with missing pages or pages that have been written on
VHS tapes
Books on cassette
Any materials that would create a disposal problem