Nesbitt Memorial Library |
Last Updated
September 12, 2016 |
Policy Manual
Table
of Contents |
Section 1: General
Section 2: Patrons
Section 3: Collection Development
Section 4: Circulation and Fines
Section 5: Texas Collection
Section 6: Archives
Section 7: Gifts and Loans
Section 8: Use of the Meeting Room
Section 9: Electronic Resources
Policy Manual |
1. Policy
Manual
This is the Policy Manual of the Nesbitt Memorial Library. It is maintained
by the Advisory Board of the Nesbitt Memorial Library and is furnished to the
City Council of the City of Columbus, Texas, for approval.
2. Governance
The Nesbitt Memorial Library is the municipal library of the City of
Columbus, Texas. It is governed by Article 1.10 of the city’s ordinances.
3. History
The library is named in honor of the family of Lee Quinn Nesbitt, who
financed the construction of the building and whose estate continues to provide
financial support for the library. The collection of the city’s previous municipal
library, the Mansfield Memorial Library, which was named in honor of Joseph
Jefferson Mansfield, who provided the land for the building and its initial
collection, was absorbed into that of the Nesbitt Memorial Library.
4. Address and Telephone
The address of the Nesbitt Memorial Library is 529 Washington Street,
Columbus, Texas, 78934. Its telephone and fax number is (979) 732-3392. Its
e-mail address is library@columbustexas.net.
5. Hours
The library plans its hours of operation so that all its patrons can
have access to its materials and services.
The library is routinely open on Monday, Wednesday, Fridays from 9:00 a. m. to 6:00 p. m.,
Tuesday and Thursday on 10:00 a.m to 7:00 p.m., and
on Saturdays from
10:00 a. m. to
2:00 p.m. The library is
closed on Sunday and many holidays.
6. Staff
The library staff is encouraged to participate in community activities
and be willing to assume responsibilities in the community’s institutions and
organizations.
The staff will make every attempt to courteously, promptly, accurately,
and thoroughly answer any question asked by any patron, and to assist the
patrons in any reasonable endeavor, provided that no other more imperative
duties compel them.
Section 2
Patrons
1. Library Cards
Any person who is more than six years old can become a patron of the
Nesbitt Memorial Library; that is, they can obtain a library card. Persons who
are less than eighteen years old may not obtain a library card unless their parent
or legal guardian assumes responsibility for them.
Because the library is supported by public funds from the City of Columbus,
Colorado County, and the State of Texas, persons who demonstrate that they are
bona fide residents of Texas may obtain a library card at no charge. Persons
who cannot demonstrate that they are bona fide residents of Texas may obtain a
library card by paying a one-time only, non-refundable fee of $10.
Library cards are the property of the library. Persons who wish to discontinue
their patronage should return their cards to the library.
Patrons who lose their library card must pay a fee of
no less than one dollar ($1) but no more than ten dollars ($10) to replace it.
The fee shall be determined by the library director and shall be contingent
upon the cost of the replacement card to the library, the number of times the
individual patron has lost his card, and/or other relevant factors.
2. Patron Conduct
Patrons who cause a disruption or whose behavior is unruly or otherwise
inappropriate for a library may be asked to leave the building.
Patrons may not enter the archival vault, offices, or work rooms without
the express permission of a member of the staff.
Patrons may not take library materials into the meeting room, bathrooms,
or hallways without the express permission of a member of the staff.
Individuals who abuse or misuse library property, such as, damaging
books, DVDs, CDs or equipment, or using the internet for illegal means, may be
denied access to Nesbitt Memorial Library. Additional instances of abuse or
misuse may be determined by the Nesbitt Memorial Library Board.
3. Patron Property
The library is not responsible in any way for any property brought into
the library by any patron.
Any property left in the library by any patron without the consent of
the library staff is considered abandoned property and may be disposed of in any
manner at any time.
4. Confidentiality
The library’s records relating to its specific patrons, including which
materials they have borrowed and what fines or fees they owe, are confidential.
Such records may be released only when otherwise lawful, and only (a) to the
patron to whom they relate, (b) to any person authorized, in writing, to
receive them by the patron to whom they relate, (c) when disclosure is necessary
to the operation of the library, or (d) when compelled by a valid court order.
Section 3
Collection Development
1. General
The library’s collection is to contain suitable materials to (1) provide
its patrons with access to a broad range of information regarding culture and
civilization, (2) serve the community as a reference agency, (3) provide
popular, high-demand reading materials, and (4) introduce children to the
pleasures and rewards of reading.
Materials are selected based on their quality, content, literary merit,
popularity, format, and price.
Outdated, misleading, irreparably damaged, unusable, and seldom used
materials are subject to being removed from the collection.
The library will attempt to keep pace with the advance of technology in
regard to the storing and retrieval of information.
While responsibility for procurement and disposal of materials lies with
the library director, the board of advisors will audit performance of collection
development activity.
Section 4
Circulation and Fines
1. General
The library may revoke borrowing privileges at any time.
Persons will be asked to present a library card to check out materials.
It is the patron’s responsibility to ensure that no items are checked
out to his or her library card, or to a library card for which they have assumed
responsibility (e. g., one of their children’s library cards), by unauthorized
persons.
Persons will be held financially responsible for any and all damaged or
lost items that were checked out to their library card or to a library card for
which they have assumed responsibility. By virtue of Section 27-1 (a),
Paragraphs (a) and (b), of the ordinances of the City of Columbus, persons who
are convicted of willfully injuring or defacing any library property are
subject to fines of not less than ten dollars ($10.00) nor more than two hundred
dollars ($200.00), and persons who are convicted of willfully detaining any
library property are subject to fines of not less than ten dollars ($10.00) nor
more than five hundred dollars ($500.00).
Fines are assessed for items which are overdue. Days on which the library
is not open are not counted as overdue days. Additional charges will be assessed
to cover expenses incurred in efforts to collect fines. Persons will be held
financially responsible for any and all fines for overdue items that were checked
out to their library card or to a library card for which they have assumed
responsibility. No member of any household which collectively has outstanding
fines of five dollars ($5.00) or more will be allowed to check out any item,
except at the discretion of the director.
Persons who lose their library cards should report the loss to the library
so that no further materials will be checked out to them. It is the patron’s
responsibility to ensure that proper notice of lost cards is given to the
library. Written notice is encouraged.
The library maintains a waiting list for certain high-demand items.
Patrons may add their name to the waiting list for any item by notifying the
library staff. Persons whose names are on the waiting list will be notified when
the item is available for checkout. If they have not checked out the item within
three days, it will be returned to the stacks or committed to the next person
on the waiting list.
When the library is closed, patrons may return books in the book drop on
the west side of the building. Suitable fines will be assessed for overdue
books that are returned in the book drop. Patrons should not use the book drop
to return material other than books.
2. Interlibrary Loans
By virtue of the interlibrary loan system, patrons of the Nesbitt Memorial
Library may borrow items from other libraries. Patrons who do so must pay all
postage charges unless they demonstrate that they are a student engaged in a
legitimate school-related research project.
For school-related projects there will be a yearly limit of $10.00 in
postage paid by the library; after that, the patron is responsible for all
postage charges.
Patrons may request no more than 3 items at a time through interlibrary
loan.
Fines, fees, and penalties for overdue or lost items obtained through
interlibrary loan are assessed in the same manner as fines, fees, and penalties
for similar items checked out from the Nesbitt Memorial Library’s circulating
collection.
3. Borrowing Periods
Most books, audiobooks, and compact disks containing recorded music may
be checked out for two weeks.
Certain books are designated as reference books and may not be checked
out.
Certain books may be designated as special-reserve books. Such books may
be checked out for one day.
Certain books may be designated as high-demand books. Such books may be
checked out for two weeks.
DVDs, videocassettes, and certain magazines may be checked out for one
week.
The library may refuse to check out recent issues of magazines.
Certain art reproductions may be checked out, though only by persons who
are 18 years of age or older, for six weeks.
Audio and video equipment may be checked out, though only by persons who
are 18 years of age or older, for one day.
Books and audiobooks may be renewed for up to two additional two-week
periods. Renewals may be made by telephone.
Special-reserve books, high-demand books, DVDs, videocassettes, magazines,
compact disks containing recorded music, art reproductions, and audio and video
equipment may not be renewed.
4. Fines and Fees
Patrons who do not return borrowed material to the library or renew such
material before or on the date it is due will be fined. Fines on borrowed
materials will increase every day beyond the due date until the material is
returned or until the maximum allowable fine is reached. Daily fines and
maximum allowable fines will be commensurate with the monetary value of the overdue
material.
Patrons who return audiobooks, compact disks, DVDs, or videocassettes in
the book drop will be assessed a fine in addition to any overdue fines, and be
held financially responsible for any and all damage to the returned items.
Art reproductions and audio and video equipment must be returned to the
front desk during the library’s regular operating hours. Such items may not be
left on or near the book drop. Patrons who leave art reproductions or audio or
video equipment on or near the book drop will be assessed a fine in addition to
any overdue fines, be held financially responsible for any and all damage to
the items, and be prohibited from checking out such items in the future.
The library may charge fees appropriate to recover costs associated with
efforts made to have long-overdue materials returned to the library, and to
recover costs associated with any processing such returned materials require.
The library director, with the advice and consent of the advisory board,
sets all daily fines, maximum allowable fines, and fees, within the parameters
set above.
The library director may waive any fine, in part or in full.
5. Other Limits
Patrons may not have more than ten items checked out at one time.
Certain books are designated as new books. Patrons may have no more than
two new books checked out at any time.
Patrons may not have more than five books-on-tape or CDs, nor more than
two videocassettes, DVDs, magazines, or art reproductions, checked out at one
time.
Patrons may not have more than one piece of audio or video equipment
checked out at one time.
6. Special Rules
Neither DVDs or
videocassettes may be duplicated or broadcast in whole or in part. DVDs and
videocassettes are intended for private home use only; they are not for public
exhibition.
The library is not responsible for damage to CD, DVD or videocassette players
that might result from the use of any CD, DVD, or videocassette.
The library does not provide technical assistance or support for audio
or video equipment.
The library is not responsible for any damage that might result from the
use of its audio or video equipment.
No individual may check out audio or video equipment more than twice per
month.
Section 5
Texas Collection
1. General
In keeping with the wishes of Lee Quinn Nesbitt, the library’s donor and
benefactor, the library places a strong emphasis on the history, genealogy,
literature, and culture of Texas and local residents.
2. History
The Texas Collection includes books and other printed material collected
by Lee Quinn Nesbitt and by the Colorado County Historical Commission. It was
greatly augmented with funds provided by the estate of Catherine Dumraese, a Colorado County resident who died in 1981, and
by donations of books from the Shropshire-Upton
Chapter, United Daughters of the Confederacy.
3. Texas Room
Much of the library’s Texas Collection is incorporated into the circulating
section of the library; much is classified as reference material and stored in
the Texas Room.
Some extremely rare or poor condition books are stored in the archival
vault, and are accessible only by request and only under the direct supervision
of library staff.
Section 6
Archives
1. Purpose
The Archives of the Nesbitt Memorial Library exists to collect, preserve,
and make available for research, original source materials that are historically
significant to Columbus, Colorado County, and the surrounding area.
2. History
In the 1970s, the Colorado County Historical Commission established the
Colorado County Archives, which was housed at the courthouse for most of its
existence. In 1986, the facility was discontinued and the collection moved from
the courthouse, with part of it being deposited in the Eula and David Wintermann Library in Eagle Lake and part of it in the
Nesbitt Memorial Library. Since being established in 1986, the Archives of the
Nesbitt Library has incorporated the genealogy and local history papers
compiled by Lee Quinn Nesbitt and numerous documents and photographs from other
Colorado County families. In 1997, the Wintermann
Library agreed to transfer the part of the collection of the Colorado County
Archives that had been deposited there to the Archives of the Nesbitt Memorial
Library. However, no agreement was reached over the final terms, and the
transfer was never made.
3. Collection
The archives consists of documents,
photographs, newspapers, various printed materials (including telephone books
and school annuals), maps, audio tapes, and video tapes. The archives
does not include artifacts, furniture, clothing, or other items commonly
considered to be museum pieces.
The decision to accept material and assimilate it into the archives
rests with the archivist. In some cases, an expert in the field of archival
acquisition who is not an employee of the library may be asked to make evaluations.
Though xerographic copies of documents may be accepted, so that authenticity
may be better verified, the archives greatly prefers
to accept only original documents.
Photographs may be accepted on loan so that copies of them may be made.
All materials accepted by the Library become property of the City of Columbus, governed by rules and regulations of the Nesbitt Memorial Library, the Library Advisory Board and, ultimately, the City Council of the City of Columbus.
Material which is initially accepted may, upon further examination, be
rejected by the archivist. All such material will be returned to the donor, or, with the donor’s
consent, transferred to an appropriate depository elsewhere or otherwise
disposed of.
4. Access
The material in the archives is available for use only by request and
only under the direct supervision of library staff.
Upon request the library will arrange to have copies made of photographs
owned by the archives. The cost of such copies will be borne by the applicant.
Staff members will duplicate manuscript material at the user’s expense.
The library may refuse to duplicate some manuscript materials.
Audio and video tapes will not be duplicated.
Section 7
Gifts and Loans
1. General
The library will accept any gift which has relevance and value to the
library.
The library is not responsible for appraising or securing appraisals of
any gift.
Gifts which might reasonably be said to have a value of $50 or more will
be acknowledged by letter.
2. Money
The public is encouraged to donate money either directly to the library
or to the non-profit foundation which exists to support the library, the Nesbitt
Memorial Library Foundation, Inc.
The receipt of money donated in memory of a recently deceased person
(known as memorials) will be acknowledged to the family of the deceased person.
3. Books
Books which are donated to the library may be assimilated into the collection
or offered for sale to the public. The library director should make every
attempt to inform the donor which potential course of action is most likely for
their particular donation.
4. Objects and Artifacts
The library may accept the donation of objects or artifacts which are
decorative, historical, or otherwise valuable or pertinent. Such objects or artifacts
may be declared surplus property and disposed of in any manner at any time.
The library may accept objects or artifacts on loan. Such loans may be
open-ended or finite. Objects or artifacts which are left at the library more
than sixty days after the owner of the objects or artifacts has been legally
notified that they are to be removed are considered abandoned property and may
be disposed of in any manner.
5. Archival Material
Archival material will be accepted under the policies delineated in
Section 6 and Section 7, Part 1 of this manual.
Section 8
Use of the Meeting Room
1. General Guidelines
The use of the meeting room is a privilege and not a right. Accordingly,
the library reserves the right to deny the use of the room to any group that
does not abide by the policy. The Library Director has sole discretion to deny
use of the meeting room to any group that is disorderly in any way.
Usage of the room does not constitute endorsement by the Library or City
of Columbus of any group’s policies, beliefs or affiliations and no advertisement
or announcement implying such endorsement will be permitted. Groups
meeting at the library may not use the library as a mailing address and no
publicity may carry the library’s telephone number.
The library’s meeting room is available to groups or individuals whose
purposes are compatible with the library’s mission, i.e., they are informational,
educational, cultural, or charitable in nature.
Priority for meeting room use will be assigned in the following manner:
1. Library or City of Columbus
sponsored programs and meetings
2.
Library related meetings or programs
3. Educational, cultural,
community and civic group programs
2. Restrictions
All meetings must be open to the
public and to the media.
The meeting room is not available
for social events or private parties such as wedding receptions, showers, and
birthday parties, religious activities (religious study groups excepted), or
any entity which advocates, promotes, or discusses any illegal activity.
Entities which are incompatible with
a library setting, i.e., which make a considerable amount of noise or otherwise
create a disturbance, may not use the meeting room during operating hours.
The Library Director may refuse to
schedule any meeting that is expected to last more than one day.
Nothing may be affixed to a wall in
the meeting room.
Though refreshments may be served in the meeting room, neither smoking nor alcoholic
beverages are allowed in the meeting or anywhere in the library.
The rear and outdoor exits must be
kept unlocked and open aisles maintained throughout any meeting.
3. Fees
Entities engaged in for-profit
endeavors, or which charge a fee to any person in attendance, must pay a fee of
$20 and $10 for each additional hour. All other
entities must pay a flat fee of $20. All fees are payable in
advance. The Library Director may waive the fee in some cases.
4. Reservations
Entities may reserve the meeting
room either in person, by telephone, or by mail and must be reserved for a
minimum of two hours. The individual signing the
application must be at least 18 years of age and he or she MUST be present
during the entire meeting. This person will be the designated
representative for the group.
Any inquiries received at the
library concerning the meeting will be directed to the designated
representative.
To reserve the meeting room, the
library must be provided with (1) the name of the entity, (2) the name,
address, and telephone number of an individual who assumes responsibility for
the entity (this person must sign the application), (3) the total number
of persons expected to attend the meeting or event, and (4) the purpose of the
event.
5. Access
The meeting room may be used on any
day between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m.
Entities which intend to use the
meeting room at a time when the library is closed must secure a key to the room
during regular library hours on the last day the library is open before the
scheduled meeting.
6. User’s Responsibilities and
Duties
Groups using the meeting room must
bring their own supplies and equipment not provided by the library.
The library is not responsible for
the physical arrangement of the meeting room. No library personnel are
available to assist with rearrangement of tables and seating, carrying supplies
to and from the meeting room, etc. Each user must count on its own personnel
for the performance of any of these tasks. The library will not store items
belonging to users. The library is not responsible for lost articles or items
left following a meeting.
Users of the meeting room are
responsible for their own set-up and general clean up. The room should be left
neat and clean and ready for the next scheduled meeting. All food and
trash, etc. must be removed at the conclusion of a meeting.
Users will be held responsible for
reimbursing the library for any damage that may occur to the library building
or equipment. If proper care is not taken, the group will be denied any further
use of the room. The individual signing the Application for Use of the
Meeting Room is designated as the person responsible for the condition of the
room.
At the conclusion of a meeting, the
designated representative should make sure all small electrical appliances and
equipment are unplugged. Turn off the lights in the restrooms, corridor and
meeting room. After the meeting, the outside entrance to the meeting room must
be locked and the key to the door deposited in the book drop near the entrance.
7-Remedy
Entities which violate any meeting
room policy stated herein will be denied future use of the meeting room.
Section 9
Electronic Resources
To fulfill its mission of providing public access to information of all
types in a wide range of formats the Nesbitt Memorial Library provides
public access to the Internet. The Internet is a global network comprised of
information, multimedia resources and social networks representing a variety
of viewpoints and perspectives.
Approved: Library Board of Trustees—March 12, 2015; City of Columbus City
Council – March 26, 2015.
Rules for
Computer/Internet Use
If you violate any of these rules, YOU MAY BE BANNED
FROM THE LIBRARY’S COMPUTERS. If you have any question about any aspect of
computer use, including how to print, how to access a word processor, or how
to use the Internet, please ask library staff.
1.
PLEASE put cell phone on silent or vibrate.
If you need to use the phone, please do so outside. Guest passes are
available upon request for non-residents of Colorado County.
2.
You must have a Library Card in good standing
(do not owe fines over $5.00, are delinquent on your library account, or owe
money for printouts) in order to access library computers.
3.
You are guaranteed 30 minutes of computer
time. You may stay on the computer indefinitely if no one else is waiting.
After being notified that your time is up you must log off or risk
being shut off by the computer management software.
If you are notified that your time is running out and no one is
waiting, you may go to the front desk and request more time.
4.
If all computers are occupied, the library
staff will check to see if a user has exceeded their 30
minutes and notify them that their time is up.
You may go to the front desk to request time on another computer
and will be put on the waiting list and notified which computer you
may use. If you have not logged on
to your assigned computer after three minutes, you will forfeit your
reservation and must get on the waiting list again.
5.
When you leave the computer, click the “exit”
button on the right of the bottom taskbar. The screen should go back to
green “available” or you are not logged off correctly.
If you need to leave the computer station for a few minutes, click
the “lock screen” button on the bottom taskbar. It hides your screen for
approximately 10 minutes.
6.
DO NOT shutdown or turn off your computer.
DO NOT log off the network.
DO NOT change the desktop, the homepage, the screensaver, or anything
of that sort. YOU MAY LOSE YOUR
INTERNET PRIVILEGES.
7.
You may save information to USB drives or
onto CD’s purchased at the front desk. Such CDs cost $1 each.
8.
Providing that doing so complies with all
applicable copyright laws, you may print materials accessed or created on
the library’s computers. The printers are located behind the front desk. You
must pick up the pages you print and pay 25 cents per page for black and
white printer or 50 cents per page for color printer. The library is not
responsible for printing errors.
9.
See Sec. 43.24 of the Texas Penal Code posted
by the computer for what is against the law to view.
10.
All computer use ends 5 minutes prior to
closing.