Policies and Procedures
Membership and Circulation
Library membership is free to all residents of the Township of Muskoka Lakes, including seasonal residents who own property in the Township of Muskoka Lakes and can provide proof of residence (copy of the municipal tax bill).
A non-resident membership is available at a rate of $25.00 for a period of six months and is limited to 10 items at a time. A non-resident is defined as an existing borrower in good standing who does not own property or permanently reside in the Township of Muskoka Lakes.
A temporary library membership is available for new non-residents on a probationary basis at a rate of $25 for six months plus a $100 deposit. Holders of a temporary library card will be limited to 5 items at a time. The temporary card will automatically expire at the end of the six-month period, or sooner if deemed necessary by either the library board or the holder of the temporary card. Upon the return of all items in good order, the $100 deposit will be refunded and the temporary card will be de-activated.
The loan period for most library materials is three weeks. Renewals can be done one time in person, online, or over the telephone but will be denied if a reserve has been placed on the item by another library member or is a new book.
Entertainment videos in VHS format may be borrowed for seven days and those in DVD format may be borrowed for two days. Information videos may be borrowed for 21 days. High demand items such as best sellers may be borrowed for two weeks. Videos, New Books, or items on reserve cannot be renewed.
Fines for overdue materials are 20 cents per item per day for books from the regular shelves, 50 cents per item per day for books from the New Book shelf or those from a reserve list, $1.00 per item per day for videos.
General
- All information contained in or developed from the Library's database that pertains to membership records or that identifies individuals and their borrowing record is confidential.
- Upon presentation of his/her library membership card or other sufficient identification, a member may query his/her records.
- Upon presentation of his/her library membership card or other sufficient identification a patron may query the overdue records of his/her children or wards under the age of 16.
- No other person is entitled to information contained in the Library's database except authorized personnel in the course of their duties.
- Lists of items borrowed by an individual are not retained in the Library's database after the items are returned.
- Once material is returned to the Library and checked in, the name of the last person to use the material remains in the background file for each item for a period of 40 days.
- Once overdue fines or other charges have been cleared on a library patron's record, the information remains in a background file on the patron record for use by authorized Library personnel.
Computer Usage Policies
Internet usage fees are as follows: $2.00 per person per session or a six-month, non-transferable membership is available for $10.00. The membership card must be presented at each session or payment of $2.00 is required. Lost cards will result in the issuance of a new card at the rate of $10.00. Receipt of payment for internet use constitutes agreement that users will abide by the acceptable use policy endorsed by the Library Board as outlined below:
- Users must accept the Policy agreement on the monitor before accessing the Internet.
- The Library is not responsible for Internet content, reliability, accuracy or bias, nor does the Library endorse or sanction controversial, offensive material found on the Internet.
- The Library, in providing access to the Internet, is providing a privilege, not a right. Users must respect the purpose for which the service is provided. The Internet user is responsible for his or her actions. Inappropriate conduct on the Internet will result in a suspension of privileges, which will be one month for a first offence and a total ban for a second offence.
- While the Internet is a valuable tool, it is imperative for users to be aware that the Internet is an unregulated network of resources. Therefore parents must be responsible for and monitor their children's use of the Internet. Parents or guardians of children under the age of 16 will be required to sign a form allowing the child to use the Internet in the Library.
- Children aged 10 and under must have a parent or guardian with them during their use of the Internet.
- Individuals accessing the Internet in the Library are prohibited from engaging in activities listed under the Canadian Criminal Code such as obscenity, juvenile pornography, hate literature etc.
- The Library reserves the right to ask patrons to exit inappropriate sites.
- Users will not use e-mail to send unsolicited, commercial material, spam or mail bombs.
- Users must register and check in at the circulation desk before each session.
- Users will be limited to a 30 minute session if there is a demand for the computers.
- Users must remain at their assigned computer. If there is a problem with the assigned computer please report to staff.
- Maximum group size around a computer at one time is two.
- Absolutely NO food or drinks allowed at computer workstations.
- Users are responsible for all printing which they generate, including pages printed in error or unintentionally.
- Do not turn monitors or computers off. When session is complete, users are requested to report to staff in order for your session to be logged off properly.
Suspension of Library Privileges
- Patrons who breach library rules and have been dealt with according to proper library procedures or who participate in illegal behaviour may have their library privileges suspended.
- Patrons who have had their Library privileges suspended may not have access to the Library facility, property or services.
- The length of suspension for a breach of library rules or repeated breaches (conduct abuse) will be one day, or more at the discretion of the Librarian and/or Library Board.
- All appeals to suspension must be directed in writing to the Library Board at box 189, Port Carling, Ontario, P0B 1J0. The Board will reply in writing. All decisions of the Board are final.