E-Reader Policy
Borrower Policy and Procedure
To help provide equal access to electronic books (e-books), the Library has e-readers that may be borrowed for use with the Library’s collection of e-books.
SECTION 1: BORROWER CRITERIA:
To borrow an e-reader from the Columbia Public Library, the patron must be a Columbia resident or staff member with a current Columbia Public Library card in good standing, and the patron must be 18 years of age or older. This excludes reciprocal borrowers and cardholders from other libraries in the Illinois Heartland Library System.
A patron who borrows an e-reader is required to complete a Borrower’s E-Reader Agreement. The patron will receive a copy of this agreement.
First time borrowers will receive training from Library staff prior to borrowing an e-reader.
Borrowers may not lend e-readers to anyone else.
SECTION 2: CONTENT:
The Columbia Public Library subscribes to the OverDrive e-Media Catalog service from which patrons may select e-books to borrow for a specified period of time.
The Columbia Library also has a small collection of e-books loaded on each e-reader from which patrons may choose.
SECTION 3: CHECK OUT PROCEDURE:
E-readers may be checked out for 14 days with no renewals, with a waiting period of seven days before the same patron may borrow the e-reader again.
Library staff will download one e-book of the patron’s choice from the OverDrive e-Media Catalog.
SECTION 4: RETURN PROCEDURE:
E-readers must be given to a staff member at the Circulation Desk. They may not be left at this desk if the desk is unattended, and may not be left at any other desk. If the Circulation Desk is unattended, patrons should find a staff member to assist them.
E-readers may not be returned in the book drop.
E-readers must be returned to the Columbia Public Library only, and may not be returned to any other library.
SECTION 5: OVERDUE FINES AND/OR FEES:
Overdue fines are $2.00 a day up to a maximum of the cost of the item, and start from 1 day overdue. The borrowing patron’s card will be blocked from the first day the e-reader is overdue.
The patron will be charged replacement fees for any items not returned in the e-reader kit, or for items returned damaged.
E-readers returned in the book drop or to another library will be subject to an additional fee of $10.00.
E-Reader Policy – Approved 01/10/12