Ala. Admin. Code r. 520-3-1-.02

Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 10, July 31, 2024

Section 520-3-1-.02 - Circulation Policies

(1)Patrons served: The Alabama Public Library Service (APLS) provides services to the following categories of patrons:

(a)In-state libraries.

(b)Out-of-state libraries. Interlibrary loan services are provided to out-of-state libraries under the guidelines of the Interlibrary Loan Code for the United States, revised 2001. (American Library Association, 2001).

(c)State employees. In this category are included all state officials, legislators, state employees, legislative employees, and members of state boards, commissions, and authorities, etc. (those who receive their paychecks directly from the State Treasury). State employees are eligible for direct loans of library materials, interlibrary loan services, and reference services. A registration card must be filled out and returned to APLS before material is borrowed. A state employee who has not borrowed material in 36 months must re-register.

(d)Blind and Physically Handicapped (BPH) patrons. A BPH patron certified by the BPH Division staff as handicapped, a member of the family of a handicapped person, or a professional working with the handicapped may borrow print materials from the BPH collection.

(e)General public. Members of the general public are strongly encouraged to use their local libraries. Members of the general public may borrow APLS materials through their local libraries through the interlibrary loan process.

(2)Materials Circulated:

(a) Books are generally circulated. Exceptions are reference books, out-of-print books in the Alabama collection, and materials in extremely poor condition.

(b) Hard copy periodicals do not circulate. Photocopies, microform printouts or microfiche copies are sent if doing so will not violate copyright laws.

(3)Loan Periods for Library Operations Materials:

(a)State employees. Three (3) weeks and renewable if no requests are pending for the materials;

(b)Libraries. Four (4) weeks and renewable if no requests are pending for the materials.

(4)Treatment of Overdues:

(a) No fines are charged.

(b) A state employee with two overdue books must return them before borrowing additional material.

(c) A library with 20 overdues must return enough overdues to be below the 20-overdues limit before borrowing additional materials.

(5)Handling of Lost or Long Overdue Books:

(a) If books are reported lost in the mail, APLS has them traced. Then, if not located, APLS may replace them at APLS expense with no penalty for the borrowing library. However, if a state employee loses books in hand-mail more than two times, APLS asks that he pay for the materials in the third instance or lose service.

(b) If a book is reported lost at a library, APLS asks the library to replace it with the same title or, if it is no longer available, with a substitute. After a library fails to replace two books within the 6-month limit, APLS will notify the library of the following:

1. That the two books have been replaced by APLS; and

2. That failure to reimburse APLS for the two titles along with failure to replace a third title will result in notification of the local library that ILL service to the library will be discontinued after a month's notice.

(c) If a book is overdue three months (sooner if reserves are on it or APLS borrowed it from another library to send it), APLS will send a letter asking that the library return it or replace it. However, if a library has ten or more books overdue for three months with no apparent action to return them, APLS will notify the library that ILL services will be stopped if the books are not returned or replaced within a month.

(d) If a state employee loses a book, he is billed for the current replacement cost of the book if it is in-print. If it is not in-print and an equivalent title can be purchases as a substitute, APLS will bill the employee for the price of the substitute. If no adequate substitute may be purchased, APLS will charge the patron either the original book price or the current average price of a book (either in paperback or hard copy) whichever is higher.

(e) If a state employee fails to pay for a lost book, he will lose use of his library card.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 520-3-1-.02

Filed September 30, 1982. Repealed and New Rule: Filed March 20, 2000; effective April 24, 2000. Repealed and New Rule: Filed August 19, 2010; effective September 23, 2010.

Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXVII, Issue No. 03, December 28, 2018, eff. 1/24/2019.

Author: Nancy C. Pack, Director

Statutory Authority:Code of Ala. 1975, §§41-8-(1-10).