Policies · Library Cards and Circulation

The Library Card and Circulation Policy governs all aspects of library cards, their use, and the circulation of materials.

Library Cards

Library Cards from the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County provide access to a wide variety of information and services at the Library. Library Cards remain the property of the Library and usage may be suspended if Library policies or rules of conduct are violated.

Library Cards are free to applicants of any age who meet any of the following criteria:

• Are a resident of the State of Ohio
• Are associated with a member of an Ohio regional library system as a cardholder from a member library
• Are a resident of an adjacent county with a reciprocal borrowing agreement between the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County and a local public library system
• Are a staff member of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County
• Are a temporary/transitional resident of Hamilton County

Individuals who do not meet the criteria outlined above may purchase a Library Card at the price established in the Library’s Table of Fines and Fees.

A Library Card will have one of the following status types:

Unlimited

access to all circulating materials

Educator

access to all circulating materials for customers who live or work in the State of Ohio who use library materials in an educational setting and whose personal use cards do not exceed established fine limits

Outpatron

access to all circulating materials for customers of the Library’s Outreach Services Department

Honorary

access to all circulating materials for honored members of the community and Library retirees

Non-Resident Unlimited

access to all circulating materials for customers who purchase a library card

Limited Juvenile

access limited to Juvenile catalogued material, for customers under the age of 18, at the request of a parent or legal guardian

Limited No Video

access limited to any Juvenile, Teen, and Adult catalogued material except videocassettes and DVDs, for customers under the age of 18, at the request of a parent or legal guardian

Non-Resident Limited Juvenile

access limited to Juvenile catalogued material, for customers under the age of 18 who purchase a Library Card, at the request of a parent or legal guardian

Non-Resident Limited No Video

access limited to any Juvenile, Teen, and Adult catalogued material except videocassettes and DVDs, for customers under the age of 18 who purchase a Library Card, at the request of a parent or legal guardian

Visitor

access limited to print materials for temporary/transitional customers

Visitor Juvenile Limited

access limited to Juvenile catalogued material for temporary/transitional customers under the age of 18, at the request of a parent or legal guardian

Applying for Cards

Customers may apply for a library card:

• In person
• Online (Hamilton County residents only)
• By mail (customers with disabilities who are unable to visit the Library or customers who receive service from Outreach Services only)

Individuals who apply in person will receive a card which can be used immediately to access all Library services. Individuals who apply online will receive their card in the mail; until identity and address information are verified in person and a signed application is processed, access is limited to use of online databases.

A parent or legal guardian may fill out the application for an applicant under the age of 18.

Applicants must provide the following information and verification:

1. Identity, verified by:
   • ID with photograph and name (applicants 18 and over)

   For applicants under the age of 18, identity verification is required from a parent or legal guardian signing the application. Identity verification is not required for approved school visits or Outreach Services applicants.

2. Home address and verification

   For applicants under the age of 18, home address verification is required from parent or legal guardian signing the application.

   Home address verification is not required for approved school visits or Outreach Services applicants.

   A home street address must be used on the application; a post office box may be used as an alternate mailing address in addition to the home street address.

3. Date of birth
4. Signature (a parent or legal guardian must also sign for an applicant under the age of 18)

Applicants must verify the following when appropriate:

• If associated with Southwest Ohio and Neighboring Libraries (SWON) as a cardholder from a member library:
  • a library card from the member library
• If affiliated with SWON in other approved capacity:
  • proof of SWON affiliation
• If a resident of an adjacent county with a reciprocal borrowing agreement:
  • a library card from the local county public library
• If applying for a card with Educator Status:
  • verification of employment through:
    • paycheck stub
    • organization ID
    • letter signed by school/organization head on school/organization letterhead
• If home schooling and applying for a card with Educator Status:
  • a home schooling certificate

Renewing Library Cards

Library cards must be renewed according to card status and all fines and fees associated with the card must be under the fine maximum as established in the Library’s Table of Tines & Fees.

• Unlimited: valid for one year; identity and home address must be verified for renewal
• Educator: valid for one year; identity, home address, and employment as an educator must be verified for renewal
• Outpatron: valid for one year
• Honorary: annual renewal is not required
• Non-Resident Unlimited: valid for one year; identity and home address must be verified for renewal
• Limited Juvenile: valid for one year
• Limited No Video: valid for one year
• Non-Resident Limited Juvenile: valid for one year
• Non-Resident Limited No Video: valid for one year
• Visitor: valid for three weeks (may be renewed for additional three week periods indefinitely); identity and home address must be verified for renewal
• Visitor Juvenile Limited: valid for three weeks (may be renewed for additional three week periods indefinitely)

Cardholder Responsibilities

Library cardholders are responsible for all activities surrounding the use of their cards, including:

• Materials checked out on library cards, including those checked out up to the point a card is reported lost or stolen. Parents/legal guardians are responsible for guiding the selection of materials by their children under the age of 18 and assume responsibility for use of cards for children under the age of 18.
• Payment of fines and fees. Borrowing privileges are stopped when unpaid fines and fees reach limits established in the Table of Fines & Fees. Parents or legal guardians assume responsibility for fines that accumulate on the cards of children under the age of 18.

Retention and Confidentiality of Customer Information

Library card information and customer circulation records are considered confidential as outlined in the Library’s Confidentiality of Library Patron Record Information and Records Retention Policies.

Customers may check out materials and/or renew materials without presenting their card, but must first provide proof of identity.

Customers may pick up hold materials for family members or other users as authorized in the circulation system.

Circulation

Loan Periods

All print materials, e-books, audiocassettes, compact discs, CD-ROMs, LP discs, and slides circulate for 21 days and are renewable 3 times. Feature videocassettes and DVDs circulate for 4 days. Nonfeature videocassettes and DVDs circulate for 7 days. Videocassettes and DVDs may be renewed once, if not on hold for another customer.

Loan periods may be adjusted to meet special circumstances.

Materials may be renewed in person at any library location, by phone, or online. An item may not be renewed if:

• It is on hold for another person
• It has reached the renewal limit

Fines

Library Cards with Unlimited, Honorary, Non-Resident Unlimited, Limited Juvenile, Limited No Video, Non-Resident Limited Juvenile, Non-Resident No Video, Visitor, or Visitor Juvenile Limited status: fines are charged if materials are returned or renewed late, at rates established in the Table of Fines & Fees. Overdue notices may be provided as a courtesy. Fines are charged for each item for each day kept beyond the due date, including days the library is closed, and begin accumulating on the first day an item is overdue. Fines accumulate to a maximum as established in the Table of Fines & Fees; use of the card stops when the fine maximum is reached.

Library Cards with Educator status: fines are not charged if materials are returned or renewed late, except for videocassettes and DVDs. Continued failure to return materials borrowed on a Library Card with Educator status will result in suspension of the card.

Library Cards with Outpatron status: fines are not charged if materials are returned or renewed late. Continued failure to return materials borrowed on a Library Card with Outpatron status will result in suspension of the card.

Materials Recovery

Accounts of customers with overdue materials may be referred to a materials recovery service.

Circulation Limits

Limits are placed on the number of certain types of materials that can be charged to a single library card, including materials obtained through interlibrary loan. These include:

• Compact Discs · Adult music: 10 titles
• Compact Discs · Adult audiobook: 10 titles
• Compact Discs · Juvenile music: 10 titles
• Compact Discs · Juvenile audiobook: 10 titles
• Non-feature videocassettes/DVDs: 10 titles
• Feature videocassettes/DVDs: 10 titles

Limits may also be set for seasonal or special demand materials.

Cards with Educator Status are limited to the following:

• 150 items at any one time
• Limits may also be set for seasonal or special demand materials.

Lost or Damaged Materials

Borrowers are responsible for returning materials in good condition. A charge may be assessed for damaged materials, at rates established in the Library’s Table of Fines & Fees, up to the cost of the item if damaged beyond repair. The charge for lost materials is the cost of the item. Customers may provide a replacement copy in lieu of payment for lost items with the approval of Library staff. Failure to pay for lost or damaged items will result in restricted borrowing privileges.

Placing Holds on Materials

Customers may place holds on most types of materials. The maximum number of items a person can place on hold is 25.

The following materials may not be placed on hold:

• Reference materials
• Feature film videocassette and DVDs

Interlibrary Loan

Items that are not available in our collection may be requested through interlibrary loan; those items are subject to circulation restrictions established by the owning library.

The following materials may not be obtained through interlibrary loan:

• Items owned by the Library
• Bound or unbound magazines
• Software
• Feature film videocassette and DVDs

Using Electronic Resources

A library card may be required to access selected electronic resources from locations outside the Library and to access the Internet at Library locations. A library card may still be used to access electronic resources if circulation privileges have been stopped due to fines exceeding the established limit.