Mission Statement
The Canastota Public Library is dedicated to providing materials and programs that meet the educational, cultural, and recreational needs of all members of our community. It seeks materials in a variety of formats that provide current, accurate, and useful information to assist individuals in all of these pursuits. The library strives to maintain a collection of interest and benefit to persons of all ages and abilities.The Canastota Public Library seeks to fairly represent all points of view in the selection of library materials, programs, and speakers. In addition to celebrating the heritage of the local community, the library also seeks to represent cultures and ideas that may not be established locally. The Canastota Public Library wholly embraces the principles outlined in the American Library Association's Freedom to Read Statement, the Intellectual Freedom Act, and the Library Bill of Rights and its interpretations.
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Circulation Policies
Loan PeriodsAudio Books....(books on tape and CD)........... 28 days
Auto Repair Manuals........................................ 14 days
Books............................................................... 28 days
New Books/Bestsellers..................................... 14 days
College Catalogs............................................... 14 days
Educational DVD (crafts, how-to, etc.)................ 7 days
Entertainment ( DVDS)....................................... 2 days
Magazines.......................................................... 7 days
Music CDs .......................................................14 days
Travel Guides....................................................14 days
Archive Room Materials.......................DO NOT CIRCULATE
Current Reference Materials.................DO NOT CIRCULATELate Fees
DVDS.................................................................$2.00 per day
All other materials................................................$ .05 per dayMaximum fines on DVDS not to exceed $10.00 per movie.*
Maximum fines on all other materials not to exceed $1.50 per item.*
*You will be billed for the full purchase price of items that are not returned within 45 days.Renewals
All items may be renewed up to 2 times for the full circulation period, with the following exceptions:
New books/bestsellers.................no renewal if in demand
Your request to renew books from other libraries will be evaluated on an individual basis and in consultation with the owning library. You may also contact the owning library directly if you like.
You need not bring your materials to the library in order to renew them. Renew by phone (697-7030) during regular hours or by e-mail!Requests
If the book you want is not at the library when you visit, we recommend that you place a request for it. Most titles will arrive at the library for you within 5 business days. Bestsellers and new releases sometimes take longer, as others may have placed requests before you. Staff will gladly teach you how to place a request from home. Requests are taken by phone (697-7030) or e-mail as well.
.Delinquency
You should be aware that your library privileges may be suspended if you exceed $1.00 in fines or have more than 5 overdue items on your account. You must return your materials and/or pay your fines in order to borrow new materials or to request items. If you have any concerns about your account, please speak with a staff member.
Applying for a Library Card
Age requirements?We encourage parents to wait until a child is of kindergarten age before applying for a library card. Since having a library card is both a privilege and a responsibility, we feel that a child should be aware of library etiquette before having his/her own card. All children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a legal guardian when applying for a library card.
Parental Responsibility
Anyone under age 18 must have the signature of a parent or guardian
on file with his/her library card application. This adult is
ultimately
responsible for any fines or charges that accrue on the child's
account.
We therefore encourage parents to discuss the responsibilities involved
with library card use with their children before allowing a child to
have
his/her own library card.
Identification/Proof of Address
Adults are asked to provide picture identification and proof of address
with their own application as well as with those of their
children.
Moved? Name change?
Please be aware that you need not apply for a new card if you already
have a card from another Mid-York Library. You also need not
reapply
due to a name change. Just provide your updated information, and
our staff will make the changes in the system database.
Can't find your library card?
If you've lost your card all together, you may purchase a replacement
card for $1.00. You should inform the library about lost
library
cards to prevent others from borrowing materials on your
account.
Think of your library card as a credit card--don't underestimate the
value
of books!
Print out your library card application
now!
(PDF files require Acrobat reader software.)
Adult Library Card Youth
Library Card (under age 18)
Collection Development Policy
The purpose of the Canastota Public Library selection policy is to guide the librarian(s) and to inform the public about which selections are made.The Library sets as its major goals in the selection of books and other library materials: the educational, informational, and recreational needs of the people of all ages of the community. Basic to the policy is the Library Bill of Rights as adopted by the American Library Association, which states among other things:
“As a responsibility of library service, books and other reading matter selected should be chosen for values of interest, information and enlightenment of all the people of the community. In no case should any book be excluded because of the raced or nationality or the political or religious views of the writer. There should be the fullest practicable provision of material presenting all points of view concerning the material presenting all points of view concerning the problems and issues of our times—international, national and local; factual authority should not be proscribed or removed from library shelves because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.”Definitions
The words “book,” “library materials,” or any synonyms as they may occur in this policy have the widest possible meaning. It is implicit in this policy that every form of permanent record is to be included, whether printed of in manuscript, bound or unbound; photographed or otherwise reproduced. Also included are audio records on tapes, discs or otherwise; films and pictures in the form of photographs, paintings, drawings, etchings, etc.
Principles of Selection
Library materials to be included in the library must satisfy acceptable
standards of quality and fill a need. In evaluating quality, both
fiction and nonfictions, the following factors are considered:
authority
and competence of the author, clarity and accuracy, literary style,
significance
of subject, usefulness and format. Also, works of imagination,
originality,
vitality and artistic expression are considered. In selecting
materials
for children, illustrations, print and binding are evaluated.
Final responsibility for book selection lies with the Director who shall have the support of the Board of Trustees.
Objectives
The primary objectives of book selection shall be to collect materials
of contemporary significance and of permanent value. The Library
will always be guided by a sense of responsibility to both present and
future in adding material which will enrich the collections and
maintain
an overall balance. The Library also recognizes an immediate duty
to make available materials for enlightenment and recreation, even
though
such material may not have enduring interest or value. The
library
will provide a representative sampling of experimental material, but
will
not always attempt to be exhaustive. The library does not
consider
it necessary or desirable to acquire all books on a subject if these
books
tend to duplicate each other.
Guidelines for Selection
1. The Library does not attempt to acquire textbooks or other curriculum related materials unless they are the only source of needed information.
2. Legal and medical works will be acquired only to the extent that they are useful to the layman.
3. The Library will select the best new children’s books and replace older titles which have proved their value. The Library will maintain al collection that should be broad enough to provide meaningful materials for children of all ages and levels of ability and cultural background. Some materials in the collection will be of use to adults working with children. The Library will seldom include readers, purely textbook materials, or abridgements of classics.
Use of Library’s Materials
The Library recognizes that censorship is a purely individual matter
and declares that while anyone is free to reject for himself books of
which
he does not approve, he cannot exercise this right of censorship to
restrict
the freedom to read of others. The Library defends the principles
of the freedom to read and declares that whenever censorship is
involved
no book and/or library material shall be removed from the library save
under the order of a court of competent jurisdiction.
Library materials will not be marked or identified to show approval or disapproval of the contents, and no catalogued book or other item will be sequestered except for the express purpose of protecting it from injury or theft.
Responsibility for the reading, viewing and listening materials of children rests with their parents and legal guardians. Selection will not be inhibited by the possibility that books, audiocassettes, and videos may inadvertently come into the possession of children.
The Library has adopted the Library Bill of Rights and the Freedom to Read Statement as adopted and revised by the American Library Association.
Gifts
The Library accepts gifts of books, but reserves the right to evaluate
and to dispose of them in accordance with the criteria applied to
purchased
materials. Gifts of books which do not accord with the Library’s
objectives and policies shall be put in the annual book sale. No
conditions may be imposed relating to any book after its acceptance by
the Library.
Maintaining the Collections
The Director is expected to use good judgement to remove from the
collections
whatever no longer serves a need, and to refurbish by rebinding or
other
means books which might suffer deterioration if not so cared for.
Revision of Policy
The policy will be revised as times and circumstances required.
Adopted May 9, 1990
Internet Access Policy
The Internet provides a means to access information far beyond the Library's own collections. It is a gateway to information of great diversity in many countries and cultures around the world. Because of its international character, however, there is no external monitoring of the Internet. While most of the information accessed can be valuable and enlightening, the user may also find materials that are unreliable, personally offensive or illegal under U.S. law.The Canastota Public Library cannot police a global network and therefore, each individual must take responsibility for his or her own activities on the Internet and for the activities of his or her children. As with all library resources and collections, the library affirms that monitoring the use of the Internet and other electronic resources by any minor child is the sole right and responsibility of the parent or legal guardian. The library strongly encourages parents to supervise their children's use of the Internet and other electronic resources. We suggest reading the publications Child Safety on the Information Highway and The Librarian's Guide to Cyberspace for Parents and Kids. Both are available at the circulation desk.
The Library prohibits engaging in illegal activities or accessing illegal materials. It is the responsibility of the user to acquaint himself with the law.
Time is limited to 30 minutes per individual if others are waiting.
We protect each other's rights to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired or transmitted. However, the physical arrangement of our computer terminals makes it impossible to ensure privacy.
Library staff is available to help you navigate on the Internet by offering suggestions for sites, keyword assistance, strategies for different search engines and technological troubleshooting.
--Approved by the Canastota Public Library Board of Trustees on September 9, 1998.
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