Evergreen Indiana Shared Circulation Policy

Introduction #

The Evergreen Indiana Shared Circulation Policy exists to provide a framework wherein Evergreen Indiana Member Libraries can establish local policies related to the circulation of library materials and access to library services in the context of participation in the Evergreen Indiana Library Consortium.

Evergreen Indiana Account #

An account is required in order to check out materials and access certain services at an Evergreen Indiana Member Library. When an account is created, a library card shall be provided to the account owner.  A physical card or digital replica displaying the correct account number (barcode) or locally defined alternate ID is necessary for a Patron

to check out materials. Library directors and those staff whom they have empowered have discretionary ability in special cases. Indiana residents whose identification has been validated by those standards described in an Evergreen Indiana Member Library’s circulation policy are eligible to establish an Evergreen Indiana account based on their residency within a library service area and subject to certain limitations (see below, Loss of Privileges).  An Evergreen Indiana account is not transferable.

Patrons of Indiana public libraries not participating in the Evergreen Indiana Library Consortium may establish an account at an Evergreen Indiana Member Library pursuant to reciprocal borrower and other agreements. Users from non-participating Indiana libraries may not have the same privileges as Evergreen Indiana resident patrons and such accounts may be Suspended

at any time without notice.

Eligibility for Obtaining an Evergreen Indiana Account #

Individuals able to prove their residence within or payment of property taxes on property located within a library’s service area (“library district”) are eligible to establish a “home” Evergreen Indiana account including a green Evergreen Indiana “resident” library card or custom library card from their Home library

with green “Full Consortial Access” approved branding.  Proof of identity and residence for the purposes of account establishment and regular renewal shall be determined by and described in individual Evergreen Indiana Member Library circulation policies.

Individuals not residing in an Evergreen Indiana Member Library district may be eligible to purchase or otherwise obtain an Evergreen Indiana member library account as a non-resident, PLAC (see also 590 IAC 3-1-2), reciprocal borrower or township contract user subject to the laws and regulations covering these types of accounts. Non-resident accounts and PLAC accounts are issued to those individuals residing outside the library district who pay to subscribe to accounts with full access to library materials and services. All other holders of account types (student, transitional, junior, computer usage, and reciprocal borrower) may have limited access to services and materials. Owners of these limited access accounts should be given a blue Evergreen Indiana card or custom library card with blue “Local Access Only” approved branding which indicates that their borrowing privileges are limited to the issuing library.

The establishment of an account at an Evergreen Indiana Member Library including receipt of a library card denotes acceptance of responsibility for all fines and fees and for payment for lost or damaged materials. Patrons are advised to contact their Home library

to report a lost or stolen library card.

Patrons moving from one Evergreen Indiana Member Library district to another will be subject to the identification and proof of residency requirements put forth by their new Home library

district.  

Minors #

An adult may register a minor child for an account at an Evergreen Indiana Member Library. Registering a minor child for an account at an Evergreen Indiana Member Library as well the receipt of or allowing the minor to receive a library card denotes acceptance of responsibility for all fees, fines, and payment for late, lost, or damaged materials charged on such minor’s library account. The sponsoring adult must also comply with those identification and proof of residency requirements set forth in the Evergreen Indiana Member Library’s circulation policy.  Emancipated minors will be asked to present evidence of their status to invalidate the necessity of a sponsoring adult.

An Evergreen Indiana Member Library may, by resolution of their library board, choose to allow the establishment of local access-only accounts with limited borrowing for minors attending school within the library service area but residing outside of it as well as minors without a sponsoring adult, regardless of educational status.

Purging of Inactive Library Accounts #

Patron

accounts will be automatically marked inactive when the Patron

Cardholder with an Evergreen Indiana account. See also: user, customer, etc.

’s privilege expires. Patron

Cardholder with an Evergreen Indiana account. See also: user, customer, etc.

accounts that do not reflect fines or fees, items checked out or claims returned activity will be deleted automatically three (3) years after being marked inactive.

My Account #

Library patrons will be given a PIN upon registering for an Evergreen Indiana Member library account. This PIN shall function as an updatable password for entry into the My Account area at the Evergreen Indiana catalog. Evergreen Indiana policy indicates that PINs may only be given in person at an Evergreen Indiana library, upon presentation of appropriate identification. PINs may not be obtained via telephone or email.  Alternatively, a member library may choose to use the password reset link to require new patrons to set their own passwords using an active email address listed in their account.

Borrowing Privileges #

In most cases, a maximum of 100 items may be checked out simultaneously on an Evergreen Indiana Member Library account. Borrowing limits and loan durations are established by the Evergreen Indiana Library Consortium and shared by all Evergreen Indiana Member libraries. 

Holds and Transits in Evergreen Indiana #

Account holders with full consortium access may place holds on any Evergreen library’s holdable materials. Account holders with local access only may place holds on only those materials owned by the library that established their account.

Holds may be placed on most items in any Evergreen Indiana library (see list of exceptions below). Patrons will have one week after the Hold

is filled to pick up the held item. Some Evergreen Indiana libraries may impose a fee for failure to pick up a Hold

A request placed by staff or patrons for materials to be picked up at a selected location (see Pickup Library).

.

Most Evergreen Indiana account types may have 30 unfilled holds in the system.

Evergreen Indiana does not allow holds to be placed on the following items by any Patron

:

• Reference materials
• Bestsellers with the no-Hold

  A request placed by staff or patrons for materials to be picked up at a selected location (see Pickup Library).

  designation

Evergreen Indiana does not allow Evergreen Indiana library patrons to place holds that would generate Intra-Evergreen Indiana [transiting] loans on the following item categories**:

• Art
• Bestsellers
• Some CDs*
• Some DVDs*
• Equipment
• ILL
• Kits
• Media
• New books and audiobooks
• New videodiscs
• Realia
• Reference
• Special Collections
• Software
• Software – Gaming
• Videocassettes

*Some member libraries provide for the transiting and remote circulation of their video discs (DVD, Blu-ray, and 4k) and CD music.

**A library may place a six-month or three-month Age Protection

on new items. Local patrons may place holds on associated titles. 

These items may be borrowed by any Evergreen Indiana account holder. It is the responsibility of the Patron

to proceed to the owning library and check out the material. The Patron

Cardholder with an Evergreen Indiana account. See also: user, customer, etc.

may return such materials to any Evergreen Indiana library for Transit

Material shipped between Evergreen Indiana libraries.

to the owning library unless those items are prohibited to be transported based on InfoExpress policies.  An Evergreen Indiana member library may refuse to accept items belonging to another member that are ineligible for transiting through InfoExpress.

Patrons may place their own holds through the library catalog by logging into My Account, and may select their pickup location and notification method. The software will refuse Hold

requests which do not conform to Evergreen Indiana policies. Patrons may choose any pickup location for holds.

Patrons whose Evergreen Indiana accounts are “blocked” or “barred” will not be allowed to place holds until their privileges are restored.

Loan Renewals #

Renewal requests may be made in person, by phone, or via the online catalog “My Account” feature. Additionally, Evergreen Indiana Member Libraries may choose to enable autorenewals.  Certain categories of materials are not eligible for renewal. If a “Hold

” has been placed on an item, it may not be renewed manually or automatically.

Lost and Damaged Materials #

Materials that become “lost” or “damaged” may have the price of the item and any outstanding fines and fees, plus a processing fee of up to $10.00 per item, assessed to the borrowing Patron

’s account. Patrons may be encouraged to notify the library that an item is “lost” to stop the accruing of additional overdue fines. Fees for the cost of lost/damaged materials and any associated processing fees shall belong to the library owning those materials.  Any assessed overdue fines shall belong to the Circulating Library

The library which has checked out the item.

.  An item overdue longer than 45 days (28 days for fine-free libraries) shall be automatically marked as “lost.”

Paid-for Items #

Materials which are billed to the Patron

at the full replacement cost of the item, e.g. “lost” or “damaged” holdings, become the property of the Patron

Cardholder with an Evergreen Indiana account. See also: user, customer, etc.

once the bill has been paid in full. Unpaid-for “damaged” materials that are not a danger to the library or library staff may be held for 6 months pending payment; after 6 months, with payment still due, the item shall be subject to disposal.  Unpaid-for “damaged” materials that present the possibility of harm to library staff or facilities may be disposed of immediately.

Recovering Lost Items and Refunding Payment #

No member library is required to offer a refund to a Patron

for a “lost” item for which a Patron

Cardholder with an Evergreen Indiana account. See also: user, customer, etc.

has paid in the case that the item is found. In addition, no fines/fees and third party collection fees will be refunded.

Loss of Privilege #

A Patron

’s access to materials and some services may be limited due to overdue materials or fines and fees. Most Patron

Cardholder with an Evergreen Indiana account. See also: user, customer, etc.

accounts will be blocked, and no new circulation services may be obtained with it if the Patron

Cardholder with an Evergreen Indiana account. See also: user, customer, etc.

has 15 or more overdue items, or owes $10 or more in unpaid fines and/or fees. Patrons may renew overdue circulating materials until their account reaches the maximum fine threshold of $10 or more in unpaid fines and/or fees.  Accounts with an “Outreach” profile will be blocked when they have 50 or more items overdue. The number of overdue materials and/or the amount of fines/fees that will result in a Patron

Cardholder with an Evergreen Indiana account. See also: user, customer, etc.

being “blocked” is calculated at the consortium level and not at the library level. An account may be “blocked” if related group member accounts are “blocked.” A Patron

Cardholder with an Evergreen Indiana account. See also: user, customer, etc.

may also be “barred” if circumstances warrant. 

Fines and Fees #

To encourage the return of materials by their due dates, the Evergreen Indiana libraries have established a schedule of fines and fees. Overdue materials incur fines of 25¢ per day per item with a maximum of $10.00 or the cost of the item, whichever is lower. Materials with the circulation modifier of “equipment”, “equipment-restricted”, or “e-reader” may incur fines of up to $5 per day per item with either a $225 or the cost of the item maximum. Materials with the circulation modifier of “hourly” may incur fines of up to $5 per hour per item with either a $225 or the cost of the item maximum. Materials with the circulation modifier of “special collection” may incur fines of up to $1 per day per item with a maximum of $10 or the cost of the item. Transit

packaging materials are not billable to the Patron

Cardholder with an Evergreen Indiana account. See also: user, customer, etc.

.

Fine-free Libraries #

Libraries may choose not to levy local circulation fines. Member libraries shall, however, pursue whatever measures are feasible and expeditious to recover monies related to materials classified as “lost” or “damaged.” This policy shall only apply solely to those items borrowed on-site at participating member libraries including items transited from other Evergreen Indiana libraries, IN-SHARE, or the Statewide Remote Circulation Service (SRCS). Items borrowed directly from another Evergreen Indiana library using a participating member card shall be subject to the policies of that library. This is an administrative setting which may be changed up to one time annually. Materials borrowed under this program will be set to “lost” once the items are overdue by 28 days.

Juvenile Fine-free Libraries #

Libraries may choose not to levy local circulation fines only for juvenile account holders at their library with the exception of materials classified as “equipment”. The same stipulations for fine-free libraries apply to juvenile fine-free libraries.

Paying Fines and Fees #

Evergreen Indiana library fines and fees may be paid at any Evergreen Indiana Member Library. Patrons may pay all or a portion of overdue fines. A Patron

’s account will remain blocked or barred until the fines and fees are paid or the Patron

Cardholder with an Evergreen Indiana account. See also: user, customer, etc.

has resolved the matter with the particular library to restore his or her privileges. A Patron

Cardholder with an Evergreen Indiana account. See also: user, customer, etc.

may be (or remain) “blocked” if group member accounts are “blocked.”

Overdue Notices #

Overdue notices are sent as a courtesy from the Evergreen Indiana Member Libraries. Failure to receive notices does not exempt patrons from the responsibility for payment for library materials or overdue fines and fees.

Collections #

All member libraries are entitled to seek recompense for their materials when lost and/or damaged by a Patron

regardless of the Patron

Cardholder with an Evergreen Indiana account. See also: user, customer, etc.

’s Home library

The library which created a patron's account and issued them a library card.

.  Some Evergreen Indiana Libraries have contracted with third-party vendors for collection services.  If third-party collection services are used, a fee for collection services will be also added to the Patron

Cardholder with an Evergreen Indiana account. See also: user, customer, etc.

’s record.

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Adopted by the Evergreen Indiana Executive Committee on December 14, 2012
Amended 2013-10-08, 2014-04-04, 2014-08-12, 2015-08-11, 2016-02-09, 2016-03-31, 2016-10-11, 2018-02-13,
2018-04-10, 2018-06-14, 2018-08-14, 2019-02-12, 2023-08-08, 2024-04-10.