Lending & Access Policy

Mission

The mission of the Burlington County Library System (BCLS) is to enrich lives by providing opportunities for learning, growth, and personal development.

Statement of Purpose

In reaching this mission, BCLS strives to make its services, resources and collections available to the public with ease and facility.

General Membership & Accounts

You are eligible for a free BCLS membership at any age if you live in any participating Burlington County municipality. If you teach, work, go to school, or are in the military, please see the Special Groups Memberships below.

BCLS defines membership based upon residency. The library funds operations via a dedicated county library tax collected from Burlington County households in its 37 participating communities.

Non-participating municipalities are: Moorestown, Mount Laurel and Willingboro.

Membership is established through issuance of library cards that provide access to library materials for checkout or download, online resources via the library website and use of publicly accessible computers. Customers are responsible for all materials and services provided by their membership.

Applicants must provide photo identification and proof of residency in a participating municipality, as follows:

• Column A satisfies proof of both identity and residency.
• Column B provides examples of documentation that

Applicants submitting an online application must provide identification and proof of residency within 60 days of the application date.

Applications: Residents of Non-Participating Municipalities

Anyone who does not reside in a participating municipality may apply for BCLS membership by paying an annual fee.* Membership includes all individuals residing at the same address. This annual fee is non-refundable.

Children Under the Age of 18

Children of all ages are eligible for membership, but must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian at the time of application. If the application for the child is submitted online, the child must be present when the parent visits the library, within 60 days, to verify the address.

Parents/legal guardians are responsible for all use of the library and its materials by their minor children, and for all fees charged on their child's account.

The BCLS Mobile Library visits Burlington County schools in participating communities to enhance literacy efforts. Upon request, library staff provide membership applications to school personnel to facilitate membership for the students. Children may bring in these completed applications, with their parents' signature and obtain a library card to borrow items. For such cards, in addition to parental permission, the child's enrollment in a school becomes proof of residency.

Joint-Custody of Children Under the Age of 18

Each parent/legal guardian of a joint-custody child may obtain a separate card for their child upon provision of a birth certificate. Each parent will be responsible for any debts related to the card they signed. When the child reaches age 18, the two cards will be merged into a new adult card and the individual will be responsible for use of the library.

Card Expiration and Renewal

BCLS requires that account information be verified and renewed periodically with proof of address and photo identification.

Upon receiving notification of account renewal, cardholders must show proof of eligibility at the time of library visit or by email. Those wishing to renew via email must include a scan or photo proof of residency and identification.

Confidentiality of Library Records

BCLS respects customer rights to privacy and is committed to protecting the privacy of individuals who utilize its services.

For additional information, see the BCLS Privacy Policy which outlines the information we collect from cardholders and our reasons for collecting it.

Membership: Special Groups

BCLS recognizes circumstances when eligibility may be expanded to meet the needs of special partners, institutions, and community groups. These cases are outlined as follows:

Rowan College of Burlington County (RCBC) Students

RCBC students living in non-member communities are given BCLS library barcodes that are attached to their RCBC ID cards. This barcode functions the same way as a full-service library card, except it does not
provide access to online resources or the digital library. The ID card must be present and display the current semester sticker to be accepted at BCLS locations.

Institutional Accounts

While library cards are primarily given to individuals, organizations in certain cases may be eligible for an institutional account.

Media Specialists

Media Specialists who are employed in schools in participating communities are eligible to borrow up to 200 items for use in the library/media center. For schools that do not employ a media specialist, the school's administrative team may designate an employee to manage this type of account. As these items are loaned to the school, not to the employee, the school district is responsible for lost or damaged materials. The cards must be renewed annually upon proof of continued employment and a letter from the school principal or superintendent.

Educators

Educators who reside in non-member communities but who teach in member communities may apply for Educator Cards. Applications are accepted on our website or at any BCLS location.

• Educators applying online will receive a temporary card that will be mailed to the teachers' schools. They must provide proof of employment within 60 days.
• Educators applying in person will receive temporary cards and must provide proof of employment within 60 days.
• Upon proof of employment, these cards will be valid for one year from the date of issuance.
• Membership will be renewed upon proof of continued employment in person at any library location. Educators may renew online and send proof of employment via email.
  Families that educate their child at home are entitled to an educator card, one per family.
• The applicant must show proof of residence in a member community AND verification that they are a homeschooling family such as confirmation of withdrawal from the school district.
• Children who were never enrolled in a school as may be the case with many military families may provide a military ID or documentation deemed appropriate by the BCLS school liaison.

Unlike the Media Specialist card, this card is issued to the individual who is responsible for all materials charged to the account.

Employees of Burlington County Residing in Non-Participating Communities

Employees of Burlington County who live in a non-participating municipality are not required to pay the annual fee. When applying for membership, these employees must provide appropriate identification and current proof of county employment.

BCLS Library Champions

In recognition of extraordinary and distinguished service to BCLS, certain individuals are granted special, lifelong membership status as BCLS Library Champions. In recognition of their public service, Burlington County Library Commissioners, Burlington County Commissioners, the Library Director, and the Burlington County Administrator shall automatically receive this distinction. Others may be conferred
this honor only by a resolution approved by the Library Commission. This membership status does not need to be renewed and can be revoked only by a vote of the Library Commission.

Military Personnel & Veterans

Full borrowing privileges are extended to all active military personnel stationed in Burlington County. The annual fee is waived for them and their immediate family members with proof of current address and active military status.

Any active military personnel deployed overseas shall be continually eligible for all BCLS services throughout their deployment if Burlington County remains the service member's legal residence. Service members overseas may renew their library membership via email by contacting the Circulation Supervisor with proof of active military status, legal residence, and overseas assignment (State of Legal Residence Form-DD2058).

Partial Access Card

A limited access card may be issued to individuals living temporarily in participating municipalities. Examples of temporary residents include but are not limited to:

• Displaced nationals staying in the county with a host family.
• New residents waiting for proof of residence including military families.
• Nannies/Au Pairs who are employed by AND living with their card-eligible employer-family (this is different from babysitters).
• Individuals from outside the county acting as a caregiver for a card-eligible family member- ie: staying temporarily to care for a sick parent.
• Individuals from outside the lending area that are temporary residents and/or outpatients of group homes and treatment facilities that operate in the lending area.
• Those staying at temporary addresses (motels, churches etc.) due to loss of housing such as those experiencing homelessness.

The card provides full access to the library's resources with the following parameters:

• Cards are valid for six months with one renewal granted. After one year, the card expires.
• All temporary card applicants must provide their temporary address. Those experiencing homelessness should do their best to provide an address affiliated with a church or motel where they may be residing or where they may be receiving aid. They may also provide documentation on letterhead from a case manager or other agent from a social services organization. An email and/or phone number from an organization may be substituted for an address.

Membership: Guidelines for Use

Presentation of a Library Card

Borrowers are expected to present their library cards when checking out materials. When a card is not in possession, BCLS staff will proceed with checkout if the borrower can provide photo identification verifying name and current address.

Cardholders using public-access computers must provide their library card number and PIN at a login screen to obtain access. Visitors not eligible for a library card may use a guest pass to use a public-access computer.

Borrowing

A maximum of 35 items may be checked out on a single card at any given time.

Requests on Items

Circulating materials may be requested in person, by telephone, or online through the library's catalog. Up to 35 requests can be placed on the customer's record. Customers will be notified by telephone, email, or text message when the requested material is available; materials are held for five days.

Return of Materials

Borrowed materials may be returned to any BCLS location during library hours, in book drops or book return slots.

Books downloaded on Overdrive/Libby are automatically returned on their due date.

Renewals, Automatic

Materials may be renewed if no other customer has placed a hold on the item and if the item has not reached the maximum number of renewals.

Any item eligible for renewal will automatically be renewed four days before the due dates (up to two times). The new due date will be extended from each successive due date, adding another loan period.

Fine-free

Pursuant to Library Commission resolution 2024-03, BCLS is fine-free for most overdue library materials beginning on July 1, 2024. Studies show that small fines do not encourage the timely return of items, and customers with fines are more likely to never return to the library. Eliminating overdue fines furthers the mission of providing free and open access by removing barriers to the library's resources. Further, library overdue fines disproportionately impact those in low-income households by creating an additional barrier to access.

Most items, including books, DVDs, CDs, magazines, movies, video games and technology-on-loan do not accrue overdue fines. However, overdue fines continue to accrue on Museum Passes, Borrow a Book Club bags, Classroom Kits and Interlibrary Loan items.

Overdue Materials

BCLS loans library materials to individuals with the agreement and expectation that all loaned materials will be returned on an established due date. If an item is not returned when it reaches the maximum number of auto-renewals, the item enters a 7-day grace period. At the end of the grace period, the item is set to "lost" status and a replacement fee is added to the member's account. The account-holder is ineligible to borrow any items until the outstanding item is returned or the lost fee is paid.

Lost or Damaged Materials

When library material is lost or damaged while on loan, the borrower will be sent a bill letter showing the non-refundable replacement cost for the item. The price of lost items will be set by current list price or out-of-print average replacement price. Borrowing privileges will be suspended until the item is returned or paid for.

Claims Returned Items

When a customer claims to have returned an item and their record indicates the item is still checked out, staff can mark the item in a "claims returned" status. Library staff will search the shelves for the item and update the account when located. If the item is not found after 90 days, the "claims returned" status will change to "lost" status" and the title will be removed from the system. Customers are limited to one such claim returned waived in a calendar year.

After 60 days, if a customer owes the library more than $25 for damaged or lost material, that person's record will be given to a collection service which will assist in retrieving library property and collecting fines owed. In addition to the item's cost, an extra $10 retrieval fee will be charged to the customer.

Reciprocal Borrowing

BCLS participates in multiple reciprocal borrowing agreements allowing for access to materials from county libraries across the region and state.

• BCLS cardholders are eligible to apply for Atlantic County Library System and Ocean County Library cards and must present their BCLS cards when applying for membership at these other libraries.
• BCLS participates in a multi-county state-wide borrowing program that includes the counties of Camden, Hunterdon, Somerset, Sussex and Warren. Any current BCLS cardholder may visit these participating county library locations and obtain a library card for on-site borrowing of materials.

Cardholders will be subject to the lending library's policies and procedures.

Library by Mail

Cardholders may have library materials mailed to their Burlington County home address for a nominal fee.* A request is submitted via the catalog and the item(s) (with some exceptions) will be delivered via the United States Postal Service. Materials may be returned at any library location, at a book drop or returned via the Postal Service at the cardholder's expense.

Mobile Library

The Mobile Library program provides library service to neighborhoods, schools and groups such as senior residential communities throughout Burlington County. The Mobile Library travels to pre-determined locations with a selection of books and other materials for browsing and checkout. Customers may also return items or pickup holds at Mobile Library stops.

Membership: Access

Your library card provides access to a multitude of services and resources as follows:

Books, Magazines, Newspapers, Movies and Video Content via the Digital Library

BCLS works with third-party providers to facilitate access to digital content. On these platforms, cardholders may access digital materials for streaming or download to their personal devices.

Ebooks, primarily available through Overdrive, circulate for a pre-defined lending period similar to our print or physical collection and items are returned automatically on their due date.

Customers may also access our digital newsstand for newspapers and magazines or watch videos, movies and television programs via our streaming providers.

Cardholders are expected to follow terms and conditions of use as set forth by each provider.

Research, Information and Learning Platforms

Cardholders may access a variety of informational and learning resources licensed by BCLS and available on the library's website.

Cardholders are expected to follow the terms and conditions set forth by each provider.

Access to Public Computers

Public computers are available at every library and provide access to the internet as well as Microsoft applications such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

BCLS also provides guest access to its public computers to visitors who are ineligible for a library card.

At select locations, laptops may be borrowed for use on-site upon providing identification.

Please refer to the Internet and Computer Use Policy for more information about using library computers.

Library Communications

BCLS uses cardholder contact information on file to communicate information about overdue items, holds ready for pickup and informational emails regarding library services and resources.

Interlibrary Loan

When an item is not in the BCLS collection, cardholders may request the item, subject to availability, from participating libraries in the nationwide interlibrary loan network.

ILL requests take a minimum of 10-15 business days to fulfill and there is a nominal fee* payable when the item is picked up. Once an item has shipped, the request may not be canceled, and the cardholder is responsible for the fee.

* Please see the BCLS Fee Schedule.

Table of Materials and Borrowing Parameters

The Library Director will periodically review and make nominal adjustments to lending parameters.