Our Policies

//Our Policies
Our Policies 2021-09-15T11:30:45+00:00

Issuing Library CardsPolicies

Requirements for Library Card Applicants:

The Allen County Public Library will issue a library card to applicants as follows:  Adult cardholders must be 18 or older and must present a photo ID at the time of application with a piece of mail that has been delivered to the individual’s home address, addressed to the individual requesting a library card. Children under age 16 must be accompanied by a parent with a proper ID to be issued a card. Individuals, 16 – 18 years of age may be issued a card without a parent’s responsibility if they have their own photo ID. Otherwise, a parent is responsible until the child is 18.  Lost or stolen cards can be replaced for $1.00.  Items checked out on unreported lost or stolen cards are the responsibility of the cardholder.

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Meeting Room Policy

Primary Purpose:  The primary purpose of the Allen County Public Library Meeting Rooms are to provide a space for library-sponsored activities and programs that expand access to information and help the library fulfill its mission.  The secondary purpose is to bring together library resources and Allen County community activities.

Appropriate Community Room Use:  When meeting rooms are not scheduled for a library activity or program, they are available on an equitable basis to Allen County business, and/or non-profit organizations for civic, cultural, information, or educational programs or meetings.  Children’s groups may use the room if they are supervised by someone over the age of 18.  Programs and meetings must be free of charge.  The only exception is if the attendee is paying for their meal or fees for no-profit membership or dues.  Tuition for classes sponsored by an Accredited Educational Institution should be collected in advance.  There may be no solicitation, promotions, or sales of items unless sponsored by the library.  Attendance may not exceed the capacity of the rooms.

Groups using the meeting rooms may not distribute literature, brochures, or other materials to library customers.  Smoking and alcoholic beverages are prohibited.

Inappropriate Meeting Room Use.  The Meeting Rooms may not be used for private social functions, religious or partisan activities, programs not consistent with the library’s mission.

Meetings may not interfere with normal library operations because of noise or other factors.

Available Times.  The meeting scheduled in the meeting room must begin before the library closes at 7:00 p.m.  No meeting will be scheduled to start at times the library is closed to the public.

Equipment. Arrangements to use the library’s audiovisual equipment in the Meeting Rooms must be requested at the time the reservation is made.  The library does not provide staff to operate audiovisual equipment.

Storage Space.  The library does not provide storage space for equipment, supplies, or personal property; therefore all personal items left in the room following the meeting will be discarded.

Room Setup/Take Down:  Meeting room furniture may be rearranged by the group, but the room must be returned to its original condition.  Library staff do not set up or take down tables or chairs.

Food and Drink:  Refreshments may be served.  No advance deliveries (catering) will be accepted by the library staff.

The library is not responsible for supplying dishes, silverware, table covers, kitchen utensils, or dish soap, and towels.

The countertop and sink must be returned to their original condition and all trash must be placed in the proper receptacles.

No alcoholic beverages or gambling is allowed on library property.  Smoking is not allowed in the building.

Janitorial Fee.  A fee of $15 per hour (minimum $15) is assessed for cleaning if the room is not returned to its original condition.

Liability.  The library assumes no liability for injury to people, damage to their property, or loss of property belonging to individuals or groups using the meeting rooms.

Application. An application for meeting rooms use must be made in advance.  The applicant who represents the group must be at least 18 years of age.  The applicant is responsible for the orderly conduct of the group; in the event of damage to library property that individual is liable.  The library reserves the right to deny use of the meeting rooms to any group organization that does not comply with Library Meeting Room Use policies.

Schedule/Calendar.  An approved application to Use the Meeting Room is required prior to reserving the room (see attached).  All requests to use the Meeting Rooms are made to the library director in person or by telephone.

Reservations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.  They should be made at least one week prior to the meeting date.  To allow the flexibility in meeting its’ own programming needs, reservations that are made more than 2 months in advance of the meeting may be changed to accommodate the library’s activities.

The library reserves the right to cancel prior room reservations without prior notice if the library is unexpectedly closed due to weather or an unforeseen emergency.

Publicity. The name, address, or phone number of the library may not be used as the official address/headquarter of an organization.

Fund-Raising.  Fund-raising events are permitted only when sponsored by the Library.

The library does not advocate or endorse the viewpoints of any group or individual.  Meeting room use shall not be publicized in such a way as to imply library sponsorship.

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Open Records Policy

Open Records Requests and Records Retention

The Allen County Public Library is subject to the Kentucky Open Records Act (KRS 61.870-61.884) and certain requirements with regard to records retention.

Retained records

The Allen County Public Library will maintain and retain its records in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.  Unless otherwise provided by law, records may be retained or discarded according to the Records Retention Schedules as adopted by the State Archives and Records Commission.

Public records

Not all records of the Allen Public Library will necessarily be “public records” under the Open Records Act, and even some public records are exempt from the operation of the Act.  “Public record” generally means all books, papers, maps, photographs, cards, tapes, discs, diskettes, records, or other documentary materials prepared, owned, used, in the possession of, or retained by the Library.  It does not include any records owned by a private person or corporation that are in the possession of the Library or one of its employees.

Requests for records

The Allen County Public Library Director acts as Custodian for all of the Library’s public records. Any person may request to inspect or receive copies of the Library’s non-exempt public records.  All requests to view or copy the Library’s public records pursuant to the Kentucky Open Records Act must be made in writing and must contain the requester’s name and signature.  Requesters may use the Request to Inspect Public Records form but are not required to do so. All Open Records Requests must be submitted via U.S. Mail, facsimile transmission, hand delivery, or email. Open Records Requests should be directed to the attention of the Library Director.  If a requester is requesting to be provided with copies of non-exempt public records, they must provide a sufficiently precise description of the documents they are seeking so as to allow the Records Custodian to readily identify them.

Response

The Allen County Public Library has three business days in which to respond to an Open Records Request.  This time begins to run the next business day after the request is received.

The response to an Open Record Request may: (1) grant the request, (2) deny the request, (3) explain that there will be a delay in responding to the request; or any combination thereof. To the extent a request is granted, the response will provide a time frame when the requested non-exempt public documents may be inspected in person or will inform the requester of the applicable copying charge and postage fee required to be paid before copies of the non-exempt public documents may be provided. To the extent a request is denied, the response will provide the legal cause for the denial.  To the extent the full response to a request is delayed, the initial response will give a detailed explanation of the cause for any delay and an estimate of when a complete response may be expected.

Copies

To the extent a request is granted, copies of the responsive non-exempt public records requested may be provided at a cost of $0.10 per page, along with any applicable postage costs, all of which must be pre-paid by the requester.  Requests for specialized or non-standard copies (e.g. color or oversized copies) will be provided at the cost incurred by the Library to produce them. The Allen County Public Library may also recover costs associated with staff time expended in responding to a request made for a commercial purpose.  Non-public or exempt information may be redacted as appropriate from copies of otherwise non-exempt public records provided.

On-site examination of records

To the extent a request is granted, individuals requesting to review records will be allowed to schedule a time to conduct an on-site inspection of non-exempt public records during the regular hours of the Allen Public Library.  An on-site inspection may be required by the Library if the request is not precise in nature or if the requester resides or maintains his or her principle place of business within Allen County.  Public records must be inspected in the location set by the Library.  During their inspection, a requester may copy non-exempt public records (at their own cost), but may not remove, alter or add to documents provided for review.  The Library is responsible for protecting the security of public records in its custody and may require that a staff member be present during any inspection or copying of its public records.

Denial of request

Certain public records are exempt from inspection under the Open Records Act.  Circulation and Library use records for individual patrons are exempt from inspection, and requests to inspect or receive copies of these records will be denied, as will a request to inspect or receive copies of any other records which either are not public or which are exempt under the Act.  Under certain circumstances, the Library may find that a request would create an unreasonable burden to comply with, and may deny such a request for that reason. Requests that the Library believes are intended to disrupt its essential functions will also be denied.  Reasons that a request may be deemed unduly burdensome for compliance, or which may be disruptive to the Library may include time and expense involved in retrieving and duplicating the records, or in the type and nature of the request.  To the extent a request is denied, the Library will provide the legal basis for the denial to the requester.

Additional Information

Your Duty Under the Law, published by the Office of the Attorney General, and other information regarding Open Records Requests may be found online at:  http://ag.ky.gov/civil/orom/.

Rules

Notice

Administrative Regulations Governing Inspection of the Public Records of the

Allen County Public Library

106 West Public Square

Scottsville, KY 42164

Pursuant to KRS 61.870 to 61.884, the public is notified that, as provided herein, the public records of the above named Agency of the Commonwealth of Kentucky are open for inspection by any person on written application to Shelia Stovall, Library Director, the official custodian of the public records of the Allen County Public Library whose address is 106 West Public Square, Scottsville, KY 42164 during regular business hours. Application forms for the inspection of the public records of this agency will be furnished upon request to any person by an employee in this office.  Assistance in completing the application form will be provided by an employee on request.

Applicants for the inspection of public records shall be advised of the availability of the records requested for inspection, and shall be notified in writing not later than three (3) working days after receipt of an application for inspection, of any reason the records requested are not available for public inspection.

Copies of written material in the public records of this agency shall be furnished to any person requesting them on payment of a fee of ten (10) cents a page; copies of non-written records (photographs, maps, material stored in computer files or libraries, etc.) shall be furnished on request, on payment of a charge equal to the actual cost of producing copies of such records by the most economic process not likely to damage or alter the record.