Circulation Policy

LOAN PERIODS: The Southeast Oklahoma Library System Board of Trustees sets the loan
periods and limitations.

Print Materials
Books .........................21 days
New Books .................21 days (with no renewals)
Interlibrary Loan ........Set by Lending Library

Non-Print Materials
DVD’s ........................7 days
Video Games..............7 days
Board Games..............7 days
Audio Books ..............21 days
Launchpads ................7 days
Equipment ..................14 days
E-Books......................21 days or limit by vendors
Discovery Bags....... .7 days
Library of Things .......7 days

LOAN LIMITATIONS
Books .........................50 per borrower
DVD’s ........................10 per borrower
Video Games ..............1 per borrower
Audio Books ..............20 per borrower
Launchpads ................1 per borrower
Binge Sets................1 per borrower
Discovery Bags.........1 per borrower
Library of Things 1 per borrower
Board Games 2 per borrower

Total Overall = 50 items per borrower

NEW BORROWER LIMIT: For the first two months, a first-time borrower may have no more than
five items checked out at any one time.

SPECIAL LOAN PERIODS: Special loan periods for certain materials may be arranged when
needed. Items in very high demand, such as runaway best sellers, school group assignment
materials, and career test preparation books, may require very short loan periods to allow as many
people as possible to use the material in a limited time. In other situations, an extended loan period
will be appropriate.

RENEWALS: The loan period for an item may be renewed, provided there are no holds for the
item. The number of renewals permitted is two, but the library requires that any item renewed more

than once be brought to the library to be renewed further.

NON-CIRCULATING ITEMS: The library manager shall designate appropriate materials as non-
circulating. These will include most current reference and local history materials, as well as fragile

or irreplaceable items. The library manager may authorize the short-term loan of a non-circulating
item as a one-time exception when appropriate.

HOLDS: Accepting requests to hold circulating library materials for specific customers to be next
to borrow is a standard library practice. However, limits are required to prevent abuse of this
service. The number of current holds per customer shall be ten, and the length of time an item will
be held after notification of the customer will be three business days. Also, the library manager
may decide that holds will not be placed on certain types of materials.

BULK LOANS: Items may be loaned in larger quantities for use in other library service outlets, in
outreach programs, or in institutions. For bulk loans made to any group not formally connected
with SEOLS, there shall be a written agreement with the group stating the terms of the loans and
with the group accepting responsibility for the care and timely return of the materials.

LOST OR DAMAGED MATERIALS
Payment for lost or damaged library materials is the responsibility of the borrower. The charge
shall be the price paid for the item or, if that information is not known, SEOLS's current
replacement charge for the format.
(Note: for charges on items loaned to libraries outside SEOLS, see the Interlibrary Loan policy.)

Materials with water damage are considered damaged.
Payment for library materials damaged on loan is the responsibility of the borrower. Payment for
damage to library materials not on loan is the responsibility of the person causing the damage.
(Note: materials are considered to be on loan from the time they are checked out to the borrower
until they are actually checked in by the library.)

PART OF A SET: If a lost or damaged item that is part of a set can be replaced at a unit price or
if the rest of the set is nearly as useful without the item, the charge should be for just that item, at
the actual replacement price paid. Otherwise, the charge should be the current list price of the set.

OFFERED REPLACEMENTS: If the borrower of a lost item is willing and able, within 30 days,
to provide a suitable replacement, the library manager may accept the offer.

CATASTROPHIC LOSSES: The library manager may make an exception to the above charges
when the damage or loss has occurred because of the destruction of the structure where the material
was located by a catastrophe such as a fire, flood, or violent storm, and where no insurance
reimbursement is available to the borrower.

OVERDUES

Borrowing privileges are suspended when items are not returned by the due date, or when the
borrower has unpaid charges on file. (See the Suspension or Restriction of Borrowing Privileges
section of this policy.)

RETURNING MATERIALS TO OTHER LOCATIONS
RETURNS ARE ACCEPTED: All SEOLS libraries shall accept the return of materials borrowed
from other libraries or outlets within the system and see that they are returned on a timely basis
to the library or outlet where they belong.

BORROWERS
ELIGIBILITY: Since the Southeast Oklahoma Library System (SEOLS) is a tax-supported
institution, anyone residing or paying property taxes in the seven-county SEOLS service area is
eligible to register to borrow library materials. F ull-time students attending public schools or
colleges located in the SEOLS service area, military employees, and persons employed within the
service area, will also be entitled to the same services as residents.
A government or tribal issued photo identification and address verification are required to register.

A current borrower’s card from any SEOLS library is honored on equal terms at all SEOLS
libraries. Each library shall provide its services on equal terms to all residents or registered
borrowers of SEOLS.

VERIFICATION: All persons age 16 and older must present a valid, government-issued photo ID
along with proof of residence within one of SEOLS’s 7 counties. If an individual’s driver's
license has their current address that will be sufficient, if it does not, the user must provide
documentation that proves their physical address. A utility or rent receipt, insurance card, bank
statement, or voter registration card are examples of acceptable documents proving the physical
address.

RECIPROCAL PRIVILEGES: The Board may enter into agreements with other library systems
by which we agree to honor the cards of registered borrowers in good standing from those systems
in exchange for that system honoring our user’s cards. To receive reciprocal privileges a user
must present their library card from a partnering library system. Currently SEOLS has such
agreements with Eastern Oklahoma Library System (Muskogee) and Southern Oklahoma Public
Library System (Ardmore.)

CARDS & EXPIRATION DATES: A current borrower's card must be presented before items may
be checked out. Registrations expire at three year intervals, except that non-resident registrations
expire in one year. Cardholders must be present to check out materials.

NON-RESIDENTS: People residing outside SEOLS's legal service area, who wish to borrow
library materials, may obtain a SEOLS borrower's card by paying a $25.00 annual fee per each
legal household.

Full-time students attending public schools or colleges located in the SEOLS service area,
military employees, and persons employed within the service area, will be entitled to the same
services as residents.

NON-RESIDENT SEOLS TAXPAYERS: A non-resident owning property and paying taxes in a
SEOLS county is entitled to the same borrowing privileges as a resident upon presentation of
proof of property ownership or tax payment in a SEOLS county.

SYSTEM-WIDE CARDS: A current borrower's card from any SEOLS library will be honored at
any other SEOLS library. Each library shall provide its services on equal terms to all residents or
registered borrowers of SEOLS.

VISITOR/TEMPORARY: Temporary residents can receive a temporary library card by
presenting a government-issued photo ID and documentation of a current local address and
permanent address. Visitor/Temporary cards are valid for 6 months with a 5 item limit.
Eligibility will be reevaluated before a temporary card may be renewed for another 6 months.

AGE: there is no minimum age for obtaining a borrower's card. However, minors under age 16
must have approval from a parent or legal caregiver.

RESIDENTS OF SHORT-TERM FACILITIES

INDIVIDUAL CARDS: A resident or patient of a short-term facility will not be issued an
individual SEOLS borrower's card, unless an administrator of the facility agrees to accept
responsibility for all materials borrowed by the individual.

FACILITY CARDS: A facility may be issued a card in its name for use by any resident, provided
the administrator has agreed, in writing, to accept responsibility for all materials borrowed with
the card.

LIBRARY MANAGER'S DISCRETION: The Library manager shall have discretion to authorize
exceptions of both kinds to this section, particularly where an individual has been or is a registered
borrower with a good record at a SEOLS library or when the administration or staff of a facility
has been uncooperative or unreliable.

SUSPENSION OR RESTRICTION OF BORROWING PRIVILEGES
Circumstances where suspension or restriction of borrowing privileges may occur include, but are
not limited to, the following:
•  Library materials not returned by the due date or when requested
•  Unlocated library materials the borrower claims were returned
•  Damaged library materials or equipment

•  Unpaid library fees or charges
•  Violation of library rules or policies.

The aim of this policy is to encourage the responsible and considerate using and returning of library
materials. Suspension or restriction for incidental or minor violations, especially when promptly
remedied by the customer, is not intended. Each violation will be dealt with in view of its particular
circumstances, which may include:
•  The number of materials involved
•  The value of the materials involved
•  The demand by other customers for the materials involved
•  The length of time overdue
•  The type and extent of damage
•  The amount of unpaid charges owed
•  The nature of the violation
•  Previous incidents involving the customer.
Because of the wide range in size of SEOLS's libraries, specific amounts are not stated in this
policy.

Suspension or restriction shall normally be at least until all materials have been satisfactorily
returned, all charges paid, and a reasonable expectation created for future responsible use.

All Suspensions or restrictions will be left to the library manager’s discretion.

EQUIPMENT LOAN
Equipment and some miscellaneous items are available at some libraries for loan to organizations
and individuals residing within the SEOLS service area. All other library equipment or furniture
belonging to or in the charge of SEOLS is not to be loaned and may be taken from library premises
only in connection with library activities, and with proper supervisory approval from SEOLS staff,
unless the SEOLS Board or other owner has granted a specific exception.

PRIORITY: First priority for use of equipment or miscellaneous items goes to library programs
and library-sponsored activities. Next are public organizations and non-school groups. After these
requests are filled, use by individuals and schools is allowed.

BORROWERS: Persons borrowing equipment must have a current SEOLS borrower’s card.
Each organization or individual borrowing equipment is liable and will be billed for all damage
found when the returned items are inspected.

Approved 1/16/2018; Rev. 1/19/2021, 1/18/2022