Loan Periods

Loan periods vary for different types of materials, considering patron demand and the size of the library's collection.  Special requests for other checkout arrangements must be made with the director's approval.

Borrowers who do not have their BMPL card present at time of checkout will be limited to one item only.  That item may not be a CD-ROM.

General fiction and non-fiction collections, including Large Print, Children's, Youth Fiction and Young Adult collections, are available for a two-week checkout period.  These items may be renewed in person or by telephone, unless someone else has reserved them.

New adult fiction is available for a one-week checkout period.  These items may be renewed in person or by telephone, unless someone else has reserved them.  New adult fiction is designated "new" for approximately six months.

Audio cassettes, including items in the children's collection bagged with the matching books, are available for a two-week checkout period.  These items may be renewed in person or by telephone, unless someone else has reserved them.

Video cassettes, from the Fiction, Non-fiction or Children's collection, are available for a one-week checkout period.  These items may be renewed in person or by telephone, unless someone else has reserved them.  There is a limit of 5 videos checked out per visit.

CD-ROMs and are available for a one-week checkout period.  Due to the high demand for these items and the size of our current collection, there is a limit of 2 CD-ROMs per family checked out at a time.  CD-ROM borrowers must be 16 years of age or older and must have their card with them at time of checkout.  These items may be renewed in person or by telephone, unless someone else has reserved them.

Compact Disks are available for a one-week checkout period.  These items may be renewed in person or by telephone, unless someone else has reserved them.

DVDs are available for a one-week checkout period.  These items may be renewed in person or by telephone, unless someone else has reserved them.  There is a limit of 5 DVDs checked out per visit.

Audio Visual Equipment is available for a one-week checkout period.  These items may be renewed in person or by telephone, unless someone else has reserved them.

Periodicals are available for a two-week checkout period, except for the most current issue.  Checked out periodicals may be renewed in person or by telephone, unless someone else has reserved them.  The most current issue of each periodical is labeled and is for in-library use only.

Art prints are available for a three-month checkout period, with no renewal.

Materials from the Reference collection are not normally available for checkout, but certain items may be available for a two-day or one-day checkout period, with no renewal privilege.  Check with the staff about particular items.
 

Fines and Charges for Materials and Services

Library cards
 No charge for Residents and property owners of the library district
   (Who pay a library tax allocated to BMPL  as part of their property taxes)

 $73.00 per year for Non-resident individuals or families
   (Who do not pay a library tax allocated to BMPL  as part of their property taxes)

Replacement or additional library cards
 $2.00 per set (card & key ring)

Overdue books, magazines, audiotapes, compact discs
 Five cents each day, each item

Overdue videotapes, CD-ROMs, art prints, Audio-Visual equipment, special reference materials
 $1.00 each day, each item

All copies: photocopier, microfilm/fiche, reference computers, Internet computers, public word processing computers
 10 cents each

Interlibrary Loan materials
 No charge (unless lending institution makes a charge)

Replacement costs for lost and/or damaged materials:
 The price listed in the bibliographic record.
 If no price appears in the bibliographic record, the following costs apply:
  $300.00 each for audio visual equipment
  $100.00 each for art prints
  $50.00 each for CD-ROMs
  $40.00 each for Reference books
  $25.00 each for Large Print books
  $20.00 each for hardback books, compact discs, videotapes, and audiotapes
  $5.00 each for paperback books
  $2.50 each for magazines

  A $5.00 processing fee may be added.

NOTE: If the charges listed above present a financial problem to students, senior citizens, or any other members of your family, please see the library director.

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Obtaining a library card

The Batesville Memorial Public Library district consists of the City of Batesville in Ripley and Franklin Counties, Indiana, and that portion of Ripley County that comprises the Batesville Community School Corporation district (portions of Laughery and Adams Townships), and all of Ray Township in Franklin County.

Residents and property owners in the above listed areas pay a library tax allocated to the BMPL as part of their property taxes and are entitled to a library card at no additional fee.

Non-residents (who do not pay a library tax allocated to the BMPL as part of their property taxes) may purchase a library card at the library for an annual fee as determined by the Board of Trustees.

Persons requesting new Resident or Non-resident library cards will be mailed their new cards within a week after completion of the registration form, and payment (if required) is made.

There are no special fees for clergy, students, teachers, senior citizens or others, whether residents or non-residents of the BMPL district.  The Board of Trustees reserves the right to issue library cards without a fee or at a reduced fee in situations where the fee is deemed a financial hardship.  The library director is charged with making that decision in individual cases.  As a guideline, such cards may be issued to people whose children qualify for free or reduced school lunches, or to families issued food stamps, or in cases where there is an exchange of services with the library.  A non-resident who has celebrated his or her 90th birthday may also receive a lifetime BMPL borrower's card at no charge.
 

PLAC (Public Library Access Card)

Non-residents of the BMPL district who are card holders at another Indiana public library and are "in good standing" at that library, may decide to purchase a Public Library Access Card (PLAC) instead of a BMPL Non-resident card.  The PLAC is generally issued by the buyer's "home" library.  The PLAC is a valid borrower's card at any public library in Indiana.  Its annual cost is set by the State Library and that cost is posted at the BMPL every January 1.

Non-residents of the BMPL district who are not card holders at any other Indiana public library, but have paid for a current Non-resident card at the BMPL, and are "in good standing," may purchase a PLAC at the BMPL.

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Materials selection

Library materials should be selected and services and programs planned that satisfy library users' needs as individuals and as members of groups with concern given for all ages, backgrounds, interests, abilities and levels of education.  The library must consider not only the present needs of the community but must anticipate the future needs in order to give timely service.  Though the library attempts to give the best service possible to its regular users, it also has an obligation to collect materials and search for methods of service that will satisfy the needs of those in the community who have not traditionally been library users.  It is vitally important that every citizen today have ready and free access to the world of ideas, information and creative experience.

The Batesville Memorial Public Library selects, makes available, and promotes the use of library materials, whatever the format, which:
 1.  meet the information needs of the community;
 2.  meet the recreational needs of the community;
 3.  supplement formal and informal study;
 4.  reflect a variety of opinions on a subject;
 5.  support business, cultural, recreational and civic activities in the community;
 6.  stimulate self-understanding and growth;
 7.  enhance job-related knowledge and skills; and
 8.  increase knowledge of and participation in the affairs of the community, the country and the world.
 

Authority and Responsibility for Materials Selection

The authority and responsibility for the selection of library materials is delegated to the library director and, under his or her direction, to the library staff who are qualified for this activity by reason of education, training and experience.  The advice of specialists in the community is requested in fields in which staff members do not have sufficient expertise.  Suggestions from library users are welcome and are given serious consideration within the general criteria.  Final decision for purchase rests with the library.
 

Criteria for Selection

The evaluation of materials is characterized by flexibility, open-mindedness and responsiveness to the changing needs of the residents of the Batesville Memorial Public Library district.  Materials are evaluated as a whole and not on the basis of a particular passage or passages.  A work will not be excluded from the library's collection because it presents an aspect of life honestly or because of frankness of expression.
 
All acquisitions, whether purchased or donated, are considered in terms of the following standards.  Clearly, however, an item need not meet all of the criteria to be acceptable.  In some instances, materials may be judged primarily on artistic merit, or because of scholarship, or as valuable human documents, or as critical to the information needs of the community.  In other instances, the criterion may be substantial demand.
 The following general criteria are used:
 1. Present and potential relevance to community needs.
 2. Suitability of subject, style, and reading level for the intended audience.
 3. Insight into human and social conditions.
 4. Importance as a document of the times.
 5. Appropriateness and effectiveness of medium to content.
 6. Reputation and/or significance of the author.
 7. Demand for the material.
 8. Critics' and staff members' reviews.
 9. Reputation of the publisher or producer.
 10. Relationship to existing materials in the collection on the same subject.
 11. Availability and accessibility of the same materials in the local geographic area.
 

Reconsideration Procedures

The choice of library materials by users is an individual matter.  Responsibility for the reading or viewing of materials by children and adolescents rests with their parents or legal guardians.  While a person may reject materials for himself or herself and for his or her children, he or she cannot exercise censorship to restrict access to the materials by others.

The Batesville Memorial Public Library supports intellectual freedom and endorses the following statements: "Freedom to Read," American Library Association, "Freedom to View," American Film and Video Association, and the "Library Bill of Rights," American Library Association.

Citizens with complaints about library materials should be channeled to the library director.  If the director's explanation of the material's selection, or solution to the complaint, is not adequate to the complainant, that person may submit a description of the problem in writing to the Board of Trustees using the "Request for Consideration of Library Materials" form and "Request for Consideration of Library Materials - Part 2" form.  He or she may then decide to present the complaint in person at a regularly scheduled Board of Trustees meeting for a decision to be determined later.  Questions about censorship are a regular part of the library's annual report to the State Library, and details about "challenged" materials are requested.

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Use of library meeting rooms

The library has several meeting rooms which are available for public use during library hours:
 1.  The Activity Room with table, chairs, small kitchen and rest room; seating capacity = 14.
      (The Activity Room is not available to businesses or other for-profit groups or individuals)
 2.  Meeting Room A with an adjoining kitchen; seating capacity = approx. 50.
 3.  Meeting Room B; seating capacity = approx. 50.
 4.  Both Meeting Rooms A and B can be used by moving the dividing wall between them; seating capacity = approx. 120.

The Activity Room and Meeting Room A have jacks for access to the library's videoconferencing equipment, satellite programming, and IHETS (Indiana Higher Education Telecommunications System) programs.  Such access must be scheduled through the library staff.

Who May Use the Rooms

The meeting rooms are available at no charge for use by civic, community, cultural, educational, political, or religious organizations and other not-for-profit groups and individuals for non-commercial and non-profit purposes.

Businesses and other for-profit organizations or individuals will be charged for all room usage according to the fee structure listed under Fees and Charges below.

Library premises may not be used for meetings or public announcements sponsored by individual candidates for local, state, or federal office.

Library-sponsored activities always take precedence in scheduling meeting room use.  Non-library groups or individuals will have a scheduling priority after library-sponsored activities as listed below:
    1.  Educational programs, such as IHETS classes and teleconferences, and other satellite programming
    2.  Not-for-profit groups and/or individuals
    3.  Businesses and other for-profit groups and/or individuals

Meeting rooms are not available for personal or family parties, showers, or receptions.

Fees and Charges

a.  For the use of either Meeting Room A or B, the fee is $50.00 per day.
b.  For the use of both Meeting Rooms A and B, the fee is $100.00 per day.

No admission charge may be made for meetings held at the library.  No buying or selling is permitted, without prior approval from the director.  Membership dues and/or registration fees covering the cost of materials or speakers are acceptable.  Library staff will not be responsible for the collection of such fees.

Procedures for Scheduling a Meeting Room

1.  Contact the library during regular library hours to schedule a meeting room.
2.  Business and other for-profit groups and/or individuals (and others if requested) are to complete and return to the library a Permit For Use of Library Meeting Rooms form.
3. Only three consecutive meetings will be scheduled at a time.
4.  Meeting rooms will not be scheduled for businesses or other for-profit groups and/or individuals more than 90 days (or less than one week) in advance.

Conditions of Use

1.  Meeting rooms are available only during the hours the library is open to the public.  Persons using the meeting rooms will not be able to enter the building until 9:00 a.m. Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, or 1:00 p.m. on Sunday (from October through April only), so meeting times must be planned accordingly.  All users must vacate the library no later than 9:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, or 5:00 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

2.  Each group is responsible for damages to facilities and equipment and for provision of clean up.

3.  No smoking is permitted in the library building.

4.  Alcoholic beverages may not be served or consumed by non-library groups using the meeting rooms.  Food and non-alcoholic beverages (except for red or other dark drinks that can stain the carpet) are allowed in meeting rooms during scheduled meetings.

5.  Children must be accompanied by a care giver in the library.  Adults attending meetings must not leave children unsupervised in the library.

6.  Groups and/or individuals using the meeting rooms are expected to arrange the chairs and tables to suit their own purpose.  Following the meeting the chairs and tables are to be returned to their original arrangement unless otherwise designated by the library staff.

7.  The library's sound equipment, projection equipment, pads and easels, podiums, and television and VCR may be used only when arrangements are made in advance.  Equipment is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

8.  Items are not to be removed from or put on the floors, walls or other parts of the meeting rooms without permission from the library staff.  Track lights in Meeting Rooms A and B may be moved or adjusted only by library staff.

9.  Use of the meeting rooms does not constitute library endorsement of the viewpoints expressed by participants in the program.

10.  All non-library sponsored meetings will be open to the public and may be monitored by library staff to ensure compliance with these policies.
 
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Guidelines for computer use

Public Use Computers in the Children's Area

1. Users must sign in on the appropriate clip board at the circ desk before using the computer.  Certain times of day may be blocked out for library use, maintenance, etc.

2. Computer users are allowed one-half hour for games on the children's computer.  If no one else is signed up to use that computer, users may continue using the computer until someone else signs up to use it.

3. Anyone found to be abusing library computers or related equipment in any way, or entering their own programs onto the hard drive, will forfeit any further library computer use.  This includes erasing or altering any library-stored data or programming on the hard drive, illegally copying copyrighted software, or use of profanity.

4. If requested, library staff members familiar with the computers and software will attempt to help users in the general operation of the library's computers.  However, scheduling of such staff is not guaranteed at all times, and time limits may prevent library staff from providing all requested help.
 

Internet Computers  (by the Circulation Desk and in the Mary Stewart Center)

1. Due to the limited resources available for provision of public access to the Internet, the library reserves the right to limit the amount of time an individual may have access to library equipment.  Upon logging in, all users will be allowed a total of 60 minutes per day on a public computer in the library.  Computers are available on a first come, first served basis.

2. BMPL card holders may log in to use a computer using the 14-digit bar code that appears on their borrower's card.
Visitors to the library (without a valid BMPL borrower's card) should ask at the Circulation Desk for a temporary log-in number.
All users must agree to abide by this Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) in order to log in.

3. Failure to observe any part of this policy may result in suspension of the user's right to use the computer.

4. Users may not attempt to reconfigure systems or software, or in any way interfere with or disrupt the current system or network set-up and services.

5. Users may not invade the privacy of others.  Each user has the right to a quiet and organized work space.

6. There is a limit of one user per workstation at a time.  Exceptions must be approved by someone on the library staff.

7. If any user abuses or engages in unauthorized use of library computers, his or her computer privileges will be denied.  If a user refuses a staff request to end problem behavior, the user will be asked to leave the library.  Staff may call upon the assistance of other staff and/or the police if necessary.

8. User files saved to a library computer hard drive may not be available the next time.

9. Display of text or graphics that may be construed as obscene or extremely violent is prohibited.

10. Anyone who makes illegal use of a library computer may be subject to prosecution by local, state or federal authorities.

11. Computers will shut down no later than 5 minutes before the library closes.
 

Internet Use Policies

To fulfill its mission and to provide public access to information of all types in a wide range of formats, the library provides access to Internet resources.  The Internet offers access to many valuable local, national and international sources of information.  However, some information found on the Internet may be inaccurate, incomplete, dated, or offensive to some individuals.  A good information consumer must evaluate the validity and appropriateness of information found.

Choosing and Evaluating Sources

The Internet is a series of communication linkages leading to a highly diverse array of information content.  Library visitors use it at their own risk.  In choosing sources to link to from its home pages, the library follows its materials selection guidelines.  Beyond this, the library is not responsible for the content of the Internet, changes in content of the sources to which the library home pages link, or for the content of the sources accessed through secondary links.  In an effort to assist its users, the library has created web sites for the general population, for teens and children to help guide them to sources that are accurate, complete and current and that provide them with a wealth of information on the local, national and global levels.

Access by Minors

Parents or legal guardians must assume responsibility for deciding which library resources are appropriate for their own children.  Parents or legal guardians should guide their children in use of the Internet and inform them about materials they should not use.  While the library affirms and acknowledges the rights and responsibilities of parents and guardians to monitor and determine their children's access to library materials and resources, including those available through the Internet, the library has taken certain measures designed to assist in the safe and effective use of these resources by all minors.

a.  To address the issue of access by minors to inappropriate material on the Internet, including material that is harmful to minors, the library:
    i.  Develops and maintains special web sites for children and teens;
    ii.  Encourages staff to guide minors away from materials that may be inappropriate; and
    iii.  Uses filtering software, as required by the Children's Internet Protection Act, in an attempt to keep inappropriate materials from minors.  However, no filtering blocking technology exists that blocks access only to speech that is obscene, child pornography or harmful to minors.  And no filtering technology protects children from all objectionable materials.

b.  To address the issue of safety and security of minors when using electronic mail, chat rooms and other forms of direct electronic communications, as well as unauthorized disclosure, use and dissemination of personal identification information regarding minors, the library urges minors to keep in mind the following safety guidelines:
    i.  Never give out identifying information such as home address, school name, or telephone number.   
    ii.  Let parents or guardians decide whether personal information such as age, marital status, or financial information should be revealed.
    iii. Never arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone via the computer without parents' or guardians' approval.
    iv.  Never respond to messages that are suggestive, obscene, threatening, or make one uncomfortable.
    v.  Have parents or guardians report an incident to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678 if one becomes aware of the transmission of child pornography.
    vi.  Remember that people online may not be who they say they are.
    vii.  Remember that not everything one reads may be true.

c.  To address the issue of unauthorized access, including so-called "hacking," and other unlawful activities by minors online, minors and all other library users are hereby advised that use of the library's computers for hacking or any other unlawful activity is strictly prohibited.

Rules governing use

Due to the limited resources available for provision of public access to the Internet, the library may set limits, for example, on use of large files of still or moving images or sound, or on downloading files in any medium.  The library also reserves the right to limit the amount of time an individual user can devote to a single session.  The public must comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws, including laws governing the transmission and dissemination of information while accessing the Internet.

Users may not:

• Use the network to make unauthorized entry into other computational, informational, or communication services or resources.
  
• Distribute unsolicited advertising.
  
• Invade the privacy of others.
  
• Make any attempt to damage computer equipment or software.
  
• Engage in any activity that is harassing or defamatory.
  
• Use the Internet for any illegal activity, including violation of copyright or other rights of third parties, or in a manner inconsistent with the library's tax-exempt status or its proper operation.

Violations may result in loss of access.
Unlawful activities will be dealt with in an appropriate manner.

Security

Users should be aware that the Internet is not a secure medium and that third parties may be able to obtain information regarding users' activities.  However, the library will not release information on the use of specific Internet resources by members of the public except as required by law or necessary for the proper operation of the library.

Compliance

The library reserves the right to take appropriate actions to insure compliance with this policy.

Access to information

The library is guided by the following American Library Association statements on access to information:

• The Library Bill of Rights
  
• Freedom to Read Statement
  
• Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights: Free Access to Libraries for Minors and Access to Electronic Information Services and Resources.

In general, the library is guided by a commitment to access to information policies that provide appropriate protections to its patrons while being consistent with the library's longstanding commitment to the principles of free expression as set forth in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
 

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Behavior in the library

    The Board of Trustees of the Batesville Memorial Public Library reserves the right to cause to be ejected from the library premises and to refuse further admission to individuals who violate the rights of the staff or library users, or who create disorder on library premises in any of the following situations:

• Any situation in which the actions of a person present an imminent danger to the life or safety of others on library premises.
• Any situation in which a person is observed in an attempt to steal library property or that of another library user, or to maliciously destroy library property or that of another library user.
• Any situation in which a person's behavior is inappropriate to the use of the library building for the purposes for which it is legally constituted.
• Any situation in which a person willfully and purposefully disturbs the staff or other library users or whose behavior is in any way disruptive to the legitimate use of the library facilities by others.

Inappropriate behavior includes, but is not limited to:
loitering, gambling, voyeurism, smoking, public intoxication, sleeping, molestation, possession of a controlled substance, use of obscene language, solicitation.

In addition, no beverages or food are allowed in the library, with the following exception:  Food and/or non-alcoholic beverages are allowed in meeting rooms during meetings which have been registered with the library staff.  No alcoholic beverages are allowed anywhere in the library.

Violators
Persons who violate these rules will be asked to leave the library premises, or, when appropriate, will be subject to arrest.  Repeated violators and/or those who refuse to leave will be subject to arrest and prosecution under Section 35-43-2-2 of the Indiana Code entitled, "Criminal Trespass."

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