I understand that the mobile hotspot may be checked out by a patron of the Jonathan Bourne Public Library who is 18 years or older, in good standing and a cardholder for a minimum of 6 months. (Patron must present a valid Massachusetts driver’s license or government issued I.D at time of checkout)
- RETURN: I understand that the mobile hotspot must be returned directly to a staff member at the circulation desk.
- LOAN PERIOD: Hotspots may be checked out for two weeks only once per month, per household. Overdue hotspots will be deactivated 24 hours past the due date. If the mobile hotspot is not returned within one week of its due date, I will be charged the full replacement costs.
- LIABILITY: I accept full responsibility for the mobile hotspot and accessories while checked out to me including:
- I am liable for replacement costs (outlined below) if the mobile hotspot is lost or stolen while checked out to me.
- Any costs incurred will be added to my library record, and will constitute a debt owed to the Jonathan Bourne Public Library and must be paid in full.
REPLACEMENT COSTS
| ITEM | COST |
|---|---|
| Mobile Hotspot | 200.00 |
| Micro USB Cable | 10.00 |
| Power Adapter | 5.00 |
| SIM Card | 20.00 |
| Carrying Case | 15.00 |
| Instruction Card | 5.00 |
I understand that the telescope may be checked out by a patron of the Jonathan Bourne Public Library who is 18 years or older, in good standing and a cardholder for a minimum of 6 months. (Patron must present a valid Massachusetts Driver’s License or government issued ID at time of checkout)
RETURN: I understand that the telescope must be returned directly to a staff member at the circulation desk.
TRANSPORT: I understand that the telescope must be transported in a vehicle and secured safely in the provided transportation tote with the eyepiece and finder correctly positioned so it will not be damaged. (Eyepiece and finder up toward the lid on the tote – in between two pillow cushions for secure transport)
LOAN PERIOD: I understand that the loan period is one week with no renewal. If the telescope is not returned within one week of its due date, I will be charged the full replacement costs below.
LIABILITY: I accept full responsibility for the telescope and accessories while checked out to me, including:
I am liable for repair costs if the telescope is returned damaged.
I am liable for replacement costs (outlined below) if the telescope is lost or stolen while checked out to me.
Any costs incurred will be added to my library record, will constitute a debt owed to the Jonathan Bourne Public Library and must be paid in full.
REPLACEMENT COSTS
| ITEM | COST |
|---|---|
| Telescope, finder, lens, eyepiece & SH | 290.00 |
| Headlamp (Red & White Light) | 17.00 |
| Laminated User Guide | 16.00 |
| Audubon Constellation Guide | 12.00 |
| Decals | 5.00 |
| Transport Tote | 8.00 |
| Pillows | 7.00 |
| Dedication Plaque | 10.00 |
| Pouch | 10.00 |
A. PURPOSE
The Jonathan Bourne Public Library’s (Library) purpose is to provide all individuals—both residents of the Town of Bourne and visitors—with access to a collection of books and other print, electronic, audio-visual and other materials¹ that are selected to serve a diverse set of objectives that meaningfully enrich the community. This policy is adopted by the Trustees of the Jonathan Bourne Public Library to accomplish that purpose by selecting and disposing such books and other materials in a systematic, thoughtful manner that best enables the Library to accomplish its purpose within constraints of budget, space, and other factors.
B. DECISIONAL AUTHORITY
The Library Director is responsible for all decisions concerning the selection and disposal of Library books and materials. The Library Director shall apply best professional judgment and discretion in accordance with the provisions of this Policy when making such decisions. The Library Director may delegate this responsibility to other Library staff.² The Library Director must comply with this Policy when making such decisions.
All decisions made by the Library Director shall be final.
C. SELECTION CRITERIA
The Library Director shall select books and other materials to include in the Library’s collection by applying the Selection Criteria in this Policy. The Selection Criteria shall consist both of Objectives and Selection Considerations.
Objectives: The following Library Objectives may be considered as part of any decision to add books or other materials to the Library’s collection.
- Promoting literacy and encouraging continuous, life-long learning.
- Helping people learn more about themselves and their world.
- Providing access to a variety of opinions on matters of current interest.
- Encouraging freedom of expression.
- Supporting educational, civic, and cultural activities within the community.
- Providing links to community resources and government agencies.
- Providing books and materials in response to community demand.
- Supporting career and job-related skills.
- Enhancing the individual’s enjoyment of life.
- Supporting or complementing the Town’s public school system curriculum.
Selection Considerations: The following Selection Considerations may be considered as part of any decision to add books or other materials to the Library’s collection.
- Contemporary significance.
- Enduring value.
- Readability and style.
- Treatment of subject for intended audience.
- Physical durability, and attractiveness.
- Suitability of the format for library use.
- Creative, literary, or technical quality.
- Availability from our contracted vendors.
- Reviews in the professional journals.
- Reviews in popular media.
- Professional or literary reputation of the author, publisher, or producer.
- Circulation of similar books and materials.
- Relation to existing book collection and other materials on the subject.
- Existing Library space.
- Cost and Library budget.
Disclaimers: Decisions to select books or other materials for the Library’s collection are subject to the following principles. The Library Director may decline to select any books or other materials if such a selection would contravene any of the following principles.
- The freedom to read, along with the freedom to hear and to view, is protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights. The Library is committed to these freedoms and selecting books and other materials in accordance with them.
- Selection of books and materials does not constitute or imply agreement with or approval of the content, viewpoint, implications, or presentation of the books or materials.
- The Library staff does not serve in loco parentis. It is the parent(s) or legal guardians(s), and only those persons, who may restrict their minor children, under age 18, from access to Library materials. Selection decisions will not reflect the possibility that children may purposefully or inadvertently view the materials.
- The Library is not a judicial body or an arbiter of community standards. No books or material will be selected or removed from the Library based on complaints of obscenity, pornography, subversiveness, or any other similar reason unless: (a) such a decision conforms to the Selection Criteria; or (b) any book or material that is unlawful.
D. REPLACEMENT OR DISPOSAL
Selecting books and other materials is an ongoing process. It includes the removal of books and materials that no longer meet the Selection Criteria and the replacement of lost and worn materials still of enduring value. This process of replacement or disposal is an integral part of assessing the collection and therefore should be conducted only by Library staff or the Library Director.
Books and other materials may be replaced or disposed of if they:
- Are in poor physical condition.
- Have not been circulated in the last five years.
- Are outdated in content, use, or accuracy.
- Are mediocre or poor in quality.
- Duplicate information that is no longer in heavy demand.
- Are superseded by new or revised editions.
- Are outdated and unattractive format, design, graphics, and illustrations.
- Contain information that is inaccessible due to lack of table of contents, adequate indexing, and searching capabilities.
- Were not selected in accordance with approved Selection Criteria or no longer conform to the Selection Criteria.
- No longer contribute meaningfully to the Library’s objectives, viewed in isolation or in combination with other materials in the Library’s collection.
E. GIFTS
The Library may accept gifts or donations of books and other materials with the understanding that they will be added to the collection only if appropriate and needed. The Library Director may refuse a gift or donated item, or otherwise dispose of a gift or donated item as the Director determines to be appropriate. Library staff shall not appraise the value of donated books or materials but may provide an acknowledgment of receipt of the items if requested by the donor. The Library may also accept financial donations, with the understanding that the Library Director retains the right to use such funds to purchase books or other materials, at their discretion, that conform to this Selection Policy. Gifts over $25 must be accepted by the Select Board.
¹ This includes items in the “Library of Things” collection that may not normally be viewed as a traditional library collection.
² All references to the “Library Director” in this Policy shall mean and include any duly appointed designee unless context clearly dictates otherwise.
Adopted Board of Trustees April 27, 2023. Updated June 6, 2024 to include Library of Things.
A Bourne Public Library card may be used at 35 CLAMS (Cape Libraries Automated Materials Sharing) libraries except Sandwich, and West Harwich.
All Massachusetts residents and Bourne seasonal residents are entitled to a Bourne Public Library CLAMS card. To apply just present a photo ID such as a driver’s license, Registry picture ID, or military ID at the circulation desk. If your identification has a P.O. or business address, you may still need to show proof of your current residence.
Children under 18 must have their applications signed by a parent or guardian.
During registration you may apply for a PIN (Personal Identification Number) which will allow you to have on-line access to your record, while insuring the confidentiality of your library information.
Your library card is free and valuable! Please report lost or stolen cards and any address changes as soon as possible. Replacement charge for a lost card is $1.00. If you forget your card and wish to charge out materials, you will be asked to show a photo ID at checkout.
Materials checked out on your card are your responsibility. For your own protection please do not lend your library card.
Bourne Public Library records are considered confidential. No one has access to your library record without your consent. This covers both personal information such as addresses and telephone numbers, as well as which materials you have checked out or on hold. A copy of the Library’s confidentiality policy is available at the circulation desk.
When calling the library to ask about your library record, please have your library card number readily available.
If you visit the library and you do not have your card with you, you will be asked to provide another form of identification when inquiring about your record.
Our computers maintain only a record of materials currently checked out. Once materials are returned, the patron’s record is erased.
Parents of children under 18 years of age may ask for and obtain titles of materials that their children have checked out.
You may check on the status of items checked out, renew items on or before their due dates, or review items on your request list at any time using any of the Library’s on-line catalogs or from your home computer. To look up your record have your CLAMS Card and PIN (Personal Identification Number) ready.
- Choose My Account from the top of the main search page. A separate login window will open.
- Enter your first or last name in the first box.
- Type your barcode number (from your CLAMS card) in the second box. This is a 13 digit number; do not enter any spaces.
- Enter your PIN in the third box. This is a 4 digit number which you must have signed up for previously.
- Click LOGIN.
- The Patron Account Information page will open confirming your name and address, all items you have checked out, all titles you have on hold, and any fees due on your account.
Materials, except Museum Passes, may be returned to the most convenient CLAMS library location. When the library is closed, book drops are available at the Library’s main entrance and at the Community Building lobby in Buzzards Bay. Items returned in the book drop after closing are removed from the patron’s record the next morning.
Most materials borrowed from the Jonathan Bourne Public Library or any CLAMS member library may be renewed twice, unless reserved by another patron. You may renew items in several ways:
- Access the on-line CLAMS catalog on or before the due date using the My Account link. (You’ll need your library card number and PIN.)
- Stop in or call the Bourne Public Library during hours of operation. (Please have your library card with you.)
- Materials borrowed through the Commonwealth Catalog are not renewable.
- Interlibrary Loan items borrowed from off-Cape libraries must be brought into the Bourne Library when returned and may be renewed only by special arrangement with the Interlibrary Loan department before their due date.
As a courtesy, the Library mails overdue notices to borrowers who are more than one week late returning materials.
An overdue item is considered lost 30 days after its due date and notification of the cost to replace the item is sent at that time. Borrowing privileges may be blocked until billed items are returned.
Any patron whose fines and fees exceed $25 will be blocked from borrowing until the fines are reduced.
Lost item charges are reduced to $3.00 each for books, videos, DVD’s, cassettes, and CD’s and $1.00 each for children’s books and periodicals when returned to the Bourne Public Library.
When an item is returned in damaged condition, a borrower may be charged the full replacement cost of the item (plus a $10 processing fee). Museum Passes must be returned within 24 hours of checkout, with the exception of disposable passes given for the Boston Museum of Science, Museum of Fine Arts, and Boston Children’s Museum, which do not have to be returned. Patrons are charged $5.00 / day for an overdue Museum Pass.
Please note that the failure to receive a late notice does not absolve the borrower of the obligation to return materials on time and in good condition. Please notify the Library as soon as possible when there is an address change.
Taking materials from the library, including books, magazines, reference materials, DVD’s and videos, cassettes, CD’s, microfilm or any other materials, without proper checkout is not just against the rules. It is a crime.
Any cutting, tearing, defacing, or destruction of library materials is not just inconsiderate of others who wish to use those materials. It is a crime.
Failure to return any library materials or property which have been lent to said person by the library facility, within thirty (30) days after demand has been made for their return is not just abuse of one’s borrowing privilege. It is a crime.
State Law makes theft or mutilation of library materials or property a crime.
