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Inter-library Loans

Inter-Library Loan - Access to the Global Library

As a small, rural library we cannot possibly maintain in our collection every item our patrons could desire. The solution is to borrow items from other libraries via the interlibrary loan system.

The Lassen Library District is the only public library in Lassen County that is member of the California State Library system and a member of the North State Cooperative Library System. (The Lassen College library is also a member of these systems). Membership in these systems affords our patrons the ability to request materials from member libraries in these systems.

Most materials in the collections of these libraries can be borrowed, but the loan periods and any late fees vary depending on the policies of the lending library.

 

ILL Request Procedures

Patrons must have a Lassen Library District library card and be patrons in good standing. Patrons with long-outstanding late fees or overdue iyems will not be allowed to make ILL requests.

ILL requests can be made in person, via facsimilie or e-mail, but all patrons will be required to indicate their acceptance of the terms of the loan, including the requirement to pay associated costs, by signing the request application prior to picking up the borrowed items. 

There is a four-item limit on the number of ILL items a patron can have at any time.

Library staff members will search the holdings of other libraries using on-line database search and reservation tools available to them to find the requested materials and place a loan order for them. Patrons are called when the items have arrived at the library.

Patrons can search the California Library Catalog - CalCat - or the worldwide OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc. online library catalog - WorldCat - to find materials themselves, but they will not be able to make a reservation request as this capability requires a subscription-based account.

 

ILL Fees

Materials borrowed from NSCLS libraries are transported free of charge via courier between the libraries. There are, therefore, no charges to the borrowing patron for these materials.

Materials borrowed from non-NSCLS libraries are usually transported by mail and, therefore incur a postage charge. The Lassen Library Disitrict collects a $2 return postage fee for these materials at the time the patron picks them up.

The library staff makes every effort to find requested materials in an NSCLS library first, so as to avoid the patron having to pay postage charges.

 
Library Fees and Charges

The library is an independent special district that funds its operations with an assessment of a special tax, grants from local, state and federal programs, donations and the collection of fees for certain services.

The Board of Library Trustees sets the fee schedule during annual budget preparations in May and June of each year, or when required during the fiscal year. All suggestions for change to the fee schedule should be addressed to the Library Director who will present the issue to the board of library trustees.

Schedule of Fees
(Effective as of November 21, 2008)
Use of Computers Free for all patrons.
Conference Room Rental $25 per hour; no minimum, no maximum
Damaged book repair $5 per item
Facsimile (FAX) Cover page is free, $3 first page, plus $1 each additional page
Interlibrary Loans Free, unless return postage is required;
$3 for return postage.
See Interlibrary Loan page of this Web site.
Lamination $1 per foot – 1 foot minimum charge
Overdue Materials

$0.15 per day for Books, CDs, Books on Tape
$0.50 per day for DVDs and Video Tapes
$0.15 per day for Interlibrary loaned materials plus any fine charged by the lending library.
Maximum Charge = value of item plus $5 processing fee if item is declared lost

Library Card

Resident - $28 per residential property paid as a special tax with property tax bill

Library card replacement No charge
Microfilm Search

Obituary -- $5 per name
Other -- $25 per hour
(includes printing and return postage)

Printing/copying $0.10 per page (all pages counted, including mistake pages)
Returned check (NSF) Amount of check plus $25 processing fee;
Unsettled NSF checks will be turned over to the District Attorney’s Bad Check Program.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Library Card Policy
Library Membership

California law requires that all public libraries provide basic library services to residents within the Library District's boundaries free of charge. The Library District's boundaries are coterminous with those of the County of Lassen, therefore all residents of Lassen County are entitled to a library card without charge.

Library cards are issued for one year and are renewable.

Residents and visitors who do not have a library card are entitled to and encouraged to use the library facilities, but cannot borrow books or materials and may be accessed usage fees for the use of certain facilities and services. Library cardholders are also subject to certain fees that cover certain services and programs which are not considered core library services.  (See the Schedule of Fees)

Lassen College students are considered residents for purposes of obtaining a Lassen Library District library card. Proof of enrollment is required.

 

Obtaining a Library Card

To obtain a library card, you must:

  1. Apply in person;
  2. Prove who you are by presenting photo identification, such as CA drivers license, CA I.D. card, military / D.O.D. I.D., or passport
  3. Prove where you live by presenting documentation of a physical address (a Post Office box mailing address is not sufficient), such as your property tax statement, rental agreement, utility bill, vehicle registration, CA drivers license, or personal check with printed address. Lassen College students must show proof of registration for the current semester.
  4. Be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, if under the age of 18 years. Parents/guardians of minors will also be required to complete consent forms for their minor children to use the library's public access computers.

Patrons are responsible for informing library staff of any changes in name, address, or phone number.

 

Library Reciprocity Agreement - Direct Loan

Lassen Library membership is recognized at most other libraries in California, meaning Lassen Library card holders are permitted to check out items directly from these other libraries. Most libraries will probably issue their own library cards to Lassen Library card holders seeking direct loan privileges after checking with Lassen Library as to the status of their Lassen Library accounts.

All items checked out from the lending library are done so under that library's loan policies. Items checked out from other libraries can be returned to the Lassen Library, who will return them to the lending library. Patrons are responsible to the lending library for all late charges they may incur and must take into consideration the increased time involved in returning loaned items to the lending library so as to avoid incurring late charges.

Lassen Library will issue a non-resident Lassen Library Card to patrons of other library jurisdictions seeking direct loan privileges at Lassen Library. The patron must present at the time of application a valid library card from their community's library, as well as a valid photo identication, and Lassen Library will verify with that library that the patron's account with that library is in good standing before issuing a Lassen Library card.

 

Loan Periods and Restrictions

There is a 15-item limit on the total number of items a patron can have checked out at any one time. There are limits on the number of some items one may borrow, as listed below. The library asks that patrons borrow no more items at one time than can reasonably be used and cared for within the loan period.

Adult & Young Adult books, books on tape/CD

Four (4) weeks

Newly received popular titles
(New fiction books remain on this list for 3 months and then are placed into the general collection.)
Limit = 2 

Two (2) weeks

Children's books

Four (4) weeks

Videos (VHS tape & , DVD)
Limit = 5 

One (1) week

Audio CDs 

Four (4) weeks

Books acquired via Inter-Library Loan
Limit=4

Four (4) weeks or as set by lending library

Materials are due back on or before the due date. Patrons are afforded a 3-day grace period after the due date to return items. Items returned after the grace period will have late fees assessed from the original due date.

 

Loan Period Extensions

Patrons may request one renewal per item to extend the loan period by an additional loan period. Renewals must be made prior to the items' due dates. Renewing after a due date will not cancel any incurred late charges. Renewals may be requested by phone to the Circulation Desk (251-8127) during open hours or via this Contact Us link. Items for which additional renewals beyond the first one are desired must be presented to the Circulation Staff in person, checked in and then checked back out to the patron.

 

Patron Responsibilities

All patrons are responsible for the proper care and use all materials checked out on their library cards and for all late fees that may be incurred for materials returned after the due date(s), and that are damaged or lost.

Parents/guardians of minor children are responsible for providing proper guidance on the choices of materials their children make, for the proper care and use all materials checked out on their library cards and for all late fees that may be incurred for materials returned after the due date(s), and that are damaged or lost.

 
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