Access to Audiovisual Materials Policy

The Library makes available to its users a collection of audiovisual materials, including, but not limited to, books on cassette and CD, Playaway devices, music CDs, and videocassettes and DVDs, including both educational materials and feature films. As technology develops, other audiovisual materials may be made available through the Library website or other means. 

In accordance with the American Library Association's "Access for Children and Young Adults to Nonprint Materials: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights," the Butte County Library does not restrict access to any audiovisual materials by any user, regardless of age.

It is the responsibility of parents and guardians, not library staff, to decide which materials are suitable to be used or borrowed by their children. The Library encourages parents and guardians to accompany their children when they use the Library and to provide clear guidelines for appropriate items for reading, listening or viewing.

Passed and adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the County of Butte, State of California, on March 11, 2008.

Butte County Library encourages children and families to take advantage of its services and collections. The Library strives to provide a welcoming, safe and positive environment for all of its users, including children. However, the Library is a public place, and caregivers should not take children's safety in the Library for granted.

Parents, guardians or caregivers are responsible for the supervision of children in the Library. The Library recognizes the responsibility of these responsible adults for the behavior and well-being of their children. While library staff may give children instructions about appropriate behavior in a library setting, the Library has no authority to act in loco parentis.

The Library respects the privacy of all library users of any age, and library staff will intervene under this policy only when a child is deemed to be at risk. These situations include, but are not limited to: children left unsupervised for an extended period of time; children who are ill, injured, hungry, or afraid; children who are not picked up at closing time; and unsupervised children in the Library when weather, power outages or other emergencies require the Library to close earlier than usual. At any time, staff will call 911 if a child appears to need immediate medical assistance.

While the child safety policy primarily applies to children aged twelve and under, older children deemed to be at risk may also be covered as circumstances warrant.

During any time the Library is open, if a child is at risk and no parent or caregiver is present, library staff will make every reasonable effort to contact an individual responsible for the child. If no parent or caregiver can be reached, library staff will contact the local law enforcement agency to take custody of the child.

At closing time, if staff cannot reach a responsible party, two staff members will wait with the child for at least fifteen minutes past closing time. If a parent or caregiver still cannot be reached, and if library staff has no reason to believe that a responsible party is en route to pick up the child, staff will contact the local law enforcement agency to take custody of the child. If law enforcement personnel take custody of a child, library staff may leave a note on the library door to notify the caregiver. If a child is not picked up at closing time on more than one occasion, staff may call law enforcement immediately rather than waiting fifteen minutes. Library staff will not drive children home.

Any time a law enforcement agency is contacted, staff will inform the Library Director.

Passed and adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the County of Butte, State of California, on December 11, 2007.

The Butte County Library welcomes donations of books and other materials that expand and enhance our collection or are suitable for resale.

All donations become the sole property of the Library. Books not added to the Library's collection may be sold by our Friends of the Library or distributed to charities. The Library can provide (on request) a blank receipt to the donor for the gift, but cannot appraise items for tax purposes.

Butte County Library takes pride in providing all individuals with free access to ideas, information, and technology. Our branches are open to everyone; however, we request all patrons adhere to our Code of Conduct while using our facilities. If patrons don't abide by the Library Code of Conduct, we may ask them to leave and even ban them from using the library, depending on the activity. Butte County Library's mission is to provide the best customer service to all individuals. We want our branches to be welcoming and accessible to all who use them. We encourage anyone using our facilities to notify branch staff members of any behaviors you observe that are not in line with our Code of Conduct. Our staff will swiftly assess and respond to the situation. Together, let's make our Libraries a great resource for everyone in Butte County.

Welcome to the Butte County Library! Our patrons appreciate a clean and safe environment while enjoying the library. If all users abide by this Code of Conduct, the library will meet those expectations. Please help us provide a good library environment for everyone.

1. Library users may not engage in any activity prohibited by law. Visitors are prohibited from interfering with library employees' work or endangering other library users, under California Penal Code Section 602.1(b).
2. Persons unwilling to stop unacceptable conduct will be asked to leave.
3. We do not tolerate rude, threatening, or abusive behavior toward library users or staff.
4. You are responsible for your children and their behavior. All children must be closely supervised to ensure their safety and a positive environment for others. (Please see the Butte County Child Safety Policy.)
5. You are responsible for your personal belongings, so keep them near you. Unattended belongings will be removed and discarded.
6. Clothing, including shoes and shirts, is required in the library.
7. Our public computers are very popular. Please observe the Library Internet Policy, which is posted near the Internet computers.
8. Food and drink can ruin our computers, carpets, and materials. Please do not eat in the public areas. Drinks are allowed only if covered.
9. Only service animals (dogs only, per current Federal ADA law) specifically trained to aid persons with disabilities are welcome inside the library. Under Federal ADA policy, animals whose function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify.
10. On library grounds, dogs must be under human control on a leash at all times.
11. Bicycles and similar items must be left outdoors.
12. No printed matter can be posted or given out inside the library without staff permission.
13. Please see our Meeting Room Policy for specific information on use of the meeting rooms.
14. Blocking access to emergency exits, walkways or the book drop is prohibited.
15. Causing damage to public property is prohibited.
16. Smoking and tobacco use is prohibited.
17. Use or possession of alcohol or drugs is prohibited.
18. Use of the restrooms for bathing or washing clothes is prohibited.
19. Loitering outside of business hours is prohibited.

Violation of these rules may result in expulsion from the library and may be cause for being banned from the library.

06/2017

Fines & Fees

• Overdue library items: $0.25 per item per day, to a maximum of:
  • $2.50 per item for children's materials
  • $5 per item for young adult and adult materials
• Replacement library card: $1
• Check-out privileges are blocked when an account balance exceeds $10; this includes eMaterials
• Items 45 days overdue are considered lost. The price of the item plus a processing fee of $9 will be assessed to the patron's record
• Library fines are not reported to credit agencies.

You may pay your fines in person via cash, check, or card at a library branch, or pay online.

Loan Periods

Please bring your card with you if you plan to check out materials. Your card can be used at any branch of the Butte County Library System. You may check out up to 25 items per card per visit, and 99 items total on a card at one time.

The following limits apply to the number of items of each media type a person may have at one time, regardless of when they are checked out:

If you cannot find the title you would like to borrow in your branch you can put it on hold from our online catalog. When holds arrive at the branch, they will be available for 7 days for you to pick them up. If you can't find it in any of our branches, ask us about Interlibrary Loan (ILL) or the Zip Books Program.

Books may be returned to any branch of the Butte County Library. Each branch (except Biggs) has a 24-hour book drop. We prefer that oversize items be returned inside the library, and not in the book drop, to avoid damage to items.

Computer Access at the Butte County Library

The mission of the Butte County Library is to provide all individuals, regardless of age, ethnic background, educational or economic level, with free access to ideas, information, and technology. Butte County Library makes Internet resources and word processing software accessible to all library users as part of this mission. Library staff offers basic assistance navigating the Internet, and the Library's website provides links to help locate information on many subjects. The information available on the Internet complements other resources and collections at the Library.

Disclaimer

The Internet contains information from a wide variety of viewpoints. Some information may be inaccurate, outdated or incomplete, and some material may be considered offensive or inappropriate for certain age groups. While the Library is sensitive to concerns about Internet content, the Library cannot control the information accessible through the Internet and cannot be held responsible for its contents.

The Library does not utilize Internet filters or otherwise censor the content available to users, except as required to maintain network security. Each individual is responsible for his or her own use of the Internet. All library computers are located in public areas where minors are present. Internet users must be respectful of the rights of others to not be exposed to materials and images that they may find offensive or unsuitable. If material displayed on a screen disrupts or prevents the normal and intended use of the public library, and if other patrons are exposed to or cannot reasonably avoid viewing such material, a staff member may request that a user end a search or view other online resources.

User Responsibilities

Internet users are expected to act in a responsible, ethical and legal manner. Users may not utilize Library computers, wireless access, or any other system or network resource for any illegal activities, including, but not limited to:

• Bypassing or attempting to bypass the security of the network, or damaging or altering the physical or electronic configuration of computer equipment at the Library, including downloading or installing software. ( California Penal Code, Section 502 et seq.)
• Accessing child pornography or other materials legally deemed obscene or harmful to minors. ( California Penal Code, Sections 311-313 et seq.)
• Violating copyright laws or software license agreements

Failure to comply with the Butte County Library Public Access Computer Security and Internet Policy may result in suspension of computer access privileges.

Time Limits to Ensure Equitable Access

In order to make limited computer resources available to as many people as possible, the Library designates time limits for computer use. Because the Library supports recreational, educational and informational activities for users of all ages, each individual is entitled to the same amount of time to access computer resources, regardless of purpose, user age or any other factor.

Children's Use of the Internet

It is the responsibility of parents and guardians, not library staff, to decide which sites are suitable to be viewed by their children. The Library encourages parents and guardians to accompany their children when they are accessing the Internet and to provide clear guidelines for appropriate Internet use, including safety rules for sharing personal information or dealing with strangers online The Library website provides links to sites selected especially for children, including sites about good Internet safety practices.

Some Library branches provide computers in Children's areas designated specifically for children. These computers are only for use by children 12 and under, or by an adult accompanying a child.

Privacy & Confidentiality

The Butte County Library observes local, state and federal laws governing privacy of library records, including Internet usage. While the Library places a high value on user confidentiality, the Library will cooperate with law enforcement requests for records under the provisions of the California Public Records Act. (California Government Code, Section 6267)

The Butte County Library has programs and processes in place that delete information entered by a user from the local computer at end of each session. Once a computer session is ended, it is not possible for the Library to retrieve any information. Because the Library is a public place, users should be aware that information accessed on the Internet may be observed by other users.

Portable Storage Devices

Users may utilize USB drives or other storage devices, including floppy disks, for saving or accessing documents. Library computers will not allow software installations or executable program files to be run from portable storage devices. As a result, some USB drives may not work on Library computers. The Library will not provide technical support for incompatible devices.

Printing

While Internet access is available at no charge, the Library charges for printing on a per-page basis.

Wireless Access

At library branches where wireless access is available, wireless users must comply with this and any other Butte County Library Policy, whether they are using Library computers or their own personal equipment. While the Library will not charge for wireless access, the Library does reserve the right to limit the amount of time that wireless users can access the service in order to ensure adequate bandwidth for all users.

The Library assumes no responsibility for damage or loss of hardware, software, or data resulting from use of the Library's wireless service. Wireless users should be aware of the security risks and potential signal loss inherent to wireless Internet access.

Passed and adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the County of Butte, State of California, on March 11, 2008.

Refund Policy

At the time of payment for a lost item, the patron is given a receipt. This receipt is required to receive a refund. Upon approval of the Library Director, refunds for the purchase price (minus the $9 processing fee per item) can be issued within one year of the date of receipt.

Due to bookkeeping constraints, the library cannot issue refunds for less than $20.

Refund checks are processed through the Butte County Auditor-Controller.