WHO MAY USE THE LIBRARY?
1. Residents
The Library serves the residents of the City of Palos Heights community free of charge. The City comprises the area within the corporate limits of Palos Heights as defined by state statutes. Service will not be denied or abridged because of religious, racial, social, economic, political, or gender status.
2. Non-Residents
Non-residents may purchase one-year cards at a fee determined annually by the Library Board of Trustees as mandated by the State of Illinois. (See Item 3 under Issuance of Library Cards for details as well as Non-Resident Business Cards.)
3. Reciprocal Borrowers
Non-residents who have a valid library card at another library are extended full privileges. Cardholders at other SWAN libraries are extended these privileges with no need for further local verification or registration. Cardholders at non-SWAN libraries will be registered as reciprocal borrowers by presenting their home library card in good standing. Registered reciprocal borrowers will be able to use the Library upon presentation of their home library card or a valid photo ID.
All library cardholders must present a valid library card number to obtain materials or use other services. All library card holders may show a valid ID in lieu of a library card.
ISSUANCE OF LIBRARY CARDS
1. Adult
An adult library card good for three years will be issued to a resident, 18 years of age or older. Proof of identity and residency will be required. Proof of identity will consist of a photo ID. Proof of residency must be in some form of printed document (i.e., driver’s license, state ID, tax bill or lease, bank statement, credit card bills, utility bills, insurance bills, etc.). School identification is acceptable proof of identity, but it does not determine residency. A valid Driver’s License or State ID is sufficient to establish both identity and residency.
Trinity Christian College students who live out of state and are residing at the college, as determined by the official registrar’s list, are eligible for a Palos Heights library card. It is good for the current school year.
2. Juveniles
A juvenile card good for three years may be issued to a child under 18 years of age. The application must be signed by a parent/guardian who is a Palos Heights resident and who will be responsible for the child and his/her library activities. Computer access for children is granted when the parent/guardian initials computer usage on the application.
3. Other Cards
A. Non-Residents
Non-resident cards are issued on a per-household basis for the sum to be determined by the Library’s Board of Trustees on an annual basis. A non-resident card is good for one (1) year from month of issuance. No refunds are given for any unused portion of the year, and cards are non-transferable.
Non-Resident cards will indicate “non-resident,” and the Library’s computer database notes will say “non-resident.”
A non-resident card will be issued at no charge to anyone under the age of 18 who lives in an area unserved by a public library and for whom the Palos Heights Public Library is the nearest public library to their residence.
B. Business Cards (Non-Resident Property Owner)
The non-resident fee shall not apply to a non-resident who, as an individual or as a partner, principal stockholder, or other joint owner, owns taxable property or is a senior administrative officer of a firm, business, or other corporation owning taxable property within the district, upon presentation of the most recent tax bill upon that taxable property, provided that the privileges and use of the library is extended to only one such non-resident for each parcel of taxable property.
The library card good for one year shall accord the non-resident property owner cardholder all the services the issuing public library provides its residents.
C. Staff Cards
PHPL cards are issued as a courtesy to staff members who do not live in the city of Palos Heights. The staff card will be valid while the person is employed at the library.
4. Lost Cards
A fee of $2.00 shall be charged for a new card in the event of a lost, stolen, or willfully damaged card. Expired cards are replaced at no charge. It is the responsibility of the cardholder to notify the Library in the event that a card is lost or stolen.
5. Identification
Proof of identity will be required when requested.
OVERDUE MATERIALS
Items will be loaned for the following durations:
Books/Audiobooks/Playaways/Music CDs/Kits: 21 days (up to 2 renewals, depending on the item type)
Videos/DVDs/Blu-Rays/Playaway Views: 7 days (no renewals)
Other items: 7-21 days, depending on item type
Items that are eligible for renewal will be automatically renewed at the end of their borrowing period if there are no holds on them.
The Library does not charge fines for overdue materials. Any items that are overdue by 14 or more days will result in the cardholder’s account being blocked until the item is returned. In rare cases, a cardholder’s account may be blocked in less time.
Any items that are overdue by 42 days will be considered lost, and the cardholder will be billed for the items.
The Library will make a good faith effort to notify cardholders of the due dates of all items borrowed as well as when items have become overdue, long overdue, and are considered lost. Such notifications are a courtesy, and the Library incurs no responsibility if notifications are not received by the cardholder.
DAMAGED AND LOST ITEMS FOR PALOS HEIGHTS CARDHOLDERS AND RECIPROCAL BORROWERS
A fee will be assessed for any items that are determined to be lost or damaged.
- For items owned by the Library, this fee will be charged to the cardholder in an amount equal to the replacement cost of the item as determined by the Library’s preferred vendor database or the cost in the SWAN database, plus a $5.00 processing fee. If an individual part of a single multi-part item is lost or damaged, the charge is the replacement cost of the individual part and not the entire multi-part item. If the Library is unable to purchase the individual part, the replacement cost will be for the whole of the multi-part item.
- For items borrowed by a Palos Heights cardholder through interlibrary loan, a fee will be charged to the cardholder as determined by the amount invoiced by the owning library.
- For items borrowed by cardholders of another library through interlibrary loan, the cardholder’s home library will be billed the actual replacement cost of the item plus a processing fee of $5.00.
Cardholders who owe more than $10 due to lost or damaged items will have their cards blocked from use until such fees have been resolved. The Library reserves the right to refer accounts with items that are more than 60 days overdue and owing greater than $50 in lost/damaged fees to an outside collection agency. The fee that this agency charges to the Library will be billed to the cardholder. No refund will be given if an item is found after it has been paid for.
THIS POLICY REVISES ANY OTHER PATRON POLICY PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
Adopted on May 11, 1989
Revised June 16, 2022