Maurice M. Pine Free Public Library 10-01 Fair Lawn Ave., Fair Lawn, NJ 07410  (201)796-3400

• INTERNET USAGE POLICY
• MEETING ROOM POLICY
• RULES FOR INTERNET TEMINAL USE
• WIRELESS INTERNET ACCESS
• MISSION, GOALS & OBJECTIVES, 2006
• COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY
• POSTING AND DISTRIBUTION OF NON-LIBRARY MATERIALS IN THE LIBRARY

The Maurice M. Pine Free Public Library is pleased to offer Internet access to its patrons as part of its mission to develop collections, resources and services that meet the educational, cultural, recreational and business needs of the community.  The library endorses the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights and the Freedom to Read Statement.  All library users are provided equal access to resources available on the Internet.

The Internet contains a wide variety of material and opinions from varied points of view.  There is material and information on the Internet which individual patrons may find inappropriate.

Patrons are hereby notified that they are responsible for the web sites they access.  Parents of minor children must assume responsibility for their children’s use of the Internet through the library’s connection.  As with other library materials, restriction of and monitoring of a child’s access to the Internet is the responsibility of the parent/legal guardian, not the library staff.

Library staff will assist library users in getting started on the Internet.  However, the staff is not able to offer extensive assistance.  Time permitting, staff will try to answer specific questions and offer suggestions for effective searching.

The Internet, as all of the library’s information sources, must be shared and used in a manner respecting the rights of others.  Library personnel do not monitor or supervise Internet access except for length of time of use. The library reserves the right to end an Internet session at any time if it is causing a disturbance. The Internet workstations may not be used for any illegal activity that violates federal or state laws or municipal ordinances.  Failure to abide by this provision may result in termination of the session and/or prosecution.

The Maurice M. Pine Free Public Library assumes no responsibility for any damages, direct or indirect, arising from use of its world wide web server or from its connections to other Internet services.  The privacy of Internet connections cannot be guaranteed and any information transmitted should be assumed public and not secure.

Please note that the library and library personnel shall not act as a facilitator or a censor with respect to access to materials or subject matter that may be deemed offensive by certain individuals.  Neither the library nor its staff shall endorse or limit full and free access to the Internet subject only to the restrictions stated herein.

1. Patrons must sign in at the desk to secure a time slot. 
2. Time limit:  1/2 hour per person per day, which may be extended if no one is waiting
3. No more than 2 persons per computer.
4. Parents are responsible for establishing and enformcing family computer use guidelines for thei minor children.  Children younger than middle school-age must use the Children's Room computers
5. Printing is 10 cents per page for black and white.

Repeated violations of this policy or these rules will result in the following:
 1st  sanction:  suspension of Internet access for one month
 2nd sanction:  suspension of Internet access for three months
 3rd  sanction:  permanent suspension of Internet access

Adopted by the Board of Trustees, December 18, 1996
Revised and adopted by the Board of Trustees, September 27, 2000
Revised and adopted by the Board of Trustees, April 26, 2006
 

Wireless internet access is available free of charge to anyone who brings their wireless enabled laptop, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or other wireless device to the library. 

Security
Use of the wireless connection is entirely at the risk of the user and the library disclaims all and any liability for loss of confidential information or damages of any kind to the user’s equipment.  Virus and security protection are the responsibility of the user.  Due to limited insurance and liability, the staff is unable to assist patrons with personal laptops or other wireless devices. Privacy cannot be guaranteed with use of personal electronic equipment in a public area. 

Acceptable Use Policy
Wireless service shall not be used to disrupt the local area network within this library, the wide area network or other users of this wireless service.  You agree to comply with all laws while using this service and you agree not to transmit any materials that would violate any laws, court orders or regulations and/or be offensive to the recipient.  You are responsible for any and all content transmitted through our wireless connection. 
Viewing sexually graphic and or explicit materials on private equipment in the library is prohibited.

Library Liability
Maurice M. Pine Public Library will not be liable to any person or persons for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, punitive or consequential damages of any character that arise from use of this wireless network.  This library regarding the wireless services provided makes no express warranty.  The library disclaims any implied warranty, including warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. 

Failure to comply with these guidelines will result in revocation of computer workstation and wireless access privileges at this library and may also have legal consequences.  Patrons wishing to appeal loss of privileges may contact the Board of Trustees.

Adopted by the Board of Trustees, April 26, 2006
 

The Maurice M. Pine Library provides services and materials to help community residents obtain information to meet their recreational, educational and business needs.  The library responds to patron requests for current, high interest and high demand materials.  An equal emphasis is placed on delivering informational materials and reference services providing timely, accurate and useful information for community residents of all ages.  The library strives to stimulate children's interest in and appreciation of reading and learning and provides support materials for students at various levels.

GOAL 1:  Community members are able to obtain popular materials in various formats:

 Objectives:

• To devote a sufficient percentage of the book budget to best sellers, high demand items and duplicates.
• To budget a sufficient percentage of the materials budget for CDs, audio cassettes, DVDs and videos.
• To continually add volumes (hardcover and paperback) to the Young Adult collection.

 Objectives:

• To offer current reference sources in appropriate formats.
• To continually update the nonfiction collection. 
• To enhance public Internet access by adding wi-fi access.

 Objectives:

• To add a substantial number of volumes annually to the juvenile collection and delete outdated volumes.
• To maintain a substantial schedule of programs for preschool and school age children, including the summer reading program, which stimulate an interest in reading.
• To enhance public Internet access by adding wi-fi access.

 Objectives:

• To investigate and implement various methods to encourage bequests and donations. 
• To develop sufficient capital funding to meet the library’s needs.
• To develop sufficient funding to allow for updating and renewal of the book collection, including the classics.
• To maintain weekend service throughout the year.
• To encourage the Friends of the Library in their efforts to increase membership and in their activities in support of the library.

 Objectives: 

• To develop informational handouts guiding library users in their search for materials and information including remote access to the catalog and databases.
• To continue offering library instruction, including use of the computer catalog, computer indexes, the Internet and remote access. 
• To develop an ongoing relationship with librarians and teachers in the school system, including in-service training.
• To offer community members the opportunity to meet and attend adult programs at the library. 
• To offer community members the on-going opportunity to provide input into the library plan of service through a patron suggestion form or other appropriate means.
• To charge the Marketing Committee of the Library Board to develop ways to encourage use of the library.
• To utilize the Fair Lawn Library web site to inform patrons of the programs and services offered by the library.

The purpose of the Maurice M. Pine collection development policy is to provide a framework for the creation and maintenance of a collection of resources that implements the library’s overall mission.  Expanding areas of knowledge, changing social values, technological advances and cultural differences require flexibility, open-mindedness and responsiveness in the selection, evaluation and re-evaluation of all library resources.

The library will acquire, make available, and encourage the use of resources to assist individuals in their pursuit of educational objectives, intellectual and emotional growth, the enjoyment of leisure time and practical solutions to daily problems.  The library will strive to anticipate future needs of the community.

The library will acquire:

1. 1. Source materials and thoughtful interpretations which document and illuminate the past.
2. 2. Contemporary materials representing various points of view, which are of current interest and possible future significance, including materials which reflect current conditions, trends and controversies.
3. 3. Materials designed to increase the individual’s ability to function effectively as a productive member of society.
4. 4. Materials which provide a meaningful aesthetic experience stimulate the imagination, and increase the individual’s potential for creativity.
5. 5. Materials, including the experimental or controversial, which extend the individual’s capacity to understand the world in which s/he lives.
6. 6. Materials which entertain and which enhance the individual’s enjoyment of life.

Free and convenient access to ideas, information and the creative experience is of vital importance to every citizen today.  The Maurice M. Pine Library, therefore, incorporates as part of this policy the Library Bill of Rights, the Freedom to Read Statement of the American Library Association, and ALA’s Library Rights.

The authority and responsibility for the selection of library materials is delegated to the Library Director by the Board of Trustees and, under his/her direction, the professional staff who are qualified for this activity by reason of education, training, and experience.

Criteria for Selection:
Materials are evaluated as a whole and not on the basis of a particular section or sections.  Material will not be excluded from the library’s collection because it presents an aspect of life honestly or because of frankness of expression.

While a single standard cannot be applied to each potential item for selection, materials are judged by appropriate criteria.  In some instances, these criteria include artistic merit, scholarship, or the value of the material to the informational needs of the community.  In other instances, the criterion may be substantial demand.

The selection criteria stated in this policy apply to purchased and donated materials.

General Criteria
1. Relevance to community needs.
2. Potential and/or known demand for material.
3. Relative importance in comparison with existing materials in the collection on the same subject.
4. Quality of writing, design, illustrations, or production.
5. Timeliness and/or permanence of material.
6. Suitability of subject, style, format, and reading and/or interest level for the intended audience.
7. Reputation of the publisher or producer, authority and significance of the author, composer, etc.
8. Reviews.
9. Availability and accessibility of the same material in BCCLS.

Reference Collection
Reference materials are for use in the library.  They provide quick, concise, and up-to-date information and index other material in the collection.  Inclusion in the Reference Collection is determined by factors such as cost, complexity, format, authoritativeness, frequency of use, and indexing.

Reference works include such standards as encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, directories, bibliographies, etc., as well as more specialized materials which directly support the various informational needs of library users.

Non-print materials
Sound Recordings:  The Maurice M. Pine Free Public Library’s Collection includes music recordings and spoken word recordings on audio cassette and compact discs.  Spoken word recordings (e.g., recorded novels, plays, how-to’s, etc.) are selected to parallel most areas of the general collection.  Efforts are made to select on a variety of topics and to appeal to a range of interests.

Music recordings in the Adult Collection will include popular recordings as well as time-enduring titles.  Quality of recording and suitability of the subject for aural interpretation are among the selection criteria for spoken work recordings.

Packaging may also affect selection decisions, particularly for multi-part sets.  Necessary purchases are made, however, regardless of how the material is packaged.

Compact Discs:  Compact discs of an educational nature are selected for use in the library on the Children's computer.

Electronic resources:  The library staff and Board of Trustees recognize the changing nature of the Internet and provide access to Internet resources within this understanding.  The library staff selects electronic resources, some of which may change in format or content after selection.

When selection involves the provision of access to a remote resource, such as an Internet-accessible database or a World Wide Web site, it is possible that the content of said resource may not conform to the Library's selection criteria at any given time.  The library staff will review the content of such resources on a regular basis to assess their continued value in terms of interest, information and enlightenment of all people of the community.
 

Collection Maintenance
Outdated, seldom-used, or shabby items remaining in the collection can weaken a library as surely as insufficient or inappropriate acquisitions.  Responsibility for collection maintenance and for the disposition of withdrawn materials rests with the Library Director and professional staff.  Guidelines should complement, but not replace, individual professional judgment and the knowledge of community interests and informational requirements.

This collection development policy should be available to the public and should be re-evaluated by the Library Director and Board of Trustees as they see fit.

Adopted by the Board of Trustees 9/24/2008

An important part of the mission of the library is to provide timely, accurate and useful information for community residents of all ages.  For this reason, the library will post and/or distribute certain non-library materials that are of interest to Fair Lawn residents.  This policy must be governed by a priority being given to posting or distributing library materials (defined as materials that announce library sponsored or Friends of the Library sponsored programs or services or assist patrons in the use of library materials or services).  The policy also recognizes the reasonable limits to space for posting or distributing materials in the library and the library reserves the right to refuse posting or distributing materials because of these limits.

With these considerations in mind, the library will follow these guidelines for posting or distributing non-library materials in the library:

1. Priority will be given to materials from any unit of the Borough of Fair Lawn, the Board of Education, a licensed educational institution or non-profit organization located within Fair Lawn.  Materials from non-profit groups and organizations located outside of Fair Lawn will be posted or distributed only if space permits after the Fair Lawn organizations are accommodated AND if it is deemed to be of interest to Fair Lawn residents.

2. The library will post announcements of events for Fair Lawn religious organizations provided neither the announcement nor the event seeks to proselytize for one religion over others.

3. Only library or Friends of the Library materials will be displayed on the circulation desk, reference desk or on the moveable signs.

5. Personal opinions, commercial or for-profit materials, political and materials for private services will not be posted or distributed.  These include, but are not limited to tutoring, music or art lessons, investment seminars, items for sale, baby sitting services, landscaping, etc. 
6. In order to be consistent with the existing practice of the Borough of Fair Lawn regarding all municipal property, the handling out of leaflets on library grounds will not be permitted. 

Adopted by the Board of Trustees 12/30/1998
Revised and adopted by the Board of Trustees 10/29/2008
 Page last updated 10/30/2008