Anti Discrimination and Harassment
The Owls Head Village Library commits to provide an environment free from harassment based on an individuals’ sex, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, politics or other legally protected characteristics.
ANTI DISCRIMINATION
The rights of people served by the Owls Head Village Library Association are protected by the Maine Human Rights Act, and federal law, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title II of the American’s with Disabilities Act of 1990, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975.
Under these laws, the Owls Head Village Library Association will not discriminate based on a persons’ disability, sex, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, religious or political belief or ancestry.
Animal Policy
We all love dogs and we would love for you to stop by the library while you are out for a walk with your dog. However, we ask you to leave your dog (unless a trained service dog) outside while you go into the library. Perhaps, a friend can stay outside with your dog or you can leash them outside by our Adirondack chairs.
Trained service animals accompanying a person with a disability are allowed and welcome in the library. Emotional support animals will need to wait outside.
While on library’s property a service animal shall be under the control of its handler. Usually this means the service animal must have a harness, leash, or other tether. Anytime a service dog is behaving in a manner incompatible with the essential purposes of the library, the library will immediately require that the service dog be brought into conformity or leave the library.
Incompatible behaviors include:
Barking
Urninating/pooping on the floor
Running away or otherwise leaving the side of the owner
Biting or other threatening actions such as growling, teeth bared, lunging on others besides the animal owner.
Anyone bringing a service dog into a library may be asked the following questions:
- Is this animal required because of a disability?
- What work or task is this animal trained to perform?
Donation Policy
BOOK ACQUISITION POLICY
The library acquires books by two primary means: donations by the public and purchases by the board/librarian.
- If a Board member is interested in purchasing or acquiring any books, please be sure to contact Pat first re: titles to ensure we don’t currently own the book or materials. All directors and all members of the public are welcome and free to suggest titles they would like to see in our collection.
- Once acquired, books brought to library and stored in back room on floor (given to Pat)
- Pat and crew are still learning our collection and planning how it will be displayed and how many books we can comfortably store in our small building. According to Maine Library standards we ideally would house 3 volumes per resident, or about 5,000 volumes. We are currently at 3,500. In measuring the available shelf space, we have room in front two rooms for perhaps 600 more volumes. Most importantly, there is NO RUSH. We want to allow for learning the collection, and be careful and thoughtful about our acquisitions and allow ample processing time for Pat and her volunteers. We’ll also need room for computer(s).
- Due to our small budget, we will limit purchases through end of the year to great buys on highly sought books or new in demand bestsellers – at a cost of $20 per book, that allows us 36 new books oveer 8 months or approximately 4 brand new books per month. This will allow us to focus on learning, cataloguing and planning for housing our collection.
- Note: We currently have a large backlog of donated books and people holding their books to donate till we advise them to bring them in.
Donations, Gifts, and Memorials
The Owls Head Village Library is grateful for gifts and its collection has been enriched by donations of materials as well as by contributions. Through donors, the library has been able to acquire materials which could not have been purchased otherwise. The library staff can supply, upon request, a list of needed materials for consideration by the donor.
Donation of Books and Audio Visual Materials
In accepting a gift of materials, the library reserves the privilege of deciding whether items donated should be added to the collection. Out of the many books and other materials which citizens so generously give, a considerable proportion can be used. Some materials cannot be used because any library material, though of value in itself, may be : (1) a duplicate of an item of which the library already has a sufficient number; (2) outdated – interesting but not of sufficient present reference or circulating value to the library; and/or (3) in poor condition -which would not justify the expense of processing it, i.e. cataloging and preparing it for circulation. The material will be judged by the same standards of selection as those applied to the purchase of new materials. The Owls Head Village Library accepts gift books with the understanding that books which are useful to the library collection will be retained and other books disposed of in whatever manner the librarian deems best. The library necessarily reserves the right to interfile gifts with other collections on the same subject, so that all collections are organized and classified according to library standards for the best public service.
Gift Book Program
The library welcomes monetary contributions specifically for book purchases in memorial to or in honor of named individuals.
Donation of Art Objects and Other Types of Materials
Although such gifts are usually welcomed and valued, final decision on their acceptance rests with the Board of Directors.
Donations – Others, e.g. Monetary
The library welcomes cash contributions, gifts of real property, stocks, and bonds. It is our custom to expend cash gifts on materials, equipment, or a project which is acceptable to the donor. Although it is unlikely, there may be an occasion in which the restrictions set by the donor make it impossible for the library to accept the contribution. All donations are subject to the approval of the Board of Directors. Any funds given to the library will be spent in a time frame that works best for the library unless a date for spending the funds is stipulated at the time of donation.
Recognition of Gifts
For memorial books to the library, the library may place within the book the name of the donor, if desired. Any funds given to the library for memorial books will be spent in accordance with the library’s materials selection guidelines as outlined. Donors may help set parameters such as genres, age of target audience, and type of material. However, the library will have final say on actual items purchased. We will work with the donor to aim our selections at books the donor would like.
Use of Gifts
All gifts are accepted with the understanding that it may someday be necessary that they be sold or disposed of in the best interest of the library. The library cannot commit itself to perpetually housing a donation.
Income Tax Statements
The library cannot appraise the value of a donation of materials or art. It will, however, issue the donor a letter acknowledging the donation. It is the donor’s decision whether he or she will determine the value of the donation or utilize an independent appraiser. While the gifts to the library as a governmental unit qualify as tax deductible, the donor will have to consider the particular circumstances of his or her situation for the specific effect.
Restriction
All donations are accepted only if, in the opinion of the Board of Directors, they are in the best interests of the library.
Patron Behavior Policy
We are so fortunate to live in such a friendly and kind community.
To ensure that all people who use and work at the Owls Head Village Library can do so in a comfortable and safe environment, the Owls Head Village Library reserves the right to determine what it considers to be disruptive or inappropriate behavior by the patrons in the Library. In order to ensure that every patron has the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of the Library, patrons visiting or using the Library’s facilities or services must comply with the Owls Head Village Library’s Behavior in the Library Policy while on the Library’s premises.
Dangerous, destructive, or illegal conduct, will not be tolerated:
Any patron engaging in disruptive, inappropriate, dangerous, destructive or illegal behaviors will be instructed to leave the Library immediately and may have his or her library privileges suspended for a period of up to one (1) year depending on the severity of the violation. In addition, law enforcement may be called and appropriate legal action may follow.
Engaging in any of the above behaviors ay result in one or more of the following consequences, depending on the severity of the violation:
Initial warning
Library privileges suspended for one day
Library privileges suspended for seven days
Library privileges suspended for up to one year
Depending on the severity, time may be determined at the discretion of the Librarian
Patrons who are suspended from the Library for a period exceeding seven days may petition to have their suspension reviewed by the Board of Directors.