Library Cards:

Adult cards are issued to persons 16 years of age or older.  Patrons must register and show proof of permanent address.
Acceptable forms of identification include driver’s license, checks, mail received, or anything that shows current local address.

Juvenile cards are issued to children 15 years or younger.  A parent or legal guardian must show proof of a permanent address as listed above and must sign the registration form.  The child must be present to sign their library card.

 Information About Our Items:

Renewals:   A patron may renew materials two times in-person, by phone, or online, provided that the items are not on reserve.

Reserves:  Materials within the collection that have been checked out by another patron or is on the shelf at another library within the county may be placed on reserve.  When the item is available, you will receive a phone call notifying you that the requested item is being held for you for five days.

Book Drops:  All materials may be returned at the book drops outside the library.

Policy on Confidentiality of Personal Information in Borrowers’ Records

Act 90, which was enacted on June 27, 1984, amended the Pennsylvania Library Code, Title 24, Consolidated Statutes, Chapter 16, Section 428, as follows:

Records related to the circulation of library materials which contain the names or other personally identifying details regarding the users of the State Library or any local library which is established or maintained under any law of the Commonwealth or the library of any university, college, or educational institution chartered by the Commonwealth or the library of any public school or branch reading room, deposit station or agency operated in connection therewith, shall be confidential and shall not be made available to anyone except by a court order in a criminal proceeding.

Unfortunately for parents and guardians, legal council overwhelmingly indicates that Act 90 applies equally to library borrowers of all ages, thus protecting the privacy of children’s borrowing records.  The law was deemed applicable to parents and children to protect some juveniles from parental abuse that may ensue from their selection of library materials.  Act 90 also protects all borrowers from disclosure of their library records without due process of law.

The library system realizes that under certain circumstances this presents a roadblock for parents simply trying to return children’s materials on time.  We encourage parents to take an active role in their children’s book selection by visiting the library with them and sharing their reading experiences.

• A borrower may request a list of the books that are checked out on his/her card or set up a PIN in the circulation system enabling him/her to check his/her personal borrowing record online.
• Some parents elect to wait until a child is mature enough to oversee his/her borrowing habits before signing for a personal card.

We apologize for any inconvenience this policy may cause, but must abide by the law for the protection of all juveniles.  Approved by FCLS Board July 15, 2003