library card protocol/Minuteman not accepting leases for now

Hi there everyone!

Anne, our registration checker extraordinaire, has pointed out a few "glitches" that she has noticed of late.

While she and I both understand that everyone is very busy, still.......

I am writing this to remind you about some of the protocols when registering our patrons for library cards.

1. For first time borrowers, the limit is three items.  After that, the sky is the limit!  (Anne noticed that a first time borrower was given 29 CDs......)
2. Once your borrower has checked out materials, change his or her status so that the user is no longer "on the fly".  (Pat O and I have noticed that this has not been happening).
3. Remember the six month expiration date for library users who live in temporary housing.  
4. If the expiration date is not the usual five years, please put that information on the bottom of the registration form.  
5. Be sure that the address on the registration form matches the address that you are typing in.  Did the user give you an identification card with one address and then write in another?  This is the time to notice that and be sure that we are really getting proof of address.
6. Bottom line?  Take a minute to double check that you are following our new library card protocol.
7. Feel free to review the library card registration guidelines that live in the file folders at the circulation desks, the notebooks at the circulation desks, and on the wikki.
8. And, as of now, we are not accepting leases as proof of address.

   circulation] Board decision regarding lease agreement as identification

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   Cole, Leone lcole@watertown-ma.gov via minlib.net to alldirs, circulation, mlnstaff

   show details Aug 10 (2 days ago)

   Good morning,

   In response to a recent incident in which a phony lease agreement was used as identification to get a library card and subsequent theft of library materials using that card, the Board decided yesterday to ask the Standards Committee to revisit the identification requirements and to suspend the acceptance of a lease agreement as sufficient identification until the Standards Committee reports back with a recommendation.  We want to also remind everyone that sending a postcard to library card applicants is a good way of verifying address (though it does mean the person may not be able to borrow materials the same day).

   Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.  Thank you.

   Leone

   
   

   Leone E. Cole

   Library Director

   Watertown Free Public Library

   123 Main Street

   Watertown, MA  02472

   617-972-6434
   
   

Even if Barry Manilow comes to the Circulation Desk, he needs to show proof of address....well, unless he gives Pat O or I his autograph....but that is another story for another day.

Questions?  Comments?  Let me know!