Library Policies

Background

Chemeketa Cooperative Regional Library Service (CCRLS) provides Interlibrary Loan (ILL) services to member libraries in order to meet patron requests that cannot be filled from within the Cooperative.

Patrons work with their home library to develop and submit ILL requests. CCRLS assists member library staff with the ILL process by managing the requests that have been submitted through OCLC (Online Computer Library Center, Inc.). It is generally the member library’s responsibility to communicate with the patron throughout the request process.

Internal application of these policies allows the Cooperative to adopt evolving technologies and improve patron service options. Libraries will be able to increase turnaround time and fill rates for requested items, receive meaningful statistical reports which facilitate service analysis, and ultimately reduce staff workload.

Guidelines

Member libraries are responsible for complying with all copyright laws and guidelines.

• 1 – 1 – 5 – 5 Guideline: During one calendar year, for one periodical title, five articles may be copied form a title published within the last five years, per requesting library.
• CONTU Guidelines: The U.S. National Commission on New Technological Uses of Copyrighted Works (CONTU) developed guidelines to clarify the national copyright law. Per Section 4 of the CONTU Guidelines, libraries should retain records for physically or electronically filled requests for articles that fall within the CONTU guidelines in order to prove compliance with copyright laws. These records should be kept for the current year plus three previous calendar years. Libraries are not required to retain patron names.
• Order Warning of Copyright: Order Warning of Copyright: Requests for photocopies are not acceptable unless the patron consents to the Order Warning of Copyright.

CCRLS will take steps to retain records documenting materials borrowed through interlibrary loan for at least the previous six months (on a rolling basis); this is per requirements found in Oregon Administrative Rules 166-200-0065(5). These records may include requests, notices, tracking logs, and other information; we are not required to retain patron names or other personal information.

Because ILL transactions rely on relationships between libraries worldwide, standard rules and guidelines for ILL have been developed. This document is to be used in conjunction with the ALA Interlibrary Loan Code for the United States, the Oregon Interlibrary Loan Code, the

Oregon Administrative Rules, the United States Copyright Law (Title 17 U.S. Code), and the CONTU Guidelines.

Member libraries may choose to engage in ILL borrowing activity by working directly with external libraries through channels other than OCLC; CCRLS does not coordinate such efforts. In these instances, member libraries are expected to follow procedures which will ensure appropriate statistics are captured in a way that makes them available to CCRLS upon request.

Policies

CCRLS does not directly charge member libraries or patrons for ILL service. Individual member libraries determine whether to charge a fee for ILL services to patrons and the extent to which patrons must reimburse for fees levied by supplying libraries. When member libraries require patrons to reimburse for lender’s fees, they must obtain the patron’s consent to pay prior to proceeding with the request.

There is no defined limit to the number of requests member libraries may submit to CCRLS on behalf of their patrons.

Materials in a variety of formats may be requested through ILL. Ultimately, it is the lending library which determines what is eligible for loan.

If requested materials are held within CCRLS (including Chemeketa Community College Library), the ILL request will be declined and the requesting library will be directed to place a local hold for their patron. Exceptions to this include reference material that no member library is willing to lend. Similarly, an ILL request may be made if locally-held items are lost, missing, withdrawn or otherwise appear to be indefinitely unavailable.

Requests for materials published in the current calendar year must first be considered as suggestions for purchase by member libraries. If the purchase option is not pursued, library staff may then make a discretionary decision to proceed with an ILL request after verifying that the item has been published and may be eligible for loan from another library.

Full ILL privileges are available to the following general patron classes: Basic, Care, Fee, Full, Out-of-District (fee paid) and Staff (for work-related purposes). ILL requests for patrons outside of these general classes may be made at the discretion of the requesting library; such requests should be made available to the patron as in-library use only.

CCRLS advises against checking out ILL materials to patrons whose accounts are not in good standing (i.e. submitted to Collections, account blocks, etc.). Patrons in this situation may still be served by making ILL requests available as in-library use only; this is at the discretion of the borrowing library.

Chemeketa Community College students, faculty & staff should always be directed to use the ILL services provided by the College Library, when requests are coursework-related.

Member libraries must represent all ILL requests in the ILS to facilitate local circulation. When entering requests in the ILS, member libraries must follow the data entry conventions published in CCRLS ILL procedures. Subsequently, all request information must remain in the ILS until related reporting needs, notice activities and record retention guidelines have been met.

The ‘Default Price’ policy for requests represented in the ILS will be as follows: $25 (default price); $10 (processing fee, non-refundable). This system policy drives billing behavior with respect to ILL-coded items which are not returned. (This default price may need to be manually adjusted to match the actual cost imposed by the lending library.)

Overdue ILL materials checked out in the ILS generate an overdue notice and a bill, as do all overdue items. The overdue fine accrual rate for ILL items will be .25/day.

Whenever possible, member libraries will submit ILL requests to CCRLS through the FirstSearch platform. Requests may also be created directly in WorldShare ILL. CCRLS will provide detailed procedures for using both platforms. Emailed or written requests will be declined.

Member libraries are responsible for the condition and loss of all ILL materials from the time they leave the owning library to the time the owning library acknowledges receipt of the returned materials (see ALA Interlibrary Loan Code for the United States for details).

If a CCRLS patron damages or fails to return an ILL item, that patron’s home library is responsible for resolving the issue. This includes contacting the owning library, collecting fines/fees from the patron and delivering fines/fees to the owning library.

Requesting libraries are not required to pay lending charges if the charges were not pre- approved. Lending charges which exceed the specified max cost in a borrowing request are often conveyed when the potential lender offers a ‘conditional’; member libraries are expected to regularly monitor their requests for such instances and communicate their preference to the CCRLS referral center, which will then respond to the condition.

Member libraries should not use the IFM (Interlibrary Fee Management) option to handle borrowing fees. CCRLS will de-select this option during the mediation process if found selected.

It is the responsibility of member libraries to inquire about the status of requests which remain unmediated by CCRLS after 2 weeks.

If CCRLS staff determine that a request cannot be filled, they will cancel the request in WorldShare ILL (citing a specific reason, when possible) and contact the requesting member library. It is the Library’s responsibility to notify the patron of this cancellation.

All renewals granted to patrons are subject to owning library approval. Owning libraries may recall their materials at any time.

CCRLS assumes primary responsibility for collecting & reporting service statistics related to ILL borrowing. Those metrics will include:

• Borrowing requests initiated (by month)
• Borrowing requests canceled (by month)
• Borrowing requests filled (by month)
• Borrowing requests unfilled (by month)
• Requests filled from Orbis courier libraries (by library)

Background

Chemeketa Cooperative Regional Library Service (CCRLS) responds to Interlibrary Loan (ILL) requests from libraries outside of the Cooperative. CCRLS fills these requests with materials from member library collections. This is an important gesture of reciprocity which complements and supports the CCRLS ILL borrowing service.

The policies outlined here apply to all lending requests submitted to CCRLS through the OCLC ILL system; the holdings of all CCRLS member libraries are reported collectively under ‘CHY’ in that system.

Guidelines

This document is to be used in conjunction with the American Library Association’s Interlibrary Loan Code for the United States, the Oregon Interlibrary Loan Code, the Oregon Administrative Rules, the United States Copyright Law (title 17 U.S. Code), and the CONTU Guidelines.

Member libraries may choose to engage in ILL lending activity by working directly with external libraries through channels other than OCLC; CCRLS does not coordinate such efforts. In these instances, member libraries are expected to follow procedures which will ensure appropriate statistics are captured in a way that makes them available to CCRLS through the ILS.

Policies

CCRLS member libraries agree to lend materials at no charge to reciprocating libraries. A fee of $15 (per request) will be charged to non-reciprocating libraries. CCRLS will always use the OCLC IFM (Interlibrary Fee Management) option to assess lending fees; this option results in an automatic credit of fees to the CHY OCLC account at the point a request is sent. CCRLS will not attempt to recover shipping costs from either reciprocating or non-reciprocating libraries.

CCRLS member libraries agree to lend materials for a 6 week loan period. Renewals requested by borrowing libraries will generally be declined, but may be granted on a discretionary basis.

CCRLS assumes primary responsibility for follow-up with external libraries in regards to items lost, damaged, or returned incomplete through ILL lending. This effort will be facilitated by external borrower records maintained in the ILS, to which locally-held items are circulated. Notice & billing activity will be automated to the degree possible. External libraries will be

billed/invoiced at an amount which covers the initial cost of the item (ideally derived from a price specified in the ILS item record). When initial cost cannot be determined, an estimated replacement cost will be used. Processing fee(s) may also be applied.

Detailed ILL lending procedures are documented internally for the use of CCRLS staff. What follows is a basic overview of the lending process:

1. As requests from external libraries are received, CCRLS staff examine them to determine if they fall within our stated lending polices (as expressed in the OCLC ILL policies directory) and can be met with currently-available items.
2. Holds are then placed in the ILS to satisfy these requests. Generally, holds are placed at the title-level but may be item-specific depending on the situation.
3. Requested items are pulled by member library staff as part of normal holds processing and shipped to the CCRLS office via the CCRLS courier.
4. Upon receipt by CCRLS staff, items are: asses for physical condition, checked out in the ILS to a library-specific external borrowing account and sent to the requesting library. The request in OCLC is updated accordingly at that time. A copy of the request paperwork is included with the item(s).
   1. If physical condition prevents lending, CCRLS staff will decline the ILL request and return the item(s) to the home library with a standard note prompting review for possible replacement, repair, or discard.
5. The ILS will generate an overdue notice if the external library does not return the item by its due date. Bills will also be generated per defined system policies.
6. When items are returned, CCRLS staff: examine materials for damage or missing parts/pieces, discharge the item(s) in the ILS and complete the request in OCLC. Items are returned to the home library via the CCRLS courier.
   1. If damage is noted with returned items -or- parts/pieces are missing, the request will NOT be completed in OCLC; and the items will NOT be discharged in the ILS. CCRLS will then contact the external library to resolve the issue, billing them as necessary.
   2. If an external library returns a borrowed item directly to a member library instead of to CCRLS, the member library should send an email to ill@ccrls.org indicating so after discharging the item in the ILS. This message should include the ILL request number, title and instructions to complete the request in OCLC.

CCRLS assumes primary responsibility for collecting & reporting service statistics related to ILL lending. Those metrics will include:

• Lending requests received (by month)
• Lending requests filled (by month)
• Lending requests unfilled (by month)
• Lending request turnaround time (by month)
• Reason for ‘no’ (by month) – cited reason(s) under which a request is declined
• Lending requests sent to Orbis courier libraries (by month)

Introduction

The OLA Resource Sharing Committee, in its recommendation of this code, recognizes that the free exchange of materials between libraries in Oregon and the United States is an important element in the provision of library service and believes it to be in the public interest to encourage such an exchange.

Interlibrary loan is essential to the vitality of libraries of all types and sizes and is a means by which a wider range of materials can be made available to users. In the interest of providing quality service, libraries have an obligation to obtain materials to meet the informational needs of users when local resources do not meet those needs.

The code is not intended to foster resource sharing as a substitute for local collection development to meet the routine needs and interests of a library’s primary clientele. In order to provide a broad and varied information base for users, individual libraries are obligated to develop good local collections, preferably in cooperation with other libraries, and to utilize their own resources before resorting to interlibrary loan.

The effectiveness of a resource sharing system depends upon the responsible distribution of borrowing and lending. Libraries of all types and sizes should be willing to share their resources liberally so that a relatively few libraries are not over burdened. Oregon libraries must also agree to lend their materials without fees to other Oregon libraries if they wish to borrow.

• Definition
  • Interlibrary loan is the process by which a library requests materials from, or supplies materials to, another library
• Purpose
  • The purpose of interlibrary loan as defined by this code is to obtain, upon request of a library user, materials not available in the user’s local library.
• Scope
  • Interlibrary loan is a mutual relationship and libraries should be willing to supply materials as freely as they request materials.
  • Any materials regardless of format, may be requested from another library. The supplying library determines whether the material can be provided.
• Responsibilities of the Requesting Library
  • The requesting library should establish and maintain an interlibrary loan policy for its borrowers and make it available.
  • The requesting library should process requests in a timely fashion.
  • The requesting library should identify libraries that own and might provide the requesting materials. The requesting library should check the policies of potential suppliers for special instructions, restrictions, and information on charges prior to sending a request. The requesting library is responsible for all authorized charges imposed by the supplying library.
  • Requests for materials for which locations cannot be identified may be sent to libraries that might provide the requested materials and be accompanied by the statement “cannot locate.” The original source of the reference should be cited or a copy of the citation provided.
  • The requesting library should respect traditional lending patterns which are already in place. In general, libraries should spread the interlibrary loan load, requesting loans from the closest and smallest holding library unless that creates some inconvenience or causes unnecessary delay.
  • The requesting library should transmit all interlibrary loan requests in standard bibliographic format in accordance with the protocols of the electronic network or transmission system used. In the absence of an electronically generated form, the American Library Association interlibrary loan request form should be used.
  • The requesting library must ensure compliance with the U.S. copyright law and its accompanying guidelines. Copyright compliance must be determined for each copy requested before it is transmitted, and a Copyright compliance statement must be included on each copy request. Copyright files should be maintained as directed in the CONTU Guidelines.
  • The requesting library is responsible for borrowed materials form the time they leave the supplying library until they have been returned and received by the supplying library. If damage or loss occurs, the requesting library is responsible for compensation or replacement in accordance with the preference of the supplying library.
  • The requesting library is responsible for honoring due dates and enforcing all use restrictions specified by the supplying library.
  • The requesting library should request a renewal before the item is due. If the supplying library does not respond, the requesting library may assume that the renewal has been granted for the same length of time as the original loan.
  • The requesting library should return materials by the due date and respond immediately if the item has been recalled by the supplying library.
  • The requesting library should package materials to prevent damage in shipping, and comply with special instructions stated by the supplying library.
  • The requesting library is responsible for following the provisions of this code. Continued disregard for any provision may be reason for suspension of borrowing privileges by a supplying library
• Responsibilities of the Supplying Library
  • The supplying library should establish and maintain an interlibrary loan policy, make it available in paper and/or electronic format, and provide it upon request.
  • The supplying library should process requests within the timeline established by the electronic network. Requests not transmitted electronically should be handled in a similar time frame.
  • The supplying library should include a copy of the original request, or information sufficient to identify the request, with each item.
  • The supplying library should state any conditions and/or restrictions on use of the materials lent and specify any special return packaging or shipping requirement.
  • The supplying library should state the due date or duration of the loan on the request form or on the material.
  • The supplying library should deliver materials by the most effective means possible and should package the items to prevent damage in shipping.

• The supplying library should notify the requesting library promptly when unable to fill a request; and, if possible, state the reason the request cannot be filled.
• The supplying library should respond promptly to requests for renewals. If the supplying library does not respond, the borrowing library may assume that the renewal has been granted for the same length as the original loan period.
• The supplying library may recall materials at any time.
• The supplying library may suspend service to any requesting library which fails to comply with the provisions of this code.

The CCRLS member libraries, CCRLS, Chemeketa Community College, and the staff at these organizations jointly hold responsibility for the appropriate use, storage, and destruction of sensitive personal information. Staff members, including non-paid volunteers, at CCRLS member institutions with access to patron records are legally responsible for protecting the privacy of our patrons by using information only when necessary to circulate material, for true health or safety purposes, or to otherwise assist patrons.

CCRLS member libraries are responsible for seeing that the following procedures are followed and that staff are properly trained. These should be considered minimum safeguards and may be implemented in addition to policies and procedures of the member library.

Penalty for Noncompliance

Individual staff and/or institutions may face civil liability under Oregon law for “reckless disclosure” of personally identifiable information and the Oregon Consumer Identity Theft Protection Act; and civil liability under 20 U.S.C. §1232 Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) for the release of student records without the student’s signed release.

All patron information in shared Library Systems should be considered confidential information. This includes patrons’ names, address and other identifying information, circulation records, any fines owning or paid, books on hold, and any notes or comments in a patron record. When information is exported from the Library Systems to other data files or printed, it becomes confidential if the name is combined with any other personal identification information (phone, barcode, driver’s license, address, etc.).

Confidential Information is not to be released to anyone including relatives (except custodial parents of minor children), friends, police officers, schools or colleges, other patrons, or prospective employers. Additionally, information may never be used for the personal benefit of employees. Information may be shared when it is for safety purposes, for the legitimate use of the library, and for providing library service. This would include forwarding information to Unique Management Service, assisting in the investigation of alleged crimes, or as required by law. A subpoena or search warrant is required to release information to law enforcement. Requests and subpoenas should be referred to the CCRLS Executive Director.

Staff should follow these procedures when handling confidential information:

• Never leave a Library System workstation logged in and accessible to non-staff.
• Close a patron screen when finished with the transaction.
• Do not display the Library System screen to non-staff.
• Secure printed matter with personally identifying information as well as CDs, floppy disks, thumb drives, etc., by locking them in a filing cabinet or placing them in a locked room with limited access.
• Destroy personally identifying information when you no longer have a need for it.
• Do not remove personally identifying information from the library. This includes information on laptop computers, PDA’s, phones, or other devices. Information must always be safeguarded according to FERPA and Oregon state statutes.
• Confidentiality rules apply regardless of the mode of communication; i.e., in person, telephone, e-mail.
• Additional federal regulations govern the disclosure of information in student records to any third party, including parents or custodial relatives.
• Staff should always verify the credentials of a Chemeketa College patron before disclosing any information about a college library account. Asking to see a Chemeketa ID card will enable staff at other CCRLS libraries to remain in compliance with the requirements of FERPA. Any concerns or inquiries regarding acceptable use of student information should be directed to the Director of the Chemeketa College Library or to the College Registrar.

Guidelines should be reviewed annually by employees.

To support the college exemptions from the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) requirements and avoid the expenses incurred without those exemptions, CCRLS libraries providing full internet access over the CCRLS network cannot allow anonymous access to the internet on those machines. OPAC machines and locally provided internet are not part of this issue.

To keep the college and CCRLS network considered private, users must be identified. PCRes will manage this for registered patrons in libraries using that product. Guests in any library and all users in libraries without PCRes should be identified by staff and entered in a log kept through the end of the day.

Library patrons can be validated through their barcodes. Guests should be validated through some other official ID. Children can be validated through a simple sign in sheet.

The following chapters of the municipal code pertain to the formation and function of the library board:

• Article III, Division 1, Section 2-67 – Section 2-76 (BOARDS, COMMITTEES AND COMMISSIONS – GENERALLY)
• Article III, Division 2, Section 2-96 – 2-98 (BOARDS, COMMITTEES AND COMMISSIONS – LIBRARY BOARD)

Article III. – Boards, Committees and Commissions

Division 1. – Generally

Sec. 2-67. – Purpose

The purpose of this chapter is to establish organizational requirements for all commissions, boards and committees, whether permanent or temporary in nature. For purposes of this chapter, the terms “commission,” “board” or “committee” shall all mean the same thing and shall be referred to collectively as Board in this article.

Sec. 2-68. – Establishment.

All permanent boards, commissions or committees shall be created by ordinance. Temporary or ad hoc boards shall be created by resolution. The creating legislation shall specify the number of members, the powers and duties of the members, any enabling or regulatory authority required by each particular appointed body and, if temporary, the duration of the Board.

Sec. 2-69. – Organization.

(a) Each Board shall consist of an odd number of members appointed by the Mayor and approved by the Council. There shall also be appointed to those boards so specified by ordinance a City Council liaison who shall have no vote and who shall not be counted for quorum requirements.

(b) Each Board shall elect from the voting members a chair, vice-chair and secretary, all of whom shall serve a term of one year. Officers may be reelected for up to three successive terms. The Secretary shall keep accurate written minutes of all proceedings of the Board, copies of which shall be submitted to the City Council.

(c) Members shall receive no salary or compensation in any form for their work in connection with the activities of a board, committee or commission.

Sec. 2-70. – Residency.

All members shall be residents of Independence unless specifically permitted by ordinance or resolution. In no case shall nonresident members comprise a majority or more of appointed members.

Sec. 2-71. – Number and place of meetings.

Each board shall meet at least once a month, unless specified by ordinance. Each meeting shall be held at a regular day, time and public place.

Sec. 2-72. – Term of office.

Each member shall be appointed to a term of office for a period of three years or until their successors are appointed and qualified, and their terms shall be staggered so that the term of office of not more than a majority will expire in the same year.

Sec. 2-73. – Vacancy and appointment.

Upon the death, resignation or removal by disqualification or expiration of the term of office of any member of the commission, his or her successor shall be appointed in the manner of the original appointment by the mayor, subject to ratification by the City Council, and such member shall hold his or her membership on the commission for the unexpired term to which he or she is appointed.

Sec. 2-74. – Quorum, votes and abstentions.

(a) A quorum consists of a majority of the members of the Board and a final decision may be made by an affirmative or negative vote of a majority of the members present.

(b) Abstentions. The reason for an abstention from voting must be publicly stated and recorded in the minutes. When a member abstains from voting, that vote does not count as either an affirmative or negative vote.

Sec. 2-75. – Reporting requirements.

At the request of the City Council a board shall file with the Council a report of that board’s activities for the previous year.

Sec. 2-76. – Removal of members.

Any member of any board or commission who shall fail to attend a total of 33 percent of the regular meetings of the Board or who shall miss three consecutive meetings in any one calendar year shall be disqualified from service on the Commission and shall be replaced in the manner prescribed above.

Division 2 – LIBRARY BOARD

Sec. 2-96. – Established.

The Independence Public Library continues to be established pursuant to ORS 357.400 through 357.621.

(1) The Library Board shall consist of seven members and a nonvoting council liaison who shall be residents of the city or residents of the county area surrounding the city who have Independence as their post office address.

(2) The City Librarian shall serve as secretary to the Board and keep the record of its actions.

(3) The Board may establish and alter rules relating to its government and procedure, subject to the approval of the Council.

(4) Each member shall be appointed to a term of office for a period of four years or until their successors are appointed and qualified, and their terms shall be staggered so that their term of office of not more than a majority will expire in the same year.

Sec. 2-97. – Duties.

The Library Board shall:

(1) Keep informed about current trends in library administration;

(2) Study library growth and needs in the city and its vicinity;

(3) Develop and recommend to the Council long-range plans for library services and facilities consistent with city priorities and with state, regional and national goals pertinent to libraries;

(4) Recommend sites for library facilities to the Council;

(5) Participate in the planning for library facilities;

(6) Recommend to the Council types of library services for the city and its vicinity;

(7) Investigate sources of funding for library services and facilities;

(8) Recommend to the Council policies for the acceptance and use of gifts for library purposes;

(9) Participate in the annual budget process of the city as that process pertains to the library;

(10) Recommend to the Council policies conducive to efficient and effective operation of the library;

(11) Review and recommend to the Council terms for contracts and working relations with other public agencies regarding library service;

(12) Submit reports as requested by the Council.

Sec. 2-98. – Internal administrative policies and procedures.

The City Manager shall be the fiscal and internal administrative agent for the library which shall operate in conformance with city administrative procedures including the following:

(1) Personnel, including recruitment, selection, classification and pay for department staff;

(2) Personnel matters including discipline and grievances;

(3) Receipts, disbursements and accounting for moneys;

(4) Maintenance of general books, cost accounting records and other financial documents;

(5) Purchasing;

(6) Budget administration;

(7) Operation and maintenance of equipment and buildings.

Article I – NAME AND PURPOSE

This organization shall be called the “Independence Public Library Board” and shall assume and perform the functions delegated to it in Independence City Code Article III, Divisions 1 and 2.

Article II – MEMBERSHIP

Section 1.  The Board shall consist of seven members appointed for four-year terms by the Mayor of the City of Independence and confirmed by the City Council. Residency of the seven members shall conform with Independence Municipal Code Section 2-70. In addition, there shall be an ex-officio member of the Board, who shall be a City Council member appointed by the Mayor.

Section 2.  Board members will be removed from office as stated in Section 2-76 of the Municipal Code.

Article III – OFFICERS

Section 1. The officer of the Independence Public Library Board shall be a chairperson.

Section 2.  The chairperson shall be elected at the September meeting of the Board.

Section 3.  The chairperson shall serve a term of one year commencing with the meeting following election and ending after the meeting at which a successor is elected.

Section 4.  The chairperson shall preside at all Board meetings, appoint all committees, and generally perform all duties associated with that office.

Section 5.  In the absence of the chairperson from a Board meeting, the members shall select a temporary chairperson for the meeting.

Section 6.  The secretary to the Board shall be the Library Director who shall keep a true and accurate account of all Board meetings, shall have custody of the minutes and other records of the Board, shall notify the appointing body of any vacancies on the Board and shall generally perform such duties associated with that position.

Article IV – MEETINGS

Section 1.  The regular meetings of the Independence Public Library Board shall be held each month from September through June. There will not be meetings in July and August unless a special situation shall warrant such a meeting. The date, hour and location of the meetings shall be set by the Board at its September meeting.

Section 2.  The order of business for regular meetings shall include, but not be limited to, the following items which shall be covered in sequence shown as far as circumstance will permit:

• Call to order
• Approval of minutes
• Board Business
• Librarian’s Report
• Committee Reports
• Communications
• Old Business
• New Business
• Public Presentations
• Adjournment

Section 3.  The annual meeting, which shall be for the purpose of the election of the chairperson shall be held in conjunction with the regular September meeting. The meeting, which shall be for the purpose of the review of the annual report shall be set in accordance with the Oregon State Library’s timetable for issuing forms.

Section 4.  Special meetings may be called by the chairperson, or secretary to the Board, or at the request of two members, provided that notice be given to all members and the public at least 24 hours in advance of the special meeting.

Section 5.  A quorum for library decision making on library procedures and recommendations on library policies shall consist of four members of the Board, present in person or by conference call, excluding the secretary and the ex-officio member. Meetings may be carried on without a quorum, and discussion of the above mentioned items may take place without a quorum, but any motions for action on these items must be referred to the next regularly scheduled meeting.

Section 6.  Proceedings of all meetings shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order.

Article V – COMMITTEES

Section 1. The chairperson shall appoint special committees of one or more member for such specific purposes as the functions of the board may require from time to

time. The committee shall be discharged upon the completion of the purpose for which it was appointed and after the final report is made to the board.

Section 2.  All committees shall make a progress report at each Board Meeting.

Section 3.  No committee shall have other than advisory powers unless, by suitable action of the Board, it is granted specific power to act.

Article VI – AMENDMENTS

Recommendations for amendments to the bylaws may be made at any meeting of the Board with a quorum present, by unanimous vote of the members present, provided the amendment was stated in the call for the meeting.

As members of the American Library Association, we recognize the importance of codifying and making known to the profession and to the general public the ethical principles that guide the work of librarians, other professionals providing information services, library trustees and library staffs.

Ethical dilemmas occur when values are in conflict. The American Library Association Code of Ethics states the values to which we are committed, and embodies the ethical responsibilities of the profession in this changing information environment.

We significantly influence or control the selection, organization, preservation, and dissemination of information. In a political system grounded in an informed citizenry, we are members of a profession explicitly committed to intellectual freedom and the freedom of access to information. We have a special obligation to ensure the free flow of information and ideas to present and future generations.

The principles of this Code are expressed in broad statements to guide ethical decision making. These statements provide a framework; they cannot and do not dictate conduct to cover particular situations.

1. We provide the highest level of service to all library users through appropriate and usefully organized resources; equitable service policies; equitable access; and accurate, unbiased, and courteous responses to all requests.
2. We uphold the principles of intellectual freedom and resist all efforts to censor library resources.
3. We protect each library user’s right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired or transmitted.
4. We respect intellectual property rights and advocate balance between the interests of information users and rights holders.
5. We treat co-workers and other colleagues with respect, fairness, and good faith, and advocate conditions of employment that safeguard the rights and welfare of all employees of our institutions.
6. We do not advance private interests at the expense of library users, colleagues, or our employing institutions.
7. We distinguish between our personal convictions and professional duties and do not allow our personal beliefs to interfere with fair representation of the aims of our institutions or the provision of access to their information resources.
8. We strive for excellence in the profession by maintaining and enhancing our own knowledge and skills, by encouraging the professional development of co-workers, and by fostering the aspirations of potential members of the profession.
9. We affirm the inherent dignity and rights of every person. We work to recognize and dismantle systemic and individual biases; to confront inequity and oppression; to enhance diversity and inclusion; and to advance racial and social justice in our libraries, communities, profession, and associations through awareness, advocacy, education, collaboration, services, and allocation of resources and space.

Adopted at the 1939 Midwinter Meeting by the ALA Council; amended June 30, 1981; June 28, 1995; January 22, 2008; and June 29, 2021.

The freedom to read is essential to our democracy. It is continuously under attack. Private groups and public authorities in various parts of the country are working to remove or limit access to reading materials, to censor content in schools, to label “controversial” views, to distribute lists of “objectionable” books or authors, and to purge libraries. These actions apparently rise from a view that our national tradition of free expression is no longer valid; that censorship and suppression are needed to counter threats to safety or national security, as well as to avoid the subversion of politics and the corruption of morals. We, as individuals devoted to reading and as librarians and publishers responsible for disseminating ideas, wish to assert the public interest in the preservation of the freedom to read.

Most attempts at suppression rest on a denial of the fundamental premise of democracy: that the ordinary individual, by exercising critical judgment, will select the good and reject the bad. We trust Americans to recognize propaganda and misinformation, and to make their own decisions about what they read and believe. We do not believe they are prepared to sacrifice their heritage of a free press in order to be “protected” against what others think may be bad for them. We believe they still favor free enterprise in ideas and expression.

These efforts at suppression are related to a larger pattern of pressures being brought against education, the press, art and images, films, broadcast media, and the Internet. The problem is not only one of actual censorship. The shadow of fear cast by these pressures leads, we suspect, to an even larger voluntary curtailment of expression by those who seek to avoid controversy or unwelcome scrutiny by government officials.

Such pressure toward conformity is perhaps natural to a time of accelerated change. And yet suppression is never more dangerous than in such a time of social tension. Freedom has given the United States the elasticity to endure strain. Freedom keeps open the path of novel and creative solutions, and enables change to come by choice. Every silencing of a heresy, every enforcement of an orthodoxy, diminishes the toughness and resilience of our society and leaves it the less able to deal with controversy and difference.

Now as always in our history, reading is among our greatest freedoms. The freedom to read and write is almost the only means for making generally available ideas or manners of expression that can initially command only a small audience. The written word is the natural medium for the new idea and the untried voice from which come the original contributions to social growth. It is essential to the extended discussion that serious thought requires, and to the accumulation of knowledge and ideas into organized collections.

We believe that free communication is essential to the preservation of a free society and a creative culture. We believe that these pressures toward conformity present the danger of limiting the range and variety of inquiry and expression on which our democracy and our culture depend. We believe that every American community must jealously guard the freedom to publish and to circulate, in order to preserve its own freedom to read. We believe that publishers and librarians have a profound responsibility to give validity to that freedom to read by making it possible for the readers to choose freely from a variety of offerings.

The freedom to read is guaranteed by the Constitution. Those with faith in free people will stand firm on these constitutional guarantees of essential rights and will exercise the responsibilities that accompany these rights.

We therefore affirm these propositions:

1. It is in the public interest for publishers and librarians to make available the widest diversity of views and expressions, including those that are unorthodox, unpopular, or considered dangerous by the majority.

Creative thought is by definition new, and what is new is different. The bearer of every new thought is a rebel until that idea is refined and tested. Totalitarian systems attempt to maintain themselves in power by the ruthless suppression of any concept that challenges the established orthodoxy. The power of a democratic system to adapt to change is vastly strengthened by the freedom of its citizens to choose widely from among conflicting opinions offered freely to them. To stifle every nonconformist idea at birth would mark the end of the democratic process. Furthermore, only through the constant activity of weighing and selecting can the democratic mind attain the strength demanded by times like these. We need to know not only what we believe but why we believe it.

2. Publishers, librarians, and booksellers do not need to endorse every idea or presentation they make available. It would conflict with the public interest for them to establish their own political, moral, or aesthetic views as a standard for determining what should be published or circulated.

Publishers and librarians serve the educational process by helping to make available knowledge and ideas required for the growth of the mind and the increase of learning. They do not foster education by imposing as mentors the patterns of their own thought. The people should have the freedom to read and consider a broader range of ideas than those that may be held by any single librarian or publisher or government or church. It is wrong that what one can read should be confined to what another thinks proper.

3. It is contrary to the public interest for publishers or librarians to bar access to writings on the basis of the personal history or political affiliations of the author.

No art or literature can flourish if it is to be measured by the political views or private lives of its creators. No society of free people can flourish that draws up lists of writers to whom it will not listen, whatever they may have to say.

4. There is no place in our society for efforts to coerce the taste of others, to confine adults to the reading matter deemed suitable for adolescents, or to inhibit the efforts of writers to achieve artistic expression.

To some, much of modern expression is shocking. But is not much of life itself shocking? We cut off literature at the source if we prevent writers from dealing with the stuff of life. Parents and teachers have a responsibility to prepare the young to meet the diversity of experiences in life to which they will be exposed, as they have a responsibility to help them learn to think critically for themselves. These are affirmative responsibilities, not to be discharged simply by preventing them from reading works for which they are not yet prepared. In these matters values differ, and values cannot be legislated; nor can machinery be devised that will suit the demands of one group without limiting the freedom of others.

5. It is not in the public interest to force a reader to accept the prejudgment of a label characterizing any expression or its author as subversive or dangerous.

The ideal of labeling presupposes the existence of individuals or groups with wisdom to determine by authority what is good or bad for others. It presupposes that individuals must be directed in making up their minds about the ideas they examine. But Americans do not need others to do their thinking for them.

6. It is the responsibility of publishers and librarians, as guardians of the people’s freedom to read, to contest encroachments upon that freedom by individuals or groups seeking to impose their own standards or tastes upon the community at large; and by the government whenever it seeks to reduce or deny public access to public information.

It is inevitable in the give and take of the democratic process that the political, the moral, or the aesthetic concepts of an individual or group will occasionally collide with those of another individual or group. In a free society individuals are free to determine for themselves what they wish to read, and each group is free to determine what it will recommend to its freely associated members. But no group has the right to take the law into its own hands, and to impose its own concept of politics or morality upon other members of a democratic society. Freedom is no freedom if it is accorded only to the accepted and the inoffensive. Further, democratic societies are more safe, free, and creative when the free flow of public information is not restricted by governmental prerogative or self-censorship.

7. It is the responsibility of publishers and librarians to give full meaning to the freedom to read by providing books that enrich the quality and diversity of thought and expression. By the exercise of this affirmative responsibility, they can demonstrate that the answer to a “bad” book is a good one, the answer to a “bad” idea is a good one.

The freedom to read is of little consequence when the reader cannot obtain matter fit for that reader’s purpose. What is needed is not only the absence of restraint, but the positive provision of opportunity for the people to read the best that has been thought and said. Books are the major channel by which the intellectual inheritance is handed down, and the principal means of its testing and growth. The defense of the freedom to read requires of all publishers and librarians the utmost of their faculties, and deserves of all Americans the fullest of their support.

We state these propositions neither lightly nor as easy generalizations. We here stake out a lofty claim for the value of the written word. We do so because we believe that it is possessed of enormous variety and usefulness, worthy of cherishing and keeping free. We realize that the application of these propositions may mean the dissemination of ideas and manners of expression that are repugnant to many persons. We do not state these propositions in the comfortable belief that what people read is unimportant. We believe rather that what people read is deeply important; that ideas can be dangerous; but that the suppression of ideas is fatal to a democratic society. Freedom itself is a dangerous way of life, but it is ours.

This statement was originally issued in May of 1953 by the Westchester Conference of the American Library Association and the American Book Publishers Council, which in 1970 consolidated with the American Educational Publishers Institute to become the Association of American Publishers.

Adopted June 25, 1953, by the ALA Council and the AAP Freedom to Read Committee; amended January 28, 1972; January 16, 1991; July 12, 2000; June 30, 2004.

A Joint Statement by:

American Library Association
Association of American Publishers

Subsequently endorsed by:

American Booksellers for Free Expression
The Association of American University Presses
The Children’s Book Council
Freedom to Read Foundation
National Association of College Stores
National Coalition Against Censorship
National Council of Teachers of English
The Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression

The FREEDOM TO VIEW, along with the freedom to speak, to hear, and to read, is protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. In a free society, there is no place for censorship of any medium of expression. Therefore, these principles are affirmed:

1. To provide the broadest access to film, video, and other audiovisual materials because they are a means for the communication of ideas. Liberty of circulation is essential to insure the constitutional guarantee of freedom of expression.
2. To protect the confidentiality of all individuals and institutions using film, video, and other audiovisual materials.
3. To provide film, video, and other audiovisual materials which represent a diversity of views and expression. Selection of a work does not constitute or imply agreement with or approval of the content.
4. To provide a diversity of viewpoints without the constraint of labeling or prejudging film, video, or other audiovisual materials on the basis of moral, religious, or political beliefs of the producer or filmmaker or on the basis of controversial content.
5. To contest, vigorously, by all lawful means, every encroachment upon the public’s freedom to view.

This statement was originally drafted by the Freedom to View Committee of the American Film and Video Association (formerly the Educational Film Library Association) and was adopted by the AFVA Board of Directors in February 1979. This statement was updated and approved by the AFVA Board of Directors in 1989.

The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their services.

1. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.
2. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

• Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.

1. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgement of free expression and free access to ideas.
2. A person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views.
3. Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.

• All people, regardless of origin, age, background, or views, possess a right to privacy and confidentiality in their library use. Libraries should advocate for, educate about, an protect people’s privacy, safeguarding all library use data, including personally identifiable information.

Adopted June 19, 1939, by the ALA Council; amended October 14, 1944; June 18, 1948, February 2, 1961; June 27, 1967; January 23, 1980; January 29, 2019.

Inclusion of “age” reaffirmed January 23, 1996.

Public libraries are uniquely American institutions, providing opportunities for lifelong learning and open discourse. The expression of differing ideas has a long history in our country and is a core aspect of our natural character. Banning, removing, or censoring materials, speakers, or displays without due process violates people’s Constitutional rights.

The Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL) represents library professionals serving diverse communities across the United States. As a professional organization:

ARSL stands in firm support of the freedom to read and free speech as inalienable rights protected by the First Amendment. We are committed to defending those rights for all individuals and recommend library policies that support the selection of library materials that represent a broad range of topics and ideas.

ARSL stands in support of small and rural librarians’ expertise in selecting materials and affirms their dedication to the communities they serve. Librarians use their professional training to develop collections and programs that are reflective and supportive of the communities they serve while providing opportunities to learn about other communities that may be different from their own. Materials are carefully selected following established collection development policies and professional standards. If library users voice concerns about materials or services they find objectionable, libraries have procedures in place for reevaluation those selections.

ARSL stands in support of caregivers’ rights to guide their own children’s use of the library, and to determine which materials are appropriate of beneficial for their children. We recognize that not every book is right for every reader, however, no one person or group has the authority to determine what is appropriate for someone else’s child. Access to a wide variety of reading materials increases the chances that children will become lifelong learners.