FAQs & Policies

All of Douglas County Libraries' rules and operating policies are available for your review. If you don't see the subject you're searching for here, please ask us!

Bylaws and Policies manual

The Bylaws & Policies Manual of Douglas County Libraries [1]

Douglas County Libraries Donation Guideline

Douglas County Libraries is pleased to accept donations of new and used books, music CD's, CD-ROMs, and audiovisual items. These donations will be used for ongoing and special book sales. The money earned through these sales goes to the Douglas County Libraries Foundation to enhance programs and services.

We are not able to quote a value for the items you give us, but upon request a staff member will give you a receipt for the number of items donated and the date of donation.

Please do not make donations of:

Items in poor condition -- yellow pages, highlighted text, mildew odor
Textbooks
Encyclopedias
Magazines
Condensed books
Computer books older than 5 years

From experience we know that people won't buy these items at the book sales. We understand that it is difficult to throw away items that you have found useful in the past, but they have served their purpose. Please check with your local recycling agency to see if these items can be recycled.

Highlands Ranch does not accept donations of audio visual material; VHS tapes, music/audio CDs or DVDs. Goodwill and other charities accept these items.

Put large donations in boxes and drop the material off at the information desk during regular business hours. If you have more donations than you can easily carry from your car, please check at your branch’s Information Desk for the easiest way to deliver these.

Call ahead (303.791.READ) for large donations to ensure that there is storage space.

Thank you for thinking of us.

10/2012

Fines, Fees & Borrowing Schedule

The Fines, Fees & Borrowing Schedule may be changed without notice at the discretion of the Library Director.

Borrowing Privileges

Most books, audiobooks, music CDs, and DVD sets with 3 disks or more can be checked out for 3 weeks.
Magazines, videos and DVDs are checked out for 7 days.
Patrons are limited to 3 YLD (recent popular releases) DVDs per library account.
Patrons are limited to 3 video games per library account.
Adult Book Club Express kits check out for six weeks. Patrons are limited to one kit at a time.
Juvenile Book Club Express kits also check out for six weeks. Patrons are limited to two kits at one time.

Borrowing Limits

The maximum number of items that can be checked out at any one time per library account is 99.
Douglas County residents may download three songs from Freegal per week. The weeks resets on Sundays at 10 p.m.
The checkout period for Overdrive materials is set by the patron at the time of checkout for seven, fourteen, or twenty-one days. Ten titles may be checked out at any given time.

Request Limit
Patrons are allowed a maximum of 99 requests on a card at any one time.

Renewal Limit
Library items may be renewed up to 8 times only, with the exception of magazines, YLD materials, Book Club Express Kits, and Inter-Library Loans which may not be renewed.

YLD DVDs Policy
DCL offers many copies of Your Lucky Day (YLD) DVDs of popular films for the first three months of release. Requests are not fulfilled during these first three months as all copies are put in the YLD collection. Patrons may put holds on items as soon as they are in the catalog. These requests will be fulfilled after the three month period.

YLD Policy
Your Lucky Day items are copies of very popular items that are not used to fulfill holds, but placed in the branches for patrons to check out. These items are labeled with a green shamrock. These items are first come-first served and are not renewable. DCL staff will not hold these items even for a short time, and staff is unable to verify an item is in the branch due to the first come-first served status.

Overdues & Fines
Patrons will be assessed a 10 cent daily fine for each day for each overdue item with the following exceptions:

The Library offers a grace period for most material (read further to identify those items that do not have a grace period). Items returned or renewed within three days of the due date will not be subject to a fine. Any item going past the grace period date will be assessed a fine from the due date
There is a $2.00 daily fine for reference materials and educational sets with no grace period.
Overdue Interlibrary Loan items cost $1.00 per day with no grace period.
Book Club Express Kits.

$1.00 per day with no grace period.
Missing or damaged books or guides cost $10.00 each. If you return a missing item within one year from the original pickup date, $5.00 will be waived or refunded.
Lost or damaged kits will incur a $140.00 charge.

If a patron accumulates a total of $20 or more in fines and fees, the patron may not check out any library materials until the fine is paid down. If the total exceeds $50, the account may be referred to a collection agency.

Patron Overdue Notification and Debt Collection Timeline

Number of days past due date:	Action:
12	DCL sends first overdue notice to patron via email or phone.
24	DCL sends second overdue notice to patron via email or phone.
36	Final notice sent by email or U. S. mail, saying patron will be charged for item(s) not returned.
48-69	On day 48, DCL puts replacement charge(s) on patron account. If account goes over $50:¹ "Billing Notice" is placed on patron account. Patron will receive an email or letter indicating that balance must be paid or the account will be sent to collections² for action. Patron has 21 days to respond once communication is sent out. "Billing Notice" is posted on the account each time an email or letter is sent.
70-77	DCL sends account to collections and adds a $10 collection agency fee to patron account. "Message to Borrower" and "See Supervisor" notes are placed on patron account, noting "Zero balance required to stop credit reporting."³ Collection agency sends patron a letter as soon as they receive patron account, usually the same day. Patron has three weeks to respond. Note: Collections is an intermediate step before the account is sent to a national consumer reporting agency. Local collection efforts do not affect patron credit rating.
Three weeks later	If no response, collection agency sends patron a second letter. If patron returns materials or makes a partial payment, agency sends another letter encouraging patron to resolve the remaining balance.
Two weeks later	If patron still owes the library money, collection agency calls the patron at home.
Four weeks later	Collection agency sends patron a final letter noting amount due.
Two weeks later	If patron fails to resolve account at this point, collection agency moves patron to Secondary Placement. This involves extensive research to find patrons who may have moved. Once agency locates patron, it sends a final letter informing patron that if he does not resolve the matter, he will be credit reported.
Two weeks after the final letter is sent	If the account is still unresolved, collection agency calls patron at home informing him that he is scheduled to be credit reported if he does not contact DCL to work out a solution. Agency then sends another letter (agency may make up to three more calls to resolve the matter).
69 days from first notification from DCL and 120 days after sending to collections (189 days total).	Patron is credit reported.

¹ If patron reports an item as lost and the replacement value of the item is over $50, or if total account fees/fines go over $50, the collection process starts.
² DCL's current collection agency is Unique Management Services, Inc.
³ Credit reported if account over $25 after all attempts to contact have been unsuccessful. Account must have a zero balance for 30 days to be removed from collection agency list.

Items Returned to Other Library Systems
The patron is responsible for the item until it reaches a DCL library. DCL is not responsible for these items.

Library Material Replacement
The replacement fee for library materials shall be the full retail value of the materials, as recorded in the library database or in Books in Print. DCL does not accept replacement copies or donations in lieu of payment.

Photocopying Charges
8 1/2" x 11" and 8 1/2" x 14"
10 cents per page and 20 cents per page double-sided.

11" x 17"
20 cents per page and 40 cents per page double-sided.

Computer Printouts
Black and white: 10 cents per page; color $1 per page.

FAXing
The library will FAX from the Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Parker, Philip S. Miller and Roxborough locations. Fee is $1.50 per page. The library cannot accept incoming Faxes and cannot send international Faxes.

Internet Use Policy

Douglas County Libraries offers computer and Internet access to the public, free of charge, at all library locations. Anyone, regardless of age or residency, can use a library computer. Each library is also equipped for wireless Internet access.

Background: It is the intent of Douglas County Libraries to provide free, equitable, and organized public access to Internet resources. This access honors the fundamental library principle of intellectual freedom, an abiding respect for the dignity and privacy of individual inquiry. The Douglas County Libraries's website and catalog is committed not only to providing public access to this communication medium, but also to:

The development and/or purchase of local information resources (such as the catalog of our holdings, periodical indexes and databases, and other text files and databases of local or regional interest, including information about the library)
The identification and organization of links to resources the library believes fit its general collection policies, including selected professional concerns such as training in the use of the Internet, censorship, literacy, etc.; and
Search tools that reach far beyond the efforts of Douglas County Libraries to the manifold offerings of the Internet.

Disclaimer: In total, Douglas County Libraries has no control over information accessed through the Internet. Douglas County Libraries cannot be held responsible for its content. As with other library materials, supervision or restriction of a child's access to the Internet is the responsibility of the parent or legal guardian. It is also the responsibility of the child, whose curiosity is surely tempered by his or her judgment and upbringing. Much of the information on the Internet is timely, useful, and/or entertaining. Some of it is dated, erroneous or offensive. This is also the case with printed materials. Library users should cast a cautious and critical eye on any and all data they discover. The job of the library is access, not endorsement.

Using a Library Computer

A patron can use a library computer for 30 minutes at a time, using a library card. Computer Guest Passes are available to patrons who are visiting our libraries.
The 30-minute reservation will be automatically extended for 10-minute increments if no one else is waiting to use the computer.
When all computers are in use, you can make a reservation for the next available computer.
Patrons are limited to two (2) library computer use sessions per day.
Computers are available on a first-come/first-served basis; no advance reservations are offered.
Library computers may not be used for any illegal activity or to access information that is considered inappropriate for access in a public environment.
A patron’s activities on a library computer are not recorded nor stored on the computer hard drive.
Library computers are rebooted at the close of each user session. This erases all of the information about activities on those computers.

Wireless Access

Free wireless Internet access is available at all Library District locations.
The wireless network is not secure. Please be advised that information may be captured by anyone with a wireless device and appropriate software.
Printing is available through wireless access. [2]
Douglas County assumes no responsibility for the safety of user’s equipment, security or data files.

Printing and Downloading From a Library Computer

You can print pages from the library computers. Black and white copies are $.10 per page, or $.20 double-sided. Color copies are $1 per page where offered.
Personal computers cannot be connected to the library printers.
Information can be downloaded or saved from a library computer to a portable drive (USB, Flash, keychain drive, etc.). Douglas County Libraries is not responsible for loss or damage to downloaded data, files or hardware.

Filtering

In accordance with State and Federal laws, all library Internet computers are filtered to screen out obscene and sexually explicit websites. Library computers designated for use by youth are more strictly filtered in accordance with the Federal Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) and Colorado's Internet Protection Act.
No filtering system is infallible. Douglas County Libraries does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of its Internet filters. Parents have the right and responsibility to monitor their children's use of the library computers and the Internet to ensure their safety.

For more information about using library computers, please contact Douglas County Libraries at 303-791-7323 or ask a member of the library staff.

Access by Minors to Internet Resources

The primary mission of the DISTRICT is to provide public information. Nevertheless, it is the intent oDouglas County Libraries to limit access by minors to Internet resources that are obscene or illegal.
Douglas County Libraries does this in a variety of ways:

Douglas County Libraries has created web pages designed to direct minors to positive, high quality sites, created or reviewed by librarians.
Douglas County Libraries offers various classes that teach parents and children how to search the World Wide Web safely and effectively.
Douglas County Libraries provides supervision of public space. Minors, like adults, are expected to behave in a civil and appropriate manner in the library. The display of visual material that is sexual in nature or that might be considered immediately offensive to others constitutes rude behavior in many circumstances. In such circumstances, at the discretion of library staff, patrons will be asked to cease such behavior. If they do not, they may be ejected from the library, and risk the loss of future library privileges.
Douglas County Libraries also supervises public space by placing of Internet workstations, wherever possible, in direct line of sight of our staff. Further, Douglas County Libraries will investigate all complaints lodged by other patrons.
Douglas County Libraries will limit access on Internet workstations by supervising their use through observation, and employing an “internet protection measure.” Technology, and various technological tools are changing rapidly. Library staff shall seek to remain current concerning various options, and may experiment with them from time to time to better understand them. It is understood that no technology has proved to be 100% effective in allowing only “good” content and blocking only “bad.”
As specified by state and federal laws (HB 04-1004 Internet Protection in Public Libraries, C.R.S. 24-90-601-606 and Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), Pub. L. No. 106-554) Douglas County Libraries will filter all Internet capable computers.
To address issues of safety and security of minors when using electronic mail, chat rooms and other forms of electronic communication, parents and legal guardians should urge minors to follow basic safety guidelines: never give out personal information (name, address, phone number, etc.), never arrange via a computer to meet someone and never respond to messages that are threatening or suggestive, remembering that people online may not be who they say they are.

Enforcement and Consequences

No one, minor or adult, has the right to use public property to commit crimes. At the same time, no policy can ensure that crimes will never be committed. If library patrons are found to be accessing materials that may be, at the discretion of library staff, obscene or illegal, they will be ejected from the library, and may be barred from future use of library resources.

Links from the library's web site

A library ‘link’ (hypertext reference) from the library’s home pages to other sites does not imply endorsement of the views expressed at those sites. The Library Director, in keeping with the general goals described above, is responsible for the selection of the links. “Local” links provide access to local community information and services primarily or largely directed to Douglas County citizens. In general, the library does not link to individual businesses, although it may include such umbrella organizations as area Chambers of Commerce. The library may also, from time to time, add links to highlight particular issues or subjects library staff believe to be of interest or entertainment value to its patrons. Such links may be changed frequently or infrequently at the sole discretion of the Library Director.

Unacceptable Use of Electronic Resources

Any of the following actions may result in the loss of library privileges and/or criminal prosecution or other legal action. Unacceptable use of Douglas County Libraries electronic resources includes, but is not limited to, the following:

It is not acceptable to use Douglas County Libraries electronic resources for illegal or criminal use.
It is not acceptable to violate the legal protections provided by copyright and licenses to program or data.
It is not acceptable to use Douglas County Libraries resources to seek to infiltrate a computer or computing system and/or damage or alter the software or hardware components of a local or remote computer or computing system.
It is not acceptable to seek information on, obtain copies of, or modify files, other data, or passwords belonging to other users. Users shall not represent themselves as another user unless explicitly authorized to do so by that user.
It is not acceptable to falsify one's age to gain access to Internet sites.
It is not acceptable to use our Internet workstations beyond time limits established by library staff. This time limit may change without notice.
The library reserves the right to monitor web sessions in order to ensure system security. Library staff may review these sessions anonymously and remotely. All transactions will be considered confidential, except in those cases where illegal activity is observed, in which case Internet connections may be terminated, and information may be made available to the local law enforcement agency in accordance with the provisions of C.R.S. 24-90-119.
Unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personal identification information regarding minors is not acceptable.

In general, Douglas County Libraries expects that our patrons will be both law-abiding and civil.

Web hosting

Effective from the adoption of this policy, the library will not offer web hosting services to any new non-library agency or organization.
Revised and Adopted by the Douglas Public Library District Board of Trustees on September 23, 2004.

Library Materials Reconsideration Process

The Board of Trustees recognizes the importance of providing a method whereby opinions from the public regarding materials selection can be voiced. Therefore, it has established a policy, which will apply to all requests for reconsideration of materials by DISTRICT residents including (1) those about materials represented in the collection, and (2) those about materials not represented in the collection.

To comply with this policy, a request for reconsideration must be in writing. Forms are available at the Circulation Desks of all DISTRICT libraries and upon completion, may be mailed to a DISTRICT library or delivered to the Library Director. Upon receipt of the signed form, the Library Director will:

Examine the material in question, the issues raised and the circumstances involved.
Make a decision to remove or retain the material in question.
Respond in writing to the request within one week of receipt.
Provide the patron with a copy of this Reconsideration Process policy and other applicable policies and inform the individual of the availability of a Board hearing.

Should the patron feel that the decision of the Library Director is not supported by policy, the patron may request a Board of Trustees hearing by notifying the Library Director, who will make the necessary arrangements. Following such hearing, the decision of the Board of Trustees will be final. Above all, the Board of Trustees has as its concern the fairness of such a hearing so as to protect the rights of all persons who are involved.

Library Materials Selection--Our Policy

"Materials Selection" refers to the decision to add material to the collection or to retain materials already in the collection. Final responsibility for materials selection rests with the Library Director, although responsibility for recommendations may be delegated to other members of the staff. Suggestions from the public are welcome.

Here are the General Principles that guide us in the Materials Selection and Retention process:

The DISTRICT provides a forum for gaining access to information, ideas, and promoting intellectual freedom. The following basic principles will guide its materials selections:

Books and other library resources will be provided for the education, information, and recreation of all people of the community. These materials are generally purchased from mainstream publishers and distributors.
Within reason, the DISTRICT will make every effort to provide a balanced collection representing diverse viewpoints. Materials will not be excluded because of the origin, background or views of those contributing to their creation.
Textbooks or other curriculum-related materials will be acquired only when recognized as the best source for the general public in that subject area.
Each item considered for purchase or deselection will also be evaluated with respect to its:

Contemporary significance, i.e. positive attention of critics, reviews and the public
Popular interest, whether expressed or anticipated by patron request
Author reputation and/or authority in the field
Clarity, accuracy and organization; comprehensiveness
Date of publication (to maintain the most up-to-date collection while striving to preserve key works in a field)
Relationship to existing collection
Insight into or perspective of human and social conditions
Author being from Colorado
Durability/Quality of the format
Availability elsewhere in the community
Price

An item need not meet all of these criteria to be selected.

Book Selection Criteria

Can’t find a book you want in our catalog? Please go to our Materials Request Form [3], or ask a librarian and we’ll try to get it for you. We welcome your requests for a specific book. If the title does not fit our selection criteria, we'll request it from another library. This is called “Interlibrary Loan [4]” or “ILL”. We believe that by encouraging our patrons to participate in the collection development process, we can build a collection that will more accurately reflect the interests and information needs of our Douglas County patrons.

When would you buy a copy of the book I requested?
DCL has established a Collection Development Policy that follows accepted professional practice for selecting a book. If the book you request fits our policy and is available, we’ll buy a copy.

What are the criteria you use for selection?
There are several major measurements we use:

Does the book fit within the “general” or “public” framework of our collection? We buy books that support the GENERAL interest and informational needs of the community. Esoteric or academic works (including many foreign language books, technical manuals and research materials) are usually ruled out for purchase for this reason. Instead, we’d borrow them from other libraries or “ILL” them for you.
Is it timely? If the work has a copyright date that’s within the last 2 or 3 years, we usually consider it for purchase. If it’s older, but we can identify it as a “classic,” we’ll probably buy it. But older books are often out-of-print, or the information they contain is dated. Under those circumstances, we would “ILL” the book.
Is it affordable? Sometimes this is difficult to determine. A book over $50 is on the edge of being too expensive for a circulating collection. But if the reviews, content or advertising for the book lead us to believe there will be a big demand for it, we’d consider buying it.
Does it contain verifiably accurate information? If it does, it’s a credible information source, and we’d consider buying it. The reverse is also true: some books are published that have verifiably inaccurate information. In such a case, we’d be more inclined to borrow it than buy it.
Has it received favorable reviews in professional library journals? Then library colleagues have examined the item and determined that the book has a value for public libraries. We’ll probably buy it.
Is it fiction? We’ll almost always buy it if you ask for it. Even for popular titles, fiction often goes out of print rather quickly. In such cases we’ll initiate an ILL for it.

How much time does it take to get my requests?
It takes anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months depending on whether we purchase or ILL the title. If the item is published and available it takes an average of two weeks. If a title is not available, staff at our reference desks is ready to help you find suitable alternatives.

We value your ideas and opinions, your suggestions and requests. All of them will be given consideration. We will try to have the item in your hand as soon as we can, regardless of whether we buy it or Interlibrary Loan it. Feel free to speak with your branch reference staff if you have any further questions.

November 16, 2011

DVDs

DVD Guidelines

Douglas County Libraries sees its DVD holdings as an important extension of the print materials collections and criteria for the selection is the same as those used by the library for all types of material. Selections are intended to meet the educational, recreational, cultural, and informational needs of the community and must meet high standards of quality in content, expression, and format. Preference is given to the purchase of new titles but available older titles in high demand may be purchased or replaced.

When considering DVDs for purchase, review journals and online sources are consulted. Consideration is given to purchase suggestions made by library users and staff. Selection will also be dictated by the current availability of materials and the limitations imposed by budget.

Feature Films (fiction) The collection contains a wide selection of feature films, including current high interest titles, classics, and foreign films to meet the recreational needs of the community. Critically acclaimed films will be emphasized in addition to award winners including major national, international, and Academy Awards.

The intended audience for children’s films is preschool through grade six. Selections are based on current high-interest titles as well as those relevant and useful to children’s everyday needs and activities. Priority will be given to titles based on a published novel and will be selected from quality producers.

Non-fiction titles will be selected from a wide variety of sources, including regularly consulted review publications and supplier catalogs. Informational titles include documentaries and such popular subjects as hobbies, home repair, travel, fitness, cooking and parenting. The district does not purchase DVDs produced specifically for instructional use in classrooms, reality programming, or titles available only through websites.

Television programs Priority is given to programs that have educational value such as history, biography, travel, and documentary titles or programs that are adapted from a published book or classic television. Quality producers such as A&E, the BBC, History Channel, Hallmark, HBO, and PBS also receive higher priority. The district will buy television series that have won or been nominated for a major award. Special consideration will be given to popular animated series for children.

Occasionally new A-V media forms are introduced into the market place. These will be studied carefully to assess their suitability for public library use and sufficient time will be allowed to determine whether they will receive widespread and lasting public acceptance before collections of such new forms are added to the library.

The District will not be responsible for any damage to patron’s DVD players, computers or other playing devices that occur while using DCL DVDs.

Electronic Resources

Douglas County Libraries sees its electronic resources as an important extension of the print materials collection [5] and criteria for selection is the same as those used by the library for all types of material. Electronic resources include online databases, eBooks, digital audiobooks and video. Many resources once available only in print are now available in electronic format. Providing our patrons access to electronic resources is an integral part of Douglas County Libraries selection policies. Selections are intended to meet the educational, recreational, cultural, and informational needs of the community and must meet high standards of quality in content, expression, and format. Electronic resources enhance and supplement reference service by providing timely and versatile access to information with 24/7 availability.

Online Databases

Electronic databases extend the collection and are designed to enhance print resources but can also provide more timely information with the frequent updating of material. Some former print resources now only exist in electronic format while other electronic resources have information beyond the scope of DCL’s print collection. Some databases may duplicate print resources that are then evaluated for retention.

Criteria considered when selecting online databases include:

Cost effectiveness
Currency of information
Ease of use
Speed, flexibility, and layout/appearance
Availability of archived content
Reduction of shelf space needed for print resources
Availability of full-text articles that can be downloaded, printed and emailed.
Uniqueness and scope of content
Demonstrated need
Availability of usage statistics and other reporting features
Availability of remote access
Hardware and software requirements

Digital Audiobooks, Video, and eBooks

The criteria used for selecting digital media are the same as that used for the selection of print material. To meet the interests of the community, collection emphasis is on popular fiction and nonfiction titles in a variety of genres. Our patrons generally prefer unabridged audiobooks, thus selections are made in this format when available. Some abridged nonfiction titles may be purchased when the unabridged format is unavailable.

Occasionally new electronic formats are introduced into the marketplace. These will be studied carefully to assess their suitability for public library use and sufficient time will be allowed to determine whether they will receive widespread and lasting public acceptance before these collections are added to the library.

Graphic Novels/Comics/Manga Selection Guidelines

The purpose of the graphic novel/comic/manga collection is to provide patrons with core and popular items to enjoy. The collection is composed of both recreational reading and informational titles and spans the traditional age ranges of juvenile, young adult and adult. The collection also aims to encourage reluctant readers and those reading below level to utilize the materials for educational and entertainment purposes.

When considering titles for purchase, standard review journals are consulted as well as other newspaper and magazine reviews and online sources. Items that are submitted through Materials Requests are sent directly to CD for review. The availability and cost for items will also be factors in determining whether or not to make a purchase.

Preference is given to new, age appropriate, well reviewed, and/or award winning materials. Items to fill in missing volumes of a series, as well as suitable selections from other series with older pub dates, will also be considered.

Materials will be purchased for the collection where their content is both age and interest appropriate. As graphic novels are chosen to serve a wide age range of audiences, it is the responsibility of the parents to determine which materials are appropriate for their children.

Music Selection Guidelines

The primary purpose of the music collection is to provide a listening library of recordings for patrons of all ages who are interested in exploring the wide variety of music forms for educational and entertainment purposes.

Ours will be a collection geared toward the general listener, and not the professional musician, nor will it be intended for use by the music scholar.

The collection will have a distribution of titles from all musical styles based on the popularity of various genres, including, but not limited to blues, jazz, children's, country, religious, soundtracks, hip-hop, pop, rock, and world music. Douglas County Libraries purchases unedited versions of music CDs. Preference is given to the purchase of new titles but available older titles in high demand may be purchased or replaced. Librarians or other subject specialists will make selections through reviews, personal evaluation, and recommendations.

Consideration will be given to legitimate suggestions for purchase by library users. Selection will also be dictated by the current availability of materials and the limitations imposed by budget.

Douglas County Libraries will not be responsible for any damage to patron CD and MP3 players or computers that occur while playing DCL's music

Materials & Interlibrary Loan Requests

Beginning February 1, 2011, Materials Requests and Interlibrary Loan services [6] are provided to Douglas County residents only.

We are pleased to provide nonresidents access to materials in our collections, but for these enhanced services, you will need to visit your local library.

Interlibrary Loan FAQs

What is Interlibrary Loan?

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is the process by which our library requests material from, or supplies material to, another library. Douglas County residents can request materials not owned by Douglas County Libraries free of charge through Interlibrary Loan.

What is available through ILL?

Books, audio books, music CDs and DVDs older than 6 months
Photocopies of magazine articles, some genealogy records

What is not available through ILL?

Items we already own
Magazines, video games, LPs, VHS, cassettes, Playaways, and ebooks.
Recently published materials (less than 6 months old)
Reference and rare books
Dissertations, microfilm and genealogy materials can be difficult to obtain.
Microfilm if available is viewed at Philip S. Miller Library in Castle Rock.

What can be photocopied?

Magazine articles, subject to copyright law. Article Copy Request forms are available at any Douglas County Library.
Genealogy information. Some libraries will do limited photocopies from a book if an accurate name, date, etc. is provided.

How long does it take to receive an ILL?

It takes 2-3 weeks if an item is obtained from a Colorado library.
It can take 6 weeks if an item is popular or only available out-of-state.
Please consider these factors if you have research deadlines or vacation plans.
Requests cannot be suspended but can be cancelled by contacting the library or our department.

How do I know when an ILL will arrive?

When your item arrives it is placed on hold for you and sent to your library branch.
You are notified in the same manner as your regular holds, by phone, email or text message, and have 6 days to pick it up.
Materials that are not picked up are considered no longer needed and are returned to the lending library.

How long may I keep an ILL item?

3 weeks for books and audio books
1-2 weeks for music CDs and DVDs
An ILL item may not be renewed but can be requested again 4 months after it was first received.

What if an ILL is returned late, damaged, or lost?

The overdue charge is $1.00 per day with no grace period.
You are responsible for the cost of a damaged or lost ILL you check out. The cost is determined by the lending library and could be $100 or more.
Please handle an ILL with care. Do not remove the label or blue card that insures it is checked in and returned to Interlibrary Loan Department.

Questions? Please email us at ill@dclibraries.org [7] or call 720-348-9540.

Patron Privacy

Douglas Public Library staff members are required by Colorado Library Law (CRS 24-90-119) to protect the privacy of your borrowing record. Everyone owning a Douglas Public Library card is entitled to this consideration. Staff members who violate this law are subject to a misdemeanor charge and a $300 fine.

Library staff is not allowed to give your book or even the title of a book you have on hold to any other person unless you take one of the following actions:

Give us prior permission to allow family members or other friends to pick up materials for you. We will add a message with this information to your library card record.
Give your library card to the person who will pick up your book.

All information contained in your library card record is also protected under this law. Staff members are not allowed to reveal this information to anyone other that the registered patron. We cannot tell you what books other family members have checked out, or what fines they may owe, unless they give us prior permission. For youths under the age of 14, the parent or guardian may be provided information of checked out materials if the primary purpose is to pay fines or recover missing materials. The parent or guardian must present the youth's library card, and provide the staff with current picture identification, e.g. a driver's license.

Note: If you know your library card number, you may examine from any public terminal all materials or charges attached to your record.

24-90-119. Privacy of user records.
Statute text From the Colorado Revised Statutes

(1) Except as set forth in subsection (2) of this section, a publicly-supported library shall not disclose any record or other information that identifies a person as having requested or obtained specific materials or service or as otherwise having used the library.

(2) Records may be disclosed in the following instances:

(a) When necessary for the reasonable operation of the library;
(b) Upon written consent of the user;
(c) Pursuant to subpoena, upon court order, or where otherwise required by law;
(d) To a custodial parent or legal guardian who has access to a minor's library card or its authorization number for the purpose of accessing by electronic means library records of the minor.

(3) Any library official, employee, or volunteer who discloses information in violation of this section commits a class 2 petty offense and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not more than three hundred dollars.

Proctoring Guidelines

DCL will provide limited proctoring services at our Parker, P.S. Miller, and Highlands Ranch Libraries. Please review these guidelines in detail and verify that your institution will accept our conditions so that your testing experience will go smoothly.

DCL will proctor either written or online exams.
Your test will be administered by available staff, not necessarily by a degreed librarian.
Staff will not be able to continuously monitor you during the exam. You will be on the honor system.
Proctoring will be done by appointment only. Please contact the individual library for available times.
It is your responsibility to arrange for the exam to be delivered to the library. The library cannot receive faxes; they can receive email attachments.
Please present a picture I.D. when arriving for your test.
Once the test is finished, the staff member in charge will sign and verify completion.
You will be responsible for any costs incurred for returning the test. The library does not provide envelopes or postage. Faxes can be sent for approximately $1.50 per page.
The library will keep a received test for 30 days from the date of receipt.

RFID & Patron Privacy

What is RFID?

RFID is a technology that is expected to replace barcodes. Barcodes identify individual items in a collection using a number sequence that links to a database record. Barcodes are staff intensive, requiring staff to be involved in most patron transactions. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)is a way of tracking items using radio waves. Radio waves require no line of sight and are contactless, which has the potential to require no staff/patron contact for many routine transactions.

Tags are placed on each item in the library’s collection. These tags uniquely identify each item similar to a barcode; however, the tags are actually unpowered radio transmitters with an embedded chip that holds information about the item.