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The
Fairhope Public Library will serve our community as a guide to world-wide
information,
a
center for learning activities, and a source for leisure materials.
Statement of Mission
The
mission of the Fairhope Public Library is to provide equal access to information
for the Fairhope community by sustaining and energizing the intellectual,
cultural, educational, and recreational life of the community. The Library
serves all ages, encourages the love of reading and the pursuit of knowledge,
and champions democracy by fostering the free exchange of ideas.
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Administration and Funding
The legal governance of the Fairhope Public Library is vested in
the Fairhope Public Library Board of Trustees, which consists of five members appointed by
the Fairhope City Council. The current Fairhope Public Library Board
members are Martin Lanaux, Chairman, Cecil Christenberry, Carson Nicolson, Molly
Peterson, and Frieda Ward. Dan Stankoski serves as the City Council
liaison with the library.
The Library Director, Tamara
Dean, is the chief administrative officer of the Library Board and acts in the
advisory capacity to the Board, recommending programs, policies, and changes. It
is the director's responsibility to prepare the budget, determine internal
policies and procedures, select books and other library materials, handle
library personnel, public relations with community groups, and all other matters
involved in the operation of the library.
The greater part of the library's budget comes from funds appropriated by the
City of Fairhope. Supplementary funds are provided by the Alabama Public Library
Service in Montgomery (per capita based on the population of Fairhope), as well
as miscellaneous income consisting of fines, gifts, out-of-county memberships, and
contracts with Faulkner State Community College.
Friends of the Fairhope Public Library
raise money by holding the annual Champagne and Chocolate Fantasy and by
managing a book store and holding periodic book sales using donated items.
Proceeds from their activities go to buy unbudgeted books and technology for the
library.
Library Membership is free to all
residents of Baldwin County. Out-of-county membership requires proof
that one is either living in Baldwin County (proof of address) and/or is working
in Baldwin County (a check stub is required) in addition to photo ID. Minimum patron age for cards is 3 years. Photo ID and proof
of current address is required before library card will be issued. Parent
or guardian must be present to sign for cards for minors under the age of 17.
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Library cards are required for
checkout of any materials
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Borrowers are limited to 25
items per card, including a limit of:
6 new books (3 fiction, 3
non-fiction)
5 audio books (CDs & Books on Tape & Playaways)
5 children's audio tapes
5 videos
5 periodicals
5 music CDs
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All materials--with the
exception of non-circulating materials (see
below) may be checked out for a period of two
(2) weeks, with the privilege of four (4) renewals (except that New
Items, materials on hold, DVDs and VHS tapes may not be renewed).
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On a limited basis, books and
audio materials may be renewed by telephone or online. Telephone
renewals will be taken during library hours only. Voice mail messages
for renewals are not accepted. You must have the items
on hand so that necessary information is available.
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Designated periodicals may be
checked out for fourteen (14) days. These may not be renewed.
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Videos may be checked out only
on an adult card and may be kept for fourteen (14) days. They
may not be renewed.
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An item that is not on the
shelf, or is on a waiting list, may be requested for holding by filling out
a request form or by making the request online. The limit for items on
hold per patron is 25. Reserved materials
will be held for five (5) days from the time of
notification.
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Non-circulating
materials
Reference
Special Collections
Microforms
Vertical File
Current issues of periodicals (in red or black folders)
Back issues of reference magazines
Newspapers
Materials needed
for serious research may be checked out on a long-term loan, not to
exceed nine (9) weeks. This long-term loan may not be renewed. If
materials are not returned at the end of this time, fines will be assessed at
the same rates as on other materials, on a daily basis, until they are returned.
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A fine of 10 cents per item
per day will be levied on all print materials and music CDs returned after their due
date. This fine will not exceed $5.00 per item (total of $25.00 per
patron for all items) provided materials are
returned in good condition.
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Overdue videos and audio
books are charged at
$0.50 per day per title (maximum $5.00 per title).
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Fines for damage-to-items
will be levied at the discretion of the library staff.
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Fines on lost materials will
be the full replacement price of the items.
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The library staff keeps
records of all fines and periodically notifies patrons of overdue materials
and/or fines owed.
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After any patron is notified
once, either by telephone, by mail, or in person, he may be subject to
suspended borrowing privileges, for family members as well as himself, until
materials are returned and fines paid.
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City of Fairhope Ordinance
818 makes it unlawful for persons to fail or refuse to return books or other
property of the Fairhope Public Library. Upon conviction, offenders
may be fined up to $500 or imprisoned at hard labor for not more than six
(6) months.
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Interlibrary
Loan
Books not owned by Baldwin county libraries may be requested from other libraries
through the Interlibrary Loan network under the following conditions:
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Books published in the
current year may not be requested. Other libraries will not loan new
books.
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Other libraries will not loan
audiovisual material.
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There is a fee for processing
and/or return postage for these materials. Fees for borrowing items in
the STARS network (most Alabama libraries) are $3.00 for books and $2.00 for
periodicals. Charges for items borrowed outside the STARS network vary
and can be considerably higher ($20.00 or more).
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The borrower must fill out a
form available at the front desk, and the fee must be paid at the time the
request is made.
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Arrival time cannot be
guaranteed.
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This library works with other
libraries under the strict guidelines of the Interlibrary Loan
network. We cannot change these policies. However, we will be
happy to do all we can to assure patron satisfaction.
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Through contracts with their
respective institutions, students enrolled at Faulkner State Community College
and the University of South Alabama/Baldwin County have the privilege of using
this library as follows:
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Students must present their
student ID cards to check out materials. Cards must be valid for the current
semester.
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All materials must be
returned on time and no later than the end of the semester. Students
with outstanding materials will be refused registration until materials are
returned.
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No materials will be
checked out to students between semesters.
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The Library provides computers
for:
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OPAC (On-line Public Access
Catalog to access collection)
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Word processing and other
Microsoft Office programs
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Résumé software
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Access to a variety of CD-ROM
databases
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Access to the Internet
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Instruction in computer lab
Fairhope Public Library Computer and Internet Policy
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The outside deposit (book-drop) is a
convenience for patron use. Borrowers retain
responsibility for materials checked out to them until said items are properly
checked in. This responsibility includes protection from rain damage or
warping. All circulation materials may be returned in the book drop.
Calls for information about library
activities are welcomed, as are calls for quick reference. Of necessity,
the staff cannot provide lengthy answers to requests by phone. If a quick
answer cannot be given, a phone number will be taken, and, as time permits, the
requested information will be provided. (251-928-7483)
A courtesy phone is located at the
circulation desk for local calls.
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Called
Fairhope’s “first priority” by the community’s founders, the Fairhope
Public Library has grown along with the city over the past century.
Our library board and city leaders had the foresight and wisdom to
construct this facility with growth in mind. Library services are
more important now than ever to help families survive tough economic
times.
Contact
Mayor Kant and our
city council members,
Mike Ford,
Diana Brewer, Jack Burrell, Rich Mueller
and Kevin Boone to thank them
and let them know how important the library is to you!
During the library's last
fiscal year, Oct. 2009 - Sept. 2010, 234,825 books,
magazines, DVDs and CDs were checked out; 44,782+
reference questions were answered; 46,124 computer users
were logged; 6,029 children attended 128
children's programs; 1,746
patrons took advantage of computer classes; and 384 adult
programs were attended by 7,928 people. What
are these services worth?
The Library
Use Calculator estimates the value at over $3.67 million. Use
the calculator to find out how much you would pay out-of-pocket
for your own library services.
In the last 12 months 198,050 people entered the library and
2,320 new patrons were
added, making a grand total of 17,964 registered patrons!
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