Resolution 2019-56 | Approved November 19, 2019 by Library Board of Trustees, Effective November 19, 2019

Purpose

The Stark County District Library strives to provide broad access to resources and services that meet the educational, cultural, and recreational needs of the diverse community of Stark County. The Borrowing Privileges Policy of the Stark County District Library exists to facilitate community access to the materials and information contained in the library’s collections, resources, and networks.

Library Cards Eligibility

Eligibility

Any individual who presents acceptable identification may obtain a free library card. Educator and Organizational cards may be available upon request.

Responsibility

The cardholder is responsible for the cost of any lost or damaged items as well as any fines, if applicable, for late materials. Parents/Guardians are accountable for all materials borrowed by their minor children.

Our Rights

The library may refuse to issue a card to a former cardholder who has outstanding charges.

Library Card Registration

Adults

• Applicant must show an acceptable form of identification.

 Minors

• Applicant must complete a library card application.
• Parent/Guardian signature is required.
• Identification is not required.
• Some parental restrictions to materials and resources are available.

 Online Library Card

• An Online Library Card is available online.
• Applicant must live, work, or attend school in Ohio.
• Identification is not required. The Online Card only allows access to online services, including databases and downloadable electronic materials.
• An Online Card can be converted to a regular card with full functionality by visiting a library location and completing the applicable registration requirements.
• An Online Card will expire in 1 year if not converted to a regular card.

Loan Periods, Renewals, and Item Limits

The library will maintain loan periods, renewals, and item limits which provide patrons with an adequate amount of time for both using and returning library materials.

Claimed Returned Items

Items that patrons say have been returned, but cannot be located on the shelves, may be placed in the Claimed Returned status. The library allows three items to be carried in Claimed Returned over the lifetime of the card. The patron will not be financially responsible for items nor will the Claimed Returned items hinder the checking out of other materials. However, any materials lost beyond three items must be paid in full.

Refunds

If a patron locates an item after paying for it, a refund will be issued for the cost of the item minus a processing fee, as indicated in the Table of Charges Policy. The request must be made within thirty days of the payment. Patrons who request a refund must provide the receipt that was issued by the library at the time payment was tendered.

Denial of Borrowing Privileges

Patron borrowing privileges will be denied when lost material fees or fines exceed $25.00. Any patron who has been referred to the collection agency will be denied borrowing privileges until all delinquent materials are returned or all fees/fines are paid so the balance is under $25.00.

Confidentiality of User Record

Pursuant to Ohio Revised Code, the library shall not disclose any record or information that identifies a user of library services as requesting or obtaining specific materials or services or as others using the library. Records may be disclosed only in the following circumstances:

• On the verbal or written consent of the library user
• On receipt of a court order
• If required by law

Employee Borrowing Privileges

In general terms, the borrowing privileges and responsibilities for employees are the same as those described for patrons. Complete details of the library’s expectations relating to employee borrowing of library materials are in the Employee Borrowing Privileges section of the Employee Handbook.

Resolution 2019-59 | Approved December 23, 2019 by Library Board of Trustees, Effective January 1, 2020

Code of General Civility

The Library is committed to being a center of learning and information resources for a diverse and inclusive community. The Library will maintain the highest standards of ethical integrity. The Library acknowledges that respect for self and others is the foundation of excellent customer service and a healthy learning environment. As such, the Library strives to cultivate an environment of civility, mutual respect and responsibility. While working in or visiting the Library, all persons have a right to a safe, civil environment.

Sexual Harassment and Other Discriminatory Harassment

The Stark County District Library is committed to maintaining an environment in which all persons who work at the Library, visit it, or who participate in Library programs and activities can work together in an atmosphere free of unlawful harassment and discrimination. In keeping with this commitment, the Library will not tolerate any form of unlawful harassment or discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, age, gender, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, disability, national origin, citizenship, genetic information, military or veteran status or other class protected by applicable law is strictly forbidden and will not be tolerated.

Sexual harassment involves unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature in which:

1. submission to the conduct is an explicit or implicit term or condition of employment;
2. submission to or rejection of the conduct is used as the basis for an employment decision; or
3. the conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.

Examples include, but are not limited to: offensive sexual flirtations, advances or propositions; verbal abuse of a sexual nature; graphic or degrading verbal comments about an individual or an individual’s appearance; the display of sexually suggestive objects or pictures; or any other sexually offensive or abusive physical contact or gestures. Such conduct, regardless of who commits it, is prohibited. Anyone found to have engaged in sexual harassment will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Other unlawful harassment includes intimidation, ridicule, or insult that is based on an individual’s race, color, creed, religion, age, gender, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, disability, national origin, ethnic origin, genetic information, military or veteran status and has the effect of:

1. unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance;
2. creating an abusive or hostile work environment; or
3. otherwise adversely affecting an individual’s employment opportunities.

Examples of unlawful harassment include, but are not limited to: verbal abuse, the circulation of written material that demeans or exhibits hostility or dislike toward an individual or group, or inappropriate jokes or slurs, where such behavior is based on the foregoing protected classes (e.g. race, gender, etc.). Such conduct likewise is prohibited and will subject the person engaging in it to disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Since there may be some confusion over what actually constitutes sexual or other unlawful harassment, any conduct of this type which offends you or makes you feel uncomfortable should be reported. Keep in mind that the Library cannot address problems it does not know about. So, if you think you are a victim of or witness to harassment, or are being retaliated against in violation of this policy, you must notify the Library.

Sexual and Other Unlawful Harassment Reporting Procedures

Everyone at the Stark County District Library is expected to avoid engaging in any behavior or conduct that could be interpreted as unlawful harassment or discrimination. All employees should also understand the importance of informing an individual whenever that individual’s behavior is unwelcome, offensive, in poor taste, or inappropriate.

The Library cannot remedy a discrimination or harassment situation if it does not know of the situation. Therefore, it is imperative that if an employee feels that he or she has experienced or witnessed discrimination or harassment, he or she must promptly notify his/her immediate supervisor who will take steps to ensure that the report is properly investigated. Any employee who feels that he or she is being harassed but is uncomfortable notifying his/her supervisor should file his/her complaint with the Human Resources Director. Security and an immediate supervisor should be called immediately if a Library patron reports harassment.

Reports of harassment or discrimination should be made in writing and should specifically describe the acts of harassment or discrimination, including the identity of the alleged wrongdoer and any witnesses, the time and location of the harassment or discrimination, and the working relationship between the alleged wrongdoer and the complainant.

The policy of the Stark County District Library is to investigate promptly and discreetly to the fullest extent practicable. The investigator(s) will summarize his or her findings in a written report. If an investigation confirms that a violation of this policy has occurred, then prompt and effective remedial action will be taken. Such remedial action may include disciplinary measures up to and including termination for a wrongdoer. The Library will advise the accuser and the alleged wrongdoer of the outcome of the investigation. Details of the actions taken to maintain a harassment-free environment may or may not be divulged.

The Library encourages reporting of all incidents of sexual or other unlawful harassment or discrimination, regardless of who the offender may be, in accordance with the methods set forth in this policy. Although the Library’s ability to discipline a non-employee who engages in such conduct may be limited, the Library will strive to take available and appropriate remedial action against the non-employee. This action may include, for example, barring a patron from the premises for a specific period of time or terminating business with a vendor.

The Stark County District Library will not, and legally cannot, retaliate against an individual who reports unlawful harassment or retaliate against any participant in an investigation of harassment or discrimination, nor will the Library tolerate acts of retaliation by any employee or supervisor.

Anti-Bullying Policy

The safety and security of all employees is of primary importance to the Library. Bullying in all of its various forms against employees or other individuals working with or visiting the Library will not be tolerated. The Library defines “bullying” as follows:

“Any actual or threatened physical, verbal or nonverbal abuse occurring either inside or outside of the Library’s facilities that can create an internal atmosphere where the Library believes the reasonable person would feel intimidated or threatened to the point that it impairs his/her ability to function.”

Bullying may include a range of explicit and even subtle behaviors. Bullying may occur in person, or electronically or digitally, which is often referred to as “cyber-bullying.” Examples of such unwanted behavior would include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Behavior that constitutes an assault, which consists of a communication or action perceived by the reasonable person to be a potential threat to harm another person or in any way endangers the safety of another;
• Behavior that includes unwanted physical contact or the threat of unwanted physical contact such as patting, pinching, or brushing against someone else’s body that would result in an atmosphere of intimidation for the reasonable person;
• Behavior that a reasonable person would perceive as being obsessive (i.e., intensely focused on a grudge, grievance, or romantic interest in another person and likely to result in harm or threats of harm to another person or property);
• Behavior that a reasonable person would perceive as intimidating, menacing, or provoking others to violence;
• Behavior that involves the carrying, concealing or displaying weapons, destroying property, or throwing objects in a manner reasonably perceived to be threatening;
• Unwanted sexual propositions, innuendo, or suggestive comments that would result in an atmosphere of intimidation for the reasonable person;
• “Leering” or “glaring” at another person that would result in an atmosphere of intimidation for the reasonable person;
• Repeated and unwanted “kidding” or “teasing,” “practical jokes,” jokes directed at an individual that would result in an atmosphere of intimidation for the reasonable person;
• The use of foul or obscene language, gestures, or printed or visual material.

Some specific day-to-day examples of bullying may include:

• Spreading malicious rumors, gossip, or innuendo that is not true;
• Excluding or isolating someone socially;
• Intimidating a person;
• Undermining or deliberately impeding a person’s work;
• Physically abusing or threatening to abuse another person;
• Withholding necessary information or purposefully giving the wrong information;
• Making jokes by spoken word, text or e-mail that are ‘obviously offensive’;
• Yelling or using profanity;
• Belittling another person’s opinion;
• Unwanted tampering with someone’s personal belongings or work equipment.

All Library employees are responsible for notifying their supervisor and/or a Library official of any bullying, threats or abusive treatment that he or she witness or receive. Complaints of bullying shall be addressed in the same manner outlined above in the Sexual and Other Unlawful Harassment Reporting Procedures policy. The Library will take appropriate remedial and disciplinary action whenever it determines that this policy has been violated.

Update Approved January 24, 2023 by the Library Board of Trustees Resolution 2023-4 Effective January 24, 2023

The Stark County District Library strives to provide open, equitable, and convenient public access to all of the Library’s resources, programs and services. The Library and its staff are committed to providing a safe and congenial atmosphere in which to carry out this purpose.

The Library’s Code of Conduct, set forth below, establishes provisions to ensure the mutual respect of all users and staff, the protection of buildings and property, and the health and safety of all. Entering the Library represents an agreement to abide by this Code of Conduct. Illegal activities of any kind are prohibited on Library property. Parents and Guardians are responsible for the safety and behavior of minors in their care, and he or she may be required to accompany minors in the building. See our Unattended Minors Policy for further information.

Library staff and security personnel are empowered to give directions to patrons and to respond to issues as they arise to help maintain a comfortable shared space.

Mutual Respect for Patrons and Staff

The Library is committed to maintaining an environment of mutual respect in order to allow all patrons equitable and uninterrupted access to the library’s resources, programs, and services. Actions or behaviors that may impede the use of the library by others, or that are disrespectful to patrons or staff are not permitted. These include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Loud or disruptive conversation outside of programming or meeting areas of the library.
• Audio equipment or mobile devices that can be heard by others working in the area.
• Disorderly, disruptive, sexual, or inappropriate conduct.
• Abusive, obscene or profane language, either on library premises or when contacting the library through phone, email or chat.
• Verbally or physically threatening or harassing Library users or staff (including following them around or prolonged staring).
• Photographing or videotaping of the Library and its collections, exhibits, staff and users without prior approval of the Executive Director or designated representative.
• Panhandling, solicitating, or selling merchandise of any kind, except during approved Library events.
• Circulating petitions or surveys to Library users other than outside entrances or in building lobbies.
• See our Internet and Computer Usage Policy for further guidelines regarding publicly displayed images on computer screens.

Access and Usability of Buildings and Property

The Library is committed to maintaining the condition of its buildings, property, furnishings, vehicles, and materials for the use of all. Actions or behaviors that may impede the use of these facilities or damage resources are not permitted. These include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Theft, damage, or defacing of library property or materials.
• Damaging or altering Library computer equipment, software or data.
• Bringing food or uncovered drinks into computer areas.
• Bringing uncontained food, uncovered drinks or other items that can spill into areas other than designated program spaces.
• Impeding access into or out of the building.
• Using restrooms for bathing or doing laundry.

Health and Safety of Patrons and Staff

The Stark County District Library is committed to ensuring the health and safety of all visitors and staff in its buildings. Actions that lead to an unsafe environment for other users are not permitted. These include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Not wearing shirts or footwear.
• Health or hygiene issues that constitute a nuisance to other patrons.
• Sleeping on floors or for extended periods of time on library furniture.
• Smoking, including smokeless tobacco and vaping, on library premises.
• Using illegal drugs.
• Bringing in large packages or containers that can create a safety hazard for other patrons.
• Consuming alcoholic beverages on Library premises, except for Library authorized events or functions.
• Bringing in animals, other than service animals assisting people with disabilities, animals used by law enforcement agencies, or animals used in Library programming.
• Leaving animals unattended outside the Library.
• Recreational use of bicycles, skateboards, and wheeled footwear on library premises.
• Entering non-public areas of the Library, except if accompanied or granted permission by a Library staff member.
• Possession of a weapon (as defined by law) within the Library premises by anyone other than Law Enforcement.
• Brandishing or carrying a knife or other sharp object, if the knife or other sharp object is used as a weapon and or in a manner that could reasonably result in personal injury or property damage.
• Remaining in the Library after closing, or when requested to leave during emergency situations or drills.

Patrons should use the restroom for the gender by which he or she identify, except for those requiring the assistance of a caregiver, such as a young child, a person with a disability or an elderly adult. Single-occupant restrooms are available at most library locations.

Enforcement

The Library will follow the principles below in enforcing this Code of Conduct in a fair and reasonable manner:

• Anyone who observes violations of this policy may report them to a security guard or staff member who will take appropriate action.
• Anyone not complying with this Code of Conduct, or any reasonable request of the staff, will normally first be warned by an authorized representative of the Library and will be advised of the next course of action to be taken by the Library if the unacceptable behavior continues.
• A patron who engages in conduct inconsistent with the purpose of the Library, who refuses to comply with library staff directions, or who fails to follow the Code of Conduct may be asked to leave the Library premises, may have Library privileges suspended or restricted, and may be barred from all Library premises for a specified period of time.
• Following review of the circumstances of the violation, the Library’s Executive Director or designee will issue a written notice to the individual, informing him or her of the nature of his or her violation, any history of prior infractions of the Library’s Code of Conduct, the duration of any suspension, restriction, and/or eviction that is imposed, and any requirements that must be met before the suspension is lifted.
• Any person whose Library privileges are suspended or restricted or who is evicted from Library premises has the right to appeal by requesting a hearing before the Director of Security, provided such hearing is requested by written notice addressed to the Executive Director, Stark County District Library, 715 Market Ave. North, Canton, OH 44702, and mailed not later than ten calendar days after the date on which the Library’s notification was mailed to the individual. Any person requesting a hearing shall have the right to appear in person and to be represented by counsel if he or she chooses.

Update Approved September 25, 2023 by the Library Board of Trustees
Resolution 2023-36
Effective September 26, 2023

Executive Summary

The Stark Library Collection Development Policy presents the strategies to develop, expand, diversify and curate 21st Century library collections to meet the needs of the Library and the diverse Stark County population.

Objectives:

• To support the Library’s strategic priorities and areas of focus.
• To provide a framework for the collection, guiding staff in decision-making
regarding the selection, management, and preservation of the collection.
• To identify and inform the public and other stakeholders of the professional guiding principles, responsibilities, and processes of developing and managing collections.
• To ensure intellectual freedom for all users.

Introduction

Collection Development at Stark Library supports the Library’s mission to strengthen the community by advancing literacy, connecting people, and encouraging exploration.
Stark Library is committed to building a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, and our collections reflect that commitment. Collections are developed and approved in agreement with our Diversity Equity and Inclusion statement.

Collection Development refers to the ongoing process of assessing the materials available for purchase or licensing and making decisions regarding their inclusion, and on their retention. This policy outlines the relationship among collection development and management of the Library’s goals, general selection criteria, and intellectual freedom, and is reflective of the organization’s strategies and objectives.

Intellectual Freedom

A democracy presupposes an informed citizenry, and the public library has an integral role in achieving that goal. The Library provides an impartial environment in which individuals and their interests are brought together with the universe of ideas and information spanning the spectrum of knowledge and opinions. The Library Board affirms the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights, and The Freedom to View and The Freedom to Read policy statements in support of acquiring and managing collections.

Collection development and management decisions are based solely on the merit of the work as it relates to the Library’s mission and its ability to meet the expressed or anticipated needs and interests of the community; decisions are not made on the basis of any anticipated approval or disapproval of the material. The inclusion of an item in the Library collection in no way represents an endorsement of its contents. Library materials are not marked or identified to show approval or disapproval of the contents, nor are materials sequestered.

The Library recognizes that many materials may be controversial and that any given item may offend some. Only individuals can determine what is most appropriate for their needs.

Parents and legal guardians have the responsibility for their children’s use of library materials. Parents and legal guardians are encouraged to define what material or information is consistent with their personal and family beliefs; only they can apply those values for themselves and their children.

Materials Selection

Collection development and management is the responsibility of the CEO & Executive Director, who operates within the framework of policies determined by the Library Board of Trustees. The Director for Library Collections, the Manager for Selection, Inventory and Processing and the Collection Development Coordinators are librarians with professional education and public service training who assist the CEO & Executive Director in materials selection and deselection.

The Purpose of the Library Collection:

The Library materials collection is developed and managed to meet the diverse cultural,
informational, educational, and recreational needs of library patrons in Stark County. To meet patron needs, both specific and anticipated, allocation decisions include, but are not limited to, consideration of demand, cost of materials, publishing trends, changes in the marketplace, and community demographics.

Scope of the Collection

The collection offers materials in a choice of formats and levels of difficulty. “Materials” has the widest possible meaning and includes but is not limited to print, audiovisual, electronic, and physical object formats. The collection may consist of materials in physical or electronic format.

Collection Structure

The Library provides a system-wide collection in a variety of environments: Library buildings (Main Library and nine Branches) throughout Stark County, Bookmobiles, Outreach Services, and digital collections. To maximize the physical collection uses, the Library has implemented a floating collection process that allows the collection to move freely throughout the system and then to remain in the location at which it was returned. This results in a reduction of wear and tear on library materials, and also allows the collection to meet customer demands regarding what is read or viewed.

Due to the increased opportunities for and ease of resource sharing, copies of every title, print or non-print, purchased by the Library are not necessarily available in the Main Library collection, but may be housed at one or more of our branch locations. These items are readily available to all Stark Library patrons.

Collection Development Principles

Collection development and management is achieved through the cooperative efforts of centralized Collection Development Coordinators and branch/department managers. Centralized selection provides continuity in collections through an organized structure for planning, budgeting, selecting, acquiring, and managing library materials.

Anticipated demand, community interests, strengths and weaknesses of the existing collection, system-wide availability, physical space limitations, acquisitions procedures, and available budgets are all factors taken into consideration.

Materials are acquired in multiple formats when appropriate and available, including print, audiovisual, and electronic resources. Highest selection priority is given to those materials in formats having the broadest appeal. Materials that are suggested by the community are given high consideration; however, those materials that have a narrow focus, limited audience, high cost of ownership, or do not meet the criteria of our usual selection parameters may not be added.

Self-Publishing

Publishing has seen a rise of self-published works. The Library reserves the right to only
purchase self-published books that are reviewed in professional journals. When professional reviews do not exist, the Library may accept some self-published books containing local information and local history. The designated Library coordinators will review the books and decide if they are suitable for the Library collection. Self-published titles requested by patrons will also be considered on a title-by-title basis, in accordance with collection guidelines & criteria.

Local Authors

The Local Authors Collection provides an ongoing way for primarily Stark County residents who have published books to be part of the cultural conversation, where the work would not otherwise be selected for inclusion in the Library’s collection. A single copy only of a book by a Stark County resident may be donated for inclusion in the collection, if the title meets the general criteria for addition to the collection. If accepted, the title will be subject to the same standards for continued inclusion in the collection as all other materials.

General Selection Criteria

The following criteria are used to evaluate and select items for the collection and are implemented through the coordinators’ training and subject knowledge. An item need not meet all these criteria to be selected. Certain materials are selected to address local community needs.

1.   Relevance to current and anticipated community needs
2.   Intended audience
3.   Suitability of subject and style for the intended audience
4.   Critical reviews and other evaluative sources
5.   Number and nature of requests from the public
6.   Relation to the current collection and other materials on the subject
7.   Reputation and qualifications of the author/artist and/or publisher/producer
8.   Local significance of the author or topic
9.   Comprehensiveness of treatment
10. Representation of majority and minority points of view
11. Usefulness to patrons with special needs
12. Relevance to the experiences and contributions of diverse populations
13. Quality of illustrations and effective characterizations
14. Suitability of physical form for library use
15. Cost

Selection and Acquisitions

A variety of review sources are consulted when purchasing materials, including professional journals, consumer publications and online sources, customer requests, and recommendations.

1.   The Library recognizes the missions and resources of other libraries in Stark County and surrounding areas and does not needlessly duplicate functions or materials.
2.   The Library supports the goals of formal education programs in Stark County and provides curriculum-related and recreational reading materials, which complement, but do not duplicate, school libraries. The Library does not purchase textbooks.
3.   Legal, medical, technical, and academic resources are acquired only to the extent that they are useful to the layperson.
4.   The Library collects materials in a variety of formats, including, but not limited to, books, magazines, newspapers, comics, DVDs, CDs, audiobooks, electronic resources, physical items, and downloadable materials. New formats are evaluated for inclusion based on existing collections and suitability for library users.
5.   The Library also selects materials in languages other than English. These materials are not meant to be comprehensive but are selected to support access where community demographics indicate a need.

Community Role

The community has a role in shaping collections by utilizing the opportunity to suggest items for purchase. A patron “Suggest and Item” form and a general “Comment and Suggestion” form are available on the Stark Library website and from all Library locations. All patron requests and suggestions are subject to the selection criteria outlined above. Acceptance of the form does not guarantee inclusion of the suggested item in the collection.

Collection Evaluation & Maintenance

Once materials have been added to the Library’s collection, they are managed through an assessment and evaluation process to ensure that ongoing collection priorities are met; that collections remain up to date, balanced, and attractive; and that space limitations are minimized. This process identifies items for replacement, retention, or de-selection. Library staff utilizes professional judgment and expertise in deciding which materials to retain, replace, repair or de-select.

Materials within the Library collections are constantly and consistently monitored and evaluated by the Collection Development Department and Library managers. The collection is not archival, nor are materials available in other area libraries needlessly duplicated. Along with the same criteria used to select new materials, general criteria for retaining, replacing, repairing, or de-selecting include:

1. Availability of item in alternative formats
2. Feasibility, cost of repair
3. Historical significance, interest, or value
4. Physical condition
5. Relative usefulness of item
6. Space considerations
7. Superseded, inaccurate, or out-of-date content
8. Usage

De-Selection

De-selection (removing items from the collection) is an integral part of Collection Development. Materials may be deselected to maintain the collection’s usefulness, currency, relevance, and condition De-selected materials will, at the Library’s discretion, be donated to the Friends of the Library groups for book sales or disposed of through other means or companies determined by the Library. The Library retains those materials that continue to have enduring or permanent significance to its mission and overall collection goals.

Donation of Materials and Monetary Gifts

The Library accepts gifts of materials but reserves the right to evaluate and dispose of them in accordance with the criteria applied to purchased materials. No monetary appraisal is made of donated materials.

A new item donated in memory of a loved one or in honor of an event will be gift plated and a letter of thanks, and, if requested by the donor, a letter of acknowledgment to the family will be sent by the Library CEO & Executive Director or designee.

Access to the Collection

Access to materials is ensured by the manner materials are organized, managed, and displayed, by the way staff interact with patrons, and through the delivery of materials. All Library materials are accessible when items are not in use by other patrons or designated for library use only. Patrons may place holds on items already checked out.

The Library organizes its collection through a cataloguing and classification system. The Library participates in sharing consortiums with other libraries for the purpose of providing access to materials, both physical and digital, which are not available in the Stark Library collection. To ensure equitable and efficient access, materials may be subject to use limitations. Remote electronic access to the Library catalog and electronic resources is provided with technical, budgetary, and licensing constraints.

Reconsideration of Library Materials

To serve its diverse public, the Library offers information on as many subjects as possible representing varied, and potentially conflicting, viewpoints.

If a Library patron who works, studies, or resides within the Stark Library service area wishes to express a concern about a material(s) the Library offers, the Library invites the patron first to discuss concerns about the material(s) with a Branch or Department Manager. If the patron still wishes the material(s) to be reconsidered following this discussion, staff will provide the patron with a copy of our "Request for Reconsideration" form, which can be submitted to the Library Collections Director for review in consultation with appropriate staff. The maximum number of materials that an individual patron may submit for reconsideration is limited to 1 per month. Reconsideration of any title and its associated versions or editions is limited to 1 reconsideration per title for a rolling 12-month period. A separate Request for Reconsideration Form must be submitted for each title. The Library takes patron concerns about materials seriously, and a written response will be returned to the patron. If the patron disagrees with the response, they may appeal the decision to the Stark Library Board of Trustees, who will reconsider the decision based on whether the program in question conforms to applicable Library policies. The decision of the Board is final.

Review

This policy will be reviewed by the Library Board at least every four years.

This policy was originally adopted April 15, 2003 (Resolution Number 2003-120) by the Stark County District Library Board of Directors; revised October 21, 2008 (Resolution Number 2008-56); revised October 20, 2020 (Resolution Number 2020-39), Stark County District Library. We welcome your comments and suggestions.

Library Bill of Rights

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.
3. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.
4. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.
5. A person's right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views.
6. 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.

Adopted June 18, 1948. Amended February 2, 1961, and January 23, 1980, inclusion of “age” reaffirmed January 23, 1996 by the ALA Council.

Freedom to View

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 guarantees 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 the 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.

Endorsed by the ALA Council January 10, 1990

Freedom to Read Statement

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 avoid the subversion of politics and the corruption of morals. We, as citizens 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 citizen, by exercising critical judgment, will accept the good and reject the bad. The censors, public and private, assume that they should determine what is good and what is bad for their fellow citizens.

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 need the help of censors to assist them in this task. 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.

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 Page 10 of 12 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 or unpopular with 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 with any expression the prejudgment of a label characterizing it 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 the citizen. 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.

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.

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 Page 12 of 12 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 citizens 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; revised January 28, 1972, January 16, 1991, July 12, 2000, by the ALA Council and the AAP Freedom to Read Committee.

Resolution 2019-59 | Approved December 23, 2019 by Library Board of Trustees; Effective February 1, 2020

It is the policy of the Stark County District Library to protect the privacy of those who use the library. Library employees and volunteers shall protect information from and about Library patrons, which includes requests for information and materials, online sites and resources accessed, and any borrowing transactions.

Parameters

1. Library records and patron information as they are defined in Ohio Revised Code 149.432 are confidential, and library records shall not be released nor shall patron information be disclosed except in compliance with O.R.C. 149.432 and only when such release or disclosure is expressly authorized by the Executive Director or his or her designee.
2. The Library specifically recognizes any document, record, or other method of storing information retained, received, or generated by the Library that identifies a person or persons having requested, used, or borrowed library resources to be confidential. The Library shall not divulge such information to anyone other than those specifically designated under state law. Such records shall not be made available to any agency of state, federal, or local government except in exigent circumstances as defined by O.R.C. 149.322, or pursuant to such process, order, or subpoena as may be authorized under the authority of, and pursuant to, federal, state, or local law relating to civil, criminal, or administrative discovery procedures or legislative investigatory power.
3. Library employees and volunteers understand that their access to patron transactions and collection files must be strictly limited to the conduct of legitimate library business.
4. The Library does not create unnecessary records, only retains records required to fulfill the mission of the Library, and does not engage in practices that would place protected information in public view.
5. While the Library must maintain records of information such as overdue and lost items, outstanding fines, and payments on patron accounts, these records are kept secure and are purged from the Library’s systems in a timely manner consistent with the Library’s retention schedule and when the information is no longer needed for business purposes.
6. The Executive Director is authorized to implement procedures and guidelines consistent with this policy.

(O.R.C. = Ohio Revised Code)

Adopted Date March 18, 2003

BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED by the Board of Trustees of the Stark County District Library that the usage of or reproduction of materials not specifically allowed by US copyright law is prohibited. Library patrons using or copying any library materials are solely and fully responsible for compliance with copyright law. Library staff who copy materials for library patrons do so with a reasonable expectation that the material will be used for purposes permissible under US copyright law. Appropriate copyright notices are provided on or near equipment capable of duplicating copyrighted materials. The director is authorized to develop appropriate procedures for implementation of this policy.

Resolution 2019-59 | Approved December 23, 2019 by Library Board of Trustees, Effective March 1, 2020

This Internet and Computer Usage Policy will be reviewed and accepted by Stark County District Library’s Board of Trustees.

To reserve a meeting room, please submit a request online.

Document Number PM 4003, Resolution Number 2012-22
Adopted Date March 20, 2012

Statement

1. The Stark County District Library agencies will allow businesses, organizations and groups to use the public meeting rooms on an equitable basis subject to the guidelines for use defined separately.

2. Permission to use the public library's public meeting rooms does not imply library endorsement of the aims, policies, activities or affiliation of any such group or organization.

Parameters

1. Permission will be granted if the facilities are not needed for administrative use, activities, or programs sponsored in whole or in part by the library, and when such use is not disruptive of the programs and activities of the library.

2. Simple set-up arrangements will be provided upon request.

3. Organizations using the public meeting rooms may not charge an admission fee.

4. Organizations using the public meeting rooms will not be permitted to make any sales.

5. Organizations using the public meeting rooms may not use advertising and publicity which imply that their programs are

• sponsored by the library
• co-sponsored by the library
• or approved by the library - The Executive Director/Associate Directors may give written permission to use the library's name.

6. An adult leader shall be present at all time and be responsible for the supervision of any groups of children under the age of eighteen using the public meeting rooms.

7. Attendance at meetings/programs may not exceed the maximum number certified by the Fire Department as the occupancy limit for the room.

8. The Library Executive Director and Library Board of Trustees reserve the right to cancel any application submitted for use of the meeting rooms should conditions or situations warrant such action.

9. Admission may be charged for programs sponsored by the library and its affiliated organizations, and the sale of goods that directly or indirectly benefit the library will be permitted.

Refreshments

1. Simple refreshments (coffee, doughnuts, punch, cookies, hor d'oeuvres, etc) or box lunch may be served at meetings.

2. The kitchen (at only particular public library meeting rooms) does not have cooking equipment.

3. No alcoholic beverages may be served on library property.

4. The library does not provide supplies such as cups, containers, paper goods, tea and coffee.

5. Refreshments may not be taken from the public meeting rooms to other areas of the library.

6. Groups using the kitchen or a public meeting room are expected to return the area to the condition in which they found it; failure to do so may result in a clean-up charge of a minimum $25.00.

Liability

1. The library is not responsible for the loss or damage to any equipment or materials owned or rented by an individual, group or organization while using the public meeting rooms.

2. Any individual, group or organization using the public meetings rooms shall be held responsible for willful or accidental damage to the library building, grounds, collections or equipment caused by the group, individual or organization, members or those attending the program or meeting.

3. Any individual, business, group, or organization holding a meeting in the library must fully release and discharge the Stark County District Library, its officers, agents and employees from any and all claims from injuries, including death, damages or loss, which may arise or which may be alleged to have arisen out of, or in connection with the meeting or program.

The following terms are contained in the Stark County District Library Photo Release Form (PDF - 53kb). If you agree to these terms, please download this form, complete and sign it and submit it to library personnel in person or via mail to the address shown on the release form.

I grant to the Stark County District Library its representatives and employees the right to take photographs and/or videos of me and my property in connection with the above-identified event.

I authorize the Stark County District Library its assigns and transferees to copyright, use and publish the same in print and/or electronically.

I agree that the Stark County District Library may use such photographs and/or video of me with or without my name and for any lawful purpose, including for example such purposes as publicity, illustration, advertising, and Web content.

Update Approved January 24, 2023 by Library Board of Trustees Resolution 2023-4 Effective: February 1, 2023

Programming at Stark Library supports the Library's mission to strengthen the community by advancing literacy, connecting people, and encouraging exploration. Programs are events planned by Library staff to meet the needs or interests of the community and may be presented by Library staff or other external presenters. Programs are an integral way to connect people in the community to Library resources, community services, and opportunities.

Stark Library is committed to building a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, and our programs reflect that commitment. Programs are developed and approved in agreement with our Diversity Equity and Inclusion statement.

Stark Library programming objectives:

• Support the Library's strategic priorities and areas of focus
• Expand the visibility of the Library as a community resource
• Promote literacy and school readiness
• Build connections among community members
• Support community needs and interests
• Support, model, and encourage lifelong learning

The Library's staff use the following criteria in making decisions about program topics, speakers, and accompanying resources:

• Relation to the Library's mission, vision, and values
• Community needs and interest
• Presenter qualifications, background, and treatment of content
• Availability of program space, budget, and staff
• Relation to Library collections, resources, and services
• Connection to other community programs, exhibits, or events.

The Library is a convener and facilitator of programs. The views expressed during a program do not constitute an endorsement of those views.

Programs offered by Stark Library are free and open to the public. However, a fee may be charged at the discretion of the Library CEO & Executive Director. Registration may be required for some programs.

Library programs must be non-commercial in nature. No individual or organization shall use a program at the Library to advertise or recruit.

If a Library patron wishes to express a concern about a program the Library offers, the Library invites the patron first to discuss concerns about the program with the Branch or Department Manager where the program was or is to be held. If the patron still wishes a program to be reconsidered following this discussion, staff will provide the patron with a copy of the Library’s "Request for Reconsideration" form, which can be submitted to the Programming and Events Manager for review in consultation with appropriate Directors. The Library takes patron concerns about programs seriously, and a written response will be returned to the patron. If the patron disagrees with the response, they may appeal the decision to the Stark Library Board of Trustees, who will reconsider the decision based on whether the program in question conforms to applicable Library policies. The decision of the Board is final.

Resolution Number 2004-16; Adopted Date February 17, 2004; Effective May 1, 2004

Public bulletin board space is provided as a community service at the Stark County District Library facilities for postings of events by non-profit community groups and organizations. Bulletin Board space is primarily for non-profit community groups within our service areas or National organizations with local affiliations. The library does not evaluate the beliefs or purposes of the sponsoring organizations, and the posting of information does not imply endorsement by the library of any group, their ideas or programs. Individual library locations evaluate their available bulletin board space and may limit the size and duration time of items submitted for posting. The length of time an item will be posted will be written in individual agency procedures. All postings will be submitted to agency managers for approval and display. The Stark County District Library reserves the right not to post any items which in the library's judgment violate State or Federal laws.

Adopted: June 15, 2010

RESOLUTION 2010-34

The policy of Stark County District Library, Canton, Ohio, regarding public records, is governed by the state's Public Records Act, as well as other state and federal laws.

Ohio's Public Records Act imposes two primary obligations upon public offices:

1. Provide prompt inspection of public records (R.C. 149.43(B)(1)); and
2. Provide copies of public records within a reasonable period of time (R.C. 149.43(B) (2)).

The Public Records Act evolved from the principle that Ohio's citizens are entitled to access the records of their government.

Section 1. Public records

Under Ohio law, a public office is to create only such records that are necessary for the adequate and proper documentation of the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures and essential transactions of the agency and for the protection of the legal and financial rights of the state and persons directly affected by the agency's activities. (R.C. 149.40).

In accordance with the Ohio Revised Code and court rulings, "records" are defined as those items that meet all of the following:

1. any document, device, or item, regardless of physical form or characteristic, including an electronic record (which includes but is not limited to e-mail or other record created, generated, sent, communicated, received, or stored by electronic means);
2. that is created or received by, or coming under the jurisdiction of a public office; and
3. that documents the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, operations, or other activities of the public office (R.C. 149.011 (G)).

The determination of whether a specific item constitutes a "record" will depend on the facts and circumstances surrounding the particular item requested. The Ohio Supreme Court has imposed an actual use standard in defining a "record," which means that an item is not automatically a "record" simply because the public office could (but did not) use a document it received to carry out its duties and responsibilities. Furthermore, a public office is not required to create new records to respond to a public records request, even if it is only a matter of compiling information from existing records.

Section 1.1

As required by Ohio law, records will be organized and maintained so that they are made available for inspection to any person at all reasonable times during regular business hours. (R.C. 149.43(B)(1)).

Copies will be made available upon request within a reasonable period of time. (R.C. 149.43 (B) (2)).

A current record retention schedule will be readily available to the public upon request. (R.C. 149.43(B)(2)).

Section 1.2

Not all of Stark County District Library's records are "public records." Certain records are exempt from the Public Records Act. Exempt records include records: (1) the release of which is prohibited by state or federal law, or 2) that are subject to an express exception set forth in Ohio's Public Records Act, which may be released only if Stark County District Library decides to waive the express exemption.

Examples of records, the release of which is prohibited by state or federal law, include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Attorney-client privileged information;
2. Records of a Certified Public Accountant or public accountant in the performance of an audit of a public office (R.C. 4701.19 (B)):
3. Federal tax returns (26 U.S.C. 6103 (a));
4. Criminal background information and other law enforcement information on LEADS/CCH/NCIC computer database (42 U.S.C. 3789g);
5. Records that have been sealed pursuant to a statutorily authorized court order (i.e. R.C.2953.52);
6. Peace officer's home address during the pendency of a criminal case in which the officer is a witness or arresting officer (R.C. 2921.24(A)); and
7. Employees' and their family members' records that were created for purposes of the Family Medical Leave Act or the Americans with Disabilities Act (29 CFR 825.500(g) and 1630.14(c) (1)).
8. Examples of records that are subject to an express exemption set forth in Ohio's Public Records Act, which may be released only if Stark County District Library decides to waive the express exemption include, but are not limited to, the following:
9. Peace Officer, firefighter, EMT, prosecutor, assistant prosecutor, children's services worker, or corrections officer, Residential and Familial Information (R.C. 149.43(A) (7));
10. Records that pertain to a patient's medical history, diagnosis, prognosis, or medical condition and that were general and maintained in the process of medical treatment (R.C. 149.43(A)(1)(a);
11. Records that contain information that was specifically compiled in reasonable anticipation of, or in defense of, a civil or criminal action or proceeding (R.C. 149.43(A)(1)(g)); and
12. Records that pertain to a law enforcement matter of a criminal, quasi-criminal, civil or administrative nature and that, if released, would create a high probability of disclosing any of the following (1) the identity of an uncharged suspect, (2) the identity of a confidential source, (3) specific confidential investigatory techniques or procedures; (4) specific investigative work product; or (5) information that would endanger the life or physical safety of law enforcement personnel, a crime victim, a witness, or a confidential source (R.C. 149.43(A)(2)).

When applicable, the library may seek a legal review prior to determining whether or not an exception applies.

Section 2. Records requests

Each request for public records will be evaluated for a response by the library's Business Office using the following guidelines:

Section 2.1

Although no specific language is required to make a request, the requester must at least identify the records requested with sufficient clarity to allow the library to identify, retrieve, and review the records. If a requester makes an ambiguous or overly broad request, or has difficulty in making a request for copies or inspection of public records, such that the library cannot reasonably identify what public records are being requested, then the library may deny the request. In such case, the library will provide the requester with an opportunity to revise the request by informing him/her of the manner in which records are maintained by the library and accessed in the ordinary course of the library's duties. (R.C. 149.43(B)(2)).

Section 2.2

The requester does not have to put a records request in writing, and does not have to provide his/her identity or the intended use of the requested public record. However, the records custodian may ask for a written request and may ask for the requestor's identity and/or intended use of the information requested if (1) it would benefit the requestor by helping the public office identify, locate or deliver the records being sought, and (2) the requestor is informed that a written request and the requestor's identity and intended use of the information requested are not required. (R.C. 149.43(B)(5)).

Section 2.3

The library will permit a requester to choose to have the public record duplicated upon paper, upon the same medium which the library keeps it, or upon any other medium which the library determines that it reasonably can be duplicated as an integral part of the normal operations of the library. The library is not required to allow the requester to make the copies of the public record. (R.C. 149.43(B)(6)).

Section 2.4

Public records will be available for inspection at all reasonable times during regular business hours. Also, public records are to be made available for inspection promptly. (R.C. 149.43(B)(1).

In addition, copies of public records are to be made available within a reasonable period of time. (R.C. 149.43(B) (1)).

The determination of the terms "prompt" and "reasonable" take into account the volume of records requested; the proximity of the location where the records are stored; and the necessity for any legal review of the records requested.

Section 2.5

Each request will be evaluated for an estimated length of time required to gather the records. Routine requests for records will be satisfied immediately; if feasible to do so. Routine requests include, but are not limited to, meeting minutes (both in draft and final form), resolutions, and budget related documents.

Section 2.6

Upon request, the library will provide copies of public records to a requester by United States mail or by any other delivery means or transmission that the library deems reasonable. (R.C. 149.43(B)(7)).

The library will limit to ten the number of copies of public records provided per month to a requester by United States Mail, unless the requester certifies in writing that he/she does not intend to use or forward the requested records, or the information contained in them, for commercial purposes (R.C. 149.43(B)(7)).

Section 2.7

By Ohio law, the library is not required to permit a person who is incarcerated pursuant to a criminal conviction or a juvenile adjudication to inspect or to obtain a copy of any public record concerning a criminal investigation or prosecution, or concerning what would be a criminal investigation if the subject of the investigation or prosecution were an adult, unless the judge who imposed the sentence or made the adjudication with respect to the person, or the judge's successor in office, finds that the information sought in the public record is necessary to support what appears to be a justifiable claim of the person. (R.C. 149.43(B)(8).

Section 2.8

The library, in response to a written request made and signed by a journalist, which must include the journalist's name and title and the name and address of the journalist's employer and which states that the disclosure of the information sought would be in the public interest, will provide the address of the actual personal residence of anyone employed by the library as a peace officer, firefighter, EMT, prosecutor, assistant prosecutor, children's services worker, or corrections officer, and, if such employee's spouse, former spouse, or child is employed by a public office, the name and address of that public office. (R.C. 149.43 (B)(9)).

Section 2.9

Any denial of public records requested, in part or in whole, will include an explanation, including legal authority, as to why the request was denied. If the initial request was provided in writing, the explanation for denial will be provided to the requester in writing as well. (R.C. 149.43(B)(3)).

If portions of a record are public and portions are exempt, the exempt portions will be redacted and the rest released. If there are redactions, the office will notify the requester of any redaction or make the redaction plainly visible. Each redaction will be accompanied by a supporting explanation, including legal authority, as to why the redaction was made. (R.C. 149.43(B)(1) and (2)).

Section 2.10

The library has no duty to provide records acquired after a request for records is complete.

Section 3. Costs for Public Records

Those seeking public records will be charged only the actual cost of making copies, unless the cost is otherwise set by statute. (R.C. 149.43 (B)(1)). Employee time will not be calculated into the charge for copying a public record. However, in the event that circumstances make it reasonable for the library to hire an outside contractor to make copies of requested records, the requester will be charged the actual cost paid to the outside contractor for the copying services. (R.C. 149.43 (F)(2)(a)). These circumstances may include, but not be limited to, a lack of in-house photocopying resources or labor.

The library has no duty to provide copies of public records free of charge to someone who indicates an inability or unwillingness to pay for them.

Section 3.1

The charge for paper copies is (fifteen) cents per page.

Section 3.2

The library may require a requester to pay in advance the cost involved in providing the copy of the public record, as requested. (R.C. 149.43(B)(6)).

Section 3.3

Upon request, the library will provide copies of public records to a requester by United States mail or by the any other delivery means or transmission that the library deems reasonable. The library may require such a requester to pay in advance the cost of postage or costs incurred for other supplies used in the mailing, delivery, or transmission. (R.C. 149.43 (B)(7)).

Section 3.4

There may be instances when the library may be able to provide copies made in-house without disrupting its normal functions, but only over an extended period of time. In that instance, the library may offer the requester the options of (1) having the documents produced through a faster method by employing temporary personnel and equipment, (2) using an external private contractor, or (3) having the documents produced in-house by this public office's normal staff and equipment in a less efficient and more time-consuming manner.

Records Request Form

Please complete this form to make a public records request. Each request will be evaluated by the library's Business Office using the guidelines identified in this Public Records Policy. Though you are not required to provide your name, you must provide us with contact information when using this form so that we may respond. Should you wish to remain anonymous, please submit your request by phone, in person, or by printing the .pdf version of the form and presenting it.

Adopted July 17, 2018; Resolution Number 2018-38; Replaces Resolution Number 2005-56;

BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED by the Board of Trustees of the Stark County District Library

Statement

The Stark County District Library (SCDL) building interiors are currently a smoke free environment. Patrons and library staff are currently permitted to smoke outside of the buildings. Due to the significant negative health impact that tobacco and smoking products cause library users and staff, the SCDL Board of Trustees recognizes the following statements:

1. The SCDL Board of Trustees is interested in the health and well being of all library patrons and staff.
2. Cigarette smoking, second hand tobacco smoke, and tobacco products have been determined to be harmful to the public’s health.
3. Patrons of the library have the right to use materials and services, and staff members of the libraryhave a right to perform their duties without exposure to preventable health risks.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED by the SCDL Board of Trustees that the library’s buildings, vehicles, and grounds shall be tobacco and smoke free effective January 1, 2019.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT, prohibited tobacco use and smoking in all forms includes the use of electronic cigarettes, personal vapors, and smoke-free oral tobacco products. FDA approved nicotine replacement therapy will be allowed (e.g., patches, gum, and lozenges). It is the intention of the Library to take whatever action may be needed to prevent, correct, and if necessary, discipline behavior that violates this policy.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT, in the interest of a healthier workplace and work force, the library will periodically provide training and informational assistance to library workers seeking to become smoke and tobacco free.

Effective January 1, 2019

RESOLUTION 2024-38

Table of Charges

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED by the Stark County District Library Board of Trustees that the Table of Charges Policy will be revised, effective January 1, 2024.

Resolution Number 2019-59; Approved December 23, 2019 by Library Board of Trustees; Effective February 1, 2020

1. The library welcomes and encourages patrons of all ages, including minors, to visit the library and take advantage of the programs, services and resources which it offers. A minor, as defined in the Ohio Revised Code, is a person under eighteen years of age.
2. The responsibility for the safety and behavior of minors in the library always rests with the parent, guardian or assigned adult caregiver and not with library personnel.
3. The Stark County District Library has in place a Patron Code of Conduct Policy (see above) for the purpose of creating a pleasant atmosphere for all of our patrons and to ensure that everyone using the library may do so without disruption. This policy is to be applied to all situations, and all minors are subject to its enforcement while using the library’s services and attending library programs.
4. The library requires children five years old or under to be immediately supervised by a caregiver while visiting the library. The library reserves the right to determine when a minor over the age of five must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or assigned adult caregiver. In the event a minor is left unsupervised, including minors left unattended after closing, and a caregiver cannot be located, the library reserves the right to contact the police or appropriate authority.
5. In the event that a minor violates the Patron Code of Conduct (see above), and is not responsive to staff warnings to discontinue disruptive behavior, and no caregivers are present, staff will make every effort to contact the parent/guardian by phone and advise them that the minor is about to be evicted and that said minor will need a ride home. If staff are unable to contact the parent/guardian, the library reserves the right to evict the minor and/or contact the police or other appropriate authority. The minor may be asked to wait outside of the library.
6. The Director is authorized to implement procedures and guidelines consistent with this policy. These procedures and guidelines will be administered by designated library staff and Security.