[Publib] Need your library card?

[Rebecca Bronson]

We allow patrons to check out using a photo ID if they don't have their
cards. This policy has worked well for us. It can speed the check out line
along and promotes good will.

We also allow holds to be picked up by another person if s/he presents the
patron's card. It's reasonable to assume at that point that if they are
asking to pick up a hold and they have that person's card, the person
probably gave them the card and asked them to pick up the hold.
Rebecca Bronson
Reference Librarian
Handley Regional Library
P.O. Box 1300
Stephens City, VA  22655

540-869-9000 (voice)
540-869-9001 (fax)

www.hrl.lib.state.va.us

  -----Original Message-----
  From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org]On Behalf Of Keyth Sokol
  Sent: Tuesday, October 10, 2006 6:29 AM
  To: publib at webjunction.org
  Subject: [Publib] Need your library card?


  We are considering the policies about requiring library cards.
  We want to make it as easy as possible for customers to check out
materials, yet we also want to make certain that the people who are at the
desk are who they say they are.  We will eventually have photo IDs but even
then we must ask ourselves certain questions:

  1. MUST a library customer have their card to check out materials?
Consider the man standing there will three children, one in his arms, and a
stack of books they just spent an hour getting, who can't get his card
quickly or who forgot it.  Now compare him with the lady standing right
behind him who has nobody with her, has one book in her hands, and simply
says, "I don't have it."  We sometimes feel sorry for the former and not the
latter.  Blanket rules across the board?
  2. Consider how we handle holds pick ups.  By this I mean: we are now
allowing someone to authorize another person to pick up their holds for that
person.  But we have run into some confusion imagining all the possible
scenarios, one being: the hold will be charged to the person's account who
held the book, but the person picking it up: should he or she have the card
for the other person?  Should he or she have their own card?

  In short, I would appreciate any feedback from public library staff which
has experience with allowing customers to check out without cards.  The
benefits/drawbacks.
  Thanks!

  Keyth Sokol

  --
  Keyth
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