Circulation Policy

I: Eligibility for Library Cards

The Tolono Public Library District is a tax-supported public library and serves patrons in Sadorus, Savoy, and Tolono. People residing within the jurisdictional boundaries of the Tolono Public Library District pay taxes to support the library.

II: Tolono Public Library District Residents

Tolono Public Library District residents are entitled to a library card without charge as they pay taxes to support the library.

  1. Adults wishing to register for a new library card must bring a driver’s license or photo ID and proof of address. These forms of identification include, but are not limited to, driver’s license, utility bills, mail, or voter’s registration card.
  2. Children can apply for a library card when they turn five years old. Children under 18 must have a parent or guardian’s signature on an initial application for a library card. Children may use the proof of residency provided by their parent and/or guardian.
  3. Resident cards are valid in all Illinois Heartland Library System Libraries.
  4. Library cards are renewed every three years without additional fees providing the library cardholder resides with the Tolono Public Library District and is a patron in good standing.
  5. There is a $1.00 fee to replace damaged, destroyed, lost, or stolen library cards.

III. Tolono Public Library District Property Owners

Property owners owning property in the Tolono Public Library District are entitled to one card per parcel of land as they pay taxes to support the library.

  1. Adults wishing to register for a new library card must bring a driver’s license or photo ID, proof of address, and their most current tax bill.
  2. Property owner cards are valid in all Illinois Heartland Library System libraries.
  3. Library cards are renewed every year without additional fees, provided the library cardholder continues to own property within the Tolono Public Library District and is a patron in good standing. Patrons are required to bring in a current tax bill every year to renew.
  4. There is a $1.00 fee to replace damaged, destroyed, lost, or stolen library cards.

IV: Un-Served Non-Residents

Non-Resident applicants must reside within the boundaries of the Unit 7 School District. Non-Resident services and fees are determined yearly by the Library Board of Trustees based on the state formula.

  1. Adults wishing to register for a new card must bring with them a driver’s license or photo ID and proof of address. These forms of identification include, but are not limited to, driver’s license, utility bills, mail, or voter’s registration card.
  2. Children can apply for a library card when they turn five years old. Children under 18 must have a parent or guardian’s signature on an initial application for a library card. Children may use the proof of residency provided by their parent and/or guardian and will reflect the expiration date of their parent and/or guardian’s library card.
  3. Non-Resident library cards are valid in all Illinois Heartland Library System libraries.
  4. Non-Resident library cards are good for one year from the date of purchase. Payment may be made by cash, check, or credit card.
  5. There is a $1.00 fee to replace damaged, destroyed, lost, or stolen library cards.

Cards for Kids Program

The Cards for Kids Act is an amendment to Illinois Public Library Non-Resident Services that allows students in prekindergarten through 12th grade to obtain a library card with full borrowing privilege free of charge if they:

  • Attend school in the Unit 7 School District

Cards covered by this Act will only be registered in a student’s name and are good for one year. In November 2022, the Library Board of Trustees adopted a voluntary extension of service waiving the Non-Resident fee for persons under the age of 18.

V: Patron Services

A Tolono Public Library District library card any be used to check out any materials in the library, except reference and
local history items, if owing less than five dollars in fees. Patrons must present a library card, give a library card number,
or present their driver’s license or photo ID to check out.

Reciprocal Borrowing Privileges

Tolono Library patrons may borrow materials in person from other public libraries in the Illinois Heartland Library System, RAILS, and the Chicago Public Library depending on those libraries’ policies.

Patrons from outside of the SHARE automation system, RAILS, and the Chicago Public Library may create a reciprocal account at the Tolono Library as long as the patron’s account is in good standing.

Use of the Tolono Library by Cardholders from Other Public Libraries

Patrons with cards in good standing from other Illinois Heartland Library System libraries may borrow materials from the Tolono Public Library District. However, patrons whose home library is not in the SHARE automation system may need to first register with the Tolono Library.

To register at the Tolono Library, a patron must present a current (not expired) library card from their home library, a photo id, and proof of current address. After verifying that the patron is in good standing at their home library, Tolono staff will register the patron using their home library card.

Interlibrary Loan

Tolono Library patrons may borrow items from throughout the state and country and have the items delivered to and
returned by the Tolono Public Library District through WorldCat. Reciprocal borrowers are not eligible for this service as
they do not pay taxes to the library.

Renewals and Extensions

Materials not on a hold list for other patrons may be renewed up to two times. Items may be renewed online, in person, or by phone. The library staff may use their discretion in extending the loan period for items that are not high-demand or bestsellers. Extensions are provided, for example, for the convenience of patrons who are vacationing and unable to return materials within the usual checkout period.

VI: Loss of Privileges

The Library Director may deny the use of the library’s facility and materials to persons who:

  • Exceed the library’s limits for fines, fees, or overdue items. When a patron’s card has exceeded these limits, the patron may not use someone else’s card.
  • Repeatedly fail to abide by library policies, including policies on user conduct and use of electronic equipment.
  • Intentionally damage or deface library property. In cases of vandalism, the library may take legal action.
  • Owe fines, bills, or materials to other libraries. The library respects the circulation policies of other libraries. A patron who owes fines, fees, or materials to another library above that library’s limits will not be allowed to check out materials from the Tolono Library until the issue is resolved.

The Library Director may revoke privileges for the amount of time they deem reasonable. If a period longer than six months is considered necessary, the Library Board of Trustees must approve the suspension.

VII: Reinstatement of Privilege

Any Tolono Library patron who has had library privileges denied may confer with the Library Director concerning the problem, write a statement of remediation to the Library Board of Trustees and/or Library Director, or appeal to the Library Board of Trustees in writing to request that library privileges be reinstated. All fees and bills must be paid before the borrowing privilege will be reinstated.

VIII: Collection Agency

Tolono Library patron accounts that carry a $25.00 or more balance will be referred to our collection agency 30 days after the lost/damaged item billing notice has been sent. The collection agency bills the library a fee for each account submitted; this non-refundable fee will be added to the patron’s account balance.

IX: Limits

Patron cards have limits for the number of items placed on hold (twenty-five) and the number of video games (five) checked out. The DVD checkout limit is 25.

X: Lost or Damaged Items

The library will not accept replacement copies of books or audiovisual materials. Replacement books are seldom the more durable “library editions,” and audiovisual materials not purchased from our vendors are not warranted or replaceable.

Lost Items

Items more than 30 days overdue are marked as lost in the system, and the replacement cost is charged to the patron’s account. A patron may also voluntarily report the loss of an item.

When a patron claims to have returned an item that library records show to be outstanding, library staff will do a thorough search for the item. If the item cannot be located, library staff will mark the item as “Claim Returned.” If the patron later finds and returns the item, the status will be changed to “checked in.” A patron may have only two items marked “Claim Returned” at a time. To remove an item from this status, the patron must either return the item or pay for it as a Lost Item.

If a patron has paid for a lost item that was owned by the Tolono Public Library District and later found the item, they may have fees refunded if all of the following conditions are met:

  • The item is returned in good condition
  • The item is returned within 60 days after the billing notice was sent

Damaged Items

Damaged items can no longer be circulated due to their broken or damaged condition (as determined by a librarian). Examples include but are not limited to:

  • Print materials with broken, bent, chewed bindings, torn, defaced, or missing pages
  • Materials with mold or water damage
  • DVDs, CDs, or other audiovisual materials that are scratched, cracked, or broken
  • DVDs, CDs, or other audiovisual materials with missing disks or packaging

Fees for Damaged Items: The patron will be charged the total replacement cost of a damaged item. Patrons who pay the full replacement charge for a damaged item are entitled to keep the item.

Revised 09/2024