A free Hamilton North Public Library (HNPL) borrower's card may be obtained by anyone who resides, owns property or owns a business in Jackson Township, Hamilton County, Indiana. Persons residing at the Indiana Academy, 24815 State Road 19, Cicero, are considered residents for the purposes of HNPL borrower's card eligibility. Jackson Township residents under the age of 18 may have a HNPL borrower's card if they receive permission from their parent. Parents who wish to limit their own child's reading materials should accompany their child to the library to supervise the borrowing process. HNPL employees who do not live in the library service area may receive a free HNPL borrower's card.
Applications for HNPL borrower's cards are available at the Circulation Desks at both branches of the library. Applicants are permitted to check out items once their cards have been issued. A parent must sign his or her child's application before the child is permitted to borrow material.
Photo identification, proof of residency and/or Jackson Township property ownership documentation will be requested when a person applies for a library card. A current driver's license, valid U.S. passport, or Indiana State identification card with a Jackson Township address will be accepted. If the photo identification does not have an address, or if the address on the photo identification is not current, a current signed leasing agreement, a current property tax statement, or a utility bill postmarked within 30 days of application will be accepted.
HNPL borrower's cards, with the exceptions of teacher cards, student cards, non-resident cards, and PLAC, expire two years from the date issued. Renewal of the card allows the library staff to verify name, physical address, mailing address and phone number. It also provides the opportunity to discuss changes in library policies. The annual purge program will remove inactive borrower's cards. Inactive cards are defined as expired cards that have not yet been renewed, or cards that have not been used in three years. Cards with outstanding fines and overdue materials will not be purged.
A valid Evergreen Indiana borrower's card is required to check out material from the library and must be presented at the time of each checkout. A digital replica may also be used. A patron may check out with current photo identification in lieu of his or her library cards one time. The borrower is responsible for all transactions on his/her card even if someone else uses the card. Library staff cannot be responsible for knowing all patrons on sight, and ID is not checked with each transaction. The staff will NOT check material out on someone else's card if the requesting individual is obviously not the cardholder.
Borrowers must be 18 years of age to be eligible to check out R-rated videos or DVDs. Library users may NOT check out material or use the public computers if:
The status of an individual borrower's card will be used only in regard to circulation and computer use, and does not affect the person's use of other services at the library.
Persons holding a valid library card and who are in good standing with any library on the Indiana State Reciprocal Borrowing list (http://www.in.gov/library/files/RBCOVENANTS040910.XLS or a Hamilton County Library may receive a reciprocal borrower card.
Persons who are not eligible for a free HNPL borrower's card and do not live in a library service district may purchase an HNPL borrower's card. The price for the non-resident card is $61 per year, per person. Family non-resident cards are not issued. This fee is reviewed yearly by the HNPL Board of Trustees. The card is valid for one year from the date of purchase.
Teachers who work in Jackson Township but do not reside in Jackson Township are eligible for a teacher’s card from HNPL. To obtain a teacher’s card, a valid school ID must be presented with another picture ID. Teacher cards are free and valid for one year from the date of issue. Patrons who hold teacher cards are not eligible for reciprocal borrowing cards. Only the teacher may use his or her own teacher card. Family members of the card holder may not use the teacher’s card.
Students who attend school in Jackson Township but do not reside in Jackson Township are eligible for a student card from HNPL. Homeschooled students who reside in both White River Township and Hamilton Heights School Corporation are, also, eligible for a free student card. To obtain a student card, a current school ID, or other proof of identity plus proof of school attendance, must be shown. A parent must be present and sign the application as well. Student cards are free and valid for one year from the date of issue. Patrons who hold student cards are not eligible for reciprocal borrowing cards. Only the student may use his or her own student card. Family members of the card holder may not use the student’s card.
HNPL honors Public Library Access Cards (PLAC). Only PLAC cardholders may receive a borrower’s card from HNPL; other residents of the same household cannot get a card unless they are PLAC cardholders. Patrons with a PLAC card are required to return to their home library for Interlibrary Loan services.
A fee of $2.00 is charged for replacing lost or damaged cards. There is no charge for renewal of expired cards.
The borrower is responsible for all transactions on his/her card until the loss or theft of their card has been reported to a HNPL staff member.
MATERIAL | LOAN PERIOD | OVERDUE FINES | LIMITS | RENEWAL |
Books | 21 days | $.25/day | No | 2 |
New Books | 14 days | $.25/day | No | 1 |
Bestsellers | 14 days | $.25/day | No | 0 |
Magazines | 7 days* | $.25/day | No | 1 |
Music CD's | 14 days | $.25/day | No | 1 |
Audiobooks | 21 days | $.25/day | No | 2 |
New Audiobooks | 14 days | $.25/day | No | 1 |
DVDs | 7 days | $.25/day | 10 | 1 |
New DVDs | 7 days | $.25/day | 10 | 0 |
Video Games | 7 days | $.25/day | 2 | 1 |
New Video Games | 7 days | $.25/day | 2 | 0 |
Inter-library loan Materials | Determined by loaning library | Determined by loaning library | Determined by loaning library | Determined by loaning library |
*Adult current issue magazines may not be checked out.
DVDs designated as "new" may not be renewed.
Items with a reserve may not be renewed.
Items may be renewed over the phone or in person or online.
10¢ for one-sided copies (BW)
20¢ for two-sided copies (BW)
50¢ for one-sided color copies
$1.00 for two-sided color copies
Transparencies and labels are not permitted.
No charge for coversheets
In State $.50 per page
Out of State $1.00 per page
International $5.00 for the first page, $2.00 for each additional page
Receiving $0.15 per page
Fees are waived for staff
A one-page fax is not considered a cover sheet.
All inter-library loan materials are loaned to patrons of good standing. ILL materials are checked out for the length of the loan period established by the lending library. Hamilton North Public Library pays all overdue fines to the lending library if ILL materials are not returned in a timely manner; for this reason HNPL charges an amount corresponding with the fine levied by the loaning library. When a patron habitually keeps ILL materials overdue, or does not pick up materials requested, HNPL reserves the right to deny that patron any further inter-library loans.
Items are considered overdue if they are returned after closing on the due date. As a courtesy, e-mail notices will be sent 3 days before the item is due, 1 day before the item is due, the due date, 1 day overdue, 3 days overdue, 14 days overdue, 28 days overdue. Patrons who do not wish to receive e-mail notification will only receive 14 days overdue, 28 days overdue, and 45 days overdue notices by mail.
After 60 days, patrons who owe $25 or more in fines or overdue materials will be turned over to a collection agency. A non-refundable processing fee of $10.00 will be added to the account of all patrons whose accounts are turned over to the collection agency due to fines or overdue materials.
The borrower will be charged the retail cost of items lost, damaged beyond repair or returned incomplete and unusable. There is an additional $10.00 processing fee charged. There are no refunds. If an item is found by the patron after it is paid for, it belongs to the patron. If the item is repairable, the cost of repair supplies will be charged to the patron's card, as well as a $10 processing fee. If the item is returned with replaceable missing pieces, the retail price of the replacement pieces will be charged to the patron's card, as well as a $10 processing fee.
An item may be reserved at the Circulation desk, over the phone, or online. Items will be held for pick-up for 7 days. All expired holds will be returned to the shelf, to the holds queue, or to the lending library.
Approved May 8, 2006
Amended April 15, 2010
Amended March 26, 2015
Amended November 17, 2016