Using the Library

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Want to know the Library’s official policies?  Looking for a form or specific policy issue?  

<— Here’s our Policy Manual.  Enjoy!

Don’t want to read through the manual?  Fair enough.  But there are a few things you need to know about how this all works, and you got this information when you got a Library card.  But… well, we know things happen.  So here’s the 411. The skinny. The lowdown. The scoop.  The tl;dr…

 

WHO CAN USE THE LIBRARY?

All residents of the Haines Borough may use the Library.  All residents 5 years of age and older may have their own library card.  Kids under 16 need a parent’s signature to get a library card.  While children are always welcome, parents are advised that the Library cannot provide supervised child care.

Here’s what you need to get a card:

For year-round Haines residents and all property owners: Bring a photo ID and proof of residency (car registration, lease/mortgage/deed/ tax bill, utility bill, that kind of thing).

 For part-year residents (Less than a year, but more than 4 weeks):  Bring a photo ID.  Visitor cards are $20 and expire in one year. 

 

BORROWING STUFF

Almost everything checks out for 2 weeks, and you can renew it twice.  You can do that online, or you can call us at 766-6420 and we’ll help.  If you don’t renew, or are past your 2 renewals, extended use fees are 25 cents per day on Books, Discovery Kits, Music CDs and Audiobooks.  You can check out up to 50 at a time.

The exceptions:

  • DVDs check out for a week, and you can renew them twice.  Extended use fees on DVDs are $2.00 per day – it adds up fast, especially if you checked out several, so be aware of what you have out!  You can check out up to 50 DVDs at a time.
  • Laptops check out for 2 hours, can only be used inside the Library, and you can renew them twice.  You can only check out one at a time.  Extended use fees on laptops are $1.00 every 15 minutes.  You’ll need to sign a Laptop Agreement with us before you can check one out.
  • Equipment (projector, screen, audio equipment, etc.) checks out only by permission, you can check out up to 5 things at a time (say, a projector and screen) and you can keep it for 24 hours.  Extended use fees are $25 per day.  You’ll need to sign an Equipment Agreement with us before you can check these out.
  • Discovery Kits require a Discovery Kit Agreement to check out, but have the same rules as books.  Do be aware, the replacement costs can be substantial on these, so be careful  

 

USING OUR TECHNOLOGY

WI-FI

Our Wi-Fi is available in the building and around the Library outside as well.  We have the password at the front desk and also posted in the windows that face the parking lot.  You don’t have to have a library card, just point your device to the network named LibraryFreeWifi and put in the posted password.

COMPUTERS

In addition to the laptops listed above, the library has desktop computers for public use.  You don’t need a library card to use them, and they are free of charge. Each session on these computers is one hour long, and you can ask staff to extend your time up to a total of 2 hours per day.  Note – the computer will log you off and lose your work if you don’t ask us to extend your time.

PRINTERS

The library has a printer available for public use.  We charge 35 cents per page to print for either black-and-white or color.  If you want special photo paper or waterproof paper, please see us for the current selection and prices.  Sorry, we don’t have an outgoing fax machine for public use. We will be happy to help you scan and email your document.

 

CAN WE GET A ROOM?

Sure thing!  We have 3 rooms for public use – the Conference Room, which seats up to 10 non-distanced (4 distanced), the Community Room, and the Reading room.  We can also remove the slider between the Community Room and Reading Room for a very large event – please call us if you think you’ll need it.  

We ask that all meetings practice social distancing, unless all participants are vaccinated.

We do clean the rooms between uses, but no longer require 24 hours of quarantine in between uses.

 

DUDE.  DON’T BE THAT GUY.

We’re pretty easy-going around here, so treat each other with respect and be cool while you’re in the town’s second living room,  Mmmm-kay? 

  • The Library is a Borough building. We recommend, but do not require, masks.  If you would like a mask, we have them available – just ask!
  • Please don’t shout, up the volume on a computer without headphones, run, play hide-and-seek or other games, get rowdy, or bother others.  It’s annoying.  Also, no cussing, please.  Keep it clean, is all we ask.   If someone tells us you’re annoying them, we’ll ask you to stop.  If you don’t stop, we’ll ask you to leave.
  • Don’t use our computers to look at stuff you wouldn’t want to watch with your grandma or little kids.  This includes sexually explicit things, gory/extremely violent things… we have kids all over the place and it’s a public place anyway.  It’s just not appropriate.  If you do this, you’ll get a stern talking to from the Director (and who wants that?), plus you’ll be banned from the building and possibly lose your library privileges for a while.  How long depends on how bad it was and whether there have been multiple incidents.
  • Please follow staff instructions.  If we ask you to do something (or stop doing something), it’s because there’s a rule about it or we see that you’re bothering others.  This goes double if we ask you to evacuate.  Refusing to follow staff instructions will result in being asked to leave.  For how long depends on the circumstances.

In short, just Be Nice.  It’s nice to be nice.  🙂