A card for children 15 and under that restricts the content they can check out is coming soon to the Fontana Regional Library system.
The new card is part of the circulation policy revision presented for discussion at the Nov. 12 FRL board meeting at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City.
FRL Regional Director Tracy Fitzmaurice gave the update, saying they’re still working out the kinks with the state library system. The “limited juvenile” card will be the fourth different type of library card in the FRL system: limited juvenile, student access, guest card and full service.
The limited juvenile card means that children will have access to anything in the juvenile/children’s section with a juvenile rating.
“If a child goes up to a circulation desk with a juvenile access card with an adult book, it would automatically say ‘no,’” Fitzmaurice said. Limited juvenile card holders can’t check out DVDs or Blu-rays but can check out juvenile audiobooks. E-books are off-limits, but the N.C. Kids’ site is accessible.
Parents/guardians can choose if their child gets a limited juvenile card or a full-service card. Also, all Macon County Schools students receive a student library card unless their parents/guardians opt-out.
There was a question from the board about making student library cards an opt-in. Fitzmaurice said that would be an MCS decision.
The limited juvenile card has previously been discussed by various library boards. Writing it into the circulation policy will codify the changes.
Policy changes
The circulation policy was not voted on at the Nov. 12 meeting. Fitzmaurice said it’ll be brought up for a vote at the Jan. 14 FRL board meeting.
Other changes in that revised circulation policy will be waiving the five-book limit for first-time library card holders and changing the maximum loss interval for books. Fitzmaurice said the current policy is if you keep an overdue book for more than six weeks, the person gets fined the amount to replace the book. But if you bring it in later, the fine is switched to just being overdue. That exact policy is still being tinkered with, and Fitzmaurice said they don’t want 10-year-old health books returned and other books could have already been replaced in the meantime.
The potential change that caused the most discussion was waiving fines for all juveniles. Currently, fines are waived for student card holders, but not for children with other library cards. Fitzmaurice said a homeschooling parent brought that to her attention since many homeschooling parents frequently use the library.
“It’s a possible step to level that playing field between public school kids and all other kids,” Fitzmaurice said, saying research shows waiving fees and fines for children improves their access to materials.
In total, waiving all late fees and fines for kids would cost around $10,000 annually, with most of those coming from the Macon and Jackson libraries. Fitzmaurice noted that many parents put their book checkouts on their children’s cards instead of getting their library cards.
Board members raised questions about fairness, saying it’s not teaching children responsibility, and another said that if a person really wants that book, they should buy it.
The fine policy won’t be voted on in January, Fitzmaurice said, since it will require input from each county’s commissioners.
Marianna Black Library renovations
Ellen Snodgrass gave an update on the Marianna Black Library renovations. Bids are set to be open the morning of Dec. 17 with the Swain County Commissioners voting on a contract that night.
Applications for bids are coming in, which will lead to pre-bid meetings and site visits.
Snodgrass estimated that five or six weeks after Dec. 17, there will be a groundbreaking “and you’ll start to see things happening.”
The long-awaited library renovation project will cost an estimated $6.2 to $6.5 million. Pre-construction work in the last several months resulted in delays due to sewer issues.
Snodgrass said the new changes will double the space for the children’s section, put the community room in the front of the library and have a new little kitchen.
Once interior construction starts, there will be stretches of days when the Marianna Black Library will have to close to the public. Others will have an alternate entrance.
2025 meetings
The board set their 2025 meeting schedule, with locations to be determined: Jan. 14, March 11, May 13, July 8, Sept. 9 and Nov. 12.