Library Services

Services

The mission of the Okeene Public Library is to provide quality materials and services which fulfill educational, informational, cultural, and recreational needs of the entire community in an atmosphere that is welcoming, respectful, and businesslike.

The general library goals of the Okeene Public Library shall be:

To serve all residents of the community and the surrounding region.
To acquire and make available to these residents such books, periodicals, pamphlets, digital resources, and other services as will address their needs to become well informed, locate answers to important questions, cultivate the imagination and creative expression and enjoy leisure by means of reading and other services.
To acquire the means to provide the most frequently requested material locally and upon demand.
To maintain a program of service which locates information, guides reading, organizes materials for people of various backgrounds, and stimulates thinking and intellectual development in individuals of any age.
To strive consistently to discover new methods and improvements for better service for the library’s patrons.
To review regularly these goals of the Okeene Public Library and, if necessary, revise then in the light of new developments.

Borrowing

All borrowers must be registered and have a valid checkout number.

Loan Periods

2 weeks for books, recorded books, videos and DVDs.
Generally, reference books do not circulate. Upon request, some reference materials may be checked out.
Local history and genealogy books and materials are for in-house use only.
Books may be renewed in person, by phone, or through the website if there is not a reserve on the title.
The director may establish the loan period for special collections, materials which are temporarily in great demand. There is a limit of 3(three) items a patron can borrow at one time.

Reserves

Reserves may be placed by patrons either in person, over the phone, or through the website.

Fines and Charges

There will be no fines charged for overdue materials. A first notice is sent after the material is due. Patrons who have been sent an overdue notice or who have overdue books shall be denied borrowing privileges until those overdue materials are returned or paid for if lost and/or damaged and the fines have been paid.

Inter Library Loan

Because of limited budget and space, the Okeene Public Library cannot provide all materials that are requested. If a book is not available the Okeene Public Library will ‘interlibrary loan’ (request the materials from another library). Any cost for this service will be incurred by the requesting patron.

Internet

Access to the Internet is available to all patrons; however, this service may be restricted at any time for use not consistent with the guidelines. Parents of minor children must assume responsibility for their children’s use of the library’s Internet service; prior to being granted access to the Internet, anyone under 18 years of age, along with a parent or guardian, must sign the Internet Use Agreement. The library’s content filter will only be removed for those patrons 18 years or older. Patrons maybe asked to show a photo ID as proof of age. All users must sign the log-in sheet prior to beginning their 30 minute session.

Guidelines

Users may use the Internet for research and the acquisition of information to address their educational, vocational, cultural, and recreational needs.
Users may use the Internet for the receipt and transmission of e-mail as long as they use a free e-mail service which will establish and maintain an account for them; the library is unable to manage e-mail accounts for any organizations or individuals.
Internet use is offered in thirty (30) minute sessions on a first-come, first-served basis; each user is allowed one session-if there is no patron waiting for the service at the end of a session, the user can have another session, but once having had the service for 30 minutes the user must abandon use of the Internet if another patron requests use of the service.
Users will respect and uphold copyright laws and all other applicable laws and regulations; they will not use the library Internet service for illegal purposes.
Users will respect the rights and privacy of others by not accessing private files.
Users agree not to incur any costs for the library through their use of the Internet service.
Users shall not create and/or distribute computer viruses over the Internet.
Users shall not deliberately or willfully cause damage to computer equipment, programs, or parameter.

Meeting Room

The Okeene Library Meeting Room is available to individuals or organized groups in the library service area. Exceptions may be made by the library board if the board deems extenuating circumstances are involved. The room may be reserved not more than ninety days in advance. To reserve a meeting room contact the Okeene Public Library or fill out the Meeting Room Reservation Form. It is understood that library programming will have first priority in room use.

There will be no charge for the use of the meeting room if one of the users is a member of the library board or is a staff member, or the meeting takes place during regular library hours. No admission may be charged by the group or individual using the meeting room.

Refreshments may be served in the meeting room only and shall be provided by the group.

No smoking is allowed.

Persons using the room shall leave it in a neat, clean, orderly condition; if not, the group/individual will be given notice that continued offense will result in denied access to the meeting room. The library is not responsible for any equipment, supplies, materials, clothing, or other items brought to the library by any group or individual attending a meeting. The library board and staff do not assume any liability for groups or individuals attending a meeting in the library. The fact that a group is permitted to meet at the library does not in any way constitute an endorsement of the group’s policies or beliefs by the library staff or board.