Policies & FAQs

Checkouts can vary depending on which library owns the item you are checking out. Always refer to your due date receipt.

• Books and audiobooks are loaned for 2 weeks – with 2 renewals, provided no outstanding requests
• Blu-Rays and DVDs are loaned for 2 weeks – with 2 renewals, provided no outstanding requests
• DVD sets (ie. TV shows) are loaned for 2 weeks.
• Magazines are loaned for 2 weeks

Mt. Olive card holders can have up to 6 items on their account at one time (the total number of DVDs and Blu-rays is limited to 2).

A non-Mt. Olive card holder is limited to the lending restrictions of their home library.

Library materials are to be returned when due or after the renewal period. The status of items charged to your library account is available online at www.mtolivepubliclibrary.com.

After a five day grace period, books, audiobooks are charged at the rate of 10 cents per day. DVDs and Blu-Rays are $1.00 per day. Magazines have no charge. If the item belongs to a library other than the Mt. Olive Public Library, you may be charged by the owning library.

Yes. By providing an email address or text number Mt. Olive patrons will be notified through their SHARE account 2-days before an item is due. If a renewal is available, Library staff will renew the items.

• 1st Notice – 3 days from due date (via email or text)
• 2nd Notice – 10 days from due date (via email or text)
• 3rd Notice –17 days from due date (via email or text)
• 4th Notice – 24 days from due date (Bill mailed)

No library materials may be checked out on a library card that has accumulated over $5.00 in fines. Parents are responsible for the fines incurred on their children’s cards if under 18 years of age.  Fines may be paid in person via cash or check.

Books and other materials not available in our library when requested by a borrower may be reserved online, in person or, by phone. As the reserved item becomes available, the borrower will be notified by phone, text or email.

Materials may be renewed if there is no reserve on them and if the item has not yet been renewed its maximum amount of times.  Telephone and online renewals are available. Of course, you can renew in person as well.

Yes. Reservations for the computers may be made at the front desk for one hour with the option to extend the time if nobody is waiting for the computer.  All reservations must be made in person on a first come-first served basis. A computer and internet use policy agreement must be signed annually.

1. Lost cards are subject to a $1.00 replacement fee.

2. Library privileges for the family may be suspended if anyone has overdue items or outstanding fines.

3. Books, Magazines, Audio books – 10¢ per day DVD’s-  $1.00 per day

The Board of Library Trustees of the Mount Olive Public Library establishes its conduct ordinance as follows:

Patrons are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that reflects respect for fellow patrons, Library staff and Library policies, behaving in a manner that does not hinder others from using the Library or Library materials. More specifically, all patrons are expected to:

• Understand that acts which are subject to prosecution under Federal, State or Local criminal or civil codes are expressly prohibited and may be subject to legal action.
• Avoid actions and/or language that can be perceived as offensive, abusive or threatening to others. Profanity is prohibited.
• Maintain the volume of conversations and/or electronic devices at an acceptable level.
• Use Library equipment, furnishings, hardware and software in a manner consistent with their intended use and in a way that will avoid damage.
• Be fully clothed when visiting the Library, including footwear.
• Make appropriate use of the Library restroom facilities. Examples of inappropriate use include, but are not limited to, use as laundry facilities, bathing facilities or gathering places.
• Avoid excessive public displays of affection which includes any sexual conduct or physical contact deemed inappropriate for a public place.

Additional Standards

• Reasonable direction of Library staff members will be respectfully followed.
• Children eight (8) years of age and under must be attended by a responsible caregiver while in the Library.
• Children over eight (8) years of age may use the Library unattended by an adult, subject to other Library rules and policies as listed in the Unattended Children.
• Service animals as set forth in the Americans with Disabilities Act are welcome in the Library. Other pets or animals are not permitted.
• Weapons, as set forth and defined in Illinois Compiled Statutes, Chapter 720, section 5/24.1 et seq. are not allowed in the Library.
• The Library is a tobacco-free zone. Use of tobacco in any form in the facility or smoking within 15 feet of the Library is prohibited. Smoking also applies to e-cigarettes and vaping.
• Use of the Library for the purpose of solicitation, selling or canvassing is prohibited.
• Bicycles are to be parked in the bike rack located in the Library parking lot.
• Use of recreational and/or sports equipment is not permitted in the Library facility.
• The Library is not responsible for the security of a patron’s personal property.
• Alcohol is expressly prohibited on Library premises.
• A person may be asked to leave the library if his/her personal hygiene interferes with the orderly operation of the Library or with the ability of other patrons to use and enjoy the facility.

Enforcement

In accordance with the Illinois Compiled Statutes (75 ILCS 5/4-7) the Mount Olive Public Library Board of Trustees has the following powers:  “To make and adopt…rules and regulations…for the government of the Library…” and ‘To exclude from the use of the Library any person who willfully violates the rules prescribed by the Board” Therefore, the Mount Olive Public Library Board of Trustees adopts the following as its policy on patron behavior:

When a person engages in any prohibited activity the following procedure will be followed**.

• Library staff will inform the person that the behavior is not allowed in the Library and that it must cease immediately. Staff will inform the person at this time that if the behavior persists, the person will be told to leave the premises.
• If the behavior persists, staff will tell the person to leave the premises immediately. If the person does not comply, staff will inform the person that police will be called. Staff will then immediately call the Mount Olive Police Department, informing the police that a person needs to be removed from the premises. It shall be presumed that any behavior requiring notification of the police constitutes willful violation of the Board’s prescribed rules.
• The Library staff has the right to request to see identification of any person on the premises who is violating Library policies or rules governing patron behavior.
• When the police arrive, staff will identify the offender.
• If the offender has left the building before the police arrive, staff will give a description of the offender, and if possible, their name, to the police, and ask that they check the parking lot and grounds to make sure the offender has left.
• At its discretion, the Library may request that criminal charges be filed against violators of this policy.
• ** In such instances involving minors, identification will be requested and the incident may be reported to the parent or guardian. When minors are asked to leave, they will be asked to call their parent/guardian from the library, explain the situation and where they will be after leaving library grounds

Code of Conduct Policy Approved May 2016

1. Children 17 and under must have a signed permission slip from parent/guardian on file at the library.
2. Children under 8 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
3. Only one person per computer.
4. No message boards or chat rooms.
5. Library computers are NOT to be used for your home business.
6. No downloading or saving items to the computers.
7. No attempting to upload, download, install, set up, run, or execute any programs or software not authorized by the library.
8. Users will respect and uphold copyright laws and all other applicable laws and regulations: no use for illegal purposes.
9. Users will not create and/or distribute viruses over the internet.
10. Users will not deliberately or willfully cause damage to computer equipment, programs or parameters.
11. All sites visited must be acceptable for viewing by all ages. Any questions may be addressed with the library director.
12. The library has the right to remove or deny the use of computers due to: outstanding fines, overdue materials, previous problems in the library and/or breaking the computer use rules.

First offense: 2 week suspension
Second offense:  1 month suspension
Third offense: permanent suspension

Parents are responsible for the behavior of their children while in the Library. The Mount Olive Public Library staff is committed to help children with activities related to the Library.

However, Library staff cannot, nor is it their responsibility, serve as babysitters. teachers, or disciplinarians.

Violations of this policy are grounds for suspension of library privileges. Whenever advisable, the Library will notify the parent of incidents involving an unattended child.

Children under the age of 8 must be accompanied and supervised at all times by a parent or other responsible caregiver.

When the safety of an unattended child is in doubt, or the parent or responsible caregiver cannot be located, or if the Library is closing, Library staff is authorized to call the police and stay with the child until the police arrive.

From time to time, the Mount Olive Public Library schedules or provides programs which are designed and suitable for attendance by children without parental supervision.

When so indicated, if the parent or caregiver intends to be absent, they must leave word at the circulation desk as to their whereabouts and, if possible, a phone number where they or a responsible adult can be contacted.

Children over the age of 8 may use the Library unattended by an adult, subject to other Library rules and policies concerning behavior, conduct, and demeanor.

 Unattended Children After Hours

In the event a young person is still at the library 15 minutes after the library closes to the public, the police will be called to pick up the young person. Attempts will be made during that 15 minutes to reach parents, but in no instance will staff take young people home.

 Approved May 2016

Mission Statement

Mission: Opening Minds, Connecting People, Engaging Communities, and Creating Experiences

Vision: The Library will be the center of possibility, the inspiration of life-longing learning, and the heart of a community.

Our Goals:

– Create an Inviting Space for a diverse population
– Increase Awareness through Community Engagement

ARTICLE 1 – General Provisions 
Section 1: These By-Laws are intended to set out the duties of the officers of the Board of the Library Trustees, provide procedures by which meetings of the Board are to be conducted, set out methods by which the business of the Board of the Library Trustees is to be carried on, to specify the powers and the duties of the librarian, and to provide other general rules relating to the government of the Board of Library Trustees.

Section 2: These rules are supplementary to the provisions of the statues of the State of Illinois as they relate to the procedure of the Board of Trustees.

Section 3: An oath of office must be taken and signed by all newly elected and appointed trustees.

Section 4: Any member who has any interest of a personal nature in the matter before the Board shall not vote thereon and shall remove themselves from any meeting hearing at which said matter is under consideration.

Section 5: The office of the Board shall be located at the Mt Olive Public Library, 100 N. Plum, Mt Olive, IL. 62069.

ARTICLE II- Officers and Duties 

Section 1: The officers of the Board of Library Trustees shall be a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary and a Treasurer.

Section 2: The term of each member of the Mt Olive Public Library Board of Trustees shall commence on the effective first day of the term to which he or she is appointed and continue to the effective day of the term of his or her successor, unless state law shall here-after otherwise provide.

Section 3: The Library Board of Trustees shall elect the President, Vice-President Secretary, and the Treasurer from among its members. Each of the said officers shall be elected at the regular April meeting effective at the May meeting, serve for a term of three (3) years. If a vacancy occurs in any of the said offices, the vacancy shall be filled from the Board for the balance of the term.

Section 4: The President shall supervise the affairs of the Library Board of Trustees. He or she shall preside at all meetings of the Board, and shall appoint committees and sub-committees and may be an ex-officio member of all committees and subcommittees so appointed.

Section 5: The Vice-president shall preside at meetings of the Board in the absence of the President.

Section 6: The Secretary shall make certain there is a written record and permanent minutes of the Board’s proceedings. The Secretary shall keep records of all official actions of the Board: shall provide for conduct of the correspondence of the Board:  shall file said minutes and shall be the custodian of the files of the Board and its records.

Section 7: The Treasurer shall be authorized to sign checks in conjunction with the Library Director and the Board President drawing on funds deposited to the credit of the Board. The Treasurer to the credit of the Board shall give a bond to be approved by the Board of Trustees that is greater than or equal to the income of the previous fiscal year.

ARTICLE Ill- Meetings  

Section 1: Regular meetings of the Board shall be held on the first Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the public library, unless such day shall be a recognized holiday.  In that event, the regular meeting shall be held on the following Tuesday of the month or at such other time as the Board of Trustees may designate.

Section 2: The date, place, or time of a particular meeting may be changed by the affirmative vote of a majority of the trustees present and voting at the regular meeting prior to the meeting affected.

Section 3: A special meeting may be held at any time at the call of any two members of the Board. No special meeting shall be held unless special notice of the time and place thereof  shall be given to all trustees at least at least 48 hours in advance of the said special meeting  Public notice of any special meeting except a meeting held in the event of a bona fide emergency, or of any rescheduled regular meeting, or of any reconvened meeting, shall be given at least 48 hours before such meeting, which notice shall also include the agenda for the special, rescheduled, or reconvened meeting, but the validity of any action taken by the public body which is germane to a subject on the agenda shall not be affected by other errors or omissions in the agenda. The requirement of public notice of reconvened meetings does not apply to any case where the meeting was open to the public and (1) it is to be reconvened within 24 hours, or (2) an announcement of the time and place of the reconvened meeting was made at the original meeting and there is no change in the agenda. Notice of an emergency meeting shall be given as soon as practicable, but in any event prior to the holding of such meeting.

Section 4: All meetings of the Board shall be open to the public, and be conducted in accordance with Illinois Revised statutes.

Section 5: A quorum of the Board shall consist of five members. The director is required to attend all regular meetings.

Section 6: ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER shall govern the deliberations of the Library Board of Trustees, except when such rules are in conflict with any of the rules provided herein.

Section 7: The rules of order, other than such rules as may be prescribed by statute may be suspended at any time by the consent of a majority of the members present at any meeting.

Section 8: Within ten days after the beginning of each fiscal year, the President or the Secretary of the Board shall give public notice of the schedule of regular meetings of the Board for the ensuing fiscal year, stating the regular dates, times, and places of such meetings, by posting a copy of the notice in conspicuous places in the library.

If the public body changes the regular meeting schedule (as opposed to a particular meeting), it must give 10 calendar days’ notice of the change by publicizing the change in the newspaper and by posting information concerning the schedule change at the library and on its webpage.

Section 9: Whenever a local newspaper of general circulation, or a local radio or  television station has filed an annual request with the Secretary of the Board for notice  of the regular and special meetings of the Board, and has provided the Secretary of the Board with an address within the City of Mt Olive at which such notice may be given  then a copy of the notice of any special or rescheduled regular meetings shall be mailed  to such local newspaper or local radio or television station.

Section 10: An affirmative vote of the majority of all members of the Board present at the time shall be necessary to approve any action before the board.

Section 11: The by-laws may be amended by the majority vote of all members of the Board provided written notice of the proposed amendment shall have been provided to all members at least ten days prior to the meeting at which such action is proposed to be taken.

Section 12: Any rule or regulation of the Board, whether contained in these by-laws or otherwise, may be suspended temporarily in connection with business at hand, but such suspension, to be valid, may be taken only at a meeting at which two-thirds (6) of the members of the Board shall be present and two-thirds (4) of these shall so approve.

ARTICLE IV –  Committees and System Representative  

Section 1: The President may designate, with the consent of the Board, a member of the Board as a representative from the Board to the Illinois Heartland Library System.

ARTICLE V- Procedures

Section 1: The order of the business at all meetings of the Board of Trustees shall be as follows:

1. Roll call and declaration of quorum
2. Public Comment
3. Reading and approval of the minutes of the previous meeting
4. Treasurer’s financial report of the Library’s funds
5. Action on bills
6. Librarian’s Report
7. Committee Report
8. Communications
9. Unfinished business
10. New Business
11. Adjournment

Public attendees, should they indicate that they want to make a comment/statement, will be allotted five (5) minutes to voice their position. The total amount of time for all public comments will be thirty (30) minutes per meeting.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBLITIES OF THE LIBRARY BOARD

1. Employ a competent and qualified director
2. Determine and adopt written policies to govern the operation and program of the Library
3. Determine the purposes of the library and secure the adequate funds to carry on the Library’s program
4. Know the programs and the needs of the library in relation to the community Keep abreast of the standards and the library trends
5. Establish, support, and participate in a planned public relations program
6. Assist in the preparation of the annual budget
7. Know local and state laws, actively support the library legislation in the state and nation.
8. Establish among the library policies those dealing with book and material selections.
9. Attend Board meetings and see that accurate records are kept on file at the library
10. 10. Attend regional, state, and national trustee meetings, and workshops, and affiliate with the appropriate professional organizations
11. Be aware of the services of the state library extension agency
12. Report regularly to the governing officials and the general public.