To protect the health and safety of staff and patrons, masks or face coverings are recommended for patrons and staff in all indoor areas of the Cranford Public Library, and patrons attending indoor library-sponsored programs. Restrictions may be reinstated by the Board of Trustees if necessary..

Approved by the Cranford Public Library Board of Trustees on May 27, 2021. Adjusted July 30, 2021 for compliance with Township policy. Amended February 24, 2022.

Children’s Programs
Children’s programming at the Cranford Public Library, including preschool story hours for two, three, and four year olds, craft programs, summer reading programs, and all other programs, whether regularly scheduled, or scheduled as special events, are designed for the benefit of children living in Cranford. Constraints of meeting space and staff time, and, in some cases, the cost of supplies, may preclude the possibility of providing these programs for children who are not Cranford residents (such as those in day care in Cranford, or relatives of Cranford residents).

Families living in other communities who wish to utilize all the services of the Cranford Public Library, including all children’s programs, may purchase an out-of-town library card for an annual fee. The fee is based on the cost of library service annually to a Cranford taxpayer and may be changed as warranted by the Library Board of Trustees.

Approved by the Cranford Public Library Board of Trustees on March 26, 2015.

Computer Use
The Cranford Public Library is pleased to offer computer resources to the public. Currently, the library offers computers for use as word processors, computers with Internet access, Wi-Fi access, a children’s computer equipped with educational programs, and an online public access catalog.

Patrons wishing to use a word processing computer must register at the reference desk. A patron may register for no more than two non-consecutive one hour sessions per day. A reservation will be held for fifteen minutes. A patron who has used the computer for one hour may continue if there is no one else waiting to use it. If another patron is waiting, a time limit of 20 minutes for the first patron will commence after the second patron has notified the reference librarian of his or her wish to use the computer. There is a charge of $.10 per page to use the word processing printer. The library is not responsible for damage to a patron’s storage device or computer, or for any loss of data, damage or liability that may occur from use of the word processing computer.

Internet computers are available to Cranford Library card holders. Children six years or less must have an adult working with them at the computer. The Internet is a world-wide entity with a diverse user population. Internet computers located in the reference area of the library are not filtered and patrons use them at their own risk. The library is not responsible for the content, timeliness or accuracy of information found on the Internet. Library personnel do not monitor or supervise Internet sessions, except for the length of time of use. Viewing of certain materials in the library may be considered improper in time, place or manner. The library reserves the right to end an Internet session.

A patron may use an Internet workstation or workstations for up to two hours per day. The cost to print from an Internet workstation is $.10 per black and white page and $.20 per color page. If the pages are for school related use, there is no charge for the first ten pages.

The library is not responsible for the content of material generated and/or transmitted by patrons using any of the library’s public computers or terminals. Library personnel do not provide extensive individual instruction in use of the library’s public computers. The library’s computers are available to the public until fifteen minutes before the library closes. The library’s online public access catalog is available to the public until five minutes before the library closes.

The library is not responsible for the security of devices accessing its Wi-Fi network and, therefore, patrons access the library’s Wi-Fi network at their own risk.

Internet access in the children’s room is limited to Cranford students in the sixth grade and under and their parents or guardians. Children six years or less must have an adult working with them at the computer. The children’s room Internet computer is equipped with filtering software. Because no Internet filter is foolproof, the library cannot be responsible for the content of information found on the children’s room Internet computer. A parent or guardian may request that the filtering software be deactivated for the duration of his or her Internet session. Parents or guardians of minor children using the Internet, not library staff, are responsible for providing guidance to children under their care. Parental supervision of children searching the Internet is advised.

The library offers to children with Cranford Library cards a computer equipped with educational programs. Access to this computer is limited to students in the sixth grade and under and their parents or guardians. Children six years or less must have an adult working with them at the computer. The computer may be used for 30 minutes at a time. If the computer is in use, the patron waiting to use it next should leave his or her name at the children’s room desk.

By registering to use any of the library’s computers, patrons agree to abide by the library’s computer use policies and procedures. Patrons failing to abide by these policies and procedures may be denied access to the library’s computers and/or online public access catalog.

Approved by the Cranford Public Library Board of Trustees on March 26, 2015.

Confidentiality of Patron Records
The Board of Trustees of the Cranford Public Library believes that it is the basic right of every individual to read what he or she wishes and to use the library facility and its resources without fear of censure or legal consequence. It also affirms the right of every person to privacy. The library will do all within its power to protect each patron’s right to privacy with respect to all information required for registration and for information sought or received, and materials consulted, borrowed or acquired. Such records will not be made available to any individual, organization or government agency except pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:73-43.2 which reads:

Library records which contain the names or other personally identifying details regarding the users of libraries are confidential and shall not be disclosed except in the following circumstances:

a. The records are necessary for the proper operation of the library;

b. Disclosure is requested by the user; or

c. Disclosure is required pursuant to a subpoena issued by a court or court order.

Reaffirmed by the Cranford Public Library Board of Trustees on December 18, 2014.

Displays and Exhibits

Criteria

1. Displays and exhibits should be of significant community value and interest.

2. Whenever possible, displays and exhibits will incorporate library books or other materials.

3. The criteria for displays and exhibits will be the same as those for the selection of books and other materials.

Bulletin Board

1. A bulletin board is available for posters or notices of local interest and for announcements by local groups of civic, educational, or recreational activities.

2. Because of space limitations, posted items must be of reasonable size. The library director will be the final arbiter in this matter.

3. Posting will be done on a first come, first served basis.

Distribution of Documents
The library provides space in the lobby for the distribution of fliers, brochures, booklets, newspapers, and other similar items of interest to the community. Commercial advertising circulars, business cards, and other such material is prohibited.

Prohibited Items
The following items are prohibited from display, exhibition on the bulletin board, posting, or distribution and will be discarded:

1. Materials which advocate the election or defeat of a candidate for public office.

2. Materials which advocate or promote one side of a proposition, campaign, cause, or political position, except when the library is directly affected.

3. Commercial advertising.

4. Containers for soliciting donations for any cause.

Approved by the Cranford Public Library Board of Trustees on July 14, 2015.

Disruptive Children

Introduction
The Cranford public Library staff and board of trustees hope that children using the library will find it a warm, inviting place to be. Programs and resources are offered to make it enticing to children and to help them enjoy their visits and develop a love of books, reading, and libraries.

Policy Statement
Library services are offered to all residents of Cranford regardless of age, sex, sexual orientation, racial or ethnic origin, religion, or economic status. All patrons are entitled to courteous and efficient service from library staff, access to appropriate materials, and pleasant surroundings free from harassment, discomfort, and stress.

Activities and behavior appropriate to a library environment are expected of children, young adult, and adult patrons. Appropriate library activities include reading, thinking, doing homework, writing reports, researching, browsing for materials, and using computers.

Disruptive behavior is not appropriate and will not be permitted. Disruptive behavior includes running, throwing, loud or abusive talking, fighting, moving or abusing furniture, or other equipment, excessive socializing, threatening or abusive actions, abnormal or erratic behavior that hinders normal use by staff or patrons, or any other activity that is inappropriate to a library environment. Vandalism and other illegal behavior will not be tolerated, and the police may be called.

Throughout this statement, the words parent or parents are also meant to connote a responsible adult caretaker or responsible adult caretakers.

Procedures

Children who are disruptive shall be asked by staff members to behave in a manner appropriate to a library environment. The inappropriate behavior will be specified, alternative behavior may be suggested, and the child will be told that he or she may be asked to leave the library if the disruptive behavior does not stop.
If the disruptive behavior continues and the child’s parent is in the building, the parent should be informed that his/her child is disturbing others.
If the parent refuses to cooperate or is unable to control the child, the parent and the child will be asked to leave the library.
If the disruptive child is 11 years old or younger and does not have a parent on the building, a staff member shall stay with the child until contact information for the parent is located through a search of library files, telephone directories, etc.. Library staff are not to search the Cranford Community Center for parents. The library and community center are separate departments with separate operations and separate staffs.
If contact information is available, the staff person shall contact the parent, explain the library policy on disruptive children, and request that the parent come for the child.
If the parent cannot be located or contacted after a reasonable length of time, the staff person in charge shall call the police to take charge of the child.
If the child is between 12 and 17 years old and the disruptive behavior continues, his/her parent may be called, told of the disruptive behavior, and asked to come for the child, or the child may simply be asked to leave the building for the rest of the day.
If a child older than twelve years is asked to leave the building and refuses, steps 5 and 6 will be implemented (in that order).
Under no circumstance shall a staff member take the child out of the building or provide transportation elsewhere.

The parents of children who are habitually disruptive will be informed of the situation; such children may be barred from the library for a period of time determined by the director.

Approved by the Cranford Public Library Board of Trustees on October 22, 2015.

Facsimile (Fax) Transmission Service
The library is pleased to offer facsimile (fax) transmission service. Library staff will send faxes for members of the public, but we will not receive them. The library will fax only domestically (including Hawaii and Alaska) at the rate of $1.00 per sheet. The library assumes no liability for a fax or faxes sent to a wrong number regardless of whether the number was misdialed by library staff or an incorrect number was initially provided by the sender. Unless the library dials a wrong number, fax payments are not refundable. If requested, library staff will provide a record of fax transmission to the sender of the fax. All documents handled in the course of providing fax service will be held in strict confidence, as per the library’s policy on Confidentiality of Patron Records.

Approved by the Cranford Public Library Board of Trustees on January 24, 2019.

Freedom to Read Statement
The freedom to read is essential to our democracy. It is continuously under attack. Private groups and public authorities in various parts of the country are working to remove or limit access to reading materials, to censor content in schools, to label "controversial" views, to distribute lists of "objectionable" books or authors, and to purge libraries. These actions apparently rise from a view that our national tradition of free expression is no longer valid; that censorship and suppression are needed to counter threats to safety or national security, as well as to avoid the subversion of politics and the corruption of morals. We, as individuals devoted to reading and as librarians and publishers responsible for disseminating ideas, wish to assert the public interest in the preservation of the freedom to read.

Most attempts at suppression rest on a denial of the fundamental premise of democracy: that the ordinary individual, by exercising critical judgment, will select the good and reject the bad. We trust Americans to recognize propaganda and misinformation, and to make their own decisions about what they read and believe. We do not believe they are prepared to sacrifice their heritage of a free press in order to be "protected" against what others think may be bad for them. We believe they still favor free enterprise in ideas and expression.

These efforts at suppression are related to a larger pattern of pressures being brought against education, the press, art and images, films, broadcast media, and the Internet. The problem is not only one of actual censorship. The shadow of fear cast by these pressures leads, we suspect, to an even larger voluntary curtailment of expression by those who seek to avoid controversy or unwelcome scrutiny by government officials.

Such pressure toward conformity is perhaps natural to a time of accelerated change. And yet suppression is never more dangerous than in such a time of social tension. Freedom has given the United States the elasticity to endure strain. Freedom keeps open the path of novel and creative solutions, and enables change to come by choice. Every silencing of a heresy, every enforcement of an orthodoxy, diminishes the toughness and resilience of our society and leaves it the less able to deal with controversy and difference.

Now as always in our history, reading is among our greatest freedoms. The freedom to read and write is almost the only means for making generally available ideas or manners of expression that can initially command only a small audience. The written word is the natural medium for the new idea and the untried voice from which come the original contributions to social growth. It is essential to the extended discussion that serious thought requires, and to the accumulation of knowledge and ideas into organized collections.

We believe that free communication is essential to the preservation of a free society and a creative culture. We believe that these pressures toward conformity present the danger of limiting the range and variety of inquiry and expression on which our democracy and our culture depend. We believe that every American community must jealously guard the freedom to publish and to circulate, in order to preserve its own freedom to read. We believe that publishers and librarians have a profound responsibility to give validity to that freedom to read by making it possible for the readers to choose freely from a variety of offerings.

The freedom to read is guaranteed by the Constitution. Those with faith in free people will stand firm on these constitutional guarantees of essential rights and will exercise the responsibilities that accompany these rights.

We therefore affirm these propositions:

It is in the public interest for publishers and librarians to make available the widest diversity of views and expressions, including those that are unorthodox, unpopular, or considered dangerous by the majority.

Creative thought is by definition new, and what is new is different. The bearer of every new thought is a rebel until that idea is refined and tested. Totalitarian systems attempt to maintain themselves in power by the ruthless suppression of any concept that challenges the established orthodoxy. The power of a democratic system to adapt to change is vastly strengthened by the freedom of its citizens to choose widely from among conflicting opinions offered freely to them. To stifle every nonconformist idea at birth would mark the end of the democratic process. Furthermore, only through the constant activity of weighing and selecting can the democratic mind attain the strength demanded by times like these. We need to know not only what we believe but why we believe it.

Publishers, librarians, and booksellers do not need to endorse every idea or presentation they make available. It would conflict with the public interest for them to establish their own political, moral, or aesthetic views as a standard for determining what should be published or circulated.

Publishers and librarians serve the educational process by helping to make available knowledge and ideas required for the growth of the mind and the increase of learning. They do not foster education by imposing as mentors the patterns of their own thought. The people should have the freedom to read and consider a broader range of ideas than those that may be held by any single librarian or publisher or government or church. It is wrong that what one can read should be confined to what another thinks proper.

It is contrary to the public interest for publishers or librarians to bar access to writings on the basis of the personal history or political affiliations of the author.

No art or literature can flourish if it is to be measured by the political views or private lives of its creators. No society of free people can flourish that draws up lists of writers to whom it will not listen, whatever they may have to say.

There is no place in our society for efforts to coerce the taste of others, to confine adults to the reading matter deemed suitable for adolescents, or to inhibit the efforts of writers to achieve artistic expression.

To some, much of modern expression is shocking. But is not much of life itself shocking? We cut off literature at the source if we prevent writers from dealing with the stuff of life. Parents and teachers have a responsibility to prepare the young to meet the diversity of experiences in life to which they will be exposed, as they have a responsibility to help them learn to think critically for themselves. These are affirmative responsibilities, not to be discharged simply by preventing them from reading works for which they are not yet prepared. In these matters values differ, and values cannot be legislated; nor can machinery be devised that will suit the demands of one group without limiting the freedom of others.

It is not in the public interest to force a reader to accept the prejudgment of a label characterizing any expression or its author as subversive or dangerous.

The ideal of labeling presupposes the existence of individuals or groups with wisdom to determine by authority what is good or bad for others. It presupposes that individuals must be directed in making up their minds about the ideas they examine. But Americans do not need others to do their thinking for them.

It is the responsibility of publishers and librarians, as guardians of the people's freedom to read, to contest encroachments upon that freedom by individuals or groups seeking to impose their own standards or tastes upon the community at large; and by the government whenever it seeks to reduce or deny public access to public information.

It is inevitable in the give and take of the democratic process that the political, the moral, or the aesthetic concepts of an individual or group will occasionally collide with those of another individual or group. In a free society individuals are free to determine for themselves what they wish to read, and each group is free to determine what it will recommend to its freely associated members. But no group has the right to take the law into its own hands, and to impose its own concept of politics or morality upon other members of a democratic society. Freedom is no freedom if it is accorded only to the accepted and the inoffensive. Further, democratic societies are more safe, free, and creative when the free flow of public information is not restricted by governmental prerogative or self-censorship.

It is the responsibility of publishers and librarians to give full meaning to the freedom to read by providing books that enrich the quality and diversity of thought and expression. By the exercise of this affirmative responsibility, they can demonstrate that the answer to a "bad" book is a good one, the answer to a "bad" idea is a good one.

The freedom to read is of little consequence when the reader cannot obtain matter fit for that reader's purpose. What is needed is not only the absence of restraint, but the positive provision of opportunity for the people to read the best that has been thought and said. Books are the major channel by which the intellectual inheritance is handed down, and the principal means of its testing and growth. The defense of the freedom to read requires of all publishers and librarians the utmost of their faculties, and deserves of all Americans the fullest of their support.

We state these propositions neither lightly nor as easy generalizations. We here stake out a lofty claim for the value of the written word. We do so because we believe that it is possessed of enormous variety and usefulness, worthy of cherishing and keeping free. We realize that the application of these propositions may mean the dissemination of ideas and manners of expression that are repugnant to many persons. We do not state these propositions in the comfortable belief that what people read is unimportant. We believe rather that what people read is deeply important; that ideas can be dangerous; but that the suppression of ideas is fatal to a democratic society. Freedom itself is a dangerous way of life, but it is ours.

This statement was originally issued in May of 1953 by the Westchester Conference of the American Library Association and the American Book Publishers Council, which in 1970 consolidated with the American Educational Publishers Institute to become the Association of American Publishers.

Adopted June 25, 1953, by the ALA Council and the AAP Freedom to Read Committee; amended January 28, 1972; January 16, 1991; July 12, 2000; June 30, 2004.

A Joint Statement by:

American Library Association
Association of American Publishers

Subsequently endorsed by:

American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression
The Association of American University Presses, Inc.
The Children's Book Council
Freedom to Read Foundation
National Association of College Stores
National Coalition Against Censorship
National Council of Teachers of English
The Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression

Reaffirmed by the Cranford Public Library Board of Trustees on December 18, 2014.

Gifts
The Cranford Public Library gratefully accepts gifts that add to its collection and resources. The generosity of its friends, both individuals and organizations, has been a significant source of support over the years.

The following policies govern the acceptance, utilization, and disposition of all gifts.

The Library accepts gifts of money, securities, or real estate. Any conditions or restrictions on such gifts must be approved by the Library’s Board of Trustees. Any moneys derived from unconditional gifts are applied to the purchase of equipment or materials according to need.
The Library recommends and encourages memorials in the form of funds for library materials. When a cash gift is received for purchase of a memorial, the selection is made by the Library Director.
All gifts of $50.00 or more are to be reported by the Library Director at the next regular meeting of the Board of Trustees. All cash gifts are deposited in the Revolving Fund.
The Library accepts gifts of books and other library materials, with the understanding that such gifts will be added to the collection only if they meet the same standards that are applied to the acquisition of new materials. A gift that, in the Library’s opinion, does not sufficiently benefit the collection cannot be accepted.
All gifts of books and other library materials are considered outright and unrestricted donations and become the Library’s property upon receipt.
The Library accepts original works of art (paintings, sculpture, photographs, etc.) only upon the approval of the Library Board of Trustees. Before final acceptance from the artist, all art works must be framed or otherwise in a finished state. A donation slip signed by the artist states that the work becomes the exclusive property of Cranford Public Library and that the Board reserves the right to use and display the art at its discretion.
Gifts that are not added to or that are withdrawn from the collection are disposed of in whatever manner the Library deems most appropriate, without obligation to the donor.
The Library does not accept as a gift any item, object, or work or art if the condition of acceptance requires permanent exhibition.
The Library does not accept gifts that require special considerations (e.g., separate housing, special personnel, or restricted use). Unusual circumstances may be referred to the Board of Trustees for decision.
The Library acknowledges gifts with receipts or letters that can be used for tax purposes, but it cannot appraise gifts or place monetary values on them. It is, therefore, the donor’s responsibility to determine the value of donated property.

Approved by the Cranford Public Library Board of Trustees on March 26, 2015.

Harassment Policies
General Anti-Harassment Policy
The Library will not tolerate harassment in the work place, including harassment motivated by actual or perceived sex, race, creed color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, nationality, marital or political status, affectional or sexual orientation, domestic partnership status, civil union status, atypical heredity, cellular or blood trait, genetic information, disability (including AIDS or HIV infection), liability for service in the United States Armed Forces, gender identity or expression, and/or any other characteristic protected by law. While it is not easy to define precisely what harassment is, it includes slurs, epithets, threats, derogatory comments, unwelcome jokes, teasing, and other similar verbal or physical conduct. Library trustees, Library employees, and outside contractors alike must comply with this policy and take appropriate measures to ensure that such conduct does not occur. Violations of this policy will result in disciplinary action up to and including discharge or, in the event non–employees are found to be at fault, other appropriate action. Employees who feel they have been subject to harassment or a witness to harassment must report the harassment to their supervisor, or, if they prefer, to the Department Head, Library Director, or Library Board.

Harassment of any employees, in connection with their work, by non-employees or non-volunteers may be a violation of this policy. Any employee who experiences harassment by a non-employee, or who observes harassment of an employee by a non-employee should report such harassment to the supervisor. Appropriate action will be taken against any non-employee.

Notification by an employee to appropriate personnel of any harassment problem is essential to the success of this policy and the Library generally. The Library cannot resolve a harassment problem unless it knows about it. Therefore, it is the responsibility of all employees to bring such problems to the attention of the appropriate officials, so that steps can be taken to correct them.

Violation of this harassment policy will subject employees to disciplinary action, up to and including immediate discharge.

Anti-Sexual Harassment
It is the Library’s policy to prohibit sexual harassment of an employee by another employee, management representative, supplier, or business invitee. The Library prohibits sexual harassment from occurring in the workplace or at any other location at which Library sponsored activity takes place. Sexual harassment of non-employees by our employees is also prohibited. The purpose of this policy is not to regulate personal morality or to encroach upon one’s personal life, but to demonstrate a strong commitment to maintaining a workplace free of sexual harassment.

Examples of sexual harassment include, but are not limited to the following:

Making unwelcome sexual advances or requests for sexual favors as a condition of employment;
Making submission to or rejection of such conduct the basis for employment decisions affecting the employee;
Creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment by such conduct;
Making unwelcome, offensive remarks or engaging in physical contact with a subordinate or fellow employee that would not have been made but for the employee’s sex, or which is sexually oriented to the extent that it would not occur but for the fact of the employee’s gender; or
Harassment based solely on gender, which creates a hostile and offensive work environment.
Sexual harassment may take different forms. One specific form is a demand for sexual favors. Other forms of harassment include, but are not limited to:
Sexual innuendoes, suggestive comments, jokes of a sexual nature, sexual propositions or threats;
Suggestive objects or pictures, graphic commentaries, e-mails, suggestive or insulting sounds, leering, whistling, obscene gestures;
Unwanted physical contact, including touching, pinching, brushing the body, pushing; or
Non-sexual conduct, such as intimidation and hostility based solely upon gender.
Employees who feel they have been subject to sexual harassment or have witnessed sexual harassment must report the harassment to their supervisor, or, if they prefer, to the Department Head, Library Director, or Library Board.

Harassment of Library employees, in connection with their work, by non-employees may also be a violation of this policy. Any employee who experiences harassment by a non-employee, or who observes harassment of an employee by a non-employee should report such harassment to their supervisor. Appropriate action will be taken against any non-employee.

Notification by an employee to appropriate personnel of any harassment problem is essential to the success of this policy and the Library generally. The Library cannot resolve a harassment problem unless it is reported. Therefore, it is the responsibility of all employees to bring such problems to the attention of management, so that the necessary steps can be taken to correct them.

Violation of this sexual harassment policy will subject employees to disciplinary action, up and including immediate discharge.

Adapted and approved from the Township of Cranford Personnel Policy Guidelines by the Cranford Public Library Board of Trustees on October 26, 2017.

Interlibrary Loan
The library recognizes that sharing materials among libraries is an important element in the provision of library service. The library adheres to the Interlibrary Loan Code for the United States and recognizes its responsibilities with respect to prevailing copyright laws. Patrons availing themselves of interlibrary loan services must also respect the Interlibrary Loan Code for the United States, as well as prevailing copyright laws.

Cranford Library card holders in good standing are eligible to make interlibrary loan requests. Books, talking books, and non-print media less than six months old may not be requested through interlibrary loan. Books more than six months old owned by the library may be requested through interlibrary loan if there are as many reserve requests as copies owned by the library. The loan period for interlibrary loans is 21 days. An interlibrary loan may not be renewed. An interlibrary loan may be recalled at any time at the discretion of the lending library.

The fine for overdue interlibrary loan items is $.10 per day per item. Any expenses incurred as a result of obtaining an interlibrary loan, except shipping costs, are payable by the patron. Patrons will be made aware of such charges before an interlibrary loan request is initiated. Any charges for lost or damaged interlibrary loan materials will be those specified by the lending library. Any delay in resolving these charges will result in the suspension of borrowing privileges with respect to both interlibrary loans and materials from the library’s own collection.

A patron may have no more than ten interlibrary loans active at any one time. An interlibrary loan is considered active from the time a request is submitted by the patron until the time it is returned to the lending library.

Approved by the Cranford Public Library Board of Trustees on January 22, 2015.

Lending Policies

A person 18 years or older who holds a valid Cranford Public Library card may borrow any materials the library lends. A person who holds a valid young adult Cranford Public Library card may borrow any materials the library lends, except mobile lending kits and museum passes. A person with a valid juvenile Cranford Public Library card may borrow any materials the library lends, except mobile lending kits, museum passes, and adult department videocassettes and DVDs.

Any renewable item, as long as it is not reserved for another library patron, will be renewed automatically up to two times. Items that are on reserve, including items that are normally renewable, may not be renewed.

Overdue fines apply for each day or part thereof that a museum pass or mobile lending kit is overdue.

Patrons will be billed a replacement cost for any item that is not returned within six weeks of its due date. The replacement cost of a lost or damaged item is the retail price listed in the library’s circulation system. The cost for a lost or damaged interlibrary loan item is the amount charged by the library from which the item was obtained. If the price of a lost or damaged item is not known, the current average retail price for an item of the same material type will apply.

A full summary of lending policies is available at the main desk, the children’s desk, and the reference desk. The summary includes information about item categories, loan periods, loan quantity limits, renewable items, items that may be reserved, items that are lendable to MURAL patrons, and other fees.

Approved by the Cranford Public Library Board of Trustees on February 28, 2015. Amended and approved on December 14, 2021.

Library Bill of Rights
The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their services.

1. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.

2. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

3. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.

4. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.

5. A person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views.

6. Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.

Adopted June 19, 1939; Amended October 14, 1944, June 18, 1948, February 2, 1961, June 27, 1967, and January 23, 1980; inclusion of “age” reaffirmed January 23, 1996, by the ALA Council.

Reaffirmed by the Cranford Public Library Board of Trustees on December 18, 2014.

Library Card Purchase
A person not eligible to receive a Cranford Public Library card free of charge may purchase a card good for one year. The cost of the card shall be established by the Library Board of Trustees. When purchased, only one card shall be issued to the purchaser. In no case shall multiple cards be issued, and duplicate cards shall not be issued to other members of the purchaser’s family.

Such a card shall entitle the purchaser to the same borrowing privileges as any other Cranford Public Library cardholder. The card may be used by anyone in the purchaser’s immediate family. In cases where there are limits on the number of items of a particular classification that may be borrowed, such limits shall apply to the purchaser’s family as a whole and not to individual members of the family.

Approved by the Cranford Public Library Board of Trustees on March 26, 2015

Materials Selection Policy
The purpose of this policy is twofold: (1) to guide the librarians of the Cranford Public Library in the selection of materials; and (2) to inform the public about the principles on which selections are made.

A policy cannot replace the judgment of professional librarians, but establishing guidelines and indicating boundaries can assist them in choosing from the vast array of materials available.

Definitions. The words “materials,” “collection,” and “book” in the following policy are meant to include every form of permanent record, whether printed or manuscript, bound or unbound, photographed, or mechanically reproduced. These words also include audio records in any form, computer software, digital content, and pictures in the form of photographs, paintings, drawings, etchings, or other graphic representations.

The term “selection” refers only to the decision that must be made either to add a book to the collection or to retain one already in the collection. It does not refer to reader guidance.

Objectives. The primary objectives of book selection shall be to collect materials of contemporary significance and of permanent value. Library materials in the adult collection are selected for mature readers. Collections especially chosen for children and young people are also available.

Responsibility. The Director of the Library shall be responsible for the selection of library materials and the development of the collection.

Guidelines. The Director of the Library shall use his or her best judgement as a professional librarian in making selections, being guided by:

1. The community, its needs and interests

2. The Library, its existing collection, budget, and services.

3. The availability of materials in more comprehensive library collections in the area.

4. The intrinsic merit of the material.

5. The reasoned judgment of the professional staff.

Each book is to be judged according to merit, subject treated, reader interest, and the need for it in a well-balanced collection. While in general the selection will reflect known community needs and interests, it must not be forgotten that the Library exists to foster interest as well as sustain it.

No attempt will be made to supply textbooks or multiple copies of books used in the schools and colleges of the area. However, a book will not be excluded simply because it falls into this category.

Requests. Requests from the public that the Library purchase books or other materials will be considered within the framework of the Library’s general selection policies. Requests from local authors and self-published authors that their works be purchased and added to the library collection will also be considered within the framework of the Library’s general selection policies.

Requests for Reconsideration. A library patron who objects to the presence of a particular book in the library collection may request that the book be reconsidered. A patrons wishing to have a book reconsidered must do so by completing a form provided by the library. (Please see below for a copy of the form.) The request will then be considered at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Library Board of Trustees.

Gifts. The acceptance of gifts shall be based on the same criteria as those used for purchasing library materials. The Library cannot appraise gifts or place monetary values on them. (See the policy on Gifts.)

Review and Revision. The Materials Selection Policy will be continuously reviewed by the Director of the Library to ensure that it meets community needs. It will be reviewed periodically by the Board of Trustees. It may be revised only with the formal approval of the Board of Trustees.

Patron's Request for Reconsideration of a Book
Books in the Library collection are selected by professional librarians in accordance with approved standards and guided by the basic principle of the freedom to read as set forth by the American Library Association—please see the Freedom to Read Statement above—and endorsed by the Library Board of Trustees. Suggestions from Library users are always welcome.

In addition to books, this form may be used to request reconsideration of any item in the library collection in any format.

Author: _________________________________________

Title: ___________________________________________

Publisher (if known): ______________________________

Request initiated by: ______________________________

Telephone: _____________________________________

Address: _______________________________________

Email address: __________________________________

1. Did you read the entire book? If not, how much of it did you read? (If you need more room for this or any other answer, please continue on the back of this form.)

2. What do you believe is the theme of this book?

3. What are the book's positive features? What are its negative features?

4. To what in this book do you object? (Please be specific.)

5. What do you think will be the result of reading this book?

6. For what age group would you recommend this book?

7. Have you read the professional reviews of this book?

8. What would you like the library to do with this book?

This request will be considered by the Library Board of Trustees at its next regularly scheduled meeting. Library Board meetings are open to the public.

Approved by the Cranford Public Library Board of Trustees on November 19, 2015.

Mechanical, Electronic, and Computer Access to Library Materials
The library, including the Board of Trustees, its staff, and the Township of Cranford, totally and unconditionally disclaim any responsibility for damage to equipment used by patrons to access materials borrowed from the library.

Approved by the Cranford Public Library Board of Trustees on February 28, 2016.

Notary Public Service

*Plesae note notary services are not currently available. We will provide you with a list of places in town with notary services. (6/15/23)

The Cranford Public Library provides notary public service to members of the general public. The following guidelines will be followed with respect to the provision of service by library staff:

The fee per signature notarized shall be in accordance with New Jersey State law.
Library notaries are scheduled during the library’s hours of operation. Notary service is not available during the fifteen minutes prior to closing time.
It is recommended that patrons seeking notary service call the library prior to their visit in order to ensure that a notary will be available at the desired time.
Notary service is provided on a first come, first served basis.
Valid photo identification is required of any patron seeking notary service.
The library will not provide witnesses, and witnesses may not be solicited from amongst patrons using the library. In order to serve as a witness, the witness must personally know the person whose document is being notarized and must be in possession of valid photo identification.
Documents in any language other than English will not be notarized by the library’s notaries public.
New Jersey law requires that a notary and the customer seeking notarization be able to communicate directly with each other. Library notaries are not permitted to make use of a translator in order to communicate with a notary service customer.
Notary service is not available for deeds, wills, living wills, living trusts, codicils, depositions, mortgages or real estate closing documents.
Certain public documents cannot be copied and notarized. Examples are birth certificates, death certificates and marriage certificates.
In accordance with New Jersey notarial law, the library’s notaries will not provide service if the customer, document or circumstances of the request for notary service raise any issue of authenticity, ambiguity, doubt or uncertainty for the library. In this event, the notary may, at his or her sole discretion, decline to provide notary service.

Reaffirmed by the Cranford Public Library Board of Trustees on January 22, 2015.

People’s Rights to Libraries
The New Jersey Library Association affirms its belief in the public right to library service - as stated in the following tenets:

1. All people are entitled to free access to the information and knowledge within a library.

2. All people are entitled to obtain current, accurate information on any topic of interest.

3. All people are entitled to courteous, efficient, and prompt service.

4. All people are entitled to assistance by qualified library personnel.

5. All people are entitled to the right of privacy in the selection or use of materials.

6. All people are entitled to the full service of the library network on a local, regional, state, and national level.

7. All people are entitled to the use of a facility that is accessible, attractive, and comfortable.

8. All people are entitled to access to the policies regarding the use and services of a library.

9. All people are entitled to library service that reflects the interests and needs of the total community.

Reaffirmed by the Cranford Public Library Board of Trustees on December 18, 2014.

Public Use of Library Meeting Spaces

Policy
In keeping with the library’s interest in supporting literacy and learning within the community, tutors and their students are permitted to meet in the library under certain conditions. Tutors who are not affiliated with Literacy Volunteers of Union County must use specially designated tables in the main reading room, subject to availability, at the following times: Monday to Thursday, 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.; Friday, 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; summer, all day. Tutoring is not permitted on the library's second floor.

Use of the Teen Space is limited to library staff and patrons aged 11 to 18 at the following times: Monday to Thursday, 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Friday, 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., Saturday, when staffed by the Young Adult Librarian, or during any teen program. These hours may be adjusted at any time by the Young Adult Librarian.

The library’s Raddin Room is dedicated to children’s and young adult programs initiated by library staff and is not available to outside parties.

With the exception of the special policies that apply to the Raddin room as set forth above, the following policy applies to spaces within the library and to spaces in the Cranford Community Center reserved by the library for library programs, meetings, and events.

Facilities may be used by groups holding meetings of a civic, cultural, or educational nature. They may not be used for purely social purposes or for religious or political meetings when the point of view is sectarian or partisan; nor may they be used for the benefit of private individuals, for raising money, or for commercial purposes.

Established non-partisan organizations that do not endorse individual candidates may hold meetings at which current election issues are discussed by candidates for public office, provided that all candidates for the same office have been invited.

In scheduling, library or library-related functions will take precedence of over all other functions. With respect to any program not sponsored by the library, or the Friends of the Cranford Public Library, the library is not responsible for publicity.

Regulations

1. It is understood that the public will be welcome at all meetings.

2. No admission fee may be charged. The only exceptions are in the case of paid registrations at conferences or institutes or payment of fees for regularly scheduled education classes.

3. No selling or taking of orders will be permitted and no prices are to be posted on articles exhibited, except for purposes of fund raising for charitable causes.

4. Circulars, printed matter, or similar materials that are to be distributed on library property, or at an event in the Community Center sponsored by the library or the Friends of the Cranford Public Library, must be submitted to the library director for approval at least five days prior to distribution.

5. No materials are to be exhibited in such a manner as will deface walls (i.e., no tape, nails, thumbtacks, etc.)

6. All members of the organization and the audience attending the meeting must leave the library by the library’s closing time, or, if the meeting takes place in the Cranford Community Center, by the Community Center’s closing time.

7. Smoking is not permitted.

8. Refreshments are permitted. If refreshments are served, except in the Community Center’s A/V Room. The organization that has reserved the space is responsible for cleaning up before leaving. The group will also be liable for the cost of any clean-up or repair because of stains or damage.

9. The giving of gratuities to library employees is prohibited.

10. Application for the use of library facilities should be made to the director

11. The library does not charge non-profit organizations for use of library facilities; nor will the library charge a non-profit organziation for libary sponsored events held outside the library.

Approved by the Cranford Public Library Board of Trustees on January 23, 2020.

Recognition of Major Benefactors
The names of the Library’s major benefactors will be displayed on plaques hung in the Library lobby. Six levels of giving, or circles, will be recognized, each named for an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the community of Cranford. The names of the circles and the monetary level the circles represent are as follows:

Wesley N. Philo Circle: $500 to $999

Alice Lakey Circle: $1,000 to $1,999

Robert D. Townsend Circle: $2,000 to $2,999

John H. McCoy Circle: $3,000 to $3,999

J. Fred Olsen Circle: $4,000 to $4,999

Eleanor “Penny” Brome Circle: $5,000 or more

Reaffirmed by the Cranford Public Library Board of Trustees on January 22, 2015.

Rules of Conduct
So that all patrons of the Cranford Public Library can use the Library facilities to the fullest extent during regularly scheduled hours, the Library Board of Trustees has adopted the following rules of conduct:

1. Patrons not engaged in activities appropriate to a library environment may be required to leave the building. Appropriate library activities include reading, thinking, studying, writing reports, researching, browsing for materials, and using the computers.

2. The following behavior and activities are not allowed in the Library:

Interfering with another person's use of the Library or with the Library personnel's performance of their duties.
Threatening, abusing or disrupting others.
Engaging in any illegal activity while in the Library building.
Harassing or annoying others by noisy or boisterous behavior, by playing audio equipment so that others can hear it, by talking loudly to others or in monologues, or by behaving in a manner that could reasonably be expected to disturb others.
Harassing or annoying others by staring at another person with the intent to annoy that person or by following another person about the building with the intent to annoy that person.
Smoking or using tobacco or tobacco products.
Defacing, damaging, or destroying any book, periodical, phonograph recording, audio-visual material or any other article that is part of the Library collection; or defacing or in any way damaging or destroying Library furnishings, walls, machines, or any other property of the Library.
Stealing library property.
Carrying a weapon into the Library unless authorized by law.
Bringing animals into the Library, except those needed to assist patrons who have disabilities or if permission is expressly given by the Director of the Library.
Misusing the restrooms, such as using one for a laundry or a bathing facility.
Selling of goods or services or taking orders for a sale without the express permission of the Library Director.
Distributing circulars, printed matter, or similar materials or soliciting or collecting signatures on petitions without the express permission of the Library Director.

3. Patrons must wear appropriate clothing, including a shirt or suitable covering on their upper bodies and shoes or other footwear.

4. Patrons whose bodily hygiene is so offensive as to constitute a nuisance to other patrons may be required to leave the building.

5. Each patron shall be responsible for any fines, fees, or other charges due in accordance with the Library's standard schedules.

6. Any materials removed from the Library must be checked out on a valid library card or through other standard library procedures, such as interlibrary loan.

7. Cell phones and pagers: the Library prohibits audible cell phone use in the library, except in the entry lobby.

Any patron not abiding by these or other established rules of the Library may be required to leave the Library premises. Library employees may call the Cranford police if it is deemed advisable.

Any patron who violates these rules may be denied the privilege of access to the Library by the Library's Board of Trustees, on the recommendation of the Director. A patron whose privileges have been denied may have the decision reviewed by the Board of Trustees.

Approved by the Cranford Public Library Board of Trustees on January 22, 2015.

Social Media
The library offers social software tools for educational, cultural, and recreational purposes. Library social software tools provide a limited public forum to facilitate the sharing of ideas, opinions, and information about library-related subjects and issues. Library social software is intended to create a welcoming and inviting online space where library users will find useful information and can interact with library staff and other library users.

Social software is defined as any web application, site or account offered by the library that facilitates the sharing of opinions and information about library related subjects and issues.
Social software includes such formats as blogs, listservs, websites, and social network pages. Current examples of social media used by the library are Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

While the library encourages an open forum, posts and comments are moderated by library staff. The library reserves the right, within its sole discretion, not to post and to remove submissions or comments that are unlawful or violate this policy.

Rules for Commenting and Posting

1. Posting offensive, obscene, threatening or abusive content is strictly prohibited. The library will remove comments that contain abusive, vulgar, offensive, threatening or harassing language, personal attacks of any kind, or offensive terms that target specific individuals or groups. Individuals are fully responsible for libelous or defamatory comments.

2. Hate-speech will not be tolerated. Posts containing racism, homophobia, sexism, or any other form of hate-speech will be removed from the library’s site.

3. Don’t include personal information. The library strongly encourages individuals, especially people under the age of 18, from posting personal information about themselves (e.g., last name, school, age, phone numbers, or addresses), and reserves the right to remove any posts with personal information about other people or any posts that violate a third party’s right to privacy.

4. Stay on topic. Comments and posts should be related to the issue or topic discussed.

5. Duplicate posts from the same individual are discouraged.

6. Spam and commercial content will be removed. The library will remove posts or comments used for political and commercial purposes or for soliciting funds. Gratuitous links to sites are viewed as spam and will result in the comment being removed.

7. Individuals should not post anything that they do not have the right to post. The Library follows a notice and takedown procedure for complaints of copyright violation under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

8. The Library is not responsible for any of the patron–generated comments/content that appear on any of its social media. A posted comment is the opinion of the poster only, and publication of a comment does not imply endorsement or agreement by the Cranford Public Library.

9. Users may report concerns. Moderators will endeavor to review those concerns as soon as possible. In some instances, we will not have the resources to review user comments and posts, but we do reserve the right to edit or delete user comments and posts in a manner consistent with our mission and policies. The Library will not remove all posts that have been reported and the Library cannot respond individually to every report.

Approved by the Cranford Public Library Board of Trustees on July 14, 2015.

Unattended Children

The happiness and safety of young children left alone at the library is a serious concern. Left on their own, they can become frightened or anxious; or, if left unattended for any length of time when no library program is being offered, can become bored, restless or disruptive. It is not the library’s intention to seek out unattended children but, rather, to have a reasoned response prepared if problems present themselves. For that reason, the following policy had been established.

Policy Statement
Throughout this statement, the words parent or parents are also meant to connote responsible adult caretaker or responsible adult caretakers. Library services are offered to all residents of Cranford regardless of age, sex, sexual orientation, racial or ethnic origin, religion, or economic status. All patrons are entitled to courteous and efficient service from library staff, access to appropriate materials, and pleasant surroundings free from harassment, discomfort, and stress.

Library staff members cannot assume responsibility for the care, safety, or well-being of children in the library. Therefore, parents (or responsible adult caretakers) may not leave children eight years old or younger unattended in the children’s room or in any other part of the library, and they are responsible for the behavior of their children of any age while in the library. Children in the sixth grade or any lower grade are not permitted in the library building after 6:00 p.m. unless accompanied by a parent or other responsible adult caretaker.

Procedures

Staff should comfort a lost or unattended child who is frightened, crying, or otherwise visibly upset and bring the child to the children’s department desk (or reference desk if the children’s department is not staffed).
Staff should try to locate the parent in the building by walking through the library with the child, paging the parent on the public address system using the parent’s or child’s name (or, if unknown, the child’s physical description). Library staff are not to search the Cranford Community Center for parents. The library and community center are separate departments with separate operations and separate staffs.
If the parent or responsible adult is not in the building, a staff member shall stay with the child until the parent is located through a search of library files, telephone directories, etc.
When the parent is located, the staff person shall explain the library policy on unattended children. If the parent is reached by phone, the staff person shall request that he/she come to the library immediately.
If the parent cannot be located after a reasonable length of time, the staff person in charge shall call the police to take charge of the child.
Under no circumstance shall a staff member take the child out of the building or provide transportation elsewhere.

Approved by the Cranford Public Library Board of Trustees on October 22, 2015.

Union County East, New Jersey Cross Reference Directory

With respect to telephone inquiries that require use of the library’s copy of the Union County East, New Jersey cross reference directory, reference librarians are obligated to provide the telephone number or numbers associated with only one party. Reference librarians are not to provide the telephone number or numbers of parties nearby the party initially supplied by the caller.

Approved by the Cranford Public Library Board of Trustees on July 14, 2015.

Policies for the Cranford Public Library

Policies for the
Cranford Public Library