Membership

Membership & Use of Library Facilities
Rules and Regulations
Clare County Library

The library users of Clare are entitled to clean, comfortable, and safe surroundings when selecting materials, reading, researching, studying, writing, and attending programs and meetings. To this end, the library is responsible for establishing rules of conduct to protect the rights and safety of library patrons and staff, and for preserving and protecting the library's materials, equipment, facilities, and grounds.

Membership
Membership of Clare County Library is open to all persons normally residing or working in the county. Visitors and other people wishing to join the library must have their membership form signed by a guarantor who is a resident of the county or present proof of library membership in another county.

Photo ID and proof of address must be presented when registering.
Acceptable forms of ID include a passport, driving licence and student card. Acceptable proofs of address include a utility bill, bank or credit union statement, rent book, or letter from an official agency.

Borrowers will need to present their library card, or another form of valid ID, when borrowing books or other items from the library and when registering to use an Internet PC.

Membership is valid for one year from date of registration and must be renewed on the due date. All overdue items must be returned and outstanding fines paid before membership is renewed.
There is a small charge for membership.

Pre-school children and students at primary and secondary level are entitled to free membership. There is no lower age limit for children wishing to join the library. Children may transfer to adult membership when entering secondary school. Pre and primary school children need to have their membership forms signed by a parent or
guardian.

Senior Citizens can avail of free membership.

Unemployed persons and their families may also avail of free membership on production of a card from the Congress of Information and Opportunity Centre - CIOC (Elevation Business Park, Clonroad, Ennis).

Borrowing
Members of Clare County Library may borrow books from, and return them to, any branch library in the county.
Books and other materials are lent for a four week period. Adults may borrow eight items at one time, and children may borrow four. The adult allocation may include four music CDs and two DVDs.

Fines must be paid on overdue items. However, this can easily be avoided by returning your books on time or renewing them at any library, by phone or on the website (providing they are not required by another borrower). An item cannot be renewed more than three times. Adult borrowers with excessive fines will be prevented from borrowing until outstanding fines have been reduced.

Members may reserve books, and renew books already on loan to them, by telephone, on the Web via the library's online catalogue service, or by calling to the library. Adult borrowers can have six reservations on the system at any one time.

Interlibrary Loans
Books not available in Clare County Library may be requested from another public library in Ireland through the BorrowBooks service. Due to the high cost of postage and the demands on staff time, there will be a charge of €5 per item for all items received through Borrowbooks. A limit of 5 active requests per user has been set by Borrowbooks. A request is regarded as active until you return the item to your local branch. Only one item should be entered per request form.

Books not available through Borrowbooks may be requested from the British Library. A charge of €10 applies to each book borrowed from the British Library. Interlibrary loans obtained through either the British Library or Borrowbooks may not be renewed without first contacting the home library for permission. Please contact your local library if you wish to renew an interlibrary loan.

Child Protection
Clare County Council welcomes children into the library to use its resources, attend organised programmes and to borrow items.

Good behaviour is expected from children at all time while in the library. Parents/Guardians are expected to take responsibility for the behaviour and safety of children they bring to the library.

If in a school group, their teachers or supervisors are expected to maintain acceptable levels of behaviour.

Clare County Library cannot take responsibility for children and cannot provide supervision of children left unattended in the library. Children, while unattended in the library, could become lost, sick, distressed, leave the premises, or be at risk of approach from strangers.

Children under the age of eight years must be accompanied by an adult at all times in the library. This is for the child’s safety. If a young child is left unattended in the library, the staff will attempt to contact the parents or guardian asking them to come and collect the child. If a child under the age of eight continues to be left unaccompanied in the library, the Gardaí will be contacted.

Likewise, if a young child is left in the library after closing time, the librarian in charge will attempt to contact the parent/guardian. If no one has arrived to collect the child within 30 minutes, then the police will be called.

Library staff cannot completely control what material children borrow and it is the parents/guardian’s responsibility to be aware of the child’s use of resources.

Children are welcome to use the Internet when accompanied by a parent, guardian or teacher. As is the case with all other library materials, any restriction of a child's access to the Internet is the responsibility of the child's parent or legal guardian.

General Behaviour
If a person is behaving in a manner which is disruptive to other library users or staff or damaging to library property, library staff have the right to ask that person to modify his/her behaviour. If the behaviour is not modified, the librarian in charge has the right to ask the person to leave the library. If the person does not co-operate, the Gardaí will be contacted.

If a minor misbehaves, a letter will be sent to the parent or guardian describing the problems and warning them of the consequences. A minor who continues to cause a disturbance in the Library will not be permitted to use the library unless a parent or guardian accompanies and supervises the minor while he or she is in the library.

Individuals who cause repeated disturbances in the library will have their Library privileges revoked or restricted.

If the stock security alarm sounds when people are leaving the library, they are asked to return to the library desk so that their books may be re-checked.

Please ensure that you allow yourself sufficient time to check out library materials before official library closing time.

Smoking is not permitted in any library building or within 6 metres of a window or doorway.

Mobile phones should be put on silent when in the library. Please do not hold a conversation on your phone while in the library.

iPods and other devices must only be used at low volumes so as not to disturb other library users.

Eating or Drinking is not allowed on library premises.

Dogs and other animals, with the exception of guide dogs, are not permitted in the library.

Use of Internet PCs
Click here for our Internet Access Policy
Click here for our Rules for Use of Internet PCs

Damaged Material
Library material which has been lost or damaged by borrowers must be paid for, and all fines which have accrued on the item must also be paid for.

Damage includes returning a book in soiled condition, or returning a hardback book without its cover. The front and back inserts, the CD/DVD box and any accompanying booklets are considered to be an integral part of any CD/DVD. Any CD/DVD returned with missing
material will not be discharged from the borrower's account until the missing parts have been returned or the full replacement price has been paid. An additional amount to cover processing costs is charged for CDs and DVDs. If one CD from a set of two or more is lost, the whole set must be paid for as it is not possible for us to replace individual parts of a set.

Lost or damaged items may not be replaced by new copies from the Borrower.

Use of library premises for non-library events
Clare County Library supports community and cultural organisations in promoting community and cultural events through the use of its library buildings.

For events which are not organised by Clare County Library, it is necessary for the organisers to provide proof of public liability insurance, indemnifying Clare County Library to the amount of 6.4 million euro.

Use of the facilities by individuals and commercial organisations or businesses is not normally permitted.

All applications to use library buildings must be made in writing to the library.

Notice Boards in libraries
Clare County Council supports community, cultural and educational organisations in promoting community, cultural and educational resources and events through the use of notice boards in its public library buildings.

Use of these facilities by private organisations, individuals or businesses is not permitted, with the exception of those involved in education and culture.

Photocopying
Photocopying facilities are available in our larger libraries. There is a charge for this service.

Only library material may be photocopied on library photocopiers. Readers are reminded that the copying of material is permissible only under certain conditions in accordance with the Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000.

Use of study areas
Restrictions on the use of study areas in libraries may be enforced at certain times due to high levels of usage.

Due to the nature of library buildings as community facilities and their usage by groups such as school classes, book clubs and pre-school services and as a meeting place for elderly people and a safe after-school space for children and teenagers, those wishing to use the library as a quiet study space are advised to consult library staff as to the best times to do so.

Due to space considerations, the reading area in the Local Studies Centre is reserved for those using materials from the Local Studies Centre.