How Do I Get A Library Card

The overall purpose of the Library is to serve all of the citizens of 
La Grange and surrounding communities by offering the services, resources and facilities to fulfill their educational and recreational needs and interests. The library is available to any interested person who resides in Fayette County and agrees to abide by the library rules and policies. All patrons must have a current and clear Library Card. All new patrons must fill out a Library Card application form in its entirety. Anyone under the age of 14 must have a parent or guardian signature.
All applicants must have proof of their current mailing address (i.e. current utility bill, driver's license, etc.) before a card will be approved. Cards are valid for 2 years and must be presented each time a patron wishes to check out materials. Patrons ARE responsible for ALL materials checked out with their card. Any and all fees assessed to a patron must be paid in full to retain library privileges. All circulating materials are checked out for two weeks.  Materials without a reserve list may be renewed for an additional two weeks by telephone or in person. Renewals after 6 weeks must be made in person with the item in hand.

How Many Items Can I Checkout

• Five (5) hard cover or catalogued books
• Five (5) CD's
• Five (5) DVD's or VHS tapes
• Five (5) magazines (excluding current issue)
• TOTAL of fifteen (20) catalogued items per patron
• Unlimited number of uncataloged paperbacks.

What Services Are Available At The Library

Interlibrary Loan

Large print books

Audiobooks & cd's

Videocassettes

Newspapers

Magazine collection

Periodical circulation

Encyclopedia circulation

Reference assistance

Internet access

Film and video programs

IRS forms

Photocopying

Semi-annual book sale

Volunteer program

Summer Reading Club

Children's programs

Photocopier, reduces/enlarges

Computer/CD-ROM software

How Much Are Overdue Fines

Fines for overdue library materials (with the exception of videos)
are 5 cents per day per item except Mondays and Closed Holidays.

What Are the Copying Fees

Copying fees, Xerox and reader-printer, range from 15 to 50 cents per page depending on paper size and/or reducing and enlarging.

Bookmarks are 5 cents each.

ANY and ALL FEES ASSESSED TO A PATRON MUST BE PAID IN FULL TO RETAIN FACILITY PRIVILEGES.

Internet Access

Free public access to the Internet is available at Fayette Public Library.
Software utilized is Windows XP, Internet Explorer (web browser) and Microsoft Word.  Advances in technology and the needs of the community are ever-changing.
The Fayette Public Library endeavors to develop collections, resources, and
services that meet the recreational and educational needs of the community. It is within this context that the Fayette Public Library offers access to the internet. This new resource enables the Library to provide information beyond the confines of its own collection. It allows access to ideas, information, and commentary from around the globe. Currently, however, it is an unregulated medium. As such, while it offers access
to a wealth of materials that is personally, professionally, and culturally enriching to individuals of all ages, it also enables access to some materials that may be offensive, disturbing, and/or illegal. In introducing the internet as an information resource, the Library's goal is to enhance its existing collection in size and depth by providing the opportunity to any registered library patron to navigate the internet.
The Library's provision of public access to the internet subscribes to the principles statedin Access to Electronic Information, Services, and Networks, an Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights.

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) Policy

In order to provide as much information as possible to the community, the Fayette Public Library participates in the Interlibrary Loan program, through which materials are made available from one library to another on a local, state and national level. This service allows patrons access to more materials than is available in this library, but is not a substitute for developing the collection. Items that are frequently requested will be considered when purchasing new materials. In return, materials from this library’s collection are loaned to other libraries for use by their customers. Fayette Public Library will abide by any and all U.S. copyright laws in both lending and borrowing materials.

 Interlibrary Loan Borrowing

1. Any patron in good standing (no outstanding fines, fees or overdue materials) may request materials not owned by the library through the ILL service. There is no cost for this service other than postage fees for returning the materials to the lending library. Patrons requesting materials must pay a minimum $3.00 per item return postage fee before an item can be ordered.  Postage in excess of $3.00 per item must be paid before receipt of the item.  The fee will be refunded for unfilled requests. Patrons are also responsible for any insurance, shipping or copying fees assessed to the materials before they are sent to us.

 2. Before requesting an ILL the patron should make sure that the book is not in the library’s collection and that they know the author’s complete name and the complete title of the material they are requesting. Requests must be made in person at the circulation desk or ILL desk. The Library will generally attempt to borrow any material the patron needs however; some types of materials are not available for lending by other libraries. These include current bestsellers and popular titles published in the last six to twelve months, reference, genealogy, rare or valuable material, and bulky or fragile items that are difficult or expensive to ship. The lending library determines what materials can be borrowed and may impose restrictions on material lent.

 3. Patrons can request up to three items at a time. The patron must have at least one week between date of order and when the material is needed for the library to make the order as materials usually arrive within one week IF Austin has them on their shelves.  Materials being sent from other libraries will usually take two weeks or longer to arrive.

4. Requests will usually be submitted the day they are received and the postage fee paid. A library staff member will contact the borrower when the item is received or to let them know the request cannot be filled. The length of checkout is at the discretion of the lending library. If an item has a paper wrapper on it or a card inside, it is to stay with the item until returned. ILL borrowing privileges will be revoked if books are mistreated, lost, or continually overdue.

 5. Renewals are at the discretion of the lending library. If a patron wishes to renew a book, they should ask a library staff member to request a renewal at least 7 days before the materials is due at our library. The staff member will let the patron know if they were able to renew the material or not.

 6.. The library does not charge overdue fines on ILL materials unless the loaning library charges us; however, if ILL material is lost or damaged, the patron will pay all charges that are billed to the library, plus postage costs.

 Interlibrary Loan Lending

1. Fayette Public Library will lend items requested from all public, governmental, or academic libraries. Requests must come through a library and will be accepted by e-mail (ILL@cityoflg.com), fax (979-968-5357) or mail (855 S. Jefferson, La Grange TX 78945). Requests from individuals will not be accepted.

 2. Not all materials will be available for lending, such as current bestsellers and popular titles published in the last twelve months, reference, genealogy, local history, periodicals, newspapers, rare or valuable material, and bulky or fragile items that are difficult or expensive to ship. Other materials may be limited as determined by the Library Director. Photocopies can be made and sent at a cost of .25 per page pre-paid.  Photocopying will be done in compliance with all U.S. copyright laws.

 3. Items will usually be sent out within five business days of receipt of request if they are on the library shelves.  They will be checked out for four weeks. Items can be renewed for two weeks, unless it has been placed on reserve to another patron. The method of shipping will be through the U.S. Postal Service.

 4. The Fayette Public Library will not charge for lending materials, except for photocopy costs. No overdue fees will be assessed, however; if an item is not returned by the borrowing library within 28 days from the due date, the library will assess a charge equal to the current replacement fee for the type of material loaned. If an item is returned damaged or an item is lost, the borrowing library will be charged the current replacement fee for the type of material loaned. The borrowing library is responsible for the payment of this fee.

 Approved by Fayette Public Library Advisory Board,  March 3, 2009.