[WEB4LIB] Do you keep library application forms?

[Phillip Whitford]

Beth,

Our library went over this issue a couple of years ago. We did keep paper
applications, now we don't.  One of our board members who is a lawyer opined
we didn't need to.  At the time we also surveyed other public libraries via
another mailing list to see what they were doing. There was no consensus.
Some libraries did keep the records, some didn't. Many had obtained legal
opinions supporting their particular position.  There was little
consistency, libraries even in the same states did  different things. Some
kept the forms forever, some for limited periods, others trashed them right
away.  Some don't even get signatures, they just have the patron fill out a
form, which isn't signed, and then they throw that form away.

If it's any comfort we have never had an incident where an actual signature
on the card application was required to resolve any dispute or problem,
legal or otherwise, either before or after we started throwing the
applications away.  And we are a library that sends patrons with long
overdue materials to a collection agency.

Phillip Whitford
Braswell Memorial Library
Rocky Mount, NC
  -----Original Message-----
  From: web4lib at webjunction.org [mailto:web4lib at webjunction.org]On
Behalf Of Beth DeGeer
  Sent: Wednesday, July 05, 2000 2:15 PM
  To: Multiple recipients of list
  Subject: [WEB4LIB] Do you keep library application forms?


  One of our Library Board members (he's a lawyer) has suggested that we
keep library card applications (we currently toss them when a card is
successfully issued) so that we have a record that the an adult has signed
the application and acknowledges that a library card brings with it access
to the internet.

  Does any other library do this?  Do you see a need to do it?  Thanks for
any info you can provide.


  Beth DeGeer

  Vote for Jack in the Cutest Pet Contest!
http://jacksprat.pages.petsmart.com/index.html
  Youth Services Librarian/PC Administrator
  Bartlesville Public Library, Bartlesville OK
  bdeg at bartlesville.lib.ok.us
  http://www.bartlesville.lib.ok.us


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