Policy Statement
Twin Falls Public Library is strongly committed to protecting the privacy of its patrons. The Twin Falls Public Library believes that maintaining privacy on the Web is very important, and that informing its visitors about the types of information it collects and how the Twin Falls Public Library uses the information is crucial in the protection and privacy of our patrons.
Acceptance of Terms
By using the Twin Falls Public Library's website, you signify your acceptance of this Website Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to this policy, please do not use the Twin Falls Public Library's website. Your continued use of this website following any changes to these terms will indicate your acceptance of those amendments.
Disclaimer of Liability
The Twin Falls Public Library shall not be held liable for any improper or incorrect use of the information described and/or contained in the Twin Falls Public Library website and assumes no responsibility for anyone's use of the information.
Disclaimer of Endorsement
The Twin Falls Public Library is a distributor of content sometimes supplied by third parties and patrons. Opinions, information and content expressed or made available by third parties, including information providers, patrons, or others, are those of the respective author(s) or distributor(s) and do not necessarily state or reflect the opinions of the Twin Falls Public Library.
Security
The Twin Falls Public Library does not claim any responsibility for information collected by other websites linking to or from the Twin Falls Public Library website.
Third-Party Partners
The Twin Falls Public Library has partnered with reputable vendors to provide certain services to online patrons. When patrons visit a partnered site, they are encouraged to become familiar with that partnered site's privacy statement.
Linking to Third Party Online Resources
As a reference and convenience the Twin Falls Public Library provides links to external online resources, websites, databases, and domains. Guidelines are included in determining which external online resources are acceptable. Those guidelines include, but are not limited to, content that is informational, governmental, cultural, intellectual. Content that is for commercial promotion is not considered acceptable and will not be posted. The Twin Falls Public Library has no control over content on third party sites and resources. The Twin Falls Public Library is not responsible for any material posted on those third party resources.
Online resources provided by and/or posted on the Twin Falls Public Library website are made available at the Twin Falls Public Library's discretion. The Twin Falls Public Library reserves the right to choose which links to post deemed necessary and legally allowable.
Computer Use
Printing is available from all Computer stations on a prepaid basis. Black and white copies can be made at $.15 each; color copies can be made at $.25 each. Users may store up to $25.00 in their prepaid accounts.
Our online public access computers (PAC) are designated for the use of the Library catalog and its related online activities. If general computer use is needed, the patron must sign up for a 30 minute or a 60 minute computer session.
Patrons under the age of 18 are to use the Computer Stations in Youth Services. Parents and legal guardians are responsible for their children’s use of the computer.
Two card holders may be seated at the same station for the duration of a session. A limited number of additional observers may be allowed in designated areas at the discretion of the Staff.
Flash drives may be purchased at the Library for use in the computers. Certain other peripheral devices may also be used on designated computers. Installation or downloading of software is not allowed.
Internet Access
Twin Falls Public Library provides access to the Internet in support of one of the Library’s roles as a leading public provider of information and lifelong learning resources.
Even though the Library has no control over what information and images are available on the Internet, Library Staff is available to identify specific starting points for searches and links to sources which are considered accurate. The Library, however, assumes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of information or images which users may access on the Internet. The Library provides a server-based filter on all Computer Stations to help prevent access to inappropriate content. An unfiltered computer can be made available for lawful purposes when requested by an adult. Nevertheless, because sites on the Internet change often, the Library cannot protect users from all information and images which they may find offensive or disturbing.
The Library affirms the right and responsibility of parents or legal guardians to guide their children’s use of all Library resources, including the computers. The Library does not provide any monitoring except as may be required to ensure compliance with Library policies and/or procedures.
The Library computers, on which the public can access the Internet, are located in public areas which are shared by Library users of all ages, backgrounds, and sensibilities. Individuals are to respect the sensibilities of others. Use of the computers for such things as accessing pornography, extreme violence or illegal activities is deemed inappropriate and unacceptable in the Library.
Users are also cautioned that because security in an electronic environment such as the Internet cannot be guaranteed, all transactions, files, and communication are vulnerable to unauthorized access and use, and therefore, should be considered public.
Disclaimers of Responsibility:
The Library assumes no responsibility and liability for any loss, harm or damage incurred by anyone using the Library’s computing resources. All computer users at Twin Falls Public Library agree to hold the Library harmless from any claims, losses, damages or obligations related to the use to the Internet. The same rules of conduct which govern use of all Twin Falls Public Library facilities and collections apply to the use of the Computers.
Users who violate this Computer Use and Internet Access Policy will have a block placed upon their Library card. A second violation will result in another block being placed upon their card. At this time, a warning will be given that with a third violation, the patron will be banned from using the Library’s computers for not less than two weeks. For serious or repeated offenses, users may be permanently banned at the Library Director’s discretion.
The Twin Falls Public Library provides free wireless filtered access to the Internet using industry standard wireless equipment. Users may connect to the Internet from laptop computers or other wireless devices from most locations within the building. However, no printing services are available for wireless users.
Users are responsible for configuring their own equipment. The Library does not provide technical support for establishing or maintaining a connection nor equipment configurations.
The Library is not responsible for any changes made to an individual’s computer settings and does not guarantee that a user’s hardware will work with the Library’s wireless connection.
The Library is not responsible for any personal information (i.e. credit card) that is compromised, or for any damage caused to hardware or software due to electrical surges, security issues or consequences caused by viruses or hacking. All wireless access users are individually responsible for maintaining current virus protection on personal laptop computers or wireless devices.
The Library reserves the right to terminate a wireless Internet session at any time. Wireless users agree to abide by the Library’s Computer Use and Internet Access Policy while using the Library’s wireless network.
Twin Falls Public Library offers laptops for checkout within the Library building for adult patrons (18 years and older). A laptop can only be checked out to you if you present your physical Library Card to staff and if your account is in good standing. Please sign and date this agreement, denoting your acceptance of the following terms, before the laptop can be checked out to you:
Failure to abide by these terms will result in a loss of checkout privileges.
ILL borrowing for our TFPL patrons:
An ILL request for a specific title is reviewed first as a “consideration to purchase”. Subject
requests are considered first as “reference questions” and TFPL resources are checked to see if
the information is already available at TFPL. If the material or information is not found to be
available at TFPL, or is deemed inappropriate to purchase, the request will be treated as an ILL
transaction.
TFPL accepts ILL requests from other libraries for their patrons in good standing, and assesses neither fees nor postage charges, so long as return postage is provided by the borrowing library. Late returns by patrons to their library are that library’s concern, but TFPL charges for lost or damaged materials, and associated replacement/processing costs are the responsibility of the borrowing library. Three items per ILL patron may be in process at a given time.
Books received within the last 12 months are not loaned. Idaho and Pacific Northwest materials are not loaned. Non-print materials received within the last 12 months are not loaned. Other non-print materials are loaned only to LYNX! or MVRL system libraries. Single item renewals may be allowed, depending upon local TFPL demands.
Books, CDs, and cassettes are loaned for 28 days including mail time. Videos and DVDs are loaned for 14 days including mail time.
Photocopies are 15¢ a sheet. Microfilm copies are $1.50 for the first sheet, and 25¢ for each additional sheet.