Circulation Policies

Your Library Card

Your Thousand Oaks Library card is an important debit card; please treat it accordingly. You are responsible for all materials checked out on your card and on the card of your minor child. Your card is not transferable; only you will be allowed to use it.

To apply for a free library card you must have valid identification showing proof of residency. Examples of acceptable proof are:

• Valid California Driver's license, California identification card, or other Picture ID with current address (hand-written address on the back is not acceptable)

• Current Vehicle Registration

• Current Temporary Driver's License

• Current rent receipt

• Recent (60 days) utility bill

• Current property tax bill

• Current (60 days) imprinted statement, such as Mastercard or Visa

Note: A Post Office Box is not acceptable.

Beginning June 10, 2009,  all California residents are eligible to apply for a free Thousand Oaks Library card upon proof of residence address.  

If you lose your card, notify the library immediately. When you report your card lost you will be issued a receipt to acknowledge the loss. A $5.00 replacement fee will be charged for lost library cards.

You may be asked at any time to present identification verifying the information on your library card. This will assist the staff in keeping your patron record current.

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Confidentiality of Patron Information

The Library scrupulously follows California state law as it pertains to the confidentiality of patron information. The text of the law is as follows:

Sec. 6255. Basis for withholding records from inspection.

The agency shall justify withholding any record by demonstrating that the record in question is exempt under express provisions of this chapter or that on the facts of the particular case the public interest served by not making the record public clearly outweighs the public interest served by disclosure of the record.

Sec. 6267. Registration and circulation records of libraries supported by public funds.

All registration and circulation records of any library that is in whole or in part supported by public funds shall remain confidential and shall not be disclosed to any person, local agency, or state agency except as follows:

(a) By a person acting within the scope of his or her duties within the administration of the library.

(b) By a person authorized, in writing, by the individual to whom the records pertain, to inspect the records.

(c) By order of the appropriate superior court.

As used in this section, the term "registration records" includes any information which a library requires a patron to provide in order to become eligible to borrow books and other materials, and the term "circulation records" includes any information which identifies the patrons borrowing particular books and other material.

This section shall not apply to statistical reports of registration and circulation nor to records of fines collected by the library.

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Loan Periods and Fines

The normal loan period for most materials is four (4) weeks.  Special loans and some materials in non-book format (e.g. videocassettes) may have different loan periods.  

Fines are charged on materials kept beyond the due date. See the Borrowing Limits Chart below for the fine charged on various types of material.

When rented materials are kept beyond the due date, an overdue fee will be charged each day until the items are returned. Typewriters are an exception to this rule. A fine of $5.00 is charged for each day a typewriter is kept overdue.

The library does not mail fine notices.  However, if your fines become excessive, you will be informed the next time you attempt to check out materials. You are responsible for any late fees whether or not you receive a notice. Service may be restricted or refused if fines become excessive.

Refer to the chart below for the loan period and fines for various types of materials:

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Return of Materials

Grant R. Brimhall Library

When the library is open, all materials should be returned in the book drops next to the Circulation Desk, or in the book drop located outside the front door.

Newbury Park Branch

All materials should be returned in the book drop next to the Circulation Desk in the library when the library is open.  To ensure safe return when the branch is closed, all materials should be deposited in the book drop located outside the front door of the Newbury Park Branch Library or the Grant R. Brimhall Library.

Drive-Up Book Returns

Drive-up book returns located at the Grant R. Brimhall Library and the Newbury Park Branch are provided for the convenience of our patrons.  These drops are emptied daily by library staff, but the Newbury Park Branch drops may be closed during inclement weather.  Patrons are responsible for any damage to materials or loss of materials left in these book drops.   NEVER return equipment to ANY bookdrop.  A $5.00 charge will be assessed if any of these items are deposited in drive-up book returns.

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Renewals

Everything that checks out for 2 or 4 weeks can be renewed (books, talking books, CDs, records, audio cassettes, and book cassettes) unless there is a hold on the item. Feature films are not renewable. Materials may be renewed online or by calling the telephone renewal system at (805) 449-2686 or (805) 449-2688. Four-week materials may have a one-time renewal for 2 weeks. Two-week materials may have a one-time renewal for 1 week. There is no limit to the amount of items that a patron may renew per visit.

Patrons will be allowed to renew overdue items, provided they pay the fine before renewing.

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Rental Books

The rental charge for rental books is $0.15 per day with a 2 week checkout. Overdue fines are 20 cents per day. If a rental item is overdue, the late fines must be paid before it can be checked out again. Rental books may only be renewed in person. Rental books are multiple copies of popular titles that are purchased by the Friends of the Thousand Oaks Library to support the Library's collection of free loan materials.

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Lost and/or Damaged Materials

If you lose or damage materials borrowed from the library, you are liable for the cost of replacing those materials. Out-of-print materials frequently are more costly now than when they were originally purchased.

The price charged for materials includes a non-refundable processing fee for each item to help offset the cost of purchasing and processing replacement material.

If you have lost and paid for an item and then find the item within one year and return it to the library in good condition, the replacement cost will be refunded to you. If you have paid for a damaged item, you may keep the item if you wish to do so.

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Celebratory and Memorial Donations

A thoughtful, long-lasting way to honor or remember friends and relatives is through a donation to the library.  A gift of books or other library material or equipment will, when possible, bear a gift plate with designation chosen by the donor. 

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