Starting this week, the next time you check out library materials, you will be asked by the library staff to let us take your picture. We are starting this campaign in an effort to have a positive identification of every library patron that checks materials out. Many of you may be asked to show a driver's license or other photo ID before your picture is taken, so that we know absolutely without a doubt that the person whose picture we took is the person to whom the library card belongs.
We want to do this for our patrons to help protect them from the unauthorized use of their library cards. We do not let people check out without a library card or a photo ID, but library staff may not always know that the person who just gave us your library card stole it out of your purse last week. With a picture to compare to the person standing in front of us, we will instantly recognize that the card is not being used by the cardholder.
Library materials, like everything else, have gone up in price considerably in the past few years. Books now average about $25.00 to replace if they are lost, stolen, or damaged. DVDs cost on average $30.00 and Books on CD can cost $125.00 or more. By adding your picture to your registration, we can give you the peace of mind that no one is going to check out items without you knowing about it--and therefore you won't have any surprise charges on your account.
We hope you are as excited about this as we are. So, the next time you come down to the library, allow a couple of extra minutes and be prepared to smile!
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