[Libs-Or] Residency requirements redux

Tue May 12 09:59:58 PDT 2015

Thanks, Cindy!

Some information I should have probably included in my email is that we do provide a limited-use card for people who don't have a permanent address: it allows for two check-outs at a time and for the same computer use as a normal card. We only require proof of address for a full-privilege card.

Kirsten Brodbeck-Kenney, MLIS
Library Director
Driftwood Public Library
801 SW Hwy 101, #201
Lincoln City, OR 97367
541-996-1251 (desk)
541-996-1262 (fax)
www.driftwoodlib.org

 >>> Cindy Gibbon <cindyg at multcolib.org> 5/12/2015 9:30 AM >>>
Hi, Kristen. I will throw some other approaches into the mix here. Since tourists contribute to the economy and since homeless people (many of whom are children) need the library more than just about anybody, we take a different approach to figuring out how we can help people use the library.

We do let tourists use the hotel address where they are staying as their local address. Homeless folks often use the address of a shelter where they are able to get mail. Knowing where the shelters or other homeless services are in your community helps facilitate this. We mail a welcome postcard as a means of address verification.

It can also help to have a stash of paperbacks (donations work well) or some kind of limited use card (maybe just a couple of items checked out at a time) that you can offer to a person who can't verify an address. You won't have lost much if the material doesn't come back. Even a library with not many resources can make the donated paperback option work.

Another trend that we are seeing is libraries that actually put an e-book kiosk in an airport or other location in the community and allow people who are just passing through to have a temporary card for limited use. We haven't done that yet but are looking at it and weighing the opportunities. A resort town might be able to emulate that somehow to be more welcoming to tourists.

Just a few alternative thoughts to consider,

Cindy

Cindy Gibbon
Access & Information Services Director
Multnomah County Library
Voice: 503.988.5496
Fax: 503.988.5441
cindyg at multcolib.org

On Sun, May 10, 2015 at 4:37 PM, Kirsten Brodbeck-Kenney <kbrodbeck-kenney at lincolncity.org> wrote:

Possibly a very specific question: If your library has residency requirements for a card, how do you handle residents of RV parks? Not mobile home parks, mind, but the type of place where people can park their RV either short- or long-term? We've been handling them in essentially the same way as we would a motel, which is to say that we generally don't consider people who live in such accommodations to be residents, with some exceptions for those who've been able to demonstrate a long-term rental or similar. I'm curious if this is something anyone else has encountered? 

Kirsten Brodbeck-Kenney, MLIS
Library Director
Driftwood Public Library
801 SW Hwy 101, #201
Lincoln City, OR 97367
541-996-1251
( tel:541-996-1251)  (desk)
541-996-1262
( tel:541-996-1262)  (fax)
www.driftwoodlib.org

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