Library Policies

Section 3: Borrowing Privileges

3.1. Getting a Library Card

The right of free access to information for all individuals is basic to all aspects of library service. Olathe Public Library (OPL) library cards are free, both when initially activated and replaced. OPL offers three types of library cards: library cards for individual use, educator cards, and eCards.

 

3.1.1. Library Card Borrowing Requirements

A verified library card or eCard entitles a customer to borrow library materials according to the loan periods in policy section 3.3 Loan Periods, as well as other rules and regulations of OPL.

A verified library card, eCard, or other valid identification may be required for use of library materials within the library. A customer may use a current library card or eCard and PIN number, or a guest pass (see policy section 3.2 Guest Passes), to use library computers.

Further identification may be required for use of materials designated by the Library System Officers (LSOs) as likely to be stolen or mutilated.

3.1.2. Library Card Reciprocity Agreement

OPL accepts Johnson County Library (JCL) library cards as its own. If the customer already has a JCL library card, an OPL library card will not be issued. OPL cards are accepted at JCL locations .

For the convenience of customers, Metro Libraries have reciprocal agreements to use a single card – generally the one from the "home" library. Upon customer request,  the other library’s card can be activated in our system. Thereafter, it is treated just like an OPL library card. Libraries in these agreements will extend the same privileges to OPL cardholders. 

The following libraries are Metro Libraries:

  • Kansas City, KS Public Library
  • Kansas City, MO Public Library
  • Johnson County Libraries
  • Olathe Public Library
  • North Kansas City, MO Public Library

3.1.3. Library Cards for Individual Use

 A verified library card for individual use will be issued to any customer 16 years or older who fills out an application and can show both valid proof of identification and current address. 

An unverified library card for individual use will be issued to any customer who fills out an application but cannot prove current address. This card allows the customer to check out up to two items. No additional items may be checked out until valid proof of current address is provided.

Children under 16 years of age must obtain a parent or guardian's signature on their library card application. With this signature, the parent or guardian agrees to responsibility for all materials checked out on the card and for the selection of all materials made by the child, including, but not limited to, books, audio-visual materials, eLibrary materials (all digital content), and materials accessed on library computers.

3.1.4. Educator Cards

Educator cards are intended to provide educators teaching in Johnson County access to library materials that support their curriculum in the classroom. The card is for educational purposes only. Individual teachers, childcare providers, and home school educators can apply for an educator card in addition to their personal card. The applicant’s personal card must be in good standing before an educator card can be issued. Educator cards are issued to individuals, not to schools or agencies.

Educator cards offer the following borrowing privileges:

  • Materials for use in a classroom or childcare setting can be checked out for a five-week checkout period.
  • Materials are renewable up to five times per item, excluding items that have holds.
  • Overdue fines are not charged, but replacement fees for lost or damaged items still apply.
  • Accounts expire one year after registration and may be renewed at either OPL location.

Educator cards can be used to check out the following items, but are restricted to standard checkout periods:

  • Hotpicks
  • Hotspots
  • Ukuleles
  • Discovery Passes

Educator cards can also be used to reserve study rooms and Lab (Makerspace) slots for standard times.

3.1.5. eCards

An eCard will be issued to a customer who completes and submits the library’s online eCard application. eCards are available to customers who live within Johnson County. No proof of address is required.

eCards offer the following borrowing privileges:

  • Access to the eLibrary
  • The placement of two holds on physical library material.
  • An eCard does not allow for the actual checkout of physical materials. To check out physical materials, an eCard must be transitioned to a verified library card.

Children under 16 years of age must obtain a parent or guardian's electronic signature when applying for an eCard online. With this signature, the parent or guardian agrees to responsibility for all materials checked out on the card and for the selection of all materials made by the child, including, but not limited to, books, audio-visual materials, eLibrary content,  and materials accessed on library computers.

3.1.6. Other Types of Library Cards

OPL accepts, but may or may not issue, other types of library cards issued by JCL, such as Community Outreach library cards.

3.1.7. Library Cards for School and Youth Organizations

To encourage children’s use of the library, school and youth organizations are welcome to apply for library cards for groups of children. If a teacher or other adult leader is bringing a group of children to the library, OPL accepts the leader's verification of the parent/guardian's signature and address. The teacher/leader should collect these forms along with their field trip forms. These verified forms may be brought in at the time of the field trip or before the visit so that the cards are ready for use when the group arrives. Each new card will be sent to the child’s home with a letter of welcome.

3.1.8. Accommodations

Special accommodation as defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) will be provided to individuals with disabilities who require assistance in applying for a library card.

3.1.9. Personal Identification Number (PIN)

All OPL library cards come with a personal identification number (PIN)/password. The PIN allows access to many library services including a customer’s online account, the eLibrary, online learning, and databases.

Changes to a customer’s PIN/password require the library card number or ID and can be done on the library’s website or by OPL staff upon request.

3.1.10. Accessing Library Card Accounts

When at the library in-person, a customer may check out materials or access their own library card account(s), of all kinds, by providing one of the following:

  • Library card
  • Library card number
  • Valid proof of identity

Customers without one of these items must verbally verify their PIN and provide at least two pieces of account information to have full access to their account.

For telephone service, customers need to provide their name and valid library card number or PIN and verbally verify at least two pieces of account information for all transactions involving customer records (placing renewals or holds, updating customer information, etc.)

A customer who provides a library card or library card number may check out materials to that card or obtain registration and borrowing information from the matching customer account. 

Customers may authorize other customers (such as family members) to pick up materials on hold by notifying library staff in advance. Authorized customers, upon presentation of identification, will have full access to the account for which they have been authorized.

Any customer may pay the balance of any other customer without a library card number or other verification. However, in this circumstance, no information regarding registration or borrowing, or receipt of payment, will be provided to the person making the payment.

Parents or guardians of children under 18 years of age may, upon presentation of proper identification, obtain the status of their child’s borrowing records information or withdraw their authorization for the child’s library card.

Parents without proper identification must verbally verify the PIN and at least two pieces of the child’s account information to have full access to the account.

3.1.11. Replacement Cards

Replacement cards will be offered free of charge to library customers. A replacement card will overlay the original record to prevent duplication or confusion.

3.1.12. Lost or Stolen Cards

If a library card is lost or stolen, the customer should notify OPL staff immediately so staff can prevent others from accessing the account. Until OPL staff are notified of a lost or stolen library card, the customer is responsible for items borrowed. Staff will not check out materials to a card reported stolen or lost.

3.1.13. Library Card Account Inactivity

Cards with no activity in two years will be deleted from the system unless the account has an unpaid balance.

3.2. Circulating and Non-Circulating Materials

Olathe Public Library (OPL) has circulating materials, which are items customers can check out, as well as non-circulating materials, which are items that can only be used in the libraries.

3.2.1. Circulating Materials

The table below includes all OPL items available for checkout, their checkout periods, limits, and whether they can be renewed or placed on hold.

Library accounts can have 150 items checked out at a time.

Item (S)

Check Out Period

Limit

Renewals and Holds

Books, Audiobooks, Music CDs,
Adult Non-fiction DVDs and Children’s Non-Feature DVDs, Talking Books (Wonderbooks, Vox, etc.)

3 weeks

 

            None

Yes

Adult & Children’s Feature DVDs

2 weeks

30/card

Yes

Hot Pick Books

2 weeks

None

No

Hot Pick DVDs

1 week

10/card

No

Video Games

2 weeks

2/card

Yes

Ukuleles

3 weeks

1/card

Yes

Discovery Passes

1 week

2/card

No

Mobile Hotspots

2 weeks

1/card

No

Devices from Library Kiosks

3 hours

1/card

No

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.2.2. Non-Circulating Materials
Olathe Collection items, newspapers, magazines, and reference materials do not circulate.

3.3. Placing Holds

If an Olathe Public Library (OPL) or Johnson County Library (JCL) item is checked out or on the shelves at any library location, customers can place a hold on the item and have it sent to the hold pickup location of their choice.

Holds can be placed through a customer’s online account, by phone, through the Olathe Public Library app or in person. Customers will be notified via email, if provided on their account, when the hold becomes available. Customers then have seven days to pick up the item. Up to 30 holds are allowed per account.

Available hold pickup locations include:

  • Olathe Downtown Library
  • Olathe Indian Creek Library
  • Olathe Indian Creek Curbside
  • OPL Locker Locations
  • JCL Locations

3.4. Renewing Materials

All items (except for Hot Pick books and DVDs, Discovery Passes, Hotspots, and devices from vending kiosks) can be renewed if no one else has placed a hold on the item. 

Items can be renewed up to 10 times each for regular library card accounts and up to 5 times each 
for educator card accounts.

You can renew items through your online account, by phone, through the Olathe Public Library(OPL) app, or in person.

 3.5. Returning Materials

Olathe Public Library (OPL) and Johnson County Library (JCL) materials can be returned to any OPL location or JCL location, with some exceptions as listed below. Customers can also return materials to various return throughout the City of Olathe.

3.5.1 Hotspots and Discovery Passes

These items must be returned to the OPL library location from which they were checked out.

3.5.2 JCL Interlibrary Loan (ILL)

These items must be returned to a JCL location.

3.5.3. Ukuleles

These items must be returned in person at an OPL or JCL library location.

3.6. Account Balances

As of April 19, 2023, Olathe Public Library (OPL) no longer charges daily fines for overdue library materials. However, fees will still be assessed for lost or damaged materials. 

Customers have the option to pay balances online, by phone, or in person. 

3.6.1. Materials Recovery Service (MRS) Program

Library accounts that have accrued certain amounts of fees will be placed in the Materials Recovery Service (MRS) program. This program is managed by Unique Management Services, who will send letters and call customers on the library’s behalf to encourage the return of 
outstanding library materials. The assignment of a library account to this program does not impact a customer’s credit score.

Library accounts will be assigned to the MRS program if they accrue a total balance of $50 or more, with the oldest fee outstanding for more than 30 days. MRS accounts are subject to a non-refundable $10 fee. 

Customers with MRS accounts cannot renew items, place holds, or check out materials until the 
balance is paid in full.

3.7. Shelf Checks

If a customer is confident that they returned an item that was checked out from OPL, but the item is still on their account, library staff can conduct a shelf check for the customer. During a shelf check, the item will stay on the customer’s account until the process is complete.

If the item is found, the item and any balance accrued for the item will be removed from the account. If the item is not found, the customer is welcome to submit a second shelf check after two weeks have passed since the first check. If the item is not found after the second shelf check, the customer will be responsible for the replacement cost of the item.

3.8. Lost or Damaged Materials

Olathe Public Library (OPL) material belongs to the community. To ensure that everyone has access to a reliable collection of material, fees may be assessed for any lost or damaged items.

3.8.1. OPL Materials

The cost of replacement for a lost or damaged item will vary depending on the item. If the item can be purchased new from an official seller on Amazon, OPL will do its best to match the price. Customers cannot purchase replacement copies of items as payment.

If a customer pays to replace a lost item, but finds it at a later date, OPL is willing to issue a partial refund to the form of payment used.

3.8.2. ILL

Materials Any fees for items checked out through ILL are determined by the lending library that lent OPL the material. If any lost or damaged fees are accrued while the item is checked out by a customer, they will be posted to the customer’s account. Unlike items owned by OPL, the cost for lost ILL materials will be non-refundable after the invoice has been paid to the lending library. 

3.9. Confidentiality of Customer Records

As a public library, Olathe Public Library (OPL) is deeply committed to the protection of customer privacy. OPL considers all customer library records to be confidential in nature. Our policy is based on the Kansas Open Records Act and the ALA Code of Ethics.

A customer may check out materials and access their own library record(s) by providing one of the following: 

  • A library card
  • A library card number 
  • ID

Customers without one of these items must verbally verify both of the following with OPL staff:

  • The 4-digit PIN for the library card account
  • Two pieces of account information (examples include birthdate, address, phone number, etc.)

Parents or guardians of minors under 18 years of age may, upon presentation of proper identification, obtain the status of the minor’s borrowing records or withdraw their authorization for the minor’s library card. Parents without proper identification must verbally verify at least three pieces of the minor’s account information to have full access to the minor’s library card account.

A customer who provides any valid library card or library card number may check out materials or obtain customer account and borrowing information. A customer may authorize other customers or family members to pick up materials being held by notifying the library staff in advance. Authorized individuals, upon presentation of ID, will not be required to have the customer’s card or card number to check out, pay balances, pick up holds, or renew items.

Confidential library records will not be released or made available in any format to a federal agent, law enforcement officer, or other person, unless a court order in proper form has been entered by a court of competent jurisdiction after a showing of good cause by the law enforcement agency or person seeking the records. Library System Officers (LSOs) will seek legal counsel from the city attorney’s office in the event of such request and will respond to the request according to advice of counsel.

The library will not retain a history of a customer's borrowing records.

The library may make limited use of customer account information for the sole purpose of facilitating communications by the library with that customer.

Any customer may pay the balance of any other customer without a library card number or other verification. In this circumstance, no customer account or borrowing information will be provided to the person making the payment.

The library may disclose a customer’s account records to a third-party collection agency when that customer has an excessive balance or library materials that have been checked out and not returned.

The library may provide certain account information to outside agencies to produce demographic profiles or overall customer usage pattern studies. The library would use these studies to improve the quality and content of its collection and other offerings. Such information will not identify customers by name.