Policies

The director of the Hall Memorial Library is responsible for making the decision about closing the library because of weather conditions. If the director is not available to make the decision it will fall to the full-time employee.
 

When the library is CLOSED staff scheduled to work during that time will be paid for the hours they would have worked.

If the library is open during inclement weather, showing up for work is at the discretion of the employee. If an employee chooses not to come in, due to the weather, any pay for those hours will be forfeited. If the library closes after a scheduled employee decides not to come in s/he will be paid only for the closed hours.




Accepted 10/1/2007, Updated and Approved August 2016

Behavior Policy:

Hall Memorial Library is open to all. While everyone has an equal right to access library services and facilities, no one may interfere with another's ability to use and enjoy the library, or with a library staff's ability to provide services.
For the safety and comfort of library visitors, volunteers, and staff, and the protection of library property, behavior that is prohibited in the library includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Any activity in violation of federal or state law, or town ordinances.
• Carrying firearms or dangerous weapons of any type, except by law enforcement officials.
• Vandalism of any kind including defacing or damaging library property.
• Verbally or physically threatening other visitors, library staff, or volunteers, including stalking, staring, touching, bullying or using offensive language.
• Patrons may not interfere with the staff’s performance of duties in the Library or on Library property. This includes engaging in conversation or behavior that monopolizes or forces the attention of staff for an inappropriate period of time, inappropriate personal comments, sexual advances, or physical and/or verbal harassment.
• Harassment of any kind.
• Being under the influence or in possession of alcohol or illegal drugs.
• Loud, unruly behavior such as running, yelling, pushing, shoving, spitting or throwing objects. 
• Playing of audio equipment so that others may hear it.
• Volume of speaking voice must not disturb other patrons.
• Using the library, when your personal hygiene is disruptive to the library environment. This includes wearing wet clothing. 
• Shoes and shirts are required.
• Using the elevator without an appropriate reason.
• Walking back and forth or in and out of the library to the distraction of other library users.
• Obstructing any entrance, exit, or passageway.
• Public displays of affection.
• Lying down or placing feet on furniture.
• More than one person sitting in a single chair.
• Bringing animals into the building unless they are on a leash.
• Soliciting, canvassing, or campaigning.
• Children under ten (10) years of age must be accompanied and supervised by an adult at all times.
• Persons needing continuous supervision or assistance must be accompanied by the appropriate supervisor while using any area of the library.

Persons not engaged in reading, studying, using computers, visiting quietly with other patrons, participating in a library program, or such kinds of behaviors associated with libraries may be asked to leave at any time by any staff person. When a person is asked to leave the library, the request includes leaving the library grounds. At such times the Northfield Police Department will be immediately informed of our actions. Loitering is not permitted on library grounds.
 

Updated and Approved on August 1, 2011, August 2016, April 2023

Announcements of cultural events, civic programs, and other items of general public interest may be displayed at the discretion of and with the permission of the library staff. No material which solicits votes, donations or purchases of any kind may be placed on the library property. An exception is made for donations to benefit the library. No petitions of any kind will be allowed on the premises. 

Accepted announcements will be displayed on the Community Bulletin Board in the Library’s entry and will not be displayed elsewhere in the library. 

Displays of artwork are welcomed at the library at the discretion of the librarian. Artists loaning pieces must sign a waiver exempting the library from loss of or damage to the material. See the library’s Display Policy for more information.

Updated and approved 4/6/2004, August 2016, February 2022

Hall Memorial Library accepts payments by check.

If a patron’s check is refused for insufficient funds:

• Patron must pay a fee of $25.00 in addition to the amount of the original check. 

• Patron’s account and family members accounts will be blocked until the full amount it paid in cash. 

• We will not be able to accept check payments from patron again. 

Hall Memorial Library Circulation Policy

Registration:

Free cards will be issued upon request to:

• Any resident 10 years or older and/or a taxpayer of Tilton or Northfield.
• Any resident under 10 of Tilton or Northfield who:
  • Can print his/her first and last name legibly
  • Has a parent/guardian sign the card.
  • New Juvenile patrons (10 and under) with a parent or guardian who has a card with over $5.00 in fines/fees, is still able to sign up for their first library card, however the juvenile will be on limited checkout of one book and one dvd per visit, until the parent has paid off their fines/fees.
• Any employee of the towns of Tilton or Northfield .
• Any student or employee of schools located in Tilton or Northfield.
• Institutions located in the towns may be eligible for a group card at the discretion of the Director.
• Non-residents will be charged a yearly, or in some instances, 6 month, fee set by the trustees.
• Lifetime membership cards (for non-residents) are available for $450.
• Temporary residents of the residential facilities located in Tilton or Northfield may be allowed a free six-month card at the discretion of the Director.

Patrons must be present and fill out their own cards (with the exception of those physically unable to write).

Circulation Limits:

Each library card shall allow the person(s) listed to check out up to twenty-five (25) library books, five (5) movies [discs] and one (1) non-book/movie item. Patrons who display a continued lack of responsibility in caring for and returning items, may have this limit decreased at the discretion of the Library Director. 

Overdue Charges:
 

Overdue charges shall be set by the trustees. Materials which have been “willfully detained” shall be pursued according to New Hampshire RSA 202-A:25.

Interlibrary Loans:

Library users in good standing shall be able to request materials from other libraries in New Hampshire, and, at the discretion of the staff, beyond. The library shall make every effort to reciprocate by lending our material to other libraries in the state.

Right to Privacy:

In accordance with RSA 201-D:11, all library user records are confidential. An effort shall be made by staff issuing juvenile library cards to explain this law to the juvenile’s parent/guardian. The US Patriot Act supersedes the New Hampshire RSA’s. 

When a patron signs up for a card s/he may verbally allow a parent/guardian/other to have access to the card and staff will note that on the card in our system. Access may be changed at any time per the card holder’s request. If a parent does not have access to a card they may not be told the titles that are currently checked out. They may however be told of any late fines and the amount of items that have been checked out. 

Access to title information on patron’s accounts will be made available to police or other collection agencies in the event of a delinquent account. 

-Updated and approved, July 2024

Intellectual Freedom Statement

The Hall Memorial Library fully endorses the principles documented in the Library Bill of Rights [Appendix I], the Freedom to Read Statement [Appendix II], and the Freedom to View Statement [Appendix III] of the American Library Association (ALA). In addition, the Hall Memorial Library supports the ALA interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights regarding the labeling and rating of materials [Appendix IV]. The Hall Memorial Library’s collection will reflect the diverse informational needs of the citizens of Northfield & Tilton and will uphold the right of the individual to access that information, even though it might be objectionable to others. 

Equal Access

The Hall Memorial Library provides equal access to all library materials for all library users. Some materials may not be suitable for all ages, in which case the parent or guardian is responsible for what a child checks out on their card or accesses electronically. 

Selection of Library Materials

The responsibility and authority for selection of all print and non-print material purchased by the Hall Memorial Library ultimately rests with the Library Director. The Director may delegate the selection, purchasing, and weeding of materials to other members of the library staff. Patron requests for specific materials will be considered, but purchasing those materials is ultimately the decision of the Library Director and other Library staff members who have selection authority. Purchase requests will be considered within the context of the selection criteria outlined in this policy.

Selection Criteria

The library’s goal is to meet the informational needs of Northfield’s and Tilton’s community members as far as budget, space, and staffing allows. Ease of access is also important, resulting in specific collection spaces sometimes being adjusted to reflect changes in the size and depth of a particular subject area. 

Library materials are selected on the basis of literary, educational, informational, and recreational value. Selection guidelines consist of a balance between professional reviews and community interest or requests. 

1. The main points considered in the selection of materials are:
   1. Existing library holdings
   2. Current collection development priorities
   3. Individual merit of each item
   4. Popular appeal/demand
   5. Suitability of material to the community
2. Reviews are a major (but not the sole) source of information about new materials. The primary sources of reviews include but are not limited to: Booklist, Book Page, School Library Journal, Goodreads, various publisher emails, and professional reviews that are accessible via NoveList (including Kirkus, Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly). 
3. The lack of a review or an unfavorable review shall not be the sole reason for rejecting a title which is in demand. Consideration is, therefore, given to requests from library patrons and books discussed in public media. Materials are judged on the basis of the work as a whole, not on a part taken out of context. 
4. No materials will be excluded because of the race, nationality, religion, gender, sexual orientation, political, or social view of the author. 
5. The format chosen for new materials is the responsibility of the library staff in charge of selection for that category. The library staff will take into consideration all of the information available regarding patrons’ preferences for materials in a specific category.
6. Due to limited budget and space, the library cannot purchase all materials that are requested by patrons. Any materials suggested but not purchased, and published more than six months previously, will be requested as an Inter-Library Loan from another library.
7. Multiple copies and formats of materials will be purchased at the discretion of the Library Director. Criteria for purchasing additional copies of a title include the number of holds on the item, the expected future demand for the item based on reviews and best-seller lists, space available, budget considerations, and other sources available to lend the item. 

Selection Criteria - Downloadable and Streaming Media

Hall Memorial Library offers its patrons an online services that affords access to downloadable and streaming media. 

New Hampshire Downloadable Books (NHDB) is an OverDrive affiliated consortium of 190+ public libraries in New Hampshire who contribute an annual membership fee that is pooled to purchase downloadable eBooks, eAudiobooks, and eMagazines. The NHDB collection is comprised of fiction and nonfiction eBooks, eAudiobooks, and eMagazines and aims to supplement the popular physical collections found in NH public libraries. Digital materials are selected with consideration of patron demand, popularity, availability, and cost. Consortium members select titles to submit to the coordinator of the Consortium for purchase consideration.

NHDB is a cost-effective method for libraries of Hall Memorial’s size to offer digital content to patrons. 

Selection Criteria - Local Authors

Library staff with collection development responsibilities attempt to acquire titles by local authors (Northfield, Tilton, and the surrounding area) that are published by mainstream publishers. Titles by local writers that are self-published are not added to the collection unless there is a compelling reason to do so, such as valuable/rare local content or high local interest. 

Selection Criteria - Self-Published Materials/Vanity Press

Materials that are self-published or published by vanity presses are not regularly added to the collection. These materials are considered on an item-by-item basis, with selection criteria including relevant subject matter, source materials, author reputation, relevance in comparison with current reviewed materials on the same subject matter, etc. 

Collections Maintenance - Weeding

An up-to-date, physically accessible, and useful collection is maintained through a continual withdrawal and replacement process. Replacement of worn volumes is dependent upon condition, current demand, usefulness, more recent acquisitions, and availability of newer editions. This ongoing process of weeding is the responsibility of the Library Director and designated library staff and is authorized by the Board of Trustees. Withdrawn materials will be handled in a similar manner and under the same authority as donated materials. The collection is weeded on an as-needed basis. 

Like many public libraries in New Hampshire, the Hall Memorial Library subscribes to the Continuous Review, Evaluation, and Weeding (CREW) method when weeding the library collections. The CREW method uses an acronym, MUSTIE, to indicate when an item should be removed. Mustie stands for:

Misleading and/or factually inaccurate

Ugly (worn out beyond mending or rebinding)

Superceded by a new edition or better source

Irrelevant to the needs and interests of the community

Trivial (of no discernible literary or scientific merit)

Elsewhere (the material may be easily borrowed from another source)

Decisions are based on some combination of the MUSTIE criteria - that is, an item will likely not be discarded by meeting only one of these criteria. Other criteria that might also be considered include age, condition, frequency of use/circulation, and multiple copies. The integrated library system provides numerous report options to assist staff in the weeding process. 

All items to be removed from the collection will be stamped “Discard,” lines drawn over barcodes and labels with permanent marker. Items in poor condition will be recycled to the best of the library’s abilities and other items will either be added to the library’s book sale, donated to other NH libraries or other local organizations, or removed by a second-hand book service (eg. Better World Books). 

Collections Maintenance - Repair/Replacement

Every effort is made to repair library materials before they are weeded and discarded. For materials that cannot be repaired or have been lost and paid for by a patron, effort will be made to replace the item. In some cases, this will not occur, especially if the items are no longer in print or no longer meet the library’s selection criteria.

Request for Reconsideration - Challenged Materials

The Hall Memorial Library recognizes that some materials are controversial and that any given item may offend some patrons. Selection of materials will not be made on the basis of anticipated approval or disapproval, but solely on the basis of the principles stated in this policy.

The responsibility for a child’s choice of reading materials belongs with the parents or legal guardians of that child. Library material selection will not be determined by the possibility that controversial books may come into the possession of children. 

Library materials will not be marked or identified to show approval or disapproval of their contents and no library material will be sequestered except to protect it from damage or theft. 

Procedures for Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials

Although materials are carefully and thoughtfully selected, differences of opinion can arise regarding suitable materials. Patrons requesting that material be withdrawn from or restricted within the collection may complete a “Request for Reconsideration” form [Appendix V - paper form may be requested at the library], which is available in the library and on the library’s website. The patron will also be given a copy of ALA’s Library Bill of Rights, Freedom to Read, Freedom to View, and Labeling and Rating Systems statements, which have been adopted as part of our library policies. 

Completed Request for Reconsideration of materials will be reviewed by the Library Director and the material will be evaluated based on the complaint. The item in question will remain on the library shelves until the request has been processed and a decision has been made. When a request is received, the Library Director may contact the NHLA Intellectual Freedom Committee for help, and shall bring the request to the attention of the Board of Trustees for further action if necessary.

The Library Director will issue a written decision to the patron, which may be appealed to the Library’s Board of Trustees. In the event of an appeal, the inquiry will be placed on the agenda of the next regular monthly meeting of the Hall Memorial Library Board of Trustees, as long as the request for appeal is received seven days or more prior to the scheduled meeting. If the request for appeal is received less than seven days before a scheduled monthly meeting, the request will appear on the agenda for the next monthly meeting, or the Board may decide to hold a special meeting prior to the next regularly scheduled monthly meeting. The Board will issue a written decision to the patron within seven business days of the meeting. The decisions of the Library’s Board of Trustees are final. 

Approved by Library Board of Trustees 3/14/22

Hall Memorial Library
Laptop Loan Agreement 

Disclaimer
The internet and public access computers enable the library to provide information not available in its own collection. However they are an unregulated medium and material obtained through them may be inaccurate, offensive and even illegal. The library cannot censor your access to material or protect you from it. You are urged to be an intelligent consumer by checking the validity of the information you find. 

Use of Computers by Young Adults (Age 11 through Age 17)
Young adults age 11 through age 17 must have parental or guardian permission to have unsupervised use of a laptop. 

Children 10 and under are not permitted to use the laptops without a parent/guardian present or as otherwise permitted by library staff.  

Computer Policy

1. To check out a laptop, users must present their valid library card or a picture ID to the staff at the service desk. Laptop may not leave the library building and must be returned at least 15 minutes before closing.
    
2.  Laptops are available only for 2 hours sessions and may be renewed for a single 2 hour session. Only one laptop may be checked out to a user at any time.  
    
3. Laptops may not be used for illegal purposes. Use of public computers to access obscene or offensive material or material that is otherwise harmful to minors, is expressly prohibited. No person may use a computer in a way that disturbs or interferes with other users. Patrons shall not:

• View, print, distribute, display, send or receive text or graphics that may be construed as obscene under Chapter 650 of the New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated.
• View, print, distribute, display, send or receive text or graphics that may be construed to be child pornography under Chapter 649 A or 649 B of the New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated.
• Disseminate, exhibit or display materials to minors that may be considered harmful to minors under Chapter 571 B of the New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated.
• Use workstations to transmit threatening or harassing material.
• Engage in any activity that is deliberately offensive to others, or deliberately creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.
• Violate copyright or licensing agreements.
• Gain unauthorized access to any computing systems or resources.
• Damage, alter or degrade computer equipment, peripherals, software or configurations.
• Install software.

4. Library employees are authorized to terminate a computer session by anyone who fails to comply with this policy.  Users will be held responsible for damage to the equipment caused by their misuse. Intentional damage to equipment will result in suspension of library services and/or criminal prosecution. Users agree to pay a $380 replacement cost if the laptop is lost or stolen.
    
5. The library reserves the right to ask users to refrain from displaying computer images which are inappropriate for public viewing.
    
6.  If a user needs to leave the laptop for any reason, the laptop must be brought to the service desk for safe keeping.  
    
7. Users may use USB memory devices to save data.  
    
8. Users are responsible for the cost of ALL their printed pages, including pages printed in error or excess. Users may bring their own paper, but will still be charged for printing.
    
9. Users are not permitted to attempt to troubleshoot any problems with the computer and shall report any problems promptly to the service desk staff.
    
10.  Library staff are available to assist patrons with basic computer use. Patrons who need a high level of assistance are encouraged to make an appointment with a librarian or drop in during Tech Thursday - every Thursday from noon-7pm. 
     
11. All saved logins and documents will be deleted when the laptop is returned to the service desk.

The USA PATRIOT (Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism) Act was signed into law on October 26, 2001. The Act has several provisions that affect libraries:

• It lowers the legal standard for obtaining a search warrant from “probable cause” that a crime is being committed to suspicion that the library information is linked to an ongoing terrorist or intelligence investigation. 
• It allows the FBI to get a special search warrant from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) court, whose proceedings are classified and closed to the public. 
• It permits the FBI to use special search warrants to retrieve library usage records of someone who is under investigation of involvement in suspicious activities. 
• It overrides state and local privacy laws in the case of FISA search warrants. 
• It prohibits the library from notifying the patron under suspicion, the press, or anyone else that an investigation is underway. 
• It grants expanded wiretapping authority to federal and state law enforcement agencies that allows monitoring of public computers. 

The FBI can retrieve any information about a patron under investigation that the library has. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Books and other materials checked out 
• Searches performed on library computers, including Internet sites visited 
• Books and other materials borrowed through inter-library loan 
• When and where a patron has signed up for library programs or to use library computers, the local history room, etc. 
• Notes taken by librarians when helping answer a reference question 

It is important to remember that the provisions above apply only to FBI search warrants issued under the USA PATRIOT Act. State and local privacy laws are still in effect for other investigations that are not being performed under the authority of the Act.

To safeguard our patrons’ privacy, takes the following measures:

• Our current public access computer system removes all session data at the end of each user session. 
• The library deletes patron data and shreds patron registration cards that have been expired for three years (with fines under $5.00) and six years (fines under $20.00). 

If a librarian does not comply with an FBI search warrant issued under the Act, he or she may be charged with contempt of court. No specific penalty is spelled out in the Act.

Procedures:

• Hall Memorial Library employees will immediately refer all investigations to the library director or acting director. 
• The library director or full-time employee will immediately consult with the library’s attorney concerning the warrant and notify the chair of the board of trustees. 
• Employees and or the director will ask the investigator(s) to show official identification and legal documents including warrants. 
• Employees and/or the director will write down the name and identification number listed on said documents 
• Employees and/or the director will make a photocopy of the search warrant. 
• An attempt will be made to delay execution of the warrant until the director or acting director consults with the library attorney 
• If the agent/officer insists on executing the warrant immediately, the staff involved will follow the agent’s directions and provide the material requested. 

Adopted December 4th, 2007 by the Board of Trustees, Updated and Approved August 2016

Borrowing:

• Patrons must have borrowed and returned on time material belonging to Hall Memorial Library before we will borrow anything from another library for them. We have a 3 month probationary period, which can be extended or shortened at the discretion of the ILL Librarian. 
• A patron may have up to 4 active ILL’s at a time. 
• We will search the NHUPAC for material and if we are unsuccessful, ask the NHAIS-ILL list for the item. If it is not available within the state, we will consider searching out of state at the discretion of the ILL staff. 
• Borrowed materials will be due at Hall Memorial Library so that we can return them to the lending library in a timely manner. 
• Fines for overdue ILL material shall be higher than fines for our own material. 
• If our patron requests a renewal, we will attempt to oblige by contacting the lending library, unless it has been marked as nonrenewable. 
• Patrons who return ILL material late will not be eligible for the service unless the ILL librarians determine otherwise. 
• Materials for book discussions may be requested through the NHUPAC or NHAIS-ILL depending on the nature of the request. 
• Patrons must return the included barcode bookmark or they will be charged a $2.00 replacement fee. 

Lending:

• Hall Memorial Library will lend any available circulating materials to other libraries in the state whether the requests are generated by email or through NHUPAC. 
• Due dates will be between 4 and 6 weeks depending on the popularity of the material. 
• Reserves made by our patrons will be honored before we will take reserves from other libraries. 
• General NHAIS requests will be filled at the discretion of the ILL librarians. 
• Photocopies will be sent at the discretion of the ILL librarians. 
• ILL requests, both to and from the Hall Memorial Library, will be read daily except Sundays, with the occasional exception. 

Statement of Purpose

The investment portfolio of Hall Memorial Library was established to manage the long term assets of the library. Contributions to the fund are accepted through personal contributions and various fundraising efforts. The primary purpose of this investment portfolio is for capital improvements. 

Statement of Responsibilities

The Hall Memorial Library Trustees will determine appropriateness of investment policy on a regular basis.  Changes to asset allocation, investment philosophy, investment risk and the general purpose of the investment portfolio will be determined by the Trustees. They will determine the effectiveness of the investment manager based on criteria stated in this investment policy.

The investment manager will be responsible for the execution of the investment policy.  In addition, the investment manager will be responsible for day to day management of portfolio assets including deciding on specific investment selection, and timing of purchases and sales.  The investment manager will provide the Trustees with market and economic data and well as forecasts for review on a agreed upon schedule.

Investment Goals and Objectives

The investment goals of the Hall Memorial Library investment portfolio are as follows:

• To protect and preserve the principal (principle) amount, minimizing risk by:
  • Holding value in down markets.
  • Avoiding speculative issues.
  • Emphasizing stability of returns.
• To provide increasing income from the investment portfolio, without invading principal.
• To manage for long term results. Neither high turnover nor emphasis on the short term are encouraged.
• To meet or exceed the rate of return of a balanced market index comprised of the S&P 500 stock index, Lehman Government/Corporate bond index, and the U.S. Treasury Bills in similar proportion to the asset allocation policy of the investment portfolio.
• To meet or exceed the risk-free rate of return (as represented by the U.S. Treasury Bills).
• To meet or exceed the inflation rate (as measured by the Consumer Price Index) by 300 basis points per year on average.

Investment Guidelines

• Prudent Person Rule:  Investments are to be made consistent with the safeguards and diversity to which a prudent investor would adhere, exercising judgment and care, under the circumstances prevailing, which men of ordinary prudence would employ in the management of their own affairs not in regard to speculation, but to he permanent disposition of their funds, considering both income and safety of capital.
• Liquidity:  The investment portfolio’s cash flow will be monitored on a regular basis by the investment manager, and sufficient liquidity should be maintained to fund payment outflows. When withdrawals become necessary, the Trustees will notify the investment manager as far in advance as possible to allow sufficient time to build up necessary liquid reserves.  The investment manager will be expected to review the cash flow requirements with the Trustees as stated in the investment policy.
• Volatility:  Consistent with the desire for adequate diversification, investment policy for the investment portfolio is based on the assumption that the volatility of the portfolio will be similar to that of the market.  Consequently, it is expected that the volatility of the total portfolio, in aggregate, will be reasonably close to the volatility of a balanced market index weighted to match the actual asset mix of the investment portfolio.

Asset Allocation Guidelines

It shall be the policy of the investment portfolio to invest the assets in accordance with the maximum and minimum range for each asset category as stated below:

Equities

• Types of Equity Securities:  Equity securities shall mean mutual funds selected from the expanded approved mutual fund list or individual stocks from the S&P 500.
• Diversification:  The equity portfolio should be well diversified to avoid undue exposure to any single economic sector, industry group, mutual fund or individual security.
• Capitalization:  Mutual funds or individual securities will comprise of market capitalizations consistent with small, mid and large cap accepted values.
• Security Concentration:  It is expected that the equity component of the portfolio will be diversified across economic sectors, with no sector comprising more than 25% of the portfolio.

Fixed Income

• Types of Securities:  Funds not invested in cash equivalents (securities maturing in one year or less) shall be invested entirely in marketable debt securities issued by either the United States Government, or agencies of the United States Government, domestic corporations, including industrials and utilities, and domestic banks and other United States financial institutions.
• Quality:  The quality of fixed income securities shall range from high yield or low rated fixed income investments to fixed income securities guaranteed by the United States Government.
• Maturity:  The maturity of fixed income securities will be proactively managed based on current and future analysis of interest rate environment.  Accordingly maturities will range from short term of 1 year or less to longer term not exceeding 15 years.

Investment Performance Review and Evaluation

• Performance results will be measured on a semi-annual, and / or annual basis.
• Total fund performance will be measured against a balanced index composed of commonly accepted benchmarks weighted to match the long-term asset allocation policy of the investment portfolio.
• The investment performance of the total portfolio and equity and fixed income segments (both in terms of return and risk) will be measured against commonly accepted benchmarks.
• Total fund performance will be compared to a representative universe of professionally managed funds with the percentage of equity, fixed income, and cash equivalents to be indicative of the long-term asset allocation policy of the investment portfolio. 

Communications

• The investment manager has full discretion within the above guidelines.
• The investment manager shall report to the Trustees on all pertinent details including:
  • Name and quantity of each security purchased or sold, with the purchase price and transaction date;
  • an analysis of each security, of its descriptions, percentage of total portfolio, purchase date, quantity, average cost basis, current market value. unrealized gain or loss, and indicates annual income and yield (%) at market; and
  • an analysis for the entire portfolio of the current asset allocation by investment category (equities, fixed –income securities and cash reserves).
• Meet at least annually with the Trustees or as requested.
• Review past performance, evaluate the current investment outlook, and discuss investment strategy.
• Provide information regarding major changes in investment policy that may result in major investment strategy changes.
• Review any significant changes in management, research, personnel or ownership within investment management firm.
• Other communications that the investment manager feels are necessary to facilitate achievement of the objectives and goals of the (investment) portfolio.
• Investment manager will be available for telephone consultation on a reasonable basis.

Hall Memorial Library offers programs for all ages intended to further the library’s mission to provide access to a variety of ideas, support an informed citizenry, and enrich the cultural lives of the people of the towns of Northfield and Tilton. Programs are offered by the library to broaden knowledge, share experiences, entertain, exchange information, introduce library resources, and more. 

All programs offered by Hall Memorial Library must be open to the public. Registration for programs may be required for planning purposes or when space is limited. Program attendance may also be limited by age or grade level. Occasionally, the library partners with other community agencies, organizations, and individuals to develop and present programs that align with the library’s mission. Requests from individuals to present programs are considered and weighed against community interest in the topic, the library’s program budget, space requirements, relevancy and staffing ability, and the presenter’s demonstrated qualifications, expertise, and reputation. Hall Memorial Library strives to include a wide range of subjects and viewpoints in library programming. Topics and speakers are not excluded based on their origin, background, sexuality, gender, religion, ability, views, or because of possible controversy. Decisions on which programs to offer are made by the Library Director and the Assistant Library Director in conjunction with other library staff. Relevant library policies to library programs include but are not limited to the Behavior Policy and the Unattended Juvenile Policy.

Hall Memorial Library strives to offer programs free of charge. For certain programs that require material beyond the library’s budget, there may be a small fee per patron. Presenters must provide invoices for their fees at the time of booking in order to receive payment in a timely manner. The library supports the rights of authors and other creators to sell their works as part of a program to the public. Presenters are responsible for their own sales and library staff are not available to assist in sales. 

Approved by Library Board of Trustees 3/14/22

Hall Memorial Library is grateful for the generosity of our community members who donate new or used material to the library. All donations are used to supplement, but not supplant, the regular collection budget. To maintain the efficient use of library staff time and to ensure a quality collection and book sale, the Hall Memorial Library Board of Trustees has established the following policy:

The Library may accept print and non-print materials that comply with the Library’s Materials Selection policy. These materials may be accepted or declined by the Library staff. Once accepted, the Library is solely responsible for how the materials are used. They may become part of the collection according to the Library’s Material Selection policy, the Library’s book sale, donated elsewhere or disposed of if necessary. Donated items will not be returned to the donor and the Library will not accept any item that is not an outright gift.

Due to storage limitations, the library must limit donations of physical materials to 1 box or bag per family per month

The Library will gratefully accept the following materials in good condition:

• Books that are 5 years old or newer (except classics)
• Music CDs (in original packaging)
• Audiobooks (CD only and in original packaging)
• DVDs & Blu-rays (in original packaging)

The Library will unfortunately not accept the following:

• Items in poor condition (moldy, water damaged, smelly) - we appreciate that you thought of us, but we can not accept items that have been in your family’s basement or attic for extended periods of time. 
• Magazines/pamphlets
• Textbooks
• Encyclopedias 
• VHS 
• Cassettes
• Condensed books (such as Readers Digest volumes)

Approved by Library Board of Trustees 2/14/22

The Hall Memorial Library is pleased to offer artists, collectors, and organizations the opportunity to display their work to the community. Exhibit space is open to individuals and organizations. 

Organizations shall designate one person as a representative.  Exhibit periods are arranged with the Assistant Library Director.  

Application for exhibits is made on a first-come, first-served basis. The Library shall have the final decision on the content and arrangement of all exhibits and displays. The Library expressly reserves the right to reject any display in whole or in part which it deems in its sole discretion to be inappropriate based upon local community standards. Partisan political, religious, and commercial material is strictly avoided in the exhibits and displays. 

Whenever possible and suitable, the Library will incorporate books or materials from the Library's collection which have relevance to the subject of the display. 

The area available to the public for exhibits and displays is one locked glass cabinet. 

The artist/collector is responsible for setting up and removing the display. All publicity related to exhibits and displays shall be submitted to the Library for approval and shall be distributed to the various media by the Library. 

Exhibits and displays will normally be scheduled for a period of one month. If the exhibit/display is not set up by the assigned period, the exhibit/display may be canceled by the Library. If the exhibitor/collector must cancel a show, it is expected that he/she contact the Library as soon as possible to see if another date may be arranged. 

Due to space limitations, the Library cannot provide storage for the property of groups or individuals displaying in the Library. 

The Library shall not be held responsible and is expressly relieved from any and all liability by reason of injury, loss, or damage to any person or property in or about the premises occurring during the exhibitor's use of the premises. 

No admission may be charged. Exhibitors must sign the "Agreement for Displays" form. (Request form at library.)

Approved by Library Board of Trustees 3/14/22

Hall Memorial Library Roku Lending Policy 

The Library, at its discretion, will make Roku devices available for patron use. 

Eligibility

Borrowers must be 18 years of age or older and must have a valid library card from the Hall Memorial Library. Hall Memorial Library Roku players are not available for reciprocal borrowers, or for interlibrary loan. Any attempt to make changes to any library profiles will result in immediate suspension of all borrowing privileges. 

Loan Period/Availability 

Borrowers may only borrow one Roku player at a time. The lending period is seven (7) days. Borrowers can obtain the Roku devices at the Circulation Desk. Holds and renewals are permitted.

Limitations 

Each Roku is preloaded with selected accounts and content, in accordance with library collection policies. Borrowers may not download or delete any titles, accounts, or content from the Roku player. The library is not responsible for any costs incurred while borrowers use the equipment. Please note that a Wifi connection is required to use a Roku device. Since the Roku device streams content through the internet, it will not function if not connected to the internet. The Roku device includes an instruction booklet detailing how to connect to Wifi and how to operate the Roku device. 

Fines and Liability 

The Roku player is not considered returned until all items within the case have been returned to the library in working condition. If any items are missing upon return, the library reserves the right to refuse acceptance of the equipment until all items are returned. Late fees are charged, in addition to any charges for Roku devices and components not returned in original working condition. 

There is a $1.00 per day late fee per Roku player, in addition to the replacement cost for any damage incurred. The borrower is responsible for proper return of the device and components. 

Please report any damage or missing parts immediately to Library staff. 

Troubleshooting 

If patrons experience problems with the Roku devices or have questions they should ask for assistance at the Circulation Desk. Library staff may not always be available to provide technical support. The borrower will be financially responsible if he/she tries to troubleshoot problems and damage occurs. 

Disclaimers 

The Library is not responsible for any loss of data that may occur due to malfunctioning hardware or software. 

The Library assumes no responsibility for any damage to Library users’ personal devices or equipment. Tampering with Library equipment or attempting to access or modify the system is prohibited.

If you choose to login to your own streaming accounts while borrowing the device, you are solely responsible for logging back out before returning the device. The library assumes no responsibility for any charges or account manipulation on accounts you logged in. 

-Adopted August 2023-

Anyone may post on the Hall Memorial Library Facebook Wall and leave comments on our website. However, they must observe the following guidelines at all times. Any comments that are in violation of our guidelines will be immediately deleted.
 

• No profanity (Facebook automatically filters comments that contain profanity into a SPAM folder.) 
• No advertisements, unless it is a not for profit organization and relevant to the Hall Memorial Library and our patrons 
• Any slanderous or blasphemous remarks will be immediately deleted. If you have a question or complaint about the library or its employees, you may direct an e-mail to the Director, Jennifer Davis, at hallmemohallmemo@metrocast.net or the President of the Board of Trustees, Kathi Mirchell, at kathim@metrocast.net 
• No SPAM 
• All links and posts must be relevant to the Hall Memorial Library and its community. 
• Posts may not contain viruses or programs that may damage the operation of another's computer. 
• You may not post material that violates any applicable laws or regulations. 
• Do not post content that is inappropriate, profane, defamatory, obscene, indecent, racist, sexist, or unlawful in nature. 
• You may not post material that violates the copyright, trademark right or other intellectual property right of any third party.

By posting on the Hall Memorial Library Facebook wall or leaving comments on our website, you agree to adhere to these rules.




Approved 12/5/11, Updated and Approved August 2016

Children under the age of ten must be accompanied by a parent/guardian/or sibling over 14 at all times.

People under the age of 14 who use the library must exhibit the same appropriate library behavior expected of everyone. If they are requested to change inappropriate behavior and do not do so, rather than just being asked to leave the library, they will be told that their parent/legal guardian will be called and be asked to pick them up. Staff will then make that call. If said person is not available, the Northfield police will be called and asked to take the juvenile to his/her home.





Adopted 7/9/02, Updated and Approved August 2016

Volunteering for Hall Memorial Library can be a rewarding and exciting experience. Volunteer time, energy and goodwill are invaluable assets to the library because volunteerism enhances the library’s ability to fulfill its mission by providing opportunities for direct public participation in library services.

Volunteers help Hall Memorial Library expand and enrich its services and help the maintain l library facilities. Volunteers will not be used to replace the work done by paid library staff, though they may work in conjunction with paid library staff.

We support the effective utilization of volunteer time and talent as a way to:

• Assist staff, as needed, in critical daily tasks 
• Add to new and existing programs 
• Promote public awareness of library services
• Increase involvement and support of the Library by the public 

Volunteers shall be recruited without regard to any individual’s age, race, creed, color, national origin, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, physical appearance, socioeconomic level, education level or any other legally protected characteristic.

Volunteers are expected to conduct themselves as if employed by the library and each volunteer reports to the Director and is required to follow the established work procedure. Volunteers are responsible for managing their time schedule, tracking their hours at the circulation desk and informing the Director of any schedule changes. Volunteers can be released from volunteer duties at any time at the discretion of the library.

The library does not provide any medical, health, accident or worker’s compensation benefits for any volunteer.

Individuals interested in volunteering at the library must fill out an application. Candidates will be accepted based on the library’s project and programmatic needs matched with the candidate's’ qualifications to meet those requirements as determined during the selection process. The library may not accept every volunteer application.





Approved August 2016