POLICIES
Library Services Policy
The Ayer Library connects the community to diverse educational, cultural, informational, and recreational opportunities that support lifelong learning. This policy outlines the resources available to visitors for both in-Library and at-home use with or without a library card, along with requirements for their use.
The Ayer Library also considers its spaces and its programming to be library services. To learn about expectations for behavior in our spaces or about how we design and deliver programs, consult our Patron Conduct Policy, our Safe Youth Policy, and our Programming Policy (new forthcoming).
For more information about how we select resources, consult our Collection Development Policy (update forthcoming).
Getting a Library Card
Any person living, working, attending school, or having other significant investment in Massachusetts (e.g. owning a home or business) is eligible for an Ayer Library card.
Adults
Adults may register for an Ayer Library card by providing proof of identity and residence:
ONE OF THESE
Valid MA Driver’s License
Valid MA State ID
OR ONE OF EACH OF THESE
Photo ID
Passport
Alien Registration Card
School ID
Out-of-State Driver’s License
Other government issued ID
Proof of Residence/Investment
Pay stub
Lease agreement
Bank check or deposit slip
School schedule (w/ name & address)
Utility bill (within 30 days)
Postmarked letter (within 30 days)
Postcard from the Library
Letter from a social service provider or employer verifying residency (within 30 days)
Other appropriate proof of investment
Multiple proofs of residence may be accepted if photo ID is not available. A PO box or business address is not sufficient—we must have your current residential address.
Use of false identification to obtain a library card is against state law (MGL Ch 266 Sec 99).
Minors
In accordance with the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights¹ and its interpretations², the Ayer Library offers cards to minors of any age who can provide the following information with or without the assistance of a parent or guardian:
Full name
Date of birth
Address
Phone number and/or email address
Parents and guardians are encouraged to familiarize themselves with our Safe Youth Policy and the Privacy section below to learn more about our efforts to balance our support of families with our commitments to access and privacy.
Preferred Names
If for any reason you want to change the name on your account to one that is not your legal name, speak with a staff member at any service desk.
Your preferred name will appear:
as the displayed name when staff scan your library card
on hold pickup slips
in all email communications from the Library
when you log into your account online
when you use the CW MARS mobile app
Your legal name will be kept as a note in our records. If you have changed your legal name, just bring your updated ID or name change documents to the Library and we will make the appropriate changes to your account.
e-Cards
Patrons can register themselves online for a CW MARS e-Card to access e-books, audiobooks, and other online resources instantly by visiting the following link through the public catalog:
https://ayer.cwmars.org/MyAccount/eCARD
To apply for an eCard, a patron must:
live in a Massachusetts town with a certified public library
be age 13 or older
not currently have a library card from a CW MARS member library
Patrons must pass identification verification check through a third-party service. If the patron fails the check, their registration will be denied, and the patron will have to apply for a card in-person.
e-Cards may be upgraded at any time to receive full borrowing privileges by visiting the Library in person and providing the identification listed above.
Institution Cards
With the approval of the Library Director, cards may be issued to institutions, organizations, and foundations that are dedicated to education, public service, culture, or care for minors or people living with disabilities.
An authorized employee of the institution may sign for the card with appropriate ID. However, the name, business address, and telephone number of the owner, director, or manager of the institution must also be provided.
The institution will be allowed to check out materials for six weeks.
The institution may borrow up to a limit of 30 items, referred to as a deposit collection.
These items may be renewed at the discretion of the Library Director.
The institution is responsible for all items borrowed, including late fees and replacement costs for lost, stolen, or damaged items.
Residents of Decertified Municipalities
Residents of cities and towns with libraries decertified by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) may not obtain a library card or borrow items from the Ayer Library. We take this action reluctantly. The Ayer Library Board of Trustees cannot ask Ayer taxpayers to compensate for the refusal of other cities and towns to properly fund their libraries. Loss of service is one way to help decertified libraries build support to restore their budgets. This policy affects all individuals with a home address in an MBLC decertified municipality.
Privacy
In order to protect free and open access to information and ideas, the Ayer Library complies with Massachusetts General Law³, CW MARS policy⁴, and the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights⁵ and its interpretation⁶ regarding privacy⁷.
Privacy rights are in effect whenever a patron enters the building and whenever a library card is issued, regardless of age. Personal information about a patron cannot be shared without the consent of the patron, even for children under 18, including:
items checked out
visits to the Library
attendance at programs
use of other library services
contact information
All patrons who wish to use their card in person or over the phone will be required to confirm their identity with one of the following:
library card or library card number
photo ID
address, phone number, and email address
Use of another person’s library card without permission is against state law.⁸
For cardholders who may need to provide family members, friends, or colleagues with more regular access to their account, we encourage cardholders to consider adding authorized users as described below.
Authorized Users
The Ayer Library is committed to protecting the privacy of our patrons. We also understand that many situations require the assistance of trusted family members, friends, or colleagues to make library use possible. For this reason, the Ayer Library allows cardholders to add or remove authorized users to or from their account in person or over the phone.
Authorized users will be allowed to do anything the cardholder can do—with the exception of adding or removing other authorized users— including:
checking out materials
renewing materials
picking up holds
placing holds
paying fines for lost items
updating contact information
Authorized users who wish to use a cardholder’s account will be required to provide identification for themselves and the cardholder through some combination of the following:
library card or library card number
photo ID
address, phone number, and email address
Cardholders will still be responsible for all activity on their card, so it is critical they regularly review all authorized users on their account. Patrons should expect Ayer Library staff to ask regularly whether they would like to add or remove authorized users to or from their account.
Parents or guardians who identify minors at the time of account creation may be added as an authorized user by staff at that time. Minors may remove parents or guardians as authorized users at any time.
What You Can Do with a Library Card
Your Ayer Library card gives you the ability to:
borrow physical library materials
borrow passes to museums and other cultural and educational institutions
access popular streaming e-books, audiobooks, films, and TV series
access valuable online resources and learning tools
Borrowing Physical Library Materials
As a member of the CW MARS library network, your Ayer Library card allows you to borrow materials from any CW MARS circulating library, barring any stated exceptions.
Cardholders of any age take sole responsibility for all materials checked out on that card, including late fees and replacement costs for lost, stolen, or damaged items.
General Loan Rules
With some exceptions (see Loan Limits below), Ayer Library cardholders may generally:
borrow up to 50 items at a time
place up to 20 holds
keep each item for up to three weeks
renew each item once for an additional three weeks
If items are able to be renewed, they may be renewed automatically. You may also renew items online, in person, or by phone.
Specific Loan Limits
The Ayer Library is a small community library that seeks to offer all of its patrons the opportunity to find the materials they want. To facilitate the sharing of resources, the following loan limits apply to materials owned by the Ayer Library only.
(FORMAT LOAN LIMITS)
Patrons may apply for an extended loan of hotspots and tablets under certain conditions.
Patrons may borrow additional items owned by other libraries subject to the policies of those libraries and of the CW MARS library network.
Returning Physical Library Materials
As a member of the CW MARS library network, your Ayer Library card allows you to return materials to any CW MARS circulating library, barring any stated exceptions.
At the Ayer Library, unless an item specifically requires patrons to return it directly to a service desk, most materials may be returned in the Book Drops located outside the Library or at any service desk. Materials returned in the Book Drops after the Library opens for the day will be checked in the next business day.
Replacement Fees
In accordance with CW MARS policy, the Ayer Library does not charge late fees for materials kept past their due date. However, when an item is kept 4 weeks beyond its due date, we will automatically bill patrons for a replacement copy.
Fines for lost materials are the retail cost for replacement as determined by staff at the time of cataloging. Patrons may have the option to replace lost or damaged materials at the discretion of Library staff. Paid lost fines are not refundable for any reason.
In accordance with Massachusetts General Law⁹ , all fines and fees collected by the Ayer Library are turned over to the Town of Ayer’s general fund and subject to appropriation by Town Meeting after they are certified as available free cash.
Managing Your Borrowed Materials
Ayer Library staff are always available to assist patrons with managing borrowed materials. Patrons may also search the catalog, place holds, view due dates, renew materials, and pay lost fees on the online catalog or CW MARS app.
Borrowing Materials from Outside of CW MARS
Additional materials may be borrowed from Massachusetts libraries outside of CW MARS through two avenues:
To request materials from most other libraries in Massachusetts, patrons may access the Commonwealth Catalog independently or with the assistance of a staff member.
To request materials not available in any Massachusetts library, patrons may place a request through WorldCat with the assistance of a staff member.
Borrowing Passes
The Ayer Library offers passes that grant free or discounted admission to a variety of local and regional museums and cultural institutions.
Admission discounts, availability, type of pass (physical or digital coupon), and other usage rules are determined by each institution and may change without notice to the Library.
Passes are available free of charge to anyone with a library card in good standing from a CW MARS network library.
Passes may be reserved on our website, in person, or by phone.
Cardholders may borrow no more than 2 passes per week.
Physical passes must be returned by 9AM the following day to any service desk or book drop.
The replacement fee for lost physical passes will be $50.00.
Accessing e-Books, Audiobooks, and Streaming Media
Add your library card number to the Libby desktop or mobile app (libbyapp.com) to receive access to the entire CW MARS collection of e-books and e-audiobooks. For access to even more titles, sign up for a Boston Public Library e-card (bpl.org/ecard) or add library cards from other networks.
Creating an account on Kanopy (kanopy.com/en/ayerlibrary) with your library card provides access to critically-acclaimed movies, inspiring documentaries, and popular content for families. Expand access by adding your Boston Public Library e-card (bpl.org/ecard) or library cards from other networks.
Accessing Online Resources
Every Massachusetts resident has immediate access to a wide selection of general and scholarly periodical articles, encyclopedias, reference materials, newspapers, and learning tools. The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, in partnership with the Massachusetts Library System (MLS), licenses these products for residents and users of MLS libraries. Services are funded in part with funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
The Ayer Library also offers access to additional online resources exclusively to Ayer residents.
A full list of available resources is available on our website.
Services That Do Not Require a Card
Public Computers
Desktop computers are available for public use on our Main Floor and in our Teen Room. Patrons may sign on with either their library card number or with a guest pass to receive up to 2 hours of computer use per day. If all computers are not in use, patrons may request extensions by speaking with a staff member.
Printing & Copying
Patrons receive 10 free pages of printing/copying per day. Fees for additional pages are:
$.10 per additional page for black and white
$.25 per additional page for color
In accordance with Massachusetts General Law¹⁰, all fines and fees collected by the Ayer Library are turned over to the Town of Ayer’s general fund and subject to appropriation by Town Meeting after they are certified as available free cash.
Faxing
Patrons can send unlimited faxes for free through our fax machine. Speak with a staff member for assistance.
Room Reservations
The Ayer Library Study Room is available to individuals or groups for private study or meetings. Study Room reservations can be made on our website and are approved automatically—no need to wait. For more details, read our Study Room Policy.
Additionally, the Ayer Library Reading Room is available to community and non-profit groups and organizations to host public events. Reading Room requests can also be made on our website but must be approved by the Library Director. For more details, read our Reading Room Policy.
Nutting Room Archives
Archival materials found in the Nutting Room do not circulate and may be used by all visitors. Use of archival materials must be arranged through a staff member. Reproductions of archival materials for publication require permission from the Library Director.
Losing Access to Your Card
Under certain regular and irregular circumstances, you might find you are unable to use your library card. There are two possible reasons that might be the case.
Expired Accounts
Library cards expire every two years. You may renew your card by updating your contact information in person, over the phone, via email, or in the online catalog. Proof of identification may be requested by Library staff at the time of card renewal.
Blocked Accounts
All CW MARS libraries agree on common blocking thresholds. Public patrons are blocked by the system when:
a patron owes $10.00 or more in fines, replacement costs, or fees
a patron has 50 or more items checked out
a patron has 1 item that has been lost, damaged, or not returned for more than four weeks after the due date
Resolving Issues with Blocked Accounts
The Ayer Library wants to preserve access for cardholders, and offers a variety of paths to resolving access issues related to late and lost materials.
If billed items are not actually lost, simply return the items and the bills will be removed.
If billed items are in fact lost or damaged, patrons may restore access by paying the replacement fee. Patrons may have the option to replace lost or damaged materials at the discretion of Library staff.
If items were stolen while in your possession, and you are able to provide a police report or documentation, we will remove the items and the fines from your account.
Sometimes patrons insist they have returned the materials, even though the materials are still on their account. In these cases, we ask patrons to look once more in all areas of their home/car/workplace to recover materials. Library staff will also look in our building. If the item cannot be found, the owning library can mark it “Claims Returned.” Patrons are limited to 3 unresolved “Claims Returned” items, per CW MARS policy.
Finally, Ayer Library staff understand that excellent customer service sometimes involves making reasonable exceptions to standard procedures on a case by case basis. All staff are empowered to not only make these accommodations, but to volunteer them. Additionally, the Library Director maintains the authority to modify or waive any aspect of this policy.
¹ “Article V. A person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views.” (Library Bill of Rights)
² “Every restriction on access to, and use of, library resources, based solely on the chronological age, apparent maturity, educational level, literacy skills, emancipatory or other legal status of users violates Article V [of the Library Bill of Rights]. This includes minors who do not have a parent or guardian available to sign a library card application or permission slip.” (Access to Library Resources and Services for Minors)
³ “That part of the records of a public library which reveals the identity and intellectual pursuits of a person using such library shall not be a public record as defined by clause Twenty-sixth of section seven of chapter four.” (MGL Chapter 78, Section 7)
⁴ “The intellectual pursuits of individuals using library or Internet resources are considered confidential information regardless of the age of the borrower. Such records shall not be made available to any individual or agency except pursuant to such process, order, subpoena or warrant as may be authorized under the authority of, and pursuant to, federal, state, or local law relating to civil, criminal, or administrative discovery procedures or legislative investigative power.” (CW MARS Circulation & Resource Sharing Policy)
⁵ “Article VII. All people, regardless of origin, age, background, or views, possess a right to privacy and confidentiality in their library use.” (Library Bill of Rights)
⁶ “In a library (physical or virtual), the right to privacy is the right to open inquiry without having the subject of one’s interest examined or scrutinized by others. Confidentiality exists when a library is in possession of personally identifiable information about users and keeps that information private on their behalf. Confidentiality extends to “information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired or transmitted” (ALA Code of Ethics), including, but not limited to: database search records, reference questions and interviews, circulation records, interlibrary loan records, information about materials downloaded or placed on “hold” or “reserve,” and other personally identifiable information about uses of library materials, programs, facilities, or service.” (Privacy)
⁷ “ALA and its members recognize that children and youth have the same rights to privacy as adults.” (Privacy)
⁸ “The giving of a false identification or fictitious name, address or place of employment with the intent to deceive, or borrowing or attempting to borrow any library material or property by: the use of a library card issued to another without the other's consent; the use of a library card knowing that it is revoked, canceled or expired; or, the use of a library card knowing that it is falsely made, counterfeit or materially altered shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than one thousand dollars.” (MGL Chapter 266 Section 99)
⁹ “All moneys received by any city, town or district officer or department, except as otherwise provided by special acts and except fees provided for by statute, shall be paid by such officers or department upon their receipt into the city, town or district treasury.” (MGL Chapter 44 Section 53)
¹⁰ “All moneys received by any city, town or district officer or department, except as otherwise provided by special acts and except fees provided for by statute, shall be paid by such officers or department upon their receipt into the city, town or district treasury.” (MGL Chapter 44 Section 53)
Approved by the Ayer Library Board of Trustees on October 17, 2024