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Membership terms and conditions

Full terms and conditions of library membership

For members aged 18 years and over

Loans

  • In order to borrow physical items a membership card or barcode must be scanned. Members who want to borrow physical items without presenting their library card or barcode must show staff formal identification
  • Members are responsible for all items borrowed on their library card. Lost and missing cards should be reported immediately to the library.
  • Members may borrow as many items as they want.
  • The loan period is 3 weeks and members may renew items 3 times provided no-one else has reserved the item excluding special collections.
  • When borrowing items, a receipt that shows their due date of return is issued.
  • Loans must be returned by the due date or renewed. Items overdue 30 days will be treated as lost and a lost charge will be applied. Refer to the current list of fees and charges in your local library or visit our fees and charges page. 
  • Items lost or damaged while on loan to members must be paid for.
  • The library employs the services of a debt collection agency when lost and damaged charges are applied and not paid within 60 days. This incurs an additional charge.  

Staying in touch

  • Members must inform Boroondara Library Service of a change of residential or email address.
  • The library sends reminders and overdue notices as a courtesy only. Failure to receive a notice has no impact on a member's responsibility to return items on time.

Online resources

  • When using the internet, members must abide by the conditions of use and will be held liable for any breaches.
  • eBooks and other electronic resources are subject to Commonwealth copyright laws or license agreements. They are not to be copied, reproduced, published, adapted, sold, rented, uploaded to a website or distributed in any other form except where permitted.
  • Use of databases, eBooks, and other electronic resources is governed by license agreements between the publishers and the library, and members are required to comply with the terms and conditions of the licenses which can be obtained from the third party provider. Members will be held liable for any breaches of these terms and conditions.

Behaviour in the library

  • Members will be treated with respect and courtesy, and are expected in turn to show respect and courtesy to our staff and other members or visitors to the library.
  • Bullying, discrimination or harassment will not be tolerated and may result in exclusion from the library.
  • Members must accompany primary school-aged children (12 years of age and younger) and ensure they are supervised at all times. Members must also ensure that children in their care comply with our conditions of entry.
    • In order to ensure the safety of children in the library, if a library staff member suspects a child in the library is unaccompanied, they will identify themselves as a library staff member and ask the child if they are with an adult.
    • If an adult is not present, the library staff member will ask the child for the telephone number of their parent or guardian, who will be telephoned and asked to collect the child. The child will be asked to wait in the library until they are collected by their parent or guardian.
    • If the parent or guardian does not answer the phone or does not come to collect the child within a reasonable timeframe, to ensure the safety of the child, the police will be advised.

Privacy and third parties

  • The personal information requested is being collected by Council for the purpose of registering a new member to Boroondara Library Service.
  • The personal information you provide may be used for purposes including, but not limited to, supplying you with material and information concerning Council initiatives, programs and services. You can opt-out of receiving communications at any time.
  • The information collected may also be used to update Council’s customer databases to assist Council in discharging its functions or providing services under relevant legislation including the Local Government Act 1989.
  • The personal information collected may be disclosed to third parties where a breach of contract has occurred and will not otherwise be disclosed unless permitted or required by law. If the information is not collected, membership of Boroondara Library Service will not be granted. Requests for access to and/or amendment of the information should be made to Council’s Privacy Officer.
  • Use of library cards by third parties is not prohibited, however, personal details and details of transactions will not be shared with the third party unless a member has informed Boroondara Library Service that they have given permission for specific individuals to have that level of access, and these details have been recorded on the membership record.
  • Members using the reservation service will have their name displayed on reserved items, which can be viewed within the library.
  • Services provided by third parties may be subject to separate privacy agreements. Council may disclose information to third party service providers in accordance with these agreements. Please review terms and conditions carefully when entering these agreements, as members will be held liable for any breaches.

By signing your library card, you are acknowledging acceptance of these terms and conditions.

Members under 18 years

To join the library, anyone under the age of 18 must be guaranteed by a parent or legal guardian. The guarantor is responsible for any use of this card including:

  • items borrowed
  • payment of charges
  • breaches of copyright laws, license and privacy agreements.

Loans

  • In order to borrow physical items a membership card or barcode must be scanned. Members who want to borrow physical items without presenting their library card or barcode must show staff formal identification.
  • The responsibility for all items borrowed on the library card of a member aged under 18 years rests with the guarantor. Lost and missing cards should be reported immediately to the library.
  • Members may borrow as many items as they want.
  • Guarantors are responsible for ensuring that items borrowed are age-appropriate.
  • The loan period is 3 weeks and members may renew items 3 times provided no-one else has reserved the item excluding special collections.
  • When borrowing items, a receipt that shows their due date of return is issued.
  • Loans must be returned by the due date or renewed. Items overdue 30 days will be treated as lost and a lost charge will be applied. Refer to the current list of fees and charges in your local library or visit our fees and charges page
  • The responsibility for payment of items lost or damaged while on loan to members aged under 18 rests with the guarantor.
  • The library employs the services of a debt collection agency when lost and damaged charges are applied and not paid within 60 days. This incurs an additional charge.  Any correspondence from the debt collection agency that relates to a member under 18 years will be directed to the registered guarantor on the membership record.

Staying in touch

  • Members must inform Boroondara Library Service of a change of residential or email address.
  • In the first instance, all correspondence will be directed to the guarantor.
  • The library sends reminders and overdue notices as a courtesy only. Failure to receive a notice has no impact on a guarantor's responsibility to ensure that items are returned on time.

Online resources

  • Members aged under 18 have unrestricted access to the internet through Boroondara Library Service and must abide by the conditions of use.
  • eBooks and other electronic resources are subject to Commonwealth copyright laws or license agreements. They are not to be copied, reproduced, published, adapted, sold, rented, uploaded to a website or distributed in any other form except where permitted.
  • Use of databases, eBooks, and other electronic resources is governed by licence agreements between the publishers and the library, and members are required to comply with the terms and conditions of the licenses which can be obtained from the third party provider.

Behaviour in the library

  • Members will be treated with respect and courtesy, and are expected in turn to show respect and courtesy to our staff, other members or visitors to the library.
  • Bullying, discrimination or harassment will not be tolerated and may result in exclusion from the library.
  • Primary school-aged children (12 years or younger) must be accompanied by an adult and supervised all times.
  • Adults must ensure that children in their care comply with our conditions of entry.
    • In order to ensure the safety of children in the library, if a library staff member suspects a child in the library is unaccompanied, they will identify themselves as a library staff member and ask the child if they are with an adult.
    • If an adult is not present, the library staff member will ask the child for the telephone number of their parent or guardian, who will be telephoned and asked to collect the child. The child will be asked to wait in the library until they are collected by their parent or guardian.
    • If the parent or guardian does not answer the phone or does not come to collect the child within a reasonable timeframe, to ensure the safety of the child, the police will be advised.

Privacy and third parties

  • The personal information requested is being collected by Council for the purpose of registering a new member to Boroondara Library Service.
  • The personal information provided will be used by Council for that primary purpose or directly related purposes. The information collected may also be used to update Council’s customer databases to assist Council in discharging its functions or providing services under relevant legislation including the Local Government Act 1989.
  • The personal information collected may be disclosed to third parties where a breach of contract has occurred and will not otherwise be disclosed unless permitted or required by law. If the information is not collected, membership of Boroondara Library Service will not be granted. Requests for access to and/or amendment of the information should be made to Council’s Privacy Officer.
  • The registered guarantor will have access to membership records they have guaranteed, until the member turns 18. Once a member turns 18, they will be registered as an independent member.
  • Use of library cards by third parties is not prohibited, however, personal details and details of transactions will not be shared with the third party unless the registered guarantor has informed Boroondara Library Service that they have given permission for specific individuals to have that level of access, and these details have been recorded on the membership record.
  • Members using the reservation service will have their name displayed on reserved items, which may be viewed within the library.
  • Services provided by third parties may be subject to separate privacy agreements. Council may disclose information to third party service providers in accordance with these agreements. Please review terms and conditions carefully when entering these agreements.

By signing your child’s library card, you are acknowledging acceptance of these terms and conditions.

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