Resident Library Card
The New Castle-Henry County Public Library serves all of Henry County with the exception of Middletown-Fall Creek Township, Knightstown, and Spiceland Township. In accordance with Indiana Code 36-12-2-25, individuals of all ages who reside or own real property within this service district are eligible for a New Castle-Henry County Public Library resident card. Resident cards provide full access to the Evergreen Indiana Consortium.

Adults (defined as age 18 and older) must provide a current photo identification and proof of current address where mail may be received.

Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a responsible adult, age 18 or older, in order to apply for a library card. The responsible adult must present current photo identification and proof of current address and sign the library card application as the person responsible for all fees, fines and payment for lost or damaged materials charged on the child’s library card.

Employees of the New Castle-Henry County Public Library will be issued a card for the duration of their employment.

Photo ID Examples
• Valid Driver’s License or State ID
• Any Government Issued Photo ID
• Valid Student ID

Proof of Mailing Address Examples
• Utility bill (activity w/in previous 30 days)
• Bank statement activity w/in previous 30 days)
• Property tax statement (w/in past year)
• Valid Voter Registration card
• Any mail postmarked within previous 30 days

Individuals who are not eligible for a resident card under these criteria may apply under the policy for non-resident cards.

Non-resident Library Cards
Non-residents may receive library privileges under one of the following circumstances:

Reciprocal Borrowers are patrons who live within a library taxing district and whose home library participates in the State-Wide Reciprocal Borrowing Agreement. These patrons may receive a New Castle-Henry County Public Library reciprocal borrower card free of charge which is valid for use within the New Castle-Henry County Public Library system only. They will not be able to use Evergreen Indiana resources. Reciprocal Borrowers must present their home library card, valid photo identification and proof of mailing address. A current list of libraries who participate in the statewide reciprocal borrowing agreement can be found at https://www.in.gov/library/files/StatewideRBCovenants.pdf.

Student Borrowers are students who live outside of the New Castle-Henry County Public Library taxing district but who are enrolled in a nonpublic or public school district located within the New Castle-Henry County Public Library taxing district. These borrowers may receive a New Castle-Henry County Public Library student card free of charge which is valid for use within the New Castle-Henry County Public Library system only. They will not be able to use Evergreen Indiana resources. Proof of school enrollment such as a student ID, class schedule, report card or other correspondence from the school must be provided. Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a responsible adult who must present current photo identification and proof of current address and sign the library card application as the person responsible for all fees, fines and payment for lost or damaged materials charged on the child’s library card.

Educators who live outside of the New Castle-Henry County Public Library taxing district but who are employed by a nonpublic or public school district located at least partially within the New Castle-Henry County Public Library taxing district may receive a New Castle-Henry County Public Library reciprocal borrower card free of charge which is valid for use within the New Castle-Henry County Public Library system only. They will not be able to use Evergreen Indiana resources. Proof of school employment such as a school ID, pay stub, business card or other correspondence from the school must be provided in addition to photo identification and proof of address.

Adult members of the community who are temporarily residing in the New Castle-Henry County Public Library’s taxing district, but do not have a permanent residence may be eligible for a Transitional Borrower card. Examples include: seasonal workers, church missionaries, residents of an emergency shelter, or other long-term visitor such as a foreign exchange student. These patrons may receive a New Castle-Henry County Public Library reciprocal borrower card free of charge which is valid for use within the New Castle-Henry County Public Library system only. They are limited to a maximum circulation of three concurrent items and the card is valid for three months. They will not be able to use Evergreen Indiana resources. Transitional borrowers must present valid photo identification and a completed community sponsor form.

PLAC Borrowers are Indiana residents who have purchased a Public Library Access Card (PLAC). PLAC is the name for the statewide library card, enacted by Indiana Code 4-23-7.1- 5.1. The PLAC program allows an individual to borrow materials from any public library in Indiana. A PLAC may be purchased
from any Indiana public library and is valid for one year. Borrowers must present a valid home library card in order to purchase a PLAC. The Indiana State Library sets the annual fee for the PLAC. These borrowers may use all New Castle-Henry County Public Library resources as well as Evergreen Indiana resources. PLAC borrowers must present their PLAC card, valid photo identification and proof of mailing address in order to obtain a New Castle-Henry County Public Library card.

Non-resident borrowers are Indiana residents who live outside the New Castle-Henry County Public Library’s taxing district and have purchased a Non-Resident card. The Non-Resident card provides access to the New Castle-Henry County Public Library as well as the Evergreen Indiana consortium. Patrons may obtain this card by paying the non-resident card rate (set annually by the New Castle-Henry County Public Library Board of Trustees), upon presenting valid photo identification and proof of mailing address.

Use of the library card implies acceptance of and adherence to all regulations of the New Castle-Henry County Public Library and Evergreen Indiana. Borrowing privileges may be revoked for violations.

Patrons are financially responsible for all materials checked out on their library card. The Responsible Adult who signs for a child under the age of eighteen is responsible for all materials checked out on the child’s card.

Patrons must inform the library of address changes and are required to report lost or stolen cards to the Library immediately. The Library assumes no liability for any damage caused by the use or misuse of any library materials.

Overdue notices are sent as a courtesy from the New Castle-Henry County Public Library. Failure to receive notices does not exempt patrons from the responsibility for payment for the library materials or overdue fines and fees.

Overdue notices are sent according to the following schedule:

Patron account may be referred to collection agency

Individual patrons determine for themselves what library materials are appropriate for personal checkout or viewing. Parents or guardians are responsible for determining what their children borrow, view or use in the library. Library staff will not monitor or restrict any patron’s borrowing or use of the library, its materials, or its resources based on a patron’s age, background or views. The New Castle-Henry County Public Library endorses and defends the concepts of intellectual freedom, as protected by the United States Constitution and as described in the Library Bill of Rights.

The borrowing privileges of the holder in good standing of a library card are limited only by the restrictions upon the specific kinds of circulating materials.

Patrons must present their library cards in order to borrow materials. If a patron does not have their library card, they may either return to the library after retrieving the library card (in this instance, materials may be held for a limited time pending the patron’s return) or purchase a replacement library card. Library cards are non-transferable. Spouses or designated caregivers may checkout materials on behalf of a cardholder if permission is granted in-person or by filling out a form available at the circulation desk by the cardholder. All library materials must be checked out prior to leaving the building.

Borrowing privileges, including computer usage privileges, are revoked when fines and fees total $10 or more from any Evergreen library or combination of Evergreen libraries. The number of overdue materials and/or amount of fines/fees is calculated at the consortium level and not at the individual library level.

Library materials are considered ‘lost’ if they are overdue twenty-eight days or more. The borrowing privileges of patrons with lost items, or patrons with 15 or more overdue items are suspended until materials have been returned or paid for. A ten dollar per item processing fee may be charged for lost or damaged materials. Patron accounts may be submitted to a collection agency 60 days after an item is marked lost or damaged if the total balance on the account is $50 or more. Additionally, the account will be assessed a Collection Fee. The borrowing privileges of patrons whose accounts have been submitted to the collection agency are suspended until materials have been returned or paid for and all fines and fees are paid.

Checked out materials may automatically renew on their due date if the patron has not turned the item in. Items will not renew if there are no renewals left on the item, if there is a hold request on the item, or if the item was checked out or renewed at another Evergreen Library location.

Materials may be returned in the drop box located in the parking lot, or inside the Library at the public service desks on the first and second floor. Damaged items should be brought into the Library and not placed in the drop box.

The Library expects materials to suffer some wear with normal use. The Library also expects patrons to exercise care in the handling of borrowed Library materials. Patrons are not held responsible for what the Library determines is normal wear. If the Library determines that an item was lost or damaged due to mistreatment, neglect, etc., while charged to the patron’s card, the patron will be billed for the cost of repair or replacement, processing, and any overdue fines that have accrued while checked-out to the patron.

In order to provide equitable access to library materials and services for all patrons, the Library will not charge overdue fines for materials checked out or renewed at any New Castle-Henry County Public Library location with the exception of materials classified as ‘equipment’. This policy shall apply solely to those items borrowed on site at New Castle-Henry County Public Library locations including items transited from other Evergreen Indiana libraries or the Statewide Remote Circulation Service (SRCS). Items borrowed at another Evergreen Indiana library, or renewed at another Evergreen Library using a participating member card shall be subject to the policies of that library. Lost or damaged materials will incur normal charges and associated fees.

The Library expects materials to suffer some wear with normal use. The Library also expects patrons to exercise care in the handling of borrowed Library materials. Patrons are not held responsible for what the Library determines is normal wear. If the Library determines that an item was lost or damaged due to mistreatment, neglect, etc., while charged to the patron’s card, the patron will be billed for the cost of replacement and processing.

When the Library receives payment in full for replacement of an item or any part, the original item becomes the property of the patron. No refund will be given to a patron for a “Lost” item for which a patron has paid. In addition, no fines/fees and third party collection fees will be refunded.

The Library will attempt to contact a patron immediately when it discovers that a part (e.g. case, booklet, DVD, audiobook disc, etc.) is missing from an item that has been returned. The patron is responsible for all parts of an item checked out from the Library. If the item has more than one part (e.g. 2 discs) and all parts are not returned, the lost fee for the entire item is owed.

If the Library is able to purchase a single part of a multi-part item, the patron will be charged only for the replacement and processing of the single part. If individual parts cannot be purchased separately, the patron will be responsible for paying the cost to replace the entire item. When the Library receives payment in full for replacement of an item or any part, the original item becomes the property of the patron. If the patron does not want the damaged item or part, the Library will dispose of it.

Renewal requests may be made in person, by phone or via the online catalog “My Account” feature. Certain categories of materials are not eligible for renewal. If a “HOLD” has been placed on an item, it may not be renewed.

Sometimes an item may appear as overdue on a patron’s account, but the patron is certain that the item was returned. In such an instance, the Library recognizes that either the Library or the patron may be in error. For this reason, a procedure is followed that allows both the Library and the patron time to look for the item for a period of thirty (30) days without accruing lost item fees.

At the discretion of the Library, fees may be waived on an item that a patron “claims returned” that has not been found by the Library or the patron during the thirty-day period. This grace may be given to the same patron up to two (2) times in a calendar year.

Resident, non-resident, and PLAC Evergreen cardholders, have full access to the consortium and may place holds on any Evergreen library’s holdable materials. Reciprocal borrower, student, transitional, or teacher profile cardholders may place holds only on the materials owned by the New Castle-Henry County Public Library.

Holds may be placed on most items in any Evergreen Indiana library (see list of exceptions below). Patrons will have one week after the hold is filled to pick up the held item. Some Evergreen Indiana libraries may impose a fee for failure to pick up a hold. Patrons may have 30 unfilled holds in the system.

In most cases, a maximum of 100 items may be checked out simultaneously on an Evergreen Indiana library card.