Library Cards & Borrowing Privileges Policy

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Purpose

The Lake Placid Public Library recognizes that the Lake Placid Central School District includes full‑time residents, property owners, and a significant seasonal and temporary population. This policy ensures equitable access to library services while responsibly stewarding resources funded primarily by local taxpayers. 

Eligibility for Library Cards

Resident Library Card 

A Resident Library Card shall be issued at no cost to any individual who: 

• Resides within the Lake Placid Central School District, or 
• Resides within the Lake Placid Central School District for more than six (6) consecutive months, regardless of voting status or legal domicile, or 
• Owns property within the Lake Placid Central School District and spends a total of at least four (4) weeks per calendar year at that property, which may consist of multiple non‑consecutive visits. 

Resident Library Card holders receive full borrowing privileges, including access to interlibrary loan (ILL) services. 

Residents of Other Library Districts within Clinton, Essex, and Franklin Counties 

Individuals who reside outside the Lake Placid Central School District but within Clinton, Essex, or Franklin Counties are encouraged to obtain a borrowing card from their home public library. 

Through the Lake Placid Public Library’s participation in regional library system agreements, patrons holding a valid library card from their home library retain full privileges to use and borrow materials from the Lake Placid Public Library in accordance with system policies. 

Temporary Resident Library Card

A Temporary Resident Library Card shall be issued to individuals who: 

• Are staying within or working within the Lake Placid Central School District for more than one (1) month but less than six (6) months, and 
• Can provide proof of a temporary local address (such as a lease, lodging confirmation, or employer verification), and 
• Provide their permanent address outside the district. 

Temporary Resident Library Card privileges include: 

• Borrowing of physical library materials 
• Access to digital collections and electronic resources 
• Use of public computers and in‑library services 

Temporary Resident Library Card conditions and restrictions: 

• Interlibrary loan (ILL) privileges are not available 
• All borrowed materials must be returned on or before the end of the individual’s temporary residency or employment period within the district 

Temporary Resident cards shall expire no later than six (6) months from the date of issue and may not be renewed beyond that time. 

CONVERSION TO RESIDENT STATUS 

Any Temporary Resident cardholder whose stay or employment within the Lake Placid Central School District extends beyond six (6) months shall be eligible—and required—to convert to a Resident Library Card upon presentation of updated proof of residency. 

Proof of Address

Acceptable documentation may include, but is not limited to: 

• Lease or rental agreement 
• Utility bill 
• Property ownership documentation 
• Employer letter or seasonal employment contract 
• Other documentation deemed reasonable by library administration 

Visitor Access without a Card

Short‑term visitors staying one (1) month or less are welcome to: 

• Use the library space 
• Access in‑library resources 
• Attend library programs 

Visitors without a library card may request that selected library materials be held at the circulation desk between visits, subject to staff discretion and availability, to allow continued in‑library access to those materials during their stay. 

Items held in this manner may not leave the building and are held for a limited period as determined by library staff. 

Administrative Discretion

The Library Director, or their designee, is authorized to interpret and apply this policy in unusual circumstances consistent with its intent and with New York State library regulations. 

Book Donation Policy

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Thank you for thinking of the Library and for supporting our mission to provide a welcoming, relevant, and well‑cared‑for collection for our community. We value the generosity of our donors and offer the following guidelines to help ensure that book donations align with our collection needs, available space, and staff capacity.

Book Donation Policy

The Library accepts book donations that support our mission and meet the same selection standards used for purchased materials. These guidelines help us steward donated items responsibly.

General Principles

  • Donations are accepted at the discretion of the Library.
  • All donated materials become the property of the Library upon acceptance.
  • Donated materials are evaluated using the same criteria as purchased materials, including condition, relevance, currency, and community interest.
  • The Library cannot guarantee that donated items will be added to the collection.

Donation Arrangements

  • Book donations must be approved in advance or accepted during designated times, as determined by library staff.
  • Donations must be brought inside during open hours.
  • For the safety of staff and patrons, items may not be left on the porch, outside the building, or placed in the book drop.

Items left unattended may be declined, recycled, or discarded if they are unsuitable or unsafe to process.

Materials the Library May Accept

The Library may occasionally accept:

  • Popular fiction and nonfiction, cookbooks, children’s books and others that may be of interest to library patrons or visitors
  • Items in excellent, clean condition, free of damage, mold, or strong odors
  • Popular DVDs

Acceptance depends on current collection needs, available space, and staff capacity.

Materials the Library Cannot Accept

The Library is unable to accept:

  • Books with yellowing pages, water damage, mold, or a musty smell
  • Materials stored in basements, attics, garages, sheds, or unheated cabins
  • Textbooks, magazines, outdated encyclopedias, dictionaries, and thesauri
  • Audiobooks and music CDs
  • Materials in poor, unsafe, or unsanitary condition

These items cannot be safely added to the collection or reused by the Library.

Evaluation and Disposition of Donations

All accepted donations may be:

  • Added to the circulating or reference collection
  • Used for programs, displays, or outreach
  • Rehoused or gifted to partner organizations or little free libraries
  • Offered to other libraries or nonprofit organizations
  • Recycled or discarded if they are not usable

The Library reserves the right to determine the use or final disposition of all donated materials. Items added to the collection may later be withdrawn due to wear, damage, or changes in relevance.

Large or Special Donations

Because of limited space and staff capacity:

  • Donations that require extensive sorting, storage, or special handling will be declined
  • Donations with restrictions on use, retention, or display cannot be accepted

Receipts and Valuation

  • Written acknowledgments of receipt are available upon request.
  • The Library cannot assign monetary value to donations.
  • Donors are responsible for obtaining any appraisals needed for tax purposes.

Other Options for Used Books

If your books are not a good fit for the Library, there are many other excellent ways to give them a second life.

Local Options

  • Local thrift stores often welcome popular books in clean, good condition.
  • Little Free Libraries around town are a wonderful way to share books with neighbors.
  • Recycling at the transfer station is available free of charge for books that are damaged or contain inaccurate information. Please remove hard covers before recycling.

Online Resale Options

Some newer or popular titles may have resale value through large online services:

  • BookScouter – Lets you scan ISBN barcodes and compares buyback offers from multiple major book buyers.
  • World of Books – Accepts bulk shipments of selected ISBN‑based titles and offers free shipping for accepted items.

Availability and pricing depend on the title, edition, and condition of the book; not all books will be accepted.

Board of Trustees By-Laws 

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(last updated March 24, 2026) 

  1. GOVERNING BODY – BOARD OF TRUSTEES 

The Library shall be administered by a Board of five-nine Trustees elected by the qualified voters of the Lake Placid Central School District for a full term of five years. The elections shall be in such a manner that expirations of terms shall be staggered evenly over a five-year period. To fill a vacancy caused by death, resignation or removal, the Board of Trustees shall appoint a new Trustee until the next election.  At that time, the Trustee must run for the remainder of the unexpired term. 

  1. OFFICERS 

Officers shall be elected at an annual organization meeting and shall consist of a President, Vice-President, and Treasurer. The board may elect a Secretary if a Trustee is interested in serving. The term of office shall be one year, but officers may serve until successors are elected. 

The President shall preside at all meetings, appoint all committees, call meetings, and generally perform the duties of presiding officer.  The Vice-President has like powers should the President be absent or unable to perform those duties. The Treasurer will review monthly abstracts, bank statements, and reconciliation reports. All sitting Trustees are eligible to vote. If no Secretary is elected from sitting Trustees, the Director will ensure that meeting notes and minutes are recorded and published for each meeting.     

  1. MEETING 

The annual meeting shall be held to coincide with the beginning of the fiscal year. 

Other meetings shall consist of one per month, the dates to be determined by the will of the majority. 

The Director shall notify all the members in advance of the meeting. 

When it is impossible or impracticable for any Trustee or Trustees to be in personal attendance at any regular or special meeting of the Board, the Trustees in attendance may confer with those not in attendance by means of a telephone call or video conference, and the votes recorded by such means shall be valid. 

  1. QUORUM 

A majority of the total membership on the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. A majority of those in attendance at any meeting will carry any motion. A tie vote will lose a motion. The presiding officer has a vote on all motions. 

  1. FISCAL YEAR 

The financial affairs of the Lake Placid Public Library shall be conducted on a fiscal year basis beginning July 1 and ending June 30, the same as the Central School District. 

  1. DIRECTOR 

The Director shall be appointed by the Board of Trustees, pending Civil Service certification. The Director shall have charge of the administration of the Library under the direction and review of the Board. He/She shall be responsible for the employment and direction of the staff, for the service to the public, for adherence to the policies of the Board and for the care of all Library property.  It shall be his/her duty to attend all meetings of the Board, unless excused by the President. 

  1. ORDER OF BUSINESS 
  1. Call to Order 
  2. Approval of Minutes
  3. Approval of Bills
  4. Financial Reports
  5. Director’s Report
  6. Old Business
  7. New Business
  8. Public Comments as Needed
  9. Adjournment
  1. AMENDMENTS 

These By-Laws may be amended by a majority vote of those in attendance at any meeting at which there is a quorum, providing due notice of the proposed change has been mailed to each Trustee at least five days prior to the meeting. The notice shall state the proposed change. 

  1. INDEMNIFICATION 

Every Trustee, Officer, Director and staff member of the Lake Placid Public Library shall be indemnified by the library to the full extent that such indemnification may be lawful under the New York Not-for-Profit corporation law. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other right to which such person may be entitled. The Board will always carry Director and Officer Insurance. 

AMENDMENT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES BY-LAWS OF THE LAKE PLACID PUBLIC LIBRARY 

  1. ENDOWMENT 

The Endowment Fund Agreement entered into between the Lake Placid Public Library and the Adirondack Community Trust on June 5, 2002, for the establishment and administration of a Lake Placid Public Library Endowment fund did not contain any restriction or limitations on the withdrawal of funds from the Endowment fund.  At the June 18, 200, meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Lake Placid Public Library, with a majority present, a resolution was adopted providing that a 2/3’s vote of the Board of Trustees would be required in order to withdraw up to, but not exceeding, fifty percent (50%) of the Lake Placid Public Library Endowment Fund, and that there be required a unanimous vote of the Board of Trustees in order to withdraw over fifty percent (50%) and up to one hundred percent (100%) of the Lake Placid Public Library Endowment Fund. This Amendment recognizes that IRS regulations requiring ultimate authority for grant distributions rests with the Board of Trustees of ACT, as set forth in Paragraph “5” of the ACT Organization Fund Agreement establishing the Lake Placid Public Library Endowment Fund; which Amendment Agreement was executed by its duly authorized officers effective as of October 3, 2002, and adopted by Resolution to be part of the Lake Placid Public Library By-Laws at the October 22, 200, meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Lake Placid Public Library, with a quorum present and voting. 

*Note: Adirondack Community Trust changed its name to Adirondack Foundation in 2013. Adirondack Foundation is now Adirondack Community Foundation as of 2025. 

  1. INVESTMENT / ACQUISITION POLICY  

All gifts of stocks/bonds must be sold upon receipt. The proceeds are to be deposited into an interest-bearing account. Unsolicited monetary gifts will be used for the enhancement of the library collection or put toward capital building improvements. Twenty percent (20%) or more of all unsolicited and undesignated monetary gifts will be placed in the Endowment Fund at the discretion of the Board of Trustees and twenty percent (20%) or more of all unsolicited and undesignated monetary gifts will be used for the purchase of books for the Library’s collections. Regarding non-monetary gifts, the Board of Trustees reserves the right to keep, sell or dispose of the donated items, as needed for the greatest benefit of the Library. (June 2003) 

At the December 20, 2016 meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Lake Placid Public Library, with all members present, a resolution was adopted to accept the proposal to release the Lake Placid School District Treasurer of his duties as Treasurer to the Lake Placid Public Library. The Board of Trustees voted unanimously to appoint a Board Member as Treasurer and include the Treasurer as an office to be voted upon at the annual meeting, along with President and Vice President. The Treasurer will now be a voting member of the Board of Trustees.