Patron Eligibility
Home delivery of library materials will be provided to residents of the Illinois Prairie District Public Library who are confined temporarily to their residence due to accident or illness, or permanently due to physical disability, impairment, or lack of transportation.
Application
An application for Homebound Services must be completed by the library patron requesting home delivery of materials and approved by the Homebound Services Representative. Applications can be picked up for a homebound patron at the Information Desk, printed out from the library’s website, or the Homebound Services Representative can be contacted to make a preliminary visit by calling the Information Desk at 309-921-5074, ext. 1, or emailing dawn@ipdpl.org.
Library Card Registration/Use
Each homebound patron must register for a library card if he or she does not already have one. Arrangements can be made to have the Homebound Services Representative register a homebound patron who does not have a card by calling the Information Desk at 309-921-5074, ext. 1, or emailing dawn@ipdpl.org.
Delivery Schedule
Materials will be delivered by the Homebound Services Representative once a month.
Loan Periods/Fees
Materials will be assigned a one-month loan period. Some materials are eligible for a one-time renewal. The library does not charge overdue fines, but the library’s standard fees will apply for damaged or lost items.
Materials Available for Homebound Delivery
All formats of materials are eligible for homebound delivery. Rules regarding the maximum number of items that may be borrowed at one time (e.g. DVDs, CDs) will be enforced for homebound delivery.
Environment Required for Homebound Delivery
Patrons requesting homebound services must provide a safe and appropriate environment for staff members who make deliveries to their homes. Patrons must also protect all library materials while in their custody. Staff members may choose not to deliver to a residence or leave a residence immediately and recommend suspension of service if any of the following conditions exist:
- Pets are not confined, with the exception of service animals
- The path to the residence is not safe and clear of snow and ice
- Any person in the residence is not fully clothed or dressed in revealing attire
- Any person in the residence uses abusive or obscene language, makes obscene gestures, or displays obscene images
- Any person in the residence harasses the library’s representative
- Any person in the residence exhibits signs of illness that may jeopardize the health of the library’s representative
- Any person is smoking inside the residence at the time of the library’s delivery
- Any person is engaging in illegal activity in the residence at the time of the library’s delivery
- Any library material appears to have been willfully defaced, mutilated, or damaged while in the custody of the homebound person
- Conditions in the home are unsafe or unsanitary
If a staff member must leave the home, deny service, or wishes to recommend suspension of service because the occurrence of any of the foregoing is deemed to make the home environment for delivery unsafe or inappropriate, the staff member shall provide the Homebound Services Representative and the Director with notice of such action together with any recommendation for the length of suspension of service.
The Homebound Services Representative shall send written notice to the patron of the reason for and the length of any suspension of service and shall provide a copy to the Director. No suspension of service in excess of thirty (30 days) shall be imposed without recommendation by the Director and approval of the Board of Trustees. Any homebound patron may request in writing that the suspension of service be reviewed by the Board of Trustees at the next monthly Board meeting.