Teacher Card and Collection Policy

The public library is a community institution serving a wide range of organizations, interests, and age groups. Schools and students are an important segment of the community. With a goal of making contact between educators and the public library more effective, the Portsmouth Public Library will provide a card to teachers which provides an extended loan period and increased borrowing limit for classroom collections.

In order for the Library’s collection to reach the maximum number of students, the following policy has been implemented:

• Teacher cards will be issued to certified teachers in a public, private, or parochial school or an instructor in a licensed day care or preschool center. Letters of employment, confirmation from school office by telephone or school identification tag/card will serve as proof of eligibility. Student teachers must use his/her supervising teacher’s card. Teacher cards will not be issued to college/university students enrolled in a teaching degree program. Homeschool educators must present a copy of the registration letter received from the appropriate school district superintendent. A teacher must provide both home and school address. All teacher card correspondence including overdue notices will be sent to the home address.
• Teacher Cards are kept at the Youth Services Reference Desk at the Main library and at the Circulation Desks in the branches. Only one teacher card will be issued system-wide. The teacher must posses a personal Portsmouth Public Library card in good standing. Teachers will not be permitted to use their teacher card until fines/fees are below the $5.00 limit on their personal card. Teacher cards are issued for one year and expire on July 31 of each year. The teacher card will be renewed if the teacher provides proof of teaching assignment for the new school year and makes payment of all fines or damaged/lost materials.
• A teacher may borrow a maximum of twenty-five (25) books or other items relating to the curriculum. Videotapes may not be checked out on a teacher card. Materials checked out on a teacher card must be for classroom use only and not for personal borrowing such as current fiction and best sellers. The number of items checked out from certain subject areas may be limited due to high demand at the library’s discretion. Materials with a regular circulating period of 28 days will check out for 56 days. Materials with a different circulation date (2-7 days) will be due on the regular due date. Payment of overdue fines and reimbursement of lost or damaged materials are the responsibility of the teacher.

Storytime and Teaching Kits Borrowing Policy

Storytime and Teaching Kits are multi-media kits based on popular curriculum units containing books, videos, and activities. These kits are available to teachers who qualify for a teacher card. Storytime kits will circulate for a seven(7) day period and fines of $1.00 a day will accrue if overdue or returned with materials missing. Kits check out on a first-come, first-serve basis. Teachers may have only one kit checked out on their card at any one time. Kits must be picked up and returned to the Main Library. Mini-kits owned by the branches must be picked up and returned to the owning branch. Kits may not be placed on hold nor transferred to another location for pick-up.