Library Privilege Policy
Statement
The Wayne Public Library (WPL) owns almost 200,000 print, physical media, and electronic resources for the use and/or borrowing of by Wayne residents.
Wayne residents also have varying levels of access to materials beyond our collection through our membership in the PALS Plus consortium, and participation in the Open Borrowing and Interlibrary Loan programs.
While physical materials and some electronic materials are available to use by any member of the public within our physical facility, the borrowing of materials and access to all electronic materials is only possible by establishing a library account and maintaining that account in good standing, including with up-to-date information.
The Wayne Public Library (WPL) owns almost 200,000 print, physical media, and electronic resources for the use and/or borrowing of by Wayne residents.
Wayne residents also have varying levels of access to materials beyond our collection through our membership in the PALS Plus consortium, and participation in the Open Borrowing and Interlibrary Loan programs.
While physical materials and some electronic materials are available to use by any member of the public within our physical facility, the borrowing of materials and access to all electronic materials is only possible by establishing a library account and maintaining that account in good standing, including with up-to-date information.
Applying for Library Account
Anyone who is a resident of Wayne or who owns property in Wayne is entitled to register for a free library account with full borrowing privileges. To apply for a library account, the registrant must present a government-issued photo ID and proof of current (unexpired, or not expired for longer than 3 months) Wayne residency. Post Office or commercial mailboxes cannot be used to prove Wayne residency. Acceptable forms of identification and proof of residency will be determined by library staff in line with established procedures. Names must match between whichever forms are presented.
Accounts shall be configured with the legal names as established by the forms of identification provided. Account holders can, however, provide a preferred first name, and establish that preferred first name as the default for their account.
Children (under 18 years of age) of Wayne residents are eligible for their own library account. Parents or legal guardians must apply for the card on the child’s behalf, using their IDs as outlined above. The child must be present when applying for the account and/or picking up the library card.
Parents or legal guardians assume full responsibility for a child’s usage of their library privileges, up to and including financial responsibility for materials borrowed, content of materials borrowed, etc. Once materials are borrowed, full confidentiality protection is given to adult accounts, and the accounts of juveniles over the age of ten (10). Disclosure of records for minors under the age of ten (10) is limited to the minor’s parent or legal guardian.
WPL offers other account types for non-residents. These accounts have differing eligibility requirements, provide differing levels of access to library materials, and differing length of borrowing privileges. Procedures for registering for these accounts are applied by library staff in accordance with interagency agreements and/or administrative resolution. Available non-resident account types include:
• Temporary Resident, for those residing in Wayne for a short-term period. Proof of identity is required, as well as documentation establishing temporary residency in Wayne.
• Open Borrowing/Reciprocal Borrowing, for anyone who has a library account in any library that participates in the Open Borrowing system, or for students, staff, or faculty of William Paterson University (WPU). Applicants must present identification and a valid library card from the eligible library, or current WPU-issued ID. WPL staff must also be able to contact the library, or WPU, to confirm that the account is in good standing.
• Student, for any non-resident of Wayne that attends a school in Wayne at the elementary, high school, college, or post-graduate level AND is not eligible for other types of accounts AND is not a resident of another PALS member library. Requirements for application will vary depending on age, grade level, and type of educational institution.
• Work, for a non-resident who works in the Wayne location of a business AND is not eligible for other types of accounts AND is not a resident of another PALS member library. Proof of identity is required, as well as documentation establishing current employment and location of the workplace in Wayne.
• Paid, for those applicants ineligible for other account types.
Users may be registered for only one (1) account in the shared account database between WPL and PALS member libraries. Multiple individual accounts are expressly forbidden. WPL reserves the right to invalidate any duplicate accounts encountered.
Anyone who is a resident of Wayne or who owns property in Wayne is entitled to register for a free library account with full borrowing privileges. To apply for a library account, the registrant must present a government-issued photo ID and proof of current (unexpired, or not expired for longer than 3 months) Wayne residency. Post Office or commercial mailboxes cannot be used to prove Wayne residency. Acceptable forms of identification and proof of residency will be determined by library staff in line with established procedures. Names must match between whichever forms are presented.
Accounts shall be configured with the legal names as established by the forms of identification provided. Account holders can, however, provide a preferred first name, and establish that preferred first name as the default for their account.
Children (under 18 years of age) of Wayne residents are eligible for their own library account. Parents or legal guardians must apply for the card on the child’s behalf, using their IDs as outlined above. The child must be present when applying for the account and/or picking up the library card.
Parents or legal guardians assume full responsibility for a child’s usage of their library privileges, up to and including financial responsibility for materials borrowed, content of materials borrowed, etc. Once materials are borrowed, full confidentiality protection is given to adult accounts, and the accounts of juveniles over the age of ten (10). Disclosure of records for minors under the age of ten (10) is limited to the minor’s parent or legal guardian.
WPL offers other account types for non-residents. These accounts have differing eligibility requirements, provide differing levels of access to library materials, and differing length of borrowing privileges. Procedures for registering for these accounts are applied by library staff in accordance with interagency agreements and/or administrative resolution. Available non-resident account types include:
• Temporary Resident, for those residing in Wayne for a short-term period. Proof of identity is required, as well as documentation establishing temporary residency in Wayne.
• Open Borrowing/Reciprocal Borrowing, for anyone who has a library account in any library that participates in the Open Borrowing system, or for students, staff, or faculty of William Paterson University (WPU). Applicants must present identification and a valid library card from the eligible library, or current WPU-issued ID. WPL staff must also be able to contact the library, or WPU, to confirm that the account is in good standing.
• Student, for any non-resident of Wayne that attends a school in Wayne at the elementary, high school, college, or post-graduate level AND is not eligible for other types of accounts AND is not a resident of another PALS member library. Requirements for application will vary depending on age, grade level, and type of educational institution.
• Work, for a non-resident who works in the Wayne location of a business AND is not eligible for other types of accounts AND is not a resident of another PALS member library. Proof of identity is required, as well as documentation establishing current employment and location of the workplace in Wayne.
• Paid, for those applicants ineligible for other account types.
Users may be registered for only one (1) account in the shared account database between WPL and PALS member libraries. Multiple individual accounts are expressly forbidden. WPL reserves the right to invalidate any duplicate accounts encountered.
Renewing Account Privileges
Resident library accounts must be renewed every three (3) years. Account holders will receive system-generated e-mail notifications (provided they have supplied an e-mail address) prior to the account expiration date. Account renewals must be done in person, with current proof of residency required to be presented to complete the renewal.
Library card renewals for juvenile accounts may be renewed by parents or legal guardians, with proof of residency. High school students who can provide proof of residency may renew their accounts without their parents being present.
Non-resident accounts need to renew their account privileges on a different schedule and with different requirements, based on the account type.
Resident library accounts must be renewed every three (3) years. Account holders will receive system-generated e-mail notifications (provided they have supplied an e-mail address) prior to the account expiration date. Account renewals must be done in person, with current proof of residency required to be presented to complete the renewal.
Library card renewals for juvenile accounts may be renewed by parents or legal guardians, with proof of residency. High school students who can provide proof of residency may renew their accounts without their parents being present.
Non-resident accounts need to renew their account privileges on a different schedule and with different requirements, based on the account type.
Deactivating Accounts
WPL may assess fees, as described in the Borrowing Materials policy. Once the amount of uncleared fees reaches $5.00, the account will be blocked, suspending borrowing privileges at WPL and PALS member libraries. Once the fees are cleared, privileges are reinstated.
WPL reserves the right to suspend library privileges by barring an account based on egregious or repeated infractions or violations of WPL policies, as determined by the Library Director or their designee.
Inactive accounts are periodically purged based on a schedule determined by PALS Plus. Purged accountholders must reapply for a library account.
WPL may assess fees, as described in the Borrowing Materials policy. Once the amount of uncleared fees reaches $5.00, the account will be blocked, suspending borrowing privileges at WPL and PALS member libraries. Once the fees are cleared, privileges are reinstated.
WPL reserves the right to suspend library privileges by barring an account based on egregious or repeated infractions or violations of WPL policies, as determined by the Library Director or their designee.
Inactive accounts are periodically purged based on a schedule determined by PALS Plus. Purged accountholders must reapply for a library account.
Confidentiality
WPL’s Board of Trustees affirms the right of every person to privacy. WPL will do all within its power to protect each user’s right to privacy with respect to all information required for registration and for information sought or received. Such records will not be made available to any individual, organization or government agency except pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:73-43.2. Exceptions are made under the following circumstances:
• The records are necessary for the proper operation of the library.
• Disclosure is requested by the user, or by the parent or legal guardian of any minor under the age of ten (10) years old.
• Disclosure is required pursuant to a subpoena issued by a court or a court order.
• Adopted by the Wayne Public Library Board of Trustees on December 9, 2025
WPL’s Board of Trustees affirms the right of every person to privacy. WPL will do all within its power to protect each user’s right to privacy with respect to all information required for registration and for information sought or received. Such records will not be made available to any individual, organization or government agency except pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:73-43.2. Exceptions are made under the following circumstances:
• The records are necessary for the proper operation of the library.
• Disclosure is requested by the user, or by the parent or legal guardian of any minor under the age of ten (10) years old.
• Disclosure is required pursuant to a subpoena issued by a court or a court order.
• Adopted by the Wayne Public Library Board of Trustees on December 9, 2025
