Fran Lowman Memorial Library

Mission

To inform, inspire, educate, stimulate, and motivate the members of Wild Ones with knowledge of native plants of the Midwest and the rich biodiversity they support.

Member Benefit

The lending library contains over 170 volumes, all of which are available only to members of the Wild Ones Rock River Valley Chapter. Books are available at every monthly meeting. You may request books from the library between meetings by contacting the library Coordinator to arrange to pick up a book from her home.

Library Coordinator: Ginnie Watson     vswatson47@AOL.com        
(815) 398-0138       leave a message   

Policy during COVID19 Restrictions

Contact Library Coordinator to arrange for pick up and return. Books will ‘rest’ for 3 days between lenders to allow any viral particles to degrade before being released to a new reader. Covers of returned books will be wiped with surface cleaning wipes to further sanitize each book. Books to be borrowed will be handed out in plastic bags and should be returned similarly. Books may be borrowed for 30 days and should be returned on or before the end of that period. See “Library Lending Policy” below for the policy on fines.

Library Lending Policy

As with other libraries, including the Rockford Public Library, The Fran Lowman Memorial Lending Library finds it necessary to institute a policy of assessing a fine for overdue books to encourage borrowers to return their books in a timely fashion and within the allotted time frame.

Books may be borrowed for a period of 1 month, from one monthly meeting to the next. Since there is no meeting in December nor is the library brought to the Evening Social in July, there are two periods during the year when books checked out may be kept for 2 months without penalty…November to the January meeting and June to the August meeting. Therefore, except for November and June, all books checked out at the monthly meeting must be returned by the next meeting. If something unexpected comes up and you are unable to attend that meeting you may return the book(s) to me at my home before-hand. If that is not possible you will be given a one-week extension in which to return the book to me at my home (or any other board member’s home, if they live closer to you). After that one-week grace period, fines will be assessed at the rate of $1.00/book/week. In addition, lost or damaged books will generate a replacement cost per book plus $10.00 handling and processing fee. To return a book to my or another board member’s home please call first to assure someone is home. Do not leave a book unattended. You are responsible for the book until it is received back into the collection by the Librarian or another board member.

Since books may be returned to the library in the weeks between meetings, they may also be checked out between meetings. Contact me by phone or E-mail to arrange to view the collection and check out the books you wish to read. These books must be returned at the next monthly meeting no matter how soon that is but may be renewed.

Books to be renewed must be returned at the next monthly meeting. If, by the end of the meeting, no one has checked them out they may be renewed by the original reader. Overdue books may not be renewed.

Our library is a valuable membership benefit and resource which must be made available in its entirety to all members. Following the guidelines of the Rockford Public Library and striving to provide access to the full library collection by the greatest possible number of members, we expect this policy will improve accessibility to our large assortment of resource books.

Virginia Watson, Library Coordinator
815 398-0138
Vswatson47@aol.com
3703 Highcrest Rd, Rockford, IL 61107