GIFTS AND MEMORIALS
1. Receipt of gifts and memorials
All gifts to the library system whether given in person or online must be approved by the Commissioners’ Court. Donors wishing to donate books, items, or money as a memorial or an honorarium may have a plate attached to the book or item for that purpose by the library. Gifts to the library are welcome under the following conditions: a. Gifts of money to the library shall be administered in accordance with county policy.
Such gifts shall be administered as designated by the donor; if no donor designation, such gifts shall be administered by library administration. i. Money used to purchase items via County Library System purchasing must be deposited to the l ibrary’s special account and will be used to purchase books or other materials for the library. b. Gifts, such as furnishings, decorative items, and equipment intended for the sole use of a single branch become property of the city and are maintained by the city. (Decorative items include such articles as wall hangings, paintings, and sculpture.) Acceptance of gifts of furnishing, decorative items, or equipment shall be coordinated with the library director working in conjunction with the branch librarian and the city library board. Final authority over such gifts remains the responsibility of the city library board, if there is one. c. Gifts of books and AV materials will be accepted by the librarian on behalf of the
Friends of the library. The Friends of the library will, in turn, pass on materials that are deemed suitable for the library's purposes and needs in accordance with the library system's stated selection policy. Gifts (books, AV materials, equipment, etc.) which meet the above criteria will become property of Brazoria
County. Library materials will circulate according to the use polices of the
Brazoria County Library System. d. Equipment designed to utilize the library collection (such as scanners, microfilm reader, etc.) will become the property of Brazoria County and will be maintained by the county. Any computer equipment intended to be added to the county network must be purchased by the county IS department. e. A tax letter from the Friends, based on the amount of the gift, is available upon request.
2. Procedures for processing monetary memorials and gifts a. Complete Donation Record -- Special Account form when a patron donates money as a gift. Please forward a copy of the form with the check. b. Obtain the complete address of both donor and family member to be notified, put in the dollar amount of donation and check designated library. c. Send acknowledgment to both donor and family. d. The business manager will deposit money into the special account fund for the designated library. e. Send memorial books to Technical Services with an action slip in each book. On the routing slip, check whether the book is a gift or memorial and the designated branch.
3. Memorial Books
Library Policy
Business Office last updated 09.10.2015
4.2

a. Memorial books should meet the criteria of the collection development policy as determined by Administration. b. Include the completed bookplate with the book when sending it to
Administration. c. Send memorials with an action slip that includes the price of the book.
Processing fee for memorial or honorarium books will be waived. d. Memorials and honorarium materials will receive priority in the cataloging department.
4. Gift Materials a. Materials donated to the library may become part of the library collection at the discretion of the branch librarian and the library director. A cataloging and processing fee will be assessed from the branch’s book budget. Book processing fee is $10. AV processing fee is $15. Each branch may add two items per year with no fee. Each item must contain a completed action routing slip.
Library Policy
Business Office last updated 09.10.2015
4.3

MONTHLY STATISTICS
Each branch is responsible for accurately recording certain statistics. These statistics are reported to the library board and various other agencies. Statistics need to be sent to the administrative assistant at library administration by the date listed on the system calendar.
1. Summary of reference assistance provided:
Reference questions {Defined in section 16.1 of this manual} should be recorded on the Reference Statistics Sheet daily. The form should be used by all staff to record reference questions. This is a wonderful collection development tool and should be used accordingly. Transfer your totals to the BCLS -- Daily Statistical Report .
2. Summary of computer assistance: a. Patrons signing up to use the Internet. b. Patrons requesting wifi access. c. Patrons requiring staff assistance with computer use will be counted as an individual or groups as needed. This type of assistance should be tallied as a reference question as defined in section 16.1.
3. Summary of in-house materials collected:
This must be done during Door Count Week, but branches may gather in-house statistics using the ILS at the branch manager’s discretion. In-house materials are those found unshelved on furniture in the library: a. Reference materials, b. Circulating materials, c. Magazines, newspapers, pamphlets, d. Toys, puzzles, games, etc.
4. Summary of volunteer hours:
Volunteers include, but are not limited to, Friends organizations, community service workers, national charity organizations, scout troops, and other individuals and organizations. Volunteer hours include work done outside the library in support of library activities. a. Submit total number of hours. b. Submit total number of volunteers.
5. Summary of event attendance: a. Count the number of programs presented by library staff or sponsored by the library. Remember to count both in-house events and outreach programming. b. When presenting programs in schools estimate the attendance. Outreach is when we are advertising an event or service.
6. Door count will be done twice a year in the fall and spring.
7. Summer reading club statistics must be included with the August report.
8. Summary of meeting room use (not library sponsored): a. Count the number of meetings held. b. Count the number of attendees per meeting.
Library Policy
Business Office last updated 09.10.2015
4.4

BRANCH CASH COLLECTION PROCEDURES
1. All branch change drawers will maintain an $80.00 balance. The money may consist of any change denominations the branch needs.
2. When a non-fine payment is made, use Daily Tally Sheet to record type of payment and amount. In addition, gift money in excess of $4.99 should be recorded on the Donation Record
– Special Account
report. Make change if necessary and keep all money in change drawer. Use a separate Daily Tally
Sheet for each day.
At the end of the day, lock the money in a safe place. Prior to library opening the following work day, count the cash from the previous day. Print the appropriate page of the Financial Transactions by Payment Type report and a copy of the
Statistical Summary and fill in all requested information on the Daily Tally Sheet .
3. Have someone witness while the money is counted. Counting at the front library desk is recommended as visibility is usually high.
4. Use the Cash Count & Reconciliation form to reconcile to the Daily Tally Sheet .
After reconciling, replace the change fund.
5. Place all cash and checks in a sealable bag. Attach the stapled, signed Cash
Count & Reconciliation form , Daily Tally Sheet, Statistical Summary Report, and
Financial Transactions by Payment Type, as well as any credit card paperwork, with a paperclip to the sealable bag that contains all the money and checks.
Then place it in the locking cash bag. Use a separate sealable bag for each day’s revenue. a. Currency should not be separated by a paperclip or another denomination.
All money should be facing the same direction.
6. Keep cash bag locked and secured in a safe place.
NOTE: For NO reason should the change fund or cash drawer be used to cash personal checks for library personnel or library patrons.
4.5 Library Policy
Business Office last updated 09.10.2015

ADMINISTRATION PROCEDURES FOR CASH COLLECTIONS
1. Collect cash bags as delivered from the delivery drivers.
2. Each day count and verify all deposits and notify branches if there are any discrepancies.
3. Deposit to Treasurer as follows:

Morning revenue received – same business day

Afternoon revenue received – next business day
4. File Daily Tally Sheets and Cash Count & Reconciliation forms by month.
5. Take all money received, including cash donations (special account) and complete a deposit ticket listing currency, coins and checks. Make a copy of deposit ticket and checks.
6. Complete a Brazoria County Fee Officers Deposit Report .
7. Place all money and deposit ticket in cash bag and lock it.
8. Complete a Library Admin Daily Receipt Report (Excel spreadsheet).
9. Enter Daily Receipt Report information into county financial software per established guidelines and procedures.
10. Fax Daily Receipt Report , copy of deposit ticket and Brazoria County Fee Officers
Report to the auditor’s office.
11. Take cash bag and completed Brazoria County Fee Officers Report to the treasurer’s office. Money will be deposited into the county’s operating fund.
12. Place empty branch cash bags in delivery mail baskets to be returned to appropriate branches.
Library Policy
Business Office last updated 09.10.2015
4.6

HOT CHECK PROCEDURE
When the patron comes in with a hot check payment:
1. Bring up the patron’s account. There must be a block with a monetary amount on the record. (Example: “hot check $26.50 plus fee $30.00 = $56.50 cash/mo”)
This block may not be the first on the block list. Make sure to scroll through all blocks to find the correct information.
2. Collect the entire amount owed on the block (cash or money order only). Write out a manual receipt.
3. DO NOT RECORD THE PAYMENT IN SYSTEM .
4. Delete the block. Using the patron’s driver’s license, check for other accounts tied to that license and remove the hot check block.
5. On the Daily Tally Sheet , record the fine and the Hot Check fee as separate entries. The amount of the fine will be included on the fines and fees section of the Daily Tally Sheet . The Hot Check Fee should be recorded as a separate entry in the fines and fees section. The Hot Check fee is a standard $30.00. By the Hot Check fine and the Hot Check fee, write “HC” to clarify the payment. See sample.
6. Include the payment in the revenue with other fines and fees collected. On the
Cash Count and Reconciliation form, include money orders as checks.
7. After receiving payment, email Administration advising payment received on patron’s account. Administration will reinstate check out privileges.
If the patron has been turned over to the DA’s office:
(Patron has not made good on hot check in the 10-day grace period)
1.
The block in the ILS will read “Hot Check to DA—Account Blocked” Don’t accept payment. Refer patron to the Hot Check Division of the DA’s office in the courthouse.
2.
Once payment is received in the DA’s office, the block will be removed.
If the patron has additional fines and wants to pay them at this time that payment needs to be handled as a separate transaction and recorded in the ILS.
4.7 Library Policy
Business Office last updated 09.10.2015