The Harrison Memorial Library offers Homebound Services to those patrons who are unable to visit the library but reside in Carmel-by-the Sea and its sphere of influence.  “Homebound” is defined as being generally confined to one’s residence due to disability, mobility issues, or visual impairment.  In most circumstances, if a resident drives a car, he/she would not be considered homebound.

A patron applying for homebound service must first have a Harrison Memorial Library card in good standing.  If the patron does not have a library card, the staff member who makes the initial delivery will help the patron to complete a library card application.  An Application for Homebound Service will also be filled out during the first homebound service visit.

Patrons who participate in the Homebound Program must agree to allow the library to maintain a reading history log for the sole purpose of avoiding duplication of materials.  The reading history log will only be used for internal purposes and will not be shared publicly.

Delivery Schedule and Loan Period

Deliveries of library materials will be made by library staff once each month.  All items are checked out for 30 days.  At the time new materials are delivered, all items from the previous delivery will be retrieved and returned to the library.  There is no fee for homebound delivery.  Overdue fines will not be charged on homebound materials, but the library’s standard fee schedule will apply for damaged or lost items.  There will be no renewals on items checked out to homebound patrons.

Patrons registered for Homebound Service may call or email the library to request specific titles, or they can request that a librarian select materials based on the patron’s reading preferences as specified on the initial Application for Homebound Service form.

A patron may prefer to have library materials selected and delivered by a friend or family member.   This may be done provided that they bring the patron’s library card with them to check out the items on the Homebound patron’s account.

Only materials owned by the Harrison Memorial Library are eligible for home delivery.  All formats of materials are eligible for homebound delivery and include the usual limit of 10 DVD items.  Each delivery will be limited to 10 items in total.

Patrons requesting Homebound delivery services must provide a safe and appropriate environment for staff members who make deliveries to their homes, and patrons must protect all library materials in their custody.  Staff members may choose not to enter a home, to leave a home immediately, and/or to recommend suspension of the service if any of the following conditions exist:

1. Pets are not confined (with the exception of service animals trained to assist a disabled person)
2. A clear and safe path to the home
3. Any person in the home is dressed in revealing attire
4. Any person in the home presents threatening behavior
5.  Any person in the home uses abusive or obscene language, makes obscene gestures, or displays obscene images
6. Any person in the home harasses the library’s representative
7. Any person in the home exhibits signs of illness that may jeopardize the health of the library’s representative and the library has not been notified of the illness
8. Any library material currently in the possession of the homebound patron appears to have been willfully defaced, mutilated, or damaged while in the custody of the homebound person
9. 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 due to the occurrence of any of the above, and deems that the home environment for delivery is unsafe or inappropriate, the staff member shall provide the Director of the Harrison Memorial Library with notice of why such action occurred.

The Director shall send written notice to the patron of the reason for and the length of any continuing suspension of service.  Any homebound patron may request in writing that the suspension of service be reviewed by the Board of Trustees at the next regular board meeting.

(Adopted by the Harrison Memorial Library Board of Trustees April 22, 2015)