Library Policies

Ilumina Library Card Policy

Digital Library Card:

Free to El Paso County Residents and El Paso County Employees:

Adult Library Card – valid for 2 years from the date issued/renewed.

To obtain or renew, individuals may sign up online at www.iluminalibrary.com, in person at an Ilumina Library branch, or in person with an Ilumina Library staff member. Individuals will self-report their El Paso County home address. All accrued library fees must be paid in full before renewing library card.

Youth Library Card – for library members that are under 18 years of age. Valid for 2 years from the date issued/renewed or until the child turns 18, whichever occurs first.

To obtain or renew, child must receive parent/guardian permission while applying in person or online if under 13 years of age. Individuals ages 13 – 17 may apply for a Youth card without parent/guardian permission online or in person. Individuals will self-report their El Paso County home address.

Student Library Card – No minimum age requirement.

Free to all students who attend a school in El Paso County. They are good for 1 year from the date issued/renewed or until the student is no longer enrolled in an El Paso County school, whichever occurs first.

Student cards are available through a partnership with El Paso County schools/school districts.

Provided that you meet the requirements, student cards can be upgraded to a youth library card with a complete application.

Physical Material Loans:

Tablets and hotspots are available to check out at a physical library location or a County Community Center that offers Ilumina Library Services. Patrons must be 18 years of age or older to check out the devices. Patrons must complete a Device Lending Agreement. Patrons must present a valid and acceptable photo ID, and proof of their current residence.

Acceptable Photo IDs:

Texas Driver License;
Texas Department of Public Safety ID;
Non-Texas State Issued License or ID;
Passport;
Military ID;
International Driver License;
Non-US Driver License or permit;
Credencial Para Votar ID (Mexico voter registration card);
Non-US Consular ID;
Resident Alien Card;
El Paso Police Department ID;
Texas Offender ID;
Texas Concealed Handgun License; or
Government issued ID with an identifying number.

Acceptable Proof of Current Residence Address:

Driver license, temporary Texas Drivers License or Learners Permit;
Texas Department of Public Safety ID;
Personalized check, savings passbook, bank or credit union statement;
Utility deposit receipt or utility bill from the past 30 days;
Credit card bill from the past 30 days;
Current Voter Registration Card or notarized temporary Voter Registration Permit;
Current vehicle registration or liability insurance; or
Official rent receipt; rental agreement, contract or lease.

Loan Periods:

Physical Materials -

Tablets – 1 month, 1 per household. Renewal available in person only and if there is no waitlist.

Hotspots – 1 month, 1 per household. Renewal available in person only and if there is no waitlist.

Digital Resources -

Kanopy – 15 monthly play tickets per library card holder, unlimited plays in Kanopy Kids.

Hoopla – 10 “instant” borrows a month, 5 “flex” checkouts at a time (no monthly limit).

Cloudlibrary – 5 checkouts at a time (no monthly limit). NewsStand and Comics Plus checkouts do not count towards checkout limits.

Fees:

A card holder who loses or damages a checked-out electronic device will be charged the full price of the item as a replacement cost. Tablets and Hotspots are marked as “lost” after 14 days of being “overdue”, or past the return date. A card holder with a balance of over $10 will have all borrowing privileges revoked until balance is paid or item is returned in working condition. Users may contact the El Paso County Digital Library to arrange a payment plan, if necessary. If the item is returned in good working order, the replacement cost will be reversed if returned within a year. Please allow 4-6 weeks for refund.

Payment:

Payment for fees is accepted in person at the downtown office of the El Paso County Financial Recovery Division or their annexes throughout the County of El Paso. Credit Card/Debit Card payment may also be accepted on the epcounty.com website via ePay through the El Paso County Financial Recovery Division.

Other Services:

Photocopy/printing – Each card holder is limited to ten (10) free photocopies/printed sheets per day.

Ilumina Public Library Collection Development Policy

Purpose:

Ilumina Public Library’s Collection Development policy strives to ensure its collection consists of high-quality, diverse, accurate, and relevant resources that adequately reflect the needs of the service population.

Background Statement:

The Ilumina Public Library is the region’s first all-digital library system. Library cards are free to El Paso County residents and El Paso County employees. Cardholders have access to eBooks, eAudiobooks, digital magazines, digital music albums, and may stream digital movies and television shows through eContent vendors. Cardholders also have access to check out tablets and mobile hotspot devices from the library’s physical locations in County-ran community centers. As the first and only public library available to all El Paso County residents outside El Paso City limits, special care is taken to provide a well-rounded collection that meets the needs of the service population.

Responsibility for Collection Development and Management:

The El Paso County’s Digital Services Librarian will select content in accordance with the criteria, budget, and availability.

General Collection Criteria:

Community needs are determined from data gathered from a needs assessment, interlibrary loan requests, reference questions, and holds requested through cloudLibrary and Hoopla.
For sources that are not needed often, it may be possible to rely on nearby libraries or on the Texas Libraries cloudLink Group Consortium.
At least 25% of the collection is less than 5 years old.

Selection Criteria:

Relevant to the anticipated current needs and interest of the community.
Of literary value and technical quality.
Included in bestseller lists, or review publications.
Inclusive of authors of all backgrounds, including without limitation, creed, sexual orientation, race, and religion.
Accuracy and research quality is necessary for non-fiction works.
Relevant to current affairs or social issues with opposing viewpoints, when appropriate.
Relevant to local history and cultural interests.
Reputation of authors, publishers, producers, or creators.
Cost is appropriate to current library collection development budget.

Not all selection criteria must be met by each item. Ultimately, it is a cardholder’s individual choice which reading/viewing materials they decide to consume. Responsibility for the reading materials of minors rests with their parents or guardians.

Weeding Criteria:

Deselection of library materials will take place at least once every 2 years following collection analysis. With few exceptions, the El Paso County Digital Library will use the industry standard of MUSTIE to consider an all-digital content collection.

M = Misleading—factually inaccurate.

U = Ugly – worn beyond mending or outdated trend.

S = Superseded – by a new edition of/or by a much better book on the subject.

T = Trivial – of no discernible literary or scientific merit.

I = Irrelevant to the needs and interests of the library’s community.

E = Elsewhere – the material is easily obtainable from another library.

Electronic resources that are inaccurate, irrelevant, misleading, or malicious will be removed from the collection.

Consortium Resources:

Membership to Ilumina Public Library gives patrons access to the Texas Libraries cloudLink Group. The El Paso County does not take responsibility for items provided by other cloudLink Libraries.

Reconsideration of Material:

Should a community member want a material removed, they must complete the linked “Ilumina Public Library Request for Reconsideration of Material Form” and return the completed form to the Digital Services Librarian. Once the completed form has been submitted, the Digital Services Librarian will appoint a review committee of library professionals with appropriate professional expertise. After a thorough review has been completed, the committee will make its recommendation to the Digital Services Librarian. The Digital Services Librarian will review the committee’s findings and attain a legal opinion from the County Attorney’s Office, if applicable. The Digital Services Librarian will contact the requesting party with the decision. If the requesting party is not satisfied, and wishes to appeal the decision, the request will then be forwarded to the County Commissioners Court. The County Commissioners Court will have final decision on any request for the removal of materials from the library.

The El Paso County Digital Library adheres to the ideas presented by the American Library Association in the Library Bill of Rights; Freedom to Read/View Statements; and Access to Library Resources and Services for Minors interpretation.

ALA Library Bill of Rights: https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill

Freedom to Read: https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/freedomreadstatement

Freedom to View: https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/freedomviewstatement

Access to Library Resources and Services for Minors: https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations/minors

Privacy Policy for Ilumina Public Library: El Paso County's All-Digital Library

Thank you for choosing Ilumina Public Library ("us," "we," or "our"). We are dedicated to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy outlines how we gather, use, disclose, and safeguard the information you provide when using our digital library services. By accessing or using our services, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

Information We Collect:

We may collect both personal and non-personal information from patrons, including but not limited to:

Personal Information: This includes your name, email address, contact information, and other pertinent details needed to provide library services and communication.
Usage Data: We may collect information about how you interact with our digital library, such as pages viewed, resources accessed, search queries, and other usage-related data.
Device Information: We may gather device-specific details like your device type, operating system, and browser type to enhance your user experience and address technical issues.

How We Use Your Information:

We use the information collected for the following purposes:

Providing Services: We use your personal information to facilitate access to library resources, process requests, and deliver a seamless user experience.
Communication: We may use your contact information to send you important updates, notifications, and responses to your inquiries.
Improving Services: Your usage data helps us understand how our digital library is being used, allowing us to enhance and tailor our services to better meet the needs of our patrons.
Legal Compliance: We may use and disclose your information to comply with legal obligations, including but not limited to the Child Internet Protection Act (CIPA) and other relevant laws and regulations.

Disclosure of Information:

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. However, we may share your information in the following circumstances:

Service Providers: We may engage third-party service providers to assist us in delivering services, and they may have access to your information only for the purpose of providing those services.
Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information if required by law, regulation, legal process, or government request.

Data Security:

We employ industry-standard security measures to protect your information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. However, please be aware that no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Children's Privacy:

We are compliant with the Child Internet Protection Act (CIPA). Our services are intended for general audiences, including minors under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without parental consent.

Your Choices:

You have the right to access, update, and correct your personal information. You can also opt out of receiving promotional emails or notifications from us. Please note that certain communications, such as essential service announcements, may be necessary and you cannot opt out of them.

Changes to Privacy Policy:

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. We will notify you of any significant changes through our website or other communication channels.

By using our digital library services, you consent to the terms outlined in this Privacy Policy.

Approved and adopted by El Paso County Commissioner’s Court on 10/16/2023. Any modifications to this policy will be implemented at the discretion and with the approval of the Community Services Executive Director.