Theft of Library Materials Policy

The Cranberry Public Library (“Library”) establishes the following policy to protect its collections and other property against theft and mutilation. 

1. No library materials (“Materials”) may be taken from the library unless those Materials have been properly checked out or other authorization for removal been given. Taking Materials without authorization will be considered and treated as theft. 

2. The willful mutilation of Materials by marking, underlining, removing pages or portions of the binding, removing electronic book detection devices, or in any other way injuring or defacing Materials will be considered and treated as theft. 

3. Any other act defined as theft of library materials under state and local law will be considered and treated as theft under this policy. 

4. In all instances the Library Theft Act, Pennsylvania Act No. 1982-95, will prevail and the Library will base any action for theft of materials on this act. A copy of the Library Theft Act is appended to this policy. 

5. For the purposes of this policy, Materials are defined as any book, plate, picture, photograph, engraving, painting, drawing, map, newspaper, magazine, pamphlet, broadside, manuscript, document, letter, public record, microfilm, sound 
recording, audiovisual materials in any format, electronic data processing records, computer hardware and software, artifacts or other documentary, written or printed materials regardless of physical form or characteristics, belonging to, on loan to, or in the custody of the Library. This definition includes all institutional property housed in or intended for use in the Library. 

Approved 12/19/94. Updated 6/2001