Homebound Policy

The Outreach Services Department will provide delivery of library materials to persons unable to visit the library, if they are Orland Park Public Library cardholders, or if they are Orland Park residents who sign a registration card at the time of the first delivery.

An Orland Park cardholder can contact the Outreach Services supervisor to register for this service. Information requested regarding the medical, or other need for homebound service must be provided to the Library to qualify for receipt of this service. Delivery time of materials will be decided on an individual basis. Outreach Services staff will assist in selecting materials for patrons. No fines will be assessed for library materials delivered to homebound patrons; however, after thirty (30) days the Library may require a staff member to pick up all unreturned library material and if the library material is not available for pick up at the scheduled time, a suspension in service may be imposed.

Home Environment Required for Delivery

Patrons requesting homebound services must provide a safe, and appropriate environment for staff members who make deliveries to their homes and must protect all library materials while in their custody; therefore, staff members may choose not to enter a home, leave a home immediately, and/or recommend suspension of service if:

• Pets are not confined (with the exception of animals trained to assist a disabled person).
• Any person in the home is dressed in revealing attire.
• Any person in the home is under the influence of alcohol or has been abusing drugs.
• Any person in the home uses abusive or obscene language, makes obscene gestures or displays obscene images.
• Any person in the home harasses the staff member.
• Any person in the home exhibits signs of illness that may jeopardize the health of the staff member and the library has not been notified of the illness.
• Any person is smoking inside the home at the time of the staff member's visit.
• Any library material currently in possession of the homebound person appears to have been willfully defaced, mutilated or damaged while in the custody of the homebound person.

If a staff member leaves the home, denies service or recommends the suspension of service because the occurrence of any of the above is deemed to make the home environment for delivery unsafe or inappropriate, the staff member shall provide the Outreach Services Department and the Library Director with notice of why such action occurred together with any recommendation for length of suspension of service. The Outreach Services Department shall send written notice to the patron of the reason for, and the length of, any continuing suspension of service and provide a copy of the notice to the Library Director. No suspension of service in excess of thirty (30) days shall be imposed unless it is recommended by the Library Director and approved by the Board of Library Trustees. Any homebound patron may request, in writing, that the suspension of service be reviewed by the Board of Library Trustees at the next monthly board meeting.