Photo ID Required at Onondaga County Public Library to Check Out Materials

Onondaga County Public Library to require borrowers to keep photos on file or present photo ID. (Syracuse Post-Standard, 2/1/2011)

Excerpt:   Come Valentine’s Day, those who love the libraries in the city of Syracuse will have to keep their photographs on computer file with the Onondaga County Public Library or present photo identification as well as their library cards when they take out materials.

The policy, announced this morning and taking effect on Feb. 14, is meant to tighten the rules of how library cards are used and the security of materials borrowed, said Doreen Milcarek, administrator of the Central Library in downtown Syracuse. Milcarek spearheaded the project.

Officials hope the new practice will cut down instances where people claim their cards were stolen or lost and then used by people who failed to return materials and racked up overdue fines, Milcarek said. She said she had not seen statistics documenting how often that happened or how much fine money was involved.