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Circulation Policies

Library Accounts

Patrons are responsible for all items charged to their account. It is the patron's responsibility to inform the library of a lost or stolen card, or change of address or phone number.

Patrons in violation of any library policy may lose their privileges at the discretion of the librarian.

NOTE: A patron does not need an ID card to use the library computers for academic purposes.

NOTE: The Circulation Desk will hold books for five (5) days if the user does not have appropriate identification to check the books out.

Circulation of Materials

NOTE: All library items are subject to recall after the initial three-week loan period.

Holds

Any patron may place a "hold" on an item that is already checked out. If someone places a hold on an item, the patron who has checked it out will be requested to return the item after twenty one (21) days (books) or fourteen (14) days (media items) from time of first borrowing the item.

Renewals, Limits

  • Books may be renewed three times unless requested by another patron. Patrons may renew items by either bringing the books in, by phone, or by e-mail.
  • Reference books, DVDs, and videotapes do not circulate, but may be viewed in the library. Leased DVDs (DVLS - usually feature films) circulate for one (1) week.
  • A limit of five books within any given subject area can be checked out to a single patron, in order to allow equitable access to materials for all.
  • Books will not become due during the break between Christmas and New Year's Day. Books will be loaned for a lesser amount of time ("special loan") from New Year's Day until classes begin in January.

Overdue/Lost Items

Lost materials are billed at purchase cost (or $25 if purchase cost is not available) plus a $15 processing fee per item.

A patron has the option of replacing a lost item with a used item in very good condition. The replacement must be identical in format (e.g., hard cover vs. soft cover, etc.) and in the details of publication (e.g., edition, year, publisher, etc.). A librarian may be able to assist with obtaining a used replacement.

Patron Assistance

The circulation desk staff will direct visitors to the different offices within the building. The circulation desk staff will assist users with simple title and author searches. Other searches will be directed to the reference librarians.

Printing

The library charges .10 per page for printing. There is no charge for abstracts or book records. If a user has printed less than ten (10) pages and cannot pay, they may take the pages and return another time to pay for them. The library will hold printing eleven (11) or more pages until payment is made. (We will print on paper a user provides, but the charge is still ten (10) cents per page.)

Printing from the color printer is limited to one hundred (100) pages per day for students/faculty/staff. Community users are limited to printing thirty (30) color pages; the charge for community users is twenty five (25) cents per page.

Change

The circulation desk staff will make change for patrons if there is change available in the money box. There is a $20.00 limit per day.

Records

  • Patron Records:

    Coulter Library will uphold section 4509 of New York State Law regarding patron's library records.

    Therefore, no personal information of any kind can be legally released to anyone by Coulter Library, regardless of the requestor's official status, unless a court order or subpoena is presented and has been verified and authenticated by the campus attorney. In addition, such records can only be released "by the person in charge of such library, or a designee of such person" (section 2307, New York State Law).

  • SEE ALSO New York State Law
    • Section 2307. Books, papers and other things of a library ...
    • Section 4509. Library records
  • Records Retention:

    Patron registration cards are kept for four years. When a patron is no longer active and has no outstanding charges, his/her record will be removed from Aleph and the card shredded. If the user is still active, the card will be refiled into the current year. Patrons with outstanding items will have the registration card stapled to the billing paperwork.

    Only current first and second notices for overdue items are retained. Once an item has been returned all paperwork related to the loan transaction is shredded.

    Active billing paperwork is kept from 1991 forward. Once an item has been returned, the billing paperwork becomes a completed overdue.

    Completed overdue paperwork will be kept for two years plus the current year. The paperwork will be double checked to insure all records are current.