Library Policies, Guidelines and Procedures

Calvin T. Ryan Library
University of Nebraska at Kearney
Policies, Guidelines, and Procedures for the Lending of Library Materials

The following policies, guidelines, and procedures have been established to govern the lending of library materials.  The staff of the Calvin T. Ryan Library reserves the right to add, delete, or modify all or portions of these policies, guidelines and procedures. The effective date of these policies, guidelines and procedures is 8-19-14.

Confidentiality of Circulation Records

No name, address, or other information concerning a borrower contained in any circulation records will be revealed to other persons except under conditions as stated in Calvin T. Ryan Library’s “Privacy of Circulation Records Policy.”

Library Borrowers

Library borrowers are categorized as follows:

Individuals currently affiliated with the University of Nebraska at Kearney:

• On-campus students/graduate students/visiting scholars
• Distance students/graduate students
• Faculty and faculty emeriti
• Other academic staff
• Academic-administrative staff
• Managerial/professional staff
• Office and service staff
• Retired staff

Individuals not currently affiliated with the University of Nebraska at Kearney:

• Reciprocal students
• Reciprocal faculty
• Reciprocal staff
• Community Users

Identification & Check-out Materials

All library materials are checked out at the Circulation Desk

All persons affiliated with University of Nebraska at Kearney must present their University ID.

Reciprocal borrowers must present current identification from their University of Nebraska institution to check out library material.

Other reciprocal borrowers must presernt current & valid identification to obtain a library borrowers card.

Community users must be at least 18 years of age and present valid picture identification issued by the State of Nebraska to obtain a community users card. Community users can check out up to five library items.

• Community users must also complete an application before a library card will be issued.
• Alumni and NebrasKard holders may have barcodes attached to their respective cards to be used for library material checkout.
• Periodicals cannot be checked out by community users

All Identification Cards are non-transferable.
Each borrower is responsible for material checked out in their name.
Each borrower is responsible for keeping the library informed of address changes.

Loan Periods

Library materials may be checked out to community users for a period of twenty-eight days, UNK ​Faculty, Staff, and Students, Reciprocal Faculty, ​Staff, and Students until End-of-Semester except for the categories of materials designated below:

• Red Tag Government Documents: 7 Days
• Microfiche Readers: 7 Days
• Reserve Materials: 1, 2 or 4 hours In Library Use or 1 day, 2 days, 3days, 4 days or 7 days

Any exceptions to the check-out periods stated above may be made at the discretion of the Librarian in charge of that portion of the library’s collection. For any exceptions to reserve material check-out periods, written approval from the course instructor must be presented to the Circulation Manager or a Circulation Library Associate.

In the absence of the Librarian, the person responsible for determining exceptions to the check-out periods is:

• A Reference Librarian
• Library Circulation Manager

Some library materials may not be checked out of the library. These materials are reference items, items from the Archives/Special Collection, microfilm, newspapers, some reserves, and some government documents.

Books, curriculum items, and regular government documents will be checked out to UNK, UNL, UNO, and UNMC faculty, graduate assistants, and administrative personnel until end of semester, renewable upon request for an additional 28 days.  Graduate and undergraduate students also receive the end of semester due date.

All other library materials will be checked out to University of Nebraska at Kearney and University of Nebraska faculty and administrative personnel for the standard check-out periods.

Summer sessions are equivalent to one semester.

Restricted tests may be checked out to individuals who are included on a list of authorized students/faculty. A new list must be obtained each semester.

Loan Limits

UNK Faculty and Administrative Staff may borrow up to 99 items at any one time. The maximum bill that can be accrued before borrowing privileges are blocked is $100.

UNK students and Office/Service staff may borrow up to 75 items at any one time. If a patron accrues an amount of $10, their library privileges will be suspended until the amount is paid.

Community users are allowed to check out up to 15 items.  Library privileges will be suspended when a fees reach $10.00.

Suspended Privileges of Library Users

Users who abuse library regulations may be refused borrowing privileges. Abuse includes, but is not limited to, continuous and/or excessive fees, and charges left unpaid.

Library privileges may be revoked for the following:

• Damage to library materials and equipment
• Harassment of library staff
• Damage to the library building
• Flagrant abuse of library rules concerning eating, tobacco use, etc.
• Not returning library material     

Consequences for revocation of library privileges may include, but shall not be limited to:

• Students not being allowed to register for future classes
• Not being able to check out library material
• Students not being able to drop, add, or withdraw from classes
• In the case of graduating seniors, not receiving a signed diploma or transcripts

Borrowing privileges may be restored when all charges are cleared.

Due Date

• Library material is due on the date specified on the Loan Receipt email.
• Faculty semester loans are due one week prior to the last day of scheduled classes each semester. Student semester check-outs are due one week prior to the last day of scheduled classes.
• Reserve material is due to be returned at the circulation desk at the time specified on the transaction slip. There is no grace period for overdue reserve material.
• Interlibrary Loan material due dates are assigned by the lending library and are indicated on the slip attached to each item.
• Special permission check-outs are due on the date specified on the Loan Receipt email. There is no grace period on special permission items.

Return of Library Material

Library material is considered returned when:

• It is returned to the Circulation Desk book drop.
• It is returned to the outside book drop.

Holds

• Library users may place holds on material that is checked out, except periodicals.
• Material on which a hold has been placed may not be renewed.
• When material on which a hold is placed is returned, it is held at the Circulation desk for the user requesting it for seven days before being returned to the shelf. A notice is emailed to the requesting patron once the item is checked out to them.
• If two or more holds exist on any material, then the order of priority for availability shall be:
• University of Nebraska at Kearney users.
• Interlibrary Loan requestors.
• Community users.
• If two or more holds exist on library material, and the persons placing the holds are in the same category, then the person with the earliest date of request shall have first priority.
• Library material may be placed on the hold shelf for up to 2 hours for periodicals and 24 hours for other material, if the person needs to leave to obtain identification for check-out purposes.

Recalls

• Any library material may be recalled after the borrower has had the item for 21 days.
• Material is considered recalled when the user, in whose name the items is checked out, is notified that it should be returned to the library.
• Any material on semester loan is subject to recall after the borrower has had the item for 28 days.

Renewal of Library Material

• Any library material which is checked out may be renewed once, unless a hold has been placed on the material.
• Items checked out with special permission may not be renewed.
• Library material may be renewed on-line, requesting a renewal by phone (308-865-8599) or by presenting or requesting the material to be renewed at the Circulation Desk.

Charges

Student and community users are subject to a uniform system for the replacement cost of lost or damaged material.

Charges, including replacement cost, processing charges, and billing fees will apply to library items checked out to any patron other than faculty and administrative borrowers that are:

• Reported lost.
• Returned in irreparably damaged condition.
• More than fifty days overdue, reaching the $10.00 maximum charge.

Charges, including replacement cost, processing charges, and billing fees will apply to library items checked out to any faculty and administrative borrowers when:

• Library material is lost.
• Library material is returned in an irreparably damaged condition.
• The borrower fails to return the item before the expiration date of their patron record.

Faculty end–of-semester loans will have overdue notices generated for any non-returned library material one day after the due date. If the material is still checked out one week after the bill has been sent, a letter will be issued by the Library director to the department head or dean requesting their assistance in recovering the material. If the material is not recovered within four weeks, arrangements will be made to deduct replacement costs from that department’s book budget.

In the case of administrative or managerial professional personnel who have library material checked out on semester loan, the appropriate department head, dean, or immediate supervisor will be contacted if recalled material is not returned to the library within seven days of the billing date.

A faculty member or administrator may elect to pay for lost or irreparably damaged library material, or to replace such material with an acceptable copy. In these cases, the academic department or administrative unit would not be charged. The item must be given to the library by the end of the semester in which it is reported lost or damaged. Its acceptability is determined by a Librarian.

In the event that library material, which has been reported as lost and for which a replacement charge has been paid, is returned to the library in an acceptable condition within thirty days from date of payment, a refund of replacement charges, will be made.

Appeal of Library Charges

Library charges must be paid before an appeal can be filed.

Users who wish to appeal library charges will make their appeal to the Library Appeals Committee after first securing and completing an appeal form. The appeal form is available at the Circulation desk.

The Library Appeals Committee shall consist of a faculty member, a student representative, and an A or B-line administrative representative, recommended by the Library Committee.

The Circulation Manager will serve as an ex-offico member and advisor to the committee.

The Library Appeals Committee will decide on the validity of the appeals and will recommend appropriate action.