Conditions for Use of University Library Facilities

Policy and Procedures

1. Persons entitled to use the library buildings

1.1 Anyone may enter the library buildings and use information resources within the building providing they conform with all rules and policies in force at the time. The Director, Information Services (hereafter referred to as the Director) may limit the rights of those who are neither staff nor students of the University.

2. Conditions of use of the library buildings

2.1 Anyone on library building premises must comply with any lawful direction from a member of staff.

2.2 Any behaviour, which in the opinion of a member of staff, is likely to cause damage to information resources or to cause disturbance or inconvenience to others within the library building is forbidden.

2.3 Information resources may not be taken out of the library buildings unless they have been borrowed through the appropriate loans mechanism.

2.4 Particular policies will be determined by the Director.

3. Persons entitled to borrow library materials

3.1 Staff and students of the University, and others at the discretion of the Director may borrow library materials.

4. Conditions of borrowing

4.1 A borrower is the person who borrows information resources from the library building. Borrowers must use their current James Cook University borrowing card.

4.2 A borrower accepts complete responsibility for the care of information resources borrowed and for its return. All information resources must be returned in good condition to the designated place on or before the due date or time indicated. Information resources will be deemed not to have been returned until such time as the transaction has been recorded by library staff.

4.3 A borrower must comply with all borrowing conditions and policies as determined by the Director.

4.4 The Director shall have the power to recall any information resources before the expiration of the period of the loan.

5. Sanctions

5.1 So long as any borrower has an overdue item, or unpaid charges, amount or fee, the Director may suspend that borrower’s right to borrow from the library building.

6. Late Return Fee

6.1 Overdue information resources incur a late return fee.

6.2 Recalled information resources must be returned within four working days of the dispatch of the recall notice, or they will attract a late return fee.

6.3 The late return fee applies to all borrowers who have overdue items.

6.4 The late return fees will be as determined by the Director.

7. Appeals

7.1 The Director may vary or waive any late return fee or other charge, or may substitute an alternative sanction, on an appeal in writing to the Director.

7.2 Appeals against policies and practices may be made in writing to the Director.

POLICIES AND CONDITIONS

1. Use of library facilities

Food or drink (except bottled water) may not be consumed in the library building.

Bags and cases may be taken into the library building.

Mobile phones should be switched off in the library building.

Conversation is not generally permitted but quiet conversation is permitted in designated areas and in service areas.

Clients may not enter non-public areas of the building except by invitation.

Children under 15 within the library building must be supervised and controlled by an adult.

Anyone within the library building must present their books, bags, folders etc. for examination by staff on request.

No equipment brought into the library building may be used in a way that produces noise in a “no conversation” area.

2. Late return fees

• Late return fees accumulate at the rate of 50 cents per item per day overdue, except for a short term loan item.

• When a short term loan item becomes overdue a $10 late return fee may be imposed.

• The maximum late return fee per transaction is $10.

• AV equipment attracts a $20 overdue fee plus $1 per hour overdue.

• Items deemed lost attract a replacement cost plus a $20 non-refundable service fee.

3. Loan Categories

By Category of Borrower	Number of Loans at One Time	Length of Loan
Undergraduate	20	2 weeks
Fourth year honours	40*
Graduate/Postgraduate Certificate	20
Graduate/Postgraduate Diploma	20
Masters & Doctorate	80
Staff	80
Members of Council & Heads of Colleges	30
Associate Borrowers	5
Associate Borrowers (Advanced Status)	10
Associate Borrowers (Staff Status)	30
Others	As determined by the Director, Information Services	As determined by the Director, Information Services
Community, Corporate and Remote Borrowers	By Category of Loan	By Category of Loan

*May be varied on written application by the Head of School

By Category of Material	As determined by the Director, Information Services
AV Equipment	24 hours
AV Loans	2 weeks
2 hour Loans	2 hours or overnight
2 day Loans	48 hours
e-books	Determined by Licensed Agreement

4. General Conditions

Information resources from the Periodicals, Reference and Special Collections are available for loan only in exceptional circumstances and with the permission of the Director.

Information resources may be renewed three times before they must be sighted by staff.

Students or staff members leaving the University must return all information resources before they do so.

Some borrowers may qualify under more than one category. When one of these categories is the undergraduate category, this category will be applied for information resources borrowed for undergraduate purposes.

Information resources from the Curriculum Collection may be borrowed in addition to the limit specified above by the staff and students.

Information resources purchased from research funds may be retained by the purchaser for the duration of the relevant research.

Special loan conditions may be applied to particular categories of information resources.

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Approval Details

Policy sponsor:	Director, Information Services
Approval authority:	Deputy Vice-Chancellor, University Services & Registrar, with reference to Finance Committee for matters relating to financial penalties
Version no.:
Date for next review:	31/12/2007

Modification History

Version no.	Approval date	Implementation date	Details