PURDUE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Administrative Memorandum AM 40-06 September 2006

CIRCULATION POLICIES

LIBRARY CARDS

Definition: The term “library card” means a valid Purdue University Identification card (PUID) for West Lafayette faculty, staff, and students or a valid library-issued patron card for all other categories of patrons.

The following groups of people are eligible for West Lafayette Purdue Campus library cards:

People with Valid Purdue IDs

• West Lafayette campus faculty, staff, students, and retirees.
• West Lafayette postdoctoral researchers.
• Visiting scholars at the West Lafayette campus.
• West Lafayette campus ministers.
• Statewide Technology Instructors.
• Indiana 4-H Cooperative Extension Agents.

People eligible for library-issued patron cards

• Indiana residents (with proof of residency)
• Spouses of West Lafayette faculty, staff or students.
• Faculty at any Indiana ALI institution, CIC-participating institution, or OCLC Reciprocal Faculty Borrowing Program participants.
• Faculty, staff, or students from Purdue regional campuses.
• Purdue conference attendees.
• Purdue continuing education students and instructors.
• Alumni from West Lafayette campus.
• Students from other Indiana college or universities.
• Students from participating CIC institutions.
• Corporations located in Indiana.

People eligible for Proxy cards

• West Lafayette campus faculty, staff, and others demonstrating special needs are eligible to request proxy cards for others.

If a situation makes a patron eligible for more than one of the categories listed above, library staff will make the final determination of the type of library card to issue.

The library will not issue a new library card to individuals with outstanding bills, fines, or overdue material. People with valid University IDs or people who are eligible to receive a University ID are not eligible for library-issued patron cards.

To obtain a library-issued patron card

Library circulation staff will inform patrons of the identification required to receive a visitor’s library card. Following are the necessary forms of identification:

With the exception of proxies, patrons may not have more than one active library card at a time.

The patron to whom a card is issued is the only person authorized to use it; patrons should not lend their cards to others.

Patrons should report lost or stolen cards to Circulation Services.

PROXY PRIVILEGES

Proxy privileges may be authorized by submitting a “Request for Proxy Privileges” form, which may be obtained at any circulation desk. Authorizing patrons are responsible for all activity conducted by their proxies.

PATRON RESPONSIBILITIES

Patrons must present their own valid library card at the time of checkout.

Patrons are responsible for all material checked out on their cards (including any proxies that may be connected to their records) until the material is checked in at a Purdue West Lafayette library. They are expected to renew or return all material by the due date.

Patrons are responsible for responding to all library notices promptly and for alerting circulation staff to apparent discrepancies. Students should update address information, including email and U.S. mail, via the SSINFO system. Faculty and staff should inform appropriate Departmental staff of address changes (Form 13). Other patrons should inform the library of address changes.

Patrons are responsible for reimbursing the library for material that is lost or damaged while it is in their possession.

Patrons are responsible for paying any fines or fees associated with late return or non-return of library material.

Patrons are responsible for notifying the libraries if their PUID or Purdue Libraries Patron Card is lost or stolen.

LOAN PERIODS

1. Standard Loans - are due in sixteen weeks for faculty, staff, and graduate students; three weeks for undergraduate students and visitors. Visitors are ONLY eligible for loans of standard material.
2. Limited Loans - are all non-standard loans, including the following items.
   • Serials and journals – two days for bound journals and two hours for unbound (current) journals.
   • Course Reserves - most reserve policies vary by library and by type of material.
   • Reference books - for in-library-use only.
   • Media – the regular loan period is one week for users with a PUID. Others may view material on site.
   • Specialized material - libraries may assign different loan periods for specialized material.
3. Recalled materials – are due ten days after a recall is placed.

RENEWALS

Standard Loan Materials may be renewed :

1. from the online catalog at www.lib.purdue.edu (OPAC)
2. by phone at the central renewals number (765) 494-0369 or at any West Lafayette campus library
3. in person, at a circulation area

Media materials may be renewed:

1. from the online catalog at www.lib.purdue.edu (OPAC)
2. by phone at (765) 494-6742
3. in person, at a circulation area

Renewals are not possible if another borrower has placed a recall.

Visitors are limited to one renewal per standard-loan item.

Because of high demand, most reserve material cannot be renewed.

Patrons should not assume that material has been renewed until a circulation staff member confirms the new due date or the OPAC displays an extension.

RECALLS

Patrons may request material that is checked out to someone else by use of the OPAC or by asking circulation staff to place a recall on the item(s). When an item is recalled, the original loan period is shortened and no renewals are allowed. In general, patrons are given a revised due date of ten days from the date the recall was placed. Library staff will send a “needed” notice to the original patron, stating the new due date and requesting the prompt return of the material. When recalled material is returned to the library, the library will mail an “available” notice to the requesting patron.

NOTICES

Notices are sent as a courtesy to patrons. Patrons should take prompt action on all notices and should draw any apparent discrepancies to the attention of circulation staff. Non-receipt of overdue notices does not excuse patrons from paying fines. The Libraries may choose not to issue overdue notices for some types of loans.

1. First notices are issued for material one week before the date due for items that circulate for longer than one week.
2. Second notices are sent the day after an item is due.
3. Third notices are sent when material reaches the billing stage.
4. Available notices are sent when recalled material is available for the patron to check out.
5. Library Recall notices (Item Needed) are sent to the original patron when another patron has requested the material. The needed notice states the new due date, which may override the due date on the original loan.
6. Library Overdue Recall notices are sent the day after an item is due, stating that “unless this material is returned within five days of the recall due date, the Libraries will assess a $10 per day overdue fee. Processing and replacement fees will be charged twelve days from recall due date.”
7. Letters may be sent by librarians to faculty or to other patrons as circumstances warrant. These letters may warn of forthcoming action by the library, or announce what action the library has taken.

RETURNING Material

All material should be returned by the due date (or the recall due date).

The Libraries consider material officially returned when it has been discharged at a West Lafayette campus library.

1. Reserve and overdue materials should be returned to the library from which they were checked out.
2. Media must be returned to the Undergraduate Library.
3. Other material can be returned in several ways:
   a. in person to any library on the West Lafayette campus
   b. by U.S. or campus mail to a West Lafayette campus library
   c. to any library or dorm book drop
   d. to a participating Interlibrary Loan location
4. Patrons are responsible for material until it is properly checked in at a library on the West Lafayette campus. Returning checked out material to areas such as library tables or shelves does not constitute an acceptable form of returning material. Library staff are not responsible for checking in library material unless it is returned as described in 1 to 3 above.
5. Receipts can be issued at the time of return upon request. If a computer-printed receipt is not available, a patron may request a manual receipt.

Actions for Late or Non-Return of Library Material

Actions for late return or non-return of library material are:

Visitors who have unpaid bills will be denied check-out privileges.

Privileges will be reinstated when the reason for the suspension has been resolved.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Library staff will preserve the confidentiality of patron records. No information will be given to a third party about the name of another patron who has checked out material.

Billing information remains confidential until overdue accounts are turned over to a collection agency. The responsible party should initiate billing appeals. Library staff will only discuss outstanding bills with the patron who incurred the charges.

The only exceptions to this confidentiality policy will be made on the advice of University Counsel to act on a court order. Requests of this nature should go to the Office of the Dean of the Libraries.

APPEALS

The University Collections process, including encumbrances, may be temporarily suspended for contested items.

Basis for appeals

The Libraries will consider all legitimate concerns related to library charges. Questions that do not constitute a legitimate basis for appeal are:

1. lack of understanding of library policy
2. disagreement with library fine or fee structure
3. inability to pay fees and charges
4. unwillingness to take responsibility for material loaned to a third party
5. non-receipt or untimely receipt of library notices
6. forgetting the due date
7. being out of town
8. semester breaks
9. failure to maintain a current address with the University and/or the Libraries

Appeals process

To appeal charges or suspended privileges for reasons other than those listed above, patrons follow the following procedure:

1. Talk with the Circulation Services staff.
2. If an agreeable resolution has not been reached with Circulation Services staff, the patron should refer the matter to the Circulation Services’ coordinator.
3. If the patron disagrees with the coordinator’s decision, the patron should contact the Access Services Department. The Head of Access Services will consider appeals that have first been referred to the supervisor of Circulation Services. Unresolved problems must be presented in writing to the Head of Access Services.

Says returneds

Circulation Services staff will search for material that a patron claims to have returned. However, until the material is found, billing procedures will continue normally. Depending on circumstances, the library may choose not to charge an overdue fee but may charge for the book cost(s) and processing fee(s). The patron may continue to use the library if he or she has made such a claim, but he or she will continue to be responsible for the material until it is checked in.

Refunds

Refunds are authorized at the discretion of Circulation Services staff.

INTERLIBRARY LOAN

West Lafayette campus faculty, staff, and students are eligible for Interlibrary Loan (ILL) services. Loan periods, notices, penalties, renewals, recalls, and book return procedures are different for material borrowed through ILL. See AM 45-95 for details.