Policies

Circulation Policies

It is the policy of the Library that the privacy of all borrowers of library materials shall be respected. The Library will not reveal the names of individual borrowers nor reveal what books are, or have been, charged to any individual. When library users need books that are on loan, the circulation department will assist them by calling in those books as soon as the guaranteed loan period has ended. If the books desired are in a renewal period, they will be recalled immediately.

Collection Development and Management Policies

Comments, purchase recommendations, gifts-in-kind, and special requests from users make an important contribution to building and shaping the Library’s collections. Purchase, transfer, and related collection management requests linked to individual users, or even group of users (an academic department), are deemed confidential reader information and not shared outside the Library. Within the Library, user names are temporarily attached to internal records and shared among relevant staff to facilitate notification of Library actions and follow-through. The exception to these guidelines is in the event a special collection is recognized by the Library with personalized bookplates with the permission of the donor.

Interlibrary Loan Lending Policy

The Nathan W. Collier Library lends materials to other libraries without charges. Requests may be received at the circulation desk on the first floor of the library, via mail (ALA forms), fax (305-626-3625), OCLC, or through phone calls (305-626-3640).

The following materials will circulate for interlibrary loan purposes:

• Books (NO reference books, fragile and irreplaceable materials from the Black Collection or the Florida Memorial University Archives).
• Photocopies of periodical and newspaper articles. Requests for photocopies must indicate compliance with copyright guidelines.

Loan period to borrowing libraries

• Materials will be loaned for a period of six weeks (42 days).
• No renewal of materials will be made without permission of the Interlibrary Loan Services Office.
• Nathan W. Collier Library reserves the right to recall an item at any time that it is needed by our patrons for research.

Processing of Interlibrary Loans

• Service will be given as speedily as conditions permit. Immediate response for requests received from other libraries is the goal of our interlibrary loan staff.
• Interlibrary loan books will normally be shipped by UPS or the U.S. mail. Photocopies will be sent by fax (if copy quality is adequate) if the Fax number is included on the interlibrary loan form. Other photocopies will be sent through the U.S. mail or email if possible.

Fees

1.No fees are charged for borrowing books or other returnable materials.
2.No fees are charged for photocopies of periodicals and newspaper articles.

Overdue materials

1.When an item has been overdue for 1 month, it will be recalled from the borrowing library.
2.If an interlibrary loan material has been damaged or lost, a bill will be sent to the borrowing library requesting payment.

Interlibrary Loan Service will be performed during the Library Hours. Please note that the library is closed for approximately two weeks for Christmas Break.

For further questions, please, direct all your questions to the Head of Interlibrary Loan Services: Lucy Osemota (305) 626-3647/3648 or you may email her at Lucy.Osemota@fmuniv.edu.

Laptop Circulation Policy

Who may Borrow Laptops:

• Laptops may only be checked out to active Florida Memorial University students with a valid Florida Memorial University I.D. card.
• Two forms of picture identification must be presented at time of checkout, and one must be a Florida Memorial University I.D. card. e.g. (State, National or International ID’s)
• Each borrower must complete a Laptop Liability Form once per semester.
• Laptops are intended for university related use, in accordance with Florida Memorial University’s Code of ethics and Florida Memorial University Library policy.

Time Limits & Availability:

• One laptop per patron may be checked out from the Library’s 1st floor Circulation Desk, on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Laptops may be checked out for a two (2) hour period.
• Renewal is available upon request proving other users are not waiting.
• Laptops must be returned 1 hour prior to Library’s closing.
• Library Use Only.

Fines & Liability:

• Overdue Fines are $2.00 per hour. If Laptops is not returned to the Library’s Circulation Desk with in 24 hours it will be reported to Campus Security for retrieval.
• The borrower is responsible for the Laptop’s safe return to the Circulation desk.
• The Borrower is responsible for all costs associated with damage to the laptop or the replacement of the lost/stolen laptop will be no less than $2,500 plus any accrued overdue fines.
• Repairs and replacement cost for damage to a laptop will be the actual cost of the labor, parts and shipping & handling by the borrower.
• The Library is not responsible for lost/stolen/damaged laptops, personal computer components or any other items used with the laptops.
• The Library is not responsible for files saved to the laptop’s hard drive. Personal files should be saved to a portable device.

Questions:

All questions regarding the Florida Memorial University Laptops should be directed to the Library’s Technology Department. (305) 626-3649

LIBRARY TECHNOLOGY POLICIES

• Registration at the Reference or Circulation desk is required before using the internet.
• Terminals are to be used for Academic Purposes Only.
• Consult with Reference, Circulation or Periodicals personnel for further assistance if needed.
• One user per workstation unless giving technical assistance.
• DO NOT ABUSE PRINTING PRIVILEGES.
• Respect copyright laws. Refrain from copying any copyrighted software. Users must comply with all applicable federal copyright laws.
• Adhere to time limitations at the computer terminals. (45 minutes if others are waiting).
• Do Not Change Programs on the computers.
• Terminal usage should conclude 15 minutes before closing time.

Library Surveys and Assessment Projects

Information and data obtained by the Library or its units through surveys (group or individual interviews or other means) in support of assessment of services, collections, facilities, resources, etc., or in support of research related to library and information services, are considered confidential and will not be shared except in aggregations, to protect the privacy of individual participants.

Public Access Computerized Systems

Library’s access systems (i.e., Millennium or various electronic collection systems) frequently track or log the actions performed by users of those systems. Such transaction level logging that can be tied to individuals may be kept intact for a limited period of time for trouble-shooting and problem resolution related to system functions and service transactions. During the period that this information is retained, it is held in confidence, and in accord with Library policies, is not shared with third parties. After such period of time as the information may be reasonably useful for problem resolution, this information may be aggregated for reporting on types of use and use of materials. Information regarding individual identities (or the source of the transaction) must be removed. The period of time needed for storing full transaction level logging should be determined on a case-by-case basis. Original transaction logging information that has been processed in this way must be destroyed, and care taken to ensure that backups or other inadvertently stored forms of the data are not retained.

Reference and Research Consultations Policies

Reference and research consultation services are confidential and information about individuals using these services will not be shared outside the Library. Library staff will not reveal the identity of library users, the nature of their inquiries, nor the information or sources they consult. Data about reference or research consultations may recorded for management or assessment purposes or to compile information on frequently asked questions.

Contracts and Licenses for Information Resources

Consistent with its user privacy policy the Library expects its information service providers and vendors to follow the same standards in the performance of the products they license, lease, or sell to the Library. Contracts, licenses, agreements, and arrangements that the Library enters shall accordingly and as the standard practice protect the identity of individual users and the information they use. To provide additional personalized service, vendors may require users to identify themselves. Such identification will be only at the user’s discretion and will require the user to follow clearly indicated procedures before the service is activated. The service provider may not sell, lease, or loan information identifying users or the information they use to third parties unless authorized in advance by each user. To aid understanding of the use or value of resources and services, service providers may aggregate and retain anonymous user data.