Circulation Policy: Courtesy

Circulation Policy: Courtesy Card Patrons

The library endeavors to serve students, faculty, administration, staff and alumni, as well as members of the local community who wish to utilize library facilities at Georgian Court University. In order to ensure service to such a large and diverse group of patrons, it is necessary to develop specific operation guidelines. The following are guidelines for courtesy card patrons which include alumni and community borrowers.

Library Cards

Persons 18 years of age and older, who are not current students, faculty or staff of Georgian Court University, may have limited borrowing privileges for an annual fee of $75.00. Annual fees are not refundable.

Exempt from this fee are alumni who hold a Bachelors or Masters degree from Georgian Court University, Religious Sisters of Mercy of New Jersey not affiliated with Georgian Court University, as well as Catholic clergy, religious, or deacons living or working within the Trenton Diocese.

Acceptable identification must be presented to apply. Library cards are valid for one year from the date of issue. A patrons account must be clear before a library card can be renewed. Lost or stolen cards should be reported as soon as possible. There will be a $5.00 replacement charge for a new card. Patrons must present their library card and another form of identification to borrow materials and are responsible for all materials borrowed on their library card. Library cards are NOT TRANSFERABLE. By signing the library card, courtesy card holders are agreeing to observe library polices.

There is a 15 item limit for Courtesy Card holders at any given time.

Loan Periods

4 weeks	Circulating books and Machine Readable Data Files (MDRF)
One week	Pamphlets from the Vertical File

Circulating materials, with the exception of a hold or recall, may be renewed once. Materials can either be renewed at the Circulation Desk or renewed online. Instructions on how to renew online can be obtained at the Circulation Desk.

Non-Circulating Materials

The following items are non-circulating for Courtesy Card patrons:
Reference books, maps, Vital History cassettes, special collections, archives, periodicals, newspapers, reserves, microforms, IMC and audiovisual materials.

Missing Items

Patrons are encouraged to ask for assistance at the Circulation Desk if they are unable to locate items on the shelf. If an item is missing, the library staff will institute a search for the items and the student will be notified when the item is located.

Fines

Fines are charged for every day the library is open including weekends and university vacation periods, beginning with the date due and excluding the date returned. Fines continue to accrue until an item is either returned or the bill is paid ($10.00 maximum). The library reserves the right to suspend borrowing privileges for any patron who has more than 5 items overdue or owes more than $3.00.

Transcripts will be withheld for any alumni with overdue materials or cumulative fines of $10.00 or more.
The library does not routinely send notices for overdue materials or outstanding fines; however, non-receipt of an overdue notice or bill does not excuse responsibility for the overdue item.

Overdue materials are subject to the following fines:

Circulating books and Machine Readable Data Files (MDRF)	$.10 per day, $10.00 maximum
Hourly reserves and audiovisual materials	$.50 per hour

Replacement Costs

The borrower is assessed the replacement cost of the item plus a $5.00 per item processing fee. The processing fee for Vertical File materials is $5.00 per pouch.

Below are the replacement costs by item type:

Books:

Hardcover

Paperback

$50.00

$25.00

Vertical File

$2.00 per item

If the library is unable to purchase individual replacement copies of MRDF (computer disks) that accompany books, the patron will be required to pay the replacement cost of the entire set. A $5.00 processing/replacement fee will be charged for damaged computer disks.

RECALLED MATERIALS are due within 14 days of either a telephone call or the date on a written notice. Overdue recalls are fined at $1.00 per day.

Internet Access & Interlibrary Loans

Courtesy Card holders are not eligible for these services.