Circulation and Checkout

 

Checkout (Circulation) Services

Anyone may use materials from the shelves within the David L. Rice Library.  Materials are loaned only to borrowers who present valid USI Eagle ID cards or courtesy cards. CAP students are considered USI students but have a specialized card that is issued by the library. Summer theater employees are treated as staff while they are on the USI campus.

Courtesy cards are issued to borrowers, from the categories below, who present a valid driver’s license. These cards will be valid for one year from the date of issue.


The Library reserves the right to grant, deny or revoke a courtesy card at anytime.

USI students and courtesy borrowers may checkout materials from the General Collection for 3 weeks.  USI faculty and staff may checkout items for an extended loan period.  Any item is subject to recall after the initial 3 week loan period if needed for reserve or another university patron.


Users of the David L. Rice library are expected to treat library staff, fellow users and library materials and facilities with courtesy and respect.  This includes but is not limited to:

  • - Refraining from defacing materials (books, videos, periodicals, etc) and facilities with pencil, ink,
       markers, adhesive notes, tape, paper clips, etc.
  • - Refraining from tearing or cutting pages from materials.
  • - Refraining from taking materials from the library without first checking them out.
  • - Refraining from disruptive behavior.
  • - Refraining from any activity that violates other university rules and regulations.

 

Length of Borrowing Period (Some restrictions may apply)

    - Books in the General Collection - 3 weeks

    - Curriculum Material (Pre-K - 12) - 3 weeks

    - Government Documents - 3 weeks

    - Maps, Pamphlets - 3 weeks

    - CDs - 1 week

    - DVDs / Videos - 1 week

    - Spoken Word - 1 week

    - Reserve Materials - Specified by Faculty

Fines for overdue materials are imposed in order to encourage the prompt return of library materials. By prompt return or renewal of materials, a borrower may avoid payment of overdue fines. All notices are sent to your campus email account. Please note that failure to receive a notice does not exempt you from fines (see Fine/Fee Table).

Materials with outstanding "hold requests" may not be renewed.

 

Self-Renewal (Online Catalog Function) and Holds

Items may be renewed by physically handing materials to Checkout personnel or through online Self-Renewal. Self-Renewal is an option for library patrons with items checked out for 3 weeks or less (excluding Reserve materials). From the USI Library Web site, select "Online Catalog." Click on the "My Account" tab at the top of the page, you will be prompted to enter your barcode number (located on the back of your Eagle Access card or Library Courtesy card) and your last name. On the screen will appear what you have currently checked out. You are given the option to renew these items (twice only) unless you already have overdue items or someone else has requested that item(s) be held for their use. After two online renewals, if you want to renew the item again you must come into Rice Library for that purpose. Be advised, that it is best to renew items one day prior to the due date to ensure the renewal option will work properly.

Items not renewable online are DVD's, Videos, Music CDs and Spoken Word.

A "hold request" may be placed at the Checkout counter or through the Online Catalog for circulating materials that are presently out on loan to another borrower. The item will be held for the requester when it is returned. To place an Online Hold, follow the instructions above to login, then search the catalog for the circulating item you want, to verify it is checked out. From the detailed record screen for the book you want, locate the "Action" box to the right of the page and click on the "Make a Request" link. You should then be presented with the option to place your "Hold", do so by clicking on "Hold." You will be presented with a "Patron Request" screen. At this screen, you may enter a comment, change the "needed by" date and you will need to re-enter your barcode number from the back of your Eagle Access card. Click "Submit" to place the Hold. Remember to click the "Logout" link in the top right corner of the page before you exit the catalog.

 

Library Closing Policy

Closing procedures begin 1 hour before the stated closing time that is, if the Library closes at midnight, then closing procedures begin at approximately 11:00 p.m., at which time labs and all study rooms will be locked and all laptops must be returned.

At 30 minutes to closing patrons will be asked, "to proceed to the checkout counter immediately if you intend to checkout any items before leaving."

At 15 minutes to closing patrons will be advised again that the library will be closing and, "Please immediately save and send any print jobs to the printers and proceed promptly to the first floor for exit."

Anyone coming in during this time should be able to notice that closing procedures are underway, and staff may alert them that the Library will soon close.

Since the clocks in the building may not show the same time, the clock over the main entrance to the library will be the "official" clock for closing purposes, unless it is not functioning properly and is off by more than 5 minutes; in that case staff may take the time from the computer network or call the local number for the correct time.

 

Reserve Materials

Most materials placed on Reserve are selected by faculty for special class use. Typically these may be checked out for use within the library for only two hours at a time. Because these items are under heavy demand during a brief period, the intent is to make them as available as possible to all the students for whom they are assigned. Please note, an Eagle Access Card is required to use all Reserve items.

Some items may circulate but do so on a very limited basis, from 2 hours to 1 week. Some reserves are available online as Electronic Reserves or e-items. Access to e-items is password protected. Passwords are distributed by Faculty, not library staff.

Assigned readings on Reserve are available to all library users.

Non-university borrowers are restricted to using materials within the library.