Borrowing Items

Policy

To support the information needs of its students, faculty and staff as well as other users of the Clayton State University Library, it is the policy of the Clayton State Library to circulate eligible library materials to users who have authorized borrowing privileges. 

• Library User Responsibilities
  • • Users are responsible for the prompt return of library materials in good condition at the end of the loan period. 
    • Users should safeguard their ID and may not borrow items under another user’s ID.  
• User Groups
  • • Fully Authorized Library users include: 
      
      • • Students, faculty and staff currently enrolled or working at Clayton State University with a current LakerCard or driver’s license for identification.
        • Clayton State University retirees with a current Community Borrower’s card¹. 
        • University System of Georgia students, faculty and staff with a current ID card from their home institution. 
    • Partially Authorized Library users include: 
      
      • • Clayton State University alumni, continuing education students, and regional community members with a current community borrower’s card² AND a valid email address on file that can receive Library notices. 
        • ARCHE consortia students, faculty and staff with a current ARCHE card³. 
        • Georgia Department of Archives staff with a photo ID. 
    • Visitors
      • • Any other user who is not an authorized library user as defined above. 

• Borrowing Limits
  • • Fully authorized library users
      • • Limited to 5 total pieces of equipment and 1 laptop 
        • No limit on the number of books or other circulating items 
    • Partially authorized library users
      • • Limited to 5 books
    • Visitors
      • • Visitors have no borrowing privileges

Loan Period

Loan Period – The time period for which items may be borrowed is dependent upon the type of material and user group. The due date for materials borrowed near the end of a semester defaults to the patron’s expiration date (usually the day after finals end) which may shorten a standard loan period. 

 

• Books
  • • Clayton State faculty, staff and retirees may borrow books for the length of the semester. Twenty-eight days prior to the end of the current semester, the due date will be updated to reflect the next semester’s end of term date. 
    • Clayton State students; University System of Georgia students, faculty and staff; users with a Community Borrowers Card; and ARCHE consortia students, faculty and staff may borrow books for a 28-day period. 
      
    • Reference Collection
      • • Clayton State students, faculty, staff and retirees may borrow for a 7-day loan. 
        • These items are not available for loan to other users. 
    • Legal Research and Periodical Collections: 
      • • Clayton State faculty, staff and retirees may borrow for a 2-day loan.
        • These items are not available for loan to other users. 
• Audiovisual
  • • Clayton State faculty, staff and retirees may borrow for the length of the semester.
    • Clayton State students may borrow for a 7-day loan.
    • These items are not available for loan to other users. 

• Course Reserves
  • • Course Reserves have restricted circulation based on faculty request because of expected high demand by students in the class. 
      
      • • Clayton State students may borrow for a 2-hour, 1-day, or 7- day loan. 
        • These items are not available for loan to other users. 
• Equipment
  • • Laptops and VR headset:
      • • Clayton State students may borrow for a 4-hour loan. 
        • Users must have a current signed laptop agreement form on file before borrowing a laptop. 
        • Users must complete safety training and have a current signed borrowing agreement form on file before borrowing a VR headset.  
        • These items are for in-library use only. 
    • Small equipment
      • • Includes headphones, adapters, chargers, webcams, wireless presenters, stands, and study room supplies. 
        • Clayton State students, faculty, staff and retirees may borrow for a 4-hour loan. 
    • DVD Players
      • • Clayton State students, faculty, staff and retirees may borrow for a 7-day loan. 
    • Equipment items are not available for loan to other users. 
• Returning Items
  • • Books 
      • Return to the interior book returns at the lower-level Circulation Desk or the upper-level Information Desk or the exterior library book returns at the University Center entrance or Library building courtyard entrance. 
    • Audiovisual
      • Return to the interior book returns at the lower-level Circulation Desk or the upper-level Information Desk.  
      • Do not leave in the external library book returns. 
    • Course Reserves 
      • Return to library staff at the upper-level Information Desk 
    • Equipment
      
      • • Return laptops and VR goggles to library staff at the upper-level Information Desk. 
        • Return study room supplies and most other equipment to library staff at the lower-level Circulation Desk or the upper-level Information Desk. 
        • Do not leave equipment in the library book returns. 
• Renewing Items
  • • Most borrowed items are automatically renewed twice for fully authorized users in good standing.  
    • Partially authorized users are not permitted to renew loans.  
    • In-person renewals are permitted for equipment based on availability. 
    • Items belonging to audiovisual, course reserves, reference, legal, and periodical collections are not eligible for renewal. 
    • After the renewal limit is reached, items must be returned at which time the item can be borrowed again if not needed by another patron. 
• Overdue and Lost Items
  • • An item is considered overdue if it is not returned or renewed before its due date. 
    • Users will receive email reminders about overdue items.  
      • • 1^st notice is sent when the item is 7 days overdue. 
        • 2^nd notice is sent when the item is 14 days overdue. 
    • A circulating book or non-print material is declared lost at 30 days overdue.
    • Equipment and Course Reserves materials are declared lost at 1 day overdue. 
• Penalties
  • • Users may not borrow items if their account has been blocked by overdue items, lost items, or outstanding library fines.  
    • Users with lost items may be charged replacement and processing fines if the items are not returned in good condition⁴. 
    • The library reserves the right to block equipment use privileges to anyone who is repeatedly late in returning equipment or who has exhibited a pattern of misuse of equipment⁴. 

 

Effective Date: 1/1/1999
Review Date: 5/7/2024