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Direct Borrowing Priveleges and Regulations
Reciprocal Borrowing
Consortial Licensing
Cooperative Collection Development

(Adopted: March 25, 1994)

Policy Statement

The WRLC libraries extend the privileges of in-person borrowing to eligible faculty and students of WRLC member institutions. Eligibility for students and faculty is defined primarily by the home institution within WRLC eligibility guidelines. Participants enrolled in institutes, workshops, and designated short sessions are not eligible. Interlibrary loan procedures are covered under a separate policy.

Privileges

Eligible patrons may borrow from the central libraries, branches, and departmental libraries as designated by the Library Director or his/her designated representative at each participating institution. Normal circulating material may be borrowed. Other materials will be lent according to the policy of the host institution. Materials may be returned to the lending institution or to the borrower's home institution. Materials returned at the borrower's home institution will be discharged and forwarded to the lending institution via the WRLC courier service. Any fines or other financial obligations associated with materials borrowed via the WRLC direct borrowing program must be paid at the lending institution.

Responsibility

The home institution is responsible for securing a patron address and other necessary information for WRLC borrowers. Overdue notices and/or bills will be sent to the borrower by the lending institution. The home institution is responsible for ensuring return of materials from any individual who becomes delinquent at a lending institution.

Procedures

Each patron shall present a current valid university photo ID from a member university in order to borrow at WRLC member libraries. The home institution is responsible for entering and/or updating the patron record into the WRLC circulation system.

Borrowing Limits

These limits take into account all materials borrowed by patrons as a WRLC direct borrower. They also will count monies owed at the borrower's home institution toward the limit imposed on consortium borrowing. Sanctions will be imposed on delinquent borrowers including the suspension of borrowing privileges.

Please note: The limits outlined below apply for libraries using the shared WRLC circulation system. The limits may be different at participating libraries not using the shared system.

  1. The maximum number of items which can be charged through direct borrowing for faculty and graduate students is 50. The maximum number of items an undergraduate may have charged is 25.
  2. The maximum amount of money which can be owed (counts all monies billed on ALADIN) by faculty and graduate students is $15.00. The maximum amount of money which can be owed for undergraduates is $5.00.
  3. The maximum number of recalls (overdue) allowed on a WRLC direct borrowing card for faculty, graduate students and undergraduates is 1.
  4. Faculty and graduate studentswill be allowed up to 10 overdue items before their direct borrowing privileges will be suspended. Undergraduates are allowed to have one overdue item before their direct borrowing privileges will be suspended.

Eligibility Guidelines

Definition of "Faculty" for the Direct Borrowing Program

  1. Direct borrowing privileges will be extended to all regular faculty. Each institution is responsible for defining the categories of faculty to be included in its definition of regular faculty."
  2. Privileges will be granted to all faculty, otherwise eligible, for whom the main library constitutes the primary resource.
  3. Faculty on leave may obtain borrowing privileges if otherwise eligible.
  4. Borrowing privileges will be granted to high-level administrators as defined by each participating library.
  5. All professional library staff are eligible for privileges. The definition of "professional library staff" is determined by the Librarian.

Definition of "Student" for the Direct Borrowing Program

  1. Direct borrowing privileges will be extended to all students enrolled in an undergraduate degree program.
  2. Direct borrowing privileges will be extended to all students enrolled in post-baccalaureate degree programs.
  3. Eligibility for students enrolled in law and medical schools is established at each participating institution.

Special Collections and Materials of Exceptional Value

  1. Items identified by host (lending) institution as "special collections" or non-circulating should not be loaned to consortium direct-borrowers. If the host (lending) institution, however, chooses to loan such items, the host institution will assume financial responsibility for lost items.
  2. Items that circulate which are later determined to be of a special collections nature and are therefore irreplaceable will be processed as a regular circulating item and priced according to the established interinstitutional policy governing charges for direct-borrowing losses.
  3. Items circulate with restrictions determined by the lending institution.
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