• Loan Periods & Fees
• Circulation Policies for Faculty & Staff
  • EagleOne Cards
  • Loan Periods
  • Renewal
  • Overdue Items
  • Recalls
  • Charges
  • Photocopying and Printing
  • Proxy
  • Secondary Cards
• Circulation Policies for Students
  • Check-out
  • Renewal
  • Overdue Items
  • Recalls
  • Late Fees
  • Appeal Policy for Library Charges
  • Lost or Damaged Items
• Library Services for Non-UMW Users

Loan Periods & Fees

Circulation Policies for Faculty & Staff

EagleOne Cards

A valid EagleOne card must be presented each time materials are borrowed. EagleOne cards are non-transferable.

Loan Periods

Depending on the date of check-out, standard circulating materials are due in mid-June or mid-December. Materials designated as Reference, Current Periodicals, Archives, or Rare Books do not circulate. All materials are due immediately on termination of employment, even if the due date has not been reached.

Renewals

Materials from the regular circulating collection may be renewed three times without returning them to the UMW Libraries. Renewal may be done online by accessing your Library Account through the UMW Libraries website. You may also come into the Libraries and present your Eagle One ID card at the desk to have your items renewed. You may access your Library Account online by entering your 16-digit Eagle One ID number and the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number in the Library Account Login form in the center of the UMW Libraries home page. This will allow you to view everything that you have checked out, see when they are due, and select to renew them. If the renewal option does not appear, contact the Simpson Library Circulation Desk at 540-654-1125. Materials may not be renewed until 14 days prior to their due date. You may also present your EagleOne card at the Circulation Desk to renew items.

Materials that are needed past the third renewal due date may be checked-out again, but must be brought to the Libraries’ for processing. Items that have been requested by another user cannot be renewed.

Materials on Course Reserve may not be renewed, but may be checked out again provided no one else is waiting for the material.

Overdue Items

Courtesy reminders that list overdue items are sent when possible. The patron’s account is automatically blocked after the fourth notice, and no further circulation transactions can take place until these items are returned. Telephone and/or Renewal is not possible once an account is blocked.

Recalls

A recall may be placed on material that is currently checked-out with the exception of Course Reserve and audiovisual materials. A recall may be placed remotely through the Library’s catalog or by filling out a Request slip at the Circulation Desk.

A recall generates a notice that informs the current borrower that another borrower has requested the item. The recalled item cannot be renewed. Items that are recalled to be placed on Course Reserves will have an immediate due date.

Charges

Faculty/Staff members are not subject to fines on overdue materials that are owned by UMW Libraries, but are subject to charges for lost or damaged items. The minimum charge for a lost item is $75.  Charges for damaged items are assessed on a case-by-case basis.  Replacement copies of lost items or items damaged beyond repair may be accepted in lieu of payment on a case-by-case basis.  Please contact Christie Glancy, Access Services Librarian for information about replacing a lost or damaged item.

Photocopying & Printing

Copy cards for photocopying and printing for professional purposes may be signed out at the Circulation Desk after showing your EagleOne card. The library staff cannot do your copying for you.

Proxy

Faculty/staff members may authorize others to conduct library transactions on their behalf.  Please see Designating a Proxy for more information.

Secondary Cards

Faculty/staff members may contact the Office of Human Resources to authorize a UMW ID card for one secondary person. This person is commonly a spouse or partner. At Simpson Library, Secondary Card holders have most of the same privileges as students and are subject to the same policies, including late charges and processing fees. Secondary Card holders are not entitled to Interlibrary Loan or Document Delivery services and are not allowed to place holds or recalls on materials that are checked-out.

The faculty/staff member’s library record and the Secondary Card holder’s record will be linked. If one record is blocked for overdue materials or excessive charges, the other record will also be blocked. Abuse of library services will result in the termination of privileges.

Circulation Policies for Students

Check-out

A valid EagleOne card is required for check-out. The loan period for most materials is 35 days.  DVDs are loaned for 7 days.   Microforms, current periodicals, and materials in the Reference Collection cannot be checked out.

Renewals

Materials from the regular circulating collection may be renewed three times without returning them to the UMW Libraries. Renewal may be done online by accessing your Library Account through the UMW Libraries website. You may also come into the Libraries and present your Eagle One ID card at the Circulation Desk to have your items renewed. You may access your Library Account online by entering your 16-digit Eagle One ID number and the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number in the Library Account Login form in the center of the UMW Libraries home page. This will allow you to view everything that you have checked out, see when they are due, and select to renew them. If the renewal option does not appear, contact the Simpson Library Circulation Desk at 540-654-1125. Materials may not be renewed until 14 days prior to their due date.

Materials that are needed past the third renewal due date may be checked-out again, but must be brought to the Library for processing. Items that have been requested by another user cannot be renewed.

Materials on Course Reserve cannot be renewed but may be checked out again providing no one else is waiting for the item.

Overdue Items

Courtesy reminders that list overdue items are sent when possible. The patron’s account is automatically blocked after the fourth notice, and no further circulation transactions can take place until these items are returned.   A charge for replacement is sent to UMW Student Accounts for each item that is overdue by 30 days or more without further notice.  Many library items no longer accrue overdue fines.  However, reserve items, interlibrary loan items, recalled items and electronic equipment will continue to accrue overdue charges.

Recalls

A recall may be placed on material that is currently checked-out with the exception of Course Reserves and Electronic Equipment.  A recall may be placed remotely through the Library’s catalog.  If you need assistance placing a recall, visit the Circulation Desk at either campus library.

A recall generates a notice that informs the current borrower that another borrower has requested the item. The due date does not change and the item cannot be renewed. Items that are recalled to be placed on Course Reserves will have an immediate due date.

Late charges on overdue recalled materials accrue at the rate of $3.00 per day, per item.

Late Fees

See Overview of Fees and Loan Periods.

Appeal Policy For Library Charges

Most disagreements concerning Library charges can be resolved by consulting with a Circulation Supervisor. Students can fill out a Request for Waiver of Charges form to dispute fines on their account.  Paper copies of the form are also available at the Circulation Desk in the Library on either campus. Users have 30 days from the date the charges were incurred within which to file this written appeal and are advised to come forward as soon as possible so that information pertinent to the appeal is still available.

Library charges that are eligible for appeal may be waived as a one-time courtesy for patrons.  This waiver can be used only once during the patron’s affiliation with the University.  The decision will be sent to the user via e-mail within 30 days of the date of the appeal.

The following are NOT considered reasons on which an appeal can be based:

• Interlibrary loan charges are not eligible for appeal.
• Processing charges are not eligible for appeal.
• Fees incurred for damage to items are not eligible for appeal.
• Replacement fees for lost items* are not eligible for appeal.
• Charges which have been transferred to a student’s University account or an external agency for collection cannot be appealed.

*Patrons who are charged replacement fees for lost items can have those replacement fees refunded to them if they find the items and return them in good condition within 6 months from the billing date.  After items are returned in good condition to the library, a clearance letter will be sent the student’s University account.  Applicable processing charges will not be refunded.

If, after filing the appeals form, no satisfactory resolution is reached, the matter may be taken to the University Librarian. The user may set up an appointment to meet with the University Librarian to explain the reasons for the appeal. Appointments can be made by contacting the University Librarian’s Administrative Assistant at 540-654-1147 or by sending an email to Linda Carver at lcarver@umw.edu. The decision made between the user and the Library is final and binding.

Lost or Damaged Items

The minimum charge for a lost item is $75. Some items are loaned to us from other institutions and other replacement charges may apply.  Some DVDs and all electronic equipment have specific replacement charges depending on the cost of the items.  The lost item charge will be refunded if the item is found and returned in good condition within 6 months of the billing date. Replacement copies of lost items damaged beyond repair will not be accepted in lieu of payment. Charges for damaged items are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Underlining and highlighting text will result in damage fees.

Library Services for Non-UMW Users

Guest Patron Cards

Application for a Guest Patron card must be made at the Circulation Desk at Simpson Library. Upon satisfactory completion of the application and a payment (cash or check) of $75.00, a library card will be authorized for residents of Virginia over the age of eighteen. Educators employed by the Commonwealth of Virginia receive a discounted rate. Payment will not be refunded for any reason.

A UMW Libraries Guest Patron card is valid for one year from the date of application.  No materials will be loaned until the applicant has the card in hand.

The Guest Patron card is not transferable. The cardholder is responsible for all materials circulated on this card as well as any charges that are incurred. This card does not entitle the Guest Patron to Interlibrary Loan service, Document Delivery services, entry into Simpson Library for study hall hours or off-campus database access. The Guest Patron cannot place recalls or holds on items that are checked out. It is further understood that materials loaned are for the personal use of the borrower.

A current Eagle One ID is required to remain in Simpson Library after 10pm, Sunday through Thursday.

Unattended Child Policy for UMW Libraries

Children under the age of 16 may not be left unattended in the library and must be directly supervised by a responsible adult or caregiver aged 18 years or older.

If a child under the age of 16 is found to be unattended in the library, staff will attempt to locate or contact the child’s parent/guardian. If the staff cannot locate a parent/guardian, campus security and/or law enforcement officials will be notified.

Children over the age of 16 may use the library unattended provided that their behavior is not disruptive. Disruptive behavior is any form of behavior that seriously or constantly disturbs patrons or staff; damages library property; interferes with library services; or endangers the well-being of the disruptive child or others. Parents/guardians are response for the actions of their children in the library whether or not the parent/guardian is present. Parents/guardians will also be responsible for any damages by their child.

Disruptive children may be asked to leave the library. Parents/guardians will be contacted and campus security and/or law enforcement officials may be notified.

If any child is left unattended at the library at closing time, campus security and/or law enforcement officials will be notified.

Library staff reserves the right to approach children for information regarding his/her parents’/guardian’s availability and to request contact information for the parent/guardian.

This policy goes into effect as of Tuesday, February 12th 2013.

UMW Libraries’ policies are subject to change without notice.