1. Introduction

This policy forms the basis for the lending services operation of Australian Catholic University Library. Changes to the policy should be referred to the Chair of the Lending Services Standing Committee. Significant changes will be referred to the Client Services Management Committee and then to the Director, Libraries for endorsement.

2. Conditions of Borrowing

• Registration as a borrower constitutes acceptance of the terms of this policy.
• It is the responsibility of the borrower to return items borrowed in good condition and on time. Loans are not transferable.
• Loans may not be borrowed by third parties except in unusual circumstances, by prior arrangement and with appropriate identification of the agent.
• Late return of items incurs penalties including fines.
• Library fines and replacement costs are treated as a debt to the University.
• Sanctions that the University may apply to the non-payment of University debts are outlined in ACU Academic Regulations.
• The Library sends notices to borrowers as a courtesy. Non-receipt of a notice by a borrower does not constitute grounds for an appeal.

3. Borrower Categories

3.1 Staff

Academic and general staff of Australian Catholic University.

3.2 Honorary Staff

The University grants Honorary Staff status to a number of special roles including Adjunct Professors; Honorary Fellows; Clinical Associates; Affiliate Lecturers, Volunteer Researchers etc.

3.3 Undergraduate Students

Undergraduates, ELICOS and ACUcom students of ACU.

3.4 Postgraduate Students

Graduate Certificate and Diploma, Postgraduate Certificate and Diploma, Honours, Masters and Doctoral students of ACU.

3.5 Off-Campus Students

Students classified by ACU as "Distance Education", online students and students who reside outside of the metropolitan area of the campus at which they are enrolled and who do not attend regular lectures on campus. Off-Campus students may reside in or outside Australia.

3.6 Non-ACU Borrowers

This category includes Courtesy Borrowers, Community Borrowers, Alumni Borrowers, Reciprocal Borrowers and CEO Borrowers (in Canberra). Enrolment as a Non-ACU borrower is campus specific, i.e. it is valid only at the campus to which application was made with the exception of Unilinc Network borrowers who may use both Sydney Campus Libraries. Prospective Non-ACU borrowers need to provide written documentation to prove their eligibility for the free categories (Reciprocal and Courtesy).

Borrower Category (Non-ACU Borrowers)	Eligibility Criteria
Reciprocal	Students and staff from other universities are eligible to borrow from ACU Library under the University Libraries Australia (ULA), UNILINC Network and CAVAL Reciprocal Borrowing programs. To register at the Campus Library from which you want to borrow you need to have a photo ID and proof of enrolment/employment at your home institution. There is no charge for registration although ACU Library may seek confirmation of the applicant's good standing at their home library. If a reciprocal borrower fails to observe ACU Library's loan conditions, their borrowing privileges will be suspended and the Library may also advise the borrower's home library and seek financial compensation.
Courtesy	Clergy, members of religious orders, members of the University Senate and State Chapters are eligible for library membership without charge on presentation of appropriate documentation. Former permanent members of ACU staff are eligible for courtesy membership for three years after they finish employment. Other local groups are eligible for courtesy membership as recommended by the Campus Librarian and approved by the Associate Library Director (Client Services).
Alumni	Graduates of the University and its predecessor colleges may borrow at a cost of $55.00 for 12 months including GST. A 6 monthly fee of $27.50 may be charged at the discretion of the Lending Services Co-ordinator. Evidence of graduation is required. Alumni borrowers are also eligible for access to selected databases for which the Library has acquired Alumni access. For more details contact your Campus Library Loans Co-ordinator.
Community	Members of the community may join the library at a cost of $88.00 for 12 months including GST. A 6 monthly fee of $44.00 may be charged at the discretion of the Lending Services Co-ordinator. Community members under the age of 18 will require the signature of a parent or guardian to guarantee the payment of any outstanding debts. Other local arrangements may exist. Contact your Campus Library for further information.
CEO Borrowers (Canberra)	CEO General staff and Teachers need to complete the CEO Borrower Registration Form and contact a staff member at Canberra Campus Library.

4. Categories of Material

4.1 Material for Loan

• Main Collection
• Curriculum Collection
• Audio-Visual Collection
• Early Childhood Collection
• Other Collections determined by each Campus Library locally

4.1 Not for Loan

The following categories are not for loan:

Reference Collection

• Serials, bound or unbound, including newspapers.
• Special collections as determined locally
• Individual items as determined locally

4.2 Restricted Loans and the High Demand Collection

Material in high demand may be placed on a restricted loan at the discretion of the Liaison Librarian or academic staff. An item from any collection may be put on Restricted Loan.

4.3 Audio Visual material and other Hardware

Loans of audio visual items, hardware or any other equipment (often on behalf of IT or Disability Services), is determined locally or in conjunction with IT or Disability Services staff where necessary.

5. Loan Periods and Renewals

The following standard loan periods apply (to material other than Restricted Loans, or Not for Loan items)

Borrower Category	Loan Period	Renewals
Staff	60 days	3
Undergraduate Students	28 days	3
Postgraduate Students	28 days	3
Off-campus students	28 days	3
Canberra CEO borrowers	28 days	3
Community Borrowers	14 days	3
Alumni Borrowers	14 days	3
Courtesy Borrowers	14 days	3
Reciprocal Borrowers	14 days	0

Some categories of materials have special loan conditions that apply to all those eligible to borrow them.

DVDs may be borrowed by staff, undergraduate and postgraduate students for 14 days and are renewable. Off-campus students may borrow DVDs for 17 days with 3 renewals.

Restricted Loans may be borrowed for the period designated (2 hours, 1 day, 3 days or 7 days). They are not renewable.

Staff may borrow a limited number of items for 6 months, where approved by the Campus Librarian or delegate. These items are subject to recall after 28 days.

Students on teaching or nursing practicum may borrow items from the General or Curriculum Collection for the duration of the practicum subject to the approval of the Lending Services Co-ordinator.

Recalls

Items out on loan may be recalled if there are multiple holds on the item or needed for the High Demand Collection.

This shortens the loan period already given but borrowers are guaranteed a minimum 14 day loan and a minimum 7 days to return the item.

Recall notices will be sent to the borrower’s recorded email address. Fines will apply to overdue recalled items at the standard rate.

Library items with more than two requests/holds are automatically shortened to a 14 day loan until all requests are satisfied.

Maximum Number of Loans at any one time

Borrower Category	Loans
Staff	60
Undergraduate Students	30
Postgraduate & Honours Students	30
Off Campus Students	30
Reciprocal Borrowers	10
Courtesy Borrowers	15
Alumni Borrowers	15
Community Borrowers	15
Canberra CEO Borrowers	15

There is provision for short term bulk loans for specific purposes, e.g. for a class presentation. This is determined locally on a case by case basis.

6. High Demand and Restricted Loans

Restricted Loans are items identified by Liaison Librarians or academic staff as critically important for students. They can be assigned the following loan periods:

• 2 hours in the library (High Demand Collection)
• Overnight from two hours before closing - the items must be returned within one hour of the opening hour on the following working day.
• 1 day
• 3 days
• 7 days

It is up to individual libraries which loan periods they wish to use and where they house their Restricted Loans. A maximum of 3 items from each restricted category may be borrowed. Non-ACU borrowers are not eligible to borrow Restricted Loans.

7. Restrictions on Non-ACU Borrowers

Non ACU Borrowers may borrow from the general collections, as identified by individual campus libraries, in the terms set out in Section 5 - Loan Periods and Renewals. Non-ACU borrowers are not eligible to borrow Restricted Loans, obtain intercampus loans or request items to be held for them.

Canberra’s CEO clients may have 5 Intercampus loans. Access to other collections and services by Non-ACU borrowers may be limited according to local circumstances and the terms of any local reciprocal borrowing schemes.

8. Requests/Holds

ACU students and staff may place requests for items which are on loan (except for Restricted Loans) from any Campus Library. However, requests on your own Campus Library’s Restricted Loans (other than 2 hour loans) are accepted. There is a limit of 5 requests for undergraduate and postgraduate students and 10 for Off-Campus students and ACU staff. Borrowers are informed via email when a request is available for collection. Standard loans are held for collection for 5 days at the Loans Desk of the home Campus Library. Restricted loans are held for collection for 1 day at the Loans Desk of the home Campus Library. If they are not collected in this time then the items are returned to the shelf and the request is cancelled.

9. Generation of Notices

Notices are generated as follows:

Loan type	Courtesy notice	Overdue notice	Bill for Replacement notice
Standard Items	3 days before due date	2 days after due date	28 days after due date
Restricted Loans (1, 3 or 7 days)	3 days before due date on 7 day loans only. No courtesy notice for 1 or 3 day loans.	1 day after due date	14 days after due date
2 Hour Loans	-	-	1 day after due date

• Courtesy and Overdue notices are emailed to the borrower’s ACU email address
• Bills for Replacement and Fine notices of $45 or more are printed and posted via Australia Post to the borrower’s recorded home address
• The library sends notices to borrowers as a courtesy. Non-receipt of a notice by a borrower does not constitute grounds for dispute of a penalty
• Notification of the availability of requested items are generated when an item is ready for pick-up

10. Fines

All borrowers are subject to fines except staff. All borrowers (including staff) are subject to a Bill for Replacement if any item is lost, damaged, or overdue for the time outlined in Section 9. There is a processing fee of $20.00 added to the replacement cost for lost or damaged items. Replacement cost is determined by the current market value of the item.

Item Type	Rate of fine	Maximum Charge per item
Standard Items	50 cents per item per day	$50.00 maximum per item
2 Hour Loans	$1.00 per hour (or part thereof)	$50.00 maximum per item
Restricted Loans (1 day, 3 day, 7 day)	$2.00 per item per day	$50.00 maximum per item

11. Appeals

Borrowers who have incurred penalties due to extenuating circumstances, such as an illness should in the first instance appeal to the Lending Service Co-ordinator in their Campus Library. Documentation such as a medical certificate will be required to support your claim.

If you believe you have returned your item, please ask for a Claims Returned form at the library loans desk.

12. Suspension of Borrowers

Borrowing privileges are suspended if the borrower has any item overdue (including Restricted Loans, Intercampus Loans and Interlibrary Loans), or has outstanding fines of $10.00 or more. All Borrowers (including staff) will have their borrowing privileges withdrawn when the Library is advised that they have been suspended through a local reciprocal borrowing scheme.

13. Borrowing from All Libraries

All ACU staff and students are entitled to borrow from any ACU library in person. It is the responsibility of the borrower to return the item to the Campus Library from which it was borrowed.

14. Intercampus Loans and Inter-library loans

ACU staff and students may request an item from any Campus Library of ACU to be obtained for them through Intercampus Loan. Only items out on loan can be requested from your home Campus Library. See special provisions for Off-Campus students in section 14. There is a limit of 5 Intercampus Loan requests at any one time for all students except Off-campus students who may have 10. Intercampus Loan requests will not be processed if the borrower has an overdue item, or has outstanding fines of $10.00 or more.

14.1 Intercampus Loans of Books and Other Returnable Items.

Borrowers eligible for Intercampus Loans may request books, DVDs, and other borrowable items held at any ACU Campus Library. Not for Loan items, Restricted Loans (including High Demand collection), or items whose physical condition make them difficult to post, are not available for Intercampus Loan.

14.2 Intercampus Loans of Journal Articles, Chapters or Extracts, etc.

All students and staff may request journal articles and book chapters or extracts on intercampus loan from any Campus Library other than your home Campus Library. These are sent electronically to the borrower’s ACU email address.

14.3 Inter-library Loans.

Please refer to a separate policy for Inter-library loans - Interlibrary Loans and Document Delivery Policy

15. Service to Off-Campus Students

15.1 Loans to Off-Campus Students in Australia

Off-Campus Students may borrow standard items for 28 days with 3 renewals. Video recordings and DVDs may be borrowed for 17 days with 3 renewals. Off-campus students are eligible for a special postal service. Items including Intercampus loans are mailed to Off-Campus students upon request. Off-Campus students may also request journal articles, chapters or extracts from items held in any ACU Campus Library. These are posted if electronic provision is not possible. Return postage of items is the responsibility of the student.

15.2 Loans and Intercampus Loans to Off-Campus Students Overseas

ACU Libraries sends copies of articles and chapters, preferably by electronic means to overseas students. Items are posted using AIRMAIL. The student is responsible for return of the loan (including costs), via AIRMAIL, to the holding Campus Library. Emailed articles or chapters may be kept. Where the overseas student does not have access to a secure postal system the Campus Librarian may limit the posting of books. The Campus Librarian may also need to restrict the loan of high demand material, fragile material and oversized material. Because of the possible high cost to the student of return postage the number of items posted at any one time is limited to a manageable number, at the discretion of the Campus Librarian.

28 February 2013

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Document information

• Applies to: All Staff and Students
• Owner: Director, Libraries