LOAN PERIODS

Bound and current periodicals, Reference materials, Old and Rare collection and Special collections do not circulate.

LOAN AMOUNT

FINES

OVERDUE

Three overdue notices will be sent to students via email. If the item is not returned after a month, the item becomes lost and charges will be assessed. A student's I.D. is blocked if there are three or more items checked out which are overdue, or if there are unpaid fines in excess of $10.00. The student must pay the fines before charging any more materials.

RESERVES

A system of reserve materials allows titles in frequent demand for a course to circulate for limited periods of time, thereby serving a greater number of students. A faculty member may place on reserve Summar Library owned books, personal books, articles, and media materials that several students or an entire class must view within a given period of time. Reserve items which are selected by the individual professors for class use, are shelved behind the Circulation Desk. There are two type of reserve materials 1) Restricted Reserve that cannot leave the library and 2) One Day Reserve due back by the closing of the next day. However, a faculty member may check out a book or video on reserve for class that same day. Students who wish to check out reserve materials must present a valid Union Dawg Tag.

LOST MATERIALS

Lost items are to be reported to the Circulation Desk Supervisor immediately, so the accumulation of fines can be stopped. The system charges a $50.00 replacement fee, $10.00 processing fee and a $5.00 overdue fee.

If someone cannot locate a lost book, actual replacement costs will be obtained from standard sources. If an item is no longer available, then a minimum fee of $50.00 or the cost of a comparable item will be charged plus the $10.00 processing fee. Guest users will be invoiced for the replacement cost and processing fee. Guest users will not be allowed further library privileges until all fees are paid.

DEFACEMENT OR THEFT

Defacement, mutilation, or theft of any library resource is a serious offense and will result in a $50.00 fine plus cost of replacement or restoration. A second offense will result in the fines plus referral to the College Judicial Council for disciplinary action.

GUEST POLICY

Individuals must be registered as guests and issued a guest card in order to borrow materials from Summar Library. Borrowing guest users must meet at least one of the following qualifications:

1. A member of Union's board of trustees
2. A local minister or church staff member
3. A local academic or public librarian (West Tennessee Area Libraries Consortium)
4. The spouse of a faculty/staff member
5. An alumnus
6. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary taking extension classes at Union University.

Guest cards must be issued by a member of the circulation staff. Exceptions to the above criteria must be approved by the library director. Individuals who do not meet this criteria for obtaining a guest card may gain entrance to the library but are not allowed borrowing privileges.

Privileges

Guests have entrance to the library free of charge. Guest card holders may check out up to three items, and renew them once. This does not include media materials, which must have the approval of the supervisor or librarian. The I.D. will be blocked and borrowing privileges suspended if the card holder has an overdue item or $0.10 in unpaid fines.  Guests have in-house use of library materials and facilities. Guest users may be asked to relinquish any library resource if it is needed by a current student or faculty member.  Guests may print from computers at a charge of $.05 a page. Guests may obtain reference service as time allows and after first-priority service to Union faculty, staff, and students has been rendered.

Regulations

• All patrons must adhere to the general policies of the library.
• The Guest card must be presented at the time of charging out materials. Only the person issued the card may use it to charge materials. Violation of this policy may result in the forfeiture of the Guest user card and the privilege of using Summar Library.
• The registrants themselves are responsible for overdue fines, damage, and replacement costs.
• User privileges may be suspended for delinquent fees, for failure to return items in a timely manner, or for allowing others to use their card.
• Interlibrary loan and on-line search requests are not a part of this policy and should be referred to a public library.
• Since the academic community has priority for use of library materials, all items checked out to guests are subject to immediate recall and must be returned in a timely manner.
• Guest users must recognize the responsibility of the University library to provide materials representing different viewpoints and diversity of appeal.

Community Borrowers

A resident of Madison County (proof is required) who is 18 years old or more may purchase a community borrower’s card for $60. The community borrower’s card gives the holder the right to check out up to three (3) books and free printing. Individuals who do not wish to purchase a Guest card with borrowing privileges may still use the resources in Summar Library. We ask that they sign in at the library entrance to help us know better the population we serve.

RESOURCE SHARING AGREEMENT

The West Tennessee Academic Library Consortium allows Union students and faculty to access to the library resources of the following academic institutions in the area.

• Bethel College
• Crichton College
• Christian Brothers University
• Dyersburg State Community College
• Freed-Hardeman University
• Jackson State Community College
• Lambuth University
• Lane College
• LeMoyne-Owen College
• Rhodes College
• University of Memphis
• University of Tennessee at Martin
• University of Tennessee at Memphis

Students are subject to the lender’s policies and procedures. Students from the above institutions are given guest borrowing privileges that includes three book charges.