American University Library - Circulation Policies and Procedures

Circulation Policies and Procedures

Borrowing From the WRLC

Eligible students, staff and faculty are entitled to borrow from all the main libraries of the universities participating in the Washington Research Library Consortium (WRLC), which include American, Catholic, Gallaudet, Georgetown, George Mason, George Washington, Marymount, Trinity and University of the District of Columbia.

Eligibility

To be eligible for borrowing you must be affiliated with one of the above schools, have your university ID card with you, and also be one of the following:

An undergraduate student enrolled in a degree program

A graduate student enrolled in a degree program*

A faculty member or full time staff member

Library users in other categories should consult their home institution's Access Services Department.

University ID cards are non-transferable, which means that you cannot borrow someone else's ID to check out a book. So remember, always bring your own ID card to the library.

*Note: Typically the law and medical libraries do not lend to WRLC users, and some law and medical students are not eligible to borrow in the consortium.

Loan Policies

Loan periods for normal circulating materials:

4 weeks for undergraduate students and staff

4 weeks for alumni with an alumni borrowing card (Alumni are only eligible to borrow from AU)

6 weeks for graduate students

Up to 4 months for faculty, utilizing 3 fixed due dates per year (1/31, 5/31, 9/30)

All books can be renewed 3 times online

There is a 3 day grace period, which is an amnesty period, rather than an additional loan period. Books returned after the grace period has ended will be subject to fines accrued from the date the book was due.

There will be no limit on the number of books you can borrow except at George Mason, where the limit is 25

Fines and Fees

Overdue fines are charged to encourage prompt returns and to provide the best service to all users. You are liable for the specified due dates and overdue fines for general material. In order to help you keep track of your materials, all books have a date due slip in the back which is stamped with the due date at the time the material is checked out. A due date slip will be printed for books checked out on the Self-Check machine. You may also check your account through MyALADIN to find out when your books are due. It is your responsibility to note the date the material is due.

Overdue notices are sent as a courtesy to borrowers. Failure to receive notices sent by the library does not remove your obligation to return material by the due date nor does it constitute grounds for reducing fines. If you have material checked out in your name, you are responsible for its proper use and timely return. This means you assume financial responsibility until the books are discharged from your account. All fines must be paid in full; we do not accept partial payment. If you have delinquent materials or bills, or have excessive fines, you will have a University-wide stop placed on your account.

The library reserves the right to deny borrowing privileges to anyone based upon just cause.

Fine schedules and policies:

The daily fine per overdue book is $0.25

Your library account will be blocked from further activity if you accrue $25 in fines or feesA book will be considered "lost" after being overdue for 39 days. At this time a $57.00 item replacement fee, a $30.00 processing fee, and a $10.00 overdue fee will be added to your account. The item replacement fee and the processing fee will be removed when you return the book.

All books are subject to recall by other users. The daily recall fine is $5.00, up to a maximum of $25.00 for any one book. The grace period does not apply to recalls.

Advantages of Borrowing Through the WRLC

Borrowing through the WRLC allows you:

Greatly expanded access to research materials

24/7 access to the ALADIN catalog through your library's website

Book delivery and return at any consortium library

Online document delivery for journal articles

Convenient item availability notices via e-mail

Fast turnaround and delivery time

Check MyALADIN for due dates, to renew online, for the status of your CLS requests, for pending holds, and for information on fines for books you have already returned or renewed.

Please inform the library whenever you change you address or lose your ID, so we can adjust our records.

Contact the Staff:

If you have any questions concerning Circulation policies and procedures, please contact the at 202-885-3221.