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Library Loans Policy

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Section 1 - Purpose and Context

(1) The purpose of the UWS Loans Policy is to ensure equity in access to and availability of library collections across the University.

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Section 2 - Definitions

(2) Nil.

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Section 3 - Policy Statement

Part A - Eligibility

(3) The following table identifies those students, staff and other external parties who are eligible to borrow from UWS.The table also indicates loan conditions applicable to each sub-category.

Eligible Borrower Categories and Category Definitions Loan Conditions
Students All currently enrolled UWS students. See Relevant Sub-Category.
Undergraduate Students enrolled in Bachelor's degrees and all non-award courses offered by the University. Standard Loans
Postgraduate Students enrolled in Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, Undergraduate Honours, Masters and Doctoral degrees offered by the University. Extended Loans
External All students enrolled in external courses, as designated in the UWS Calendar. Extended Loans
Diploma in Indigenous Australian Community Studies (AREP) All students enrolled in AREP programmes AREP Loans
Students with Disabilities All UWS and Nirimba College of TAFE students registered with the relevant Disabilities Adviser. Extended Loans
Staff See Relevant Sub-Category
All UWS Staff All currently employed UWS Staff. Extended Loans
UWS Honorary Appointments All persons currently in UWS Honorary Appointments. Extended Loans
Other Categories See Relevant Sub-Category.
Service Agreement Students All students of educational institutions under Service Agreements to which UWS Library is a party (Nirimba College of TAFE, NSW Police Service). Standard Loans
Service Agreement Staff All staff of educational institutions under Service Agreements to which UWS Library is a party (Nirimba College of TAFE, NSW Police Service). Extended Loans
UWS Board of Trustees All non-staff members of the UWS Board of Trustees. Extended Loans
UWS Alumni UWS graduates and ex-staff registered with the UWS Alumni Association. Standard Loans
Reciprocal Agreement Borrowers Any student or staff eligible under ULA and NBS agreements, or other reciprocal agreements to which UWS Library is a party. Standard Loans
Community and Corporate Borrowers* For example, residents and nominees of companies of the Greater Western Sydney Region as defined by UWS, following payment of specified joining fees. Standard Loans
Other Other parties as approved by the University Librarian. To be advised on approval.
* Greater Western Sydney includes the following local government areas: Auburn, Bankstown, Baulkham Hills, Blacktown, Blue Mountains, Camden, Campbelltown, Fairfield, Hawkesbury, Holroyd, Liverpool, Parramatta, Penrith, Wollondilly.
* Two forms of identification with current address are required for individuals enrolling as Community Borrowers.
* A letter of introduction on official letterhead and listing up to four individual company nominees is required for Corporate Membership.
* Specified fees for Community and Corporate borrowers are determined by the Board of Trustees, and vary from time to time.

Part B - Loan Periods, Limits and Renewals

Borrowers’ Card

(4) All clients are required to produce a current, valid Library card (student/staff identification card, Library issued borrowers’ card) in order to borrow items unless special authorisation is granted by the Campus Librarians, Client Services Librarians, Associate Librarians or University Librarian. Borrowers’ cards are not transferable and clients are responsible for all items charged against their card. Loss or theft of borrowers’ cards must be reported to the Library immediately.

Loan Conditions

Standard Loans

  1. A total of 15 items at any one time
  2. 14 day loan period with 2 optional renewals per item
  3. Reference materials and journals are not available for loan
  4. Late fees apply

Extended Loans

  1. A total of 25 items at any one time
  2. 28 day loan period with 2 optional renewals per item
  3. Reference materials and journals are not available for loan
  4. Late fees apply

Diploma in Indigenous Australian Community Studies (AREP) Loans

  1. A total of 15 items at any one time
  2. 12 week loan period with 2 optional renewals per item
  3. Reference materials and journals are not available for loan
  4. Late fees apply

Part C - Services

Inter-Library Loans (Document Delivery)

(5) Document Delivery services are available to Staff and Postgraduate Students as defined in Part A above. Loan periods and conditions vary depending on policies of the lending institution. Late fees apply in instances where Document Delivery loans are returned to UWS Library past the due date.

Inter-Campus Requests /Loans

(6) Inter-campus requests/loans are available to all internal UWS and specified Service Agreement Clients.

(7) Inter-campus Request/Loan privileges are not available to the following client categories:

  1. Corporate and Community Borrowers
  2. Reciprocal borrowers

Part D - Recalls

(8) All material on loan is subject to recall. Materials will be recalled by Library staff from time to time to meet high demand (e.g. at the request of academic staff for inclusion in Reserve collections).

(9) Recalled items have a shortened loan period of 10 days from date of recall and borrowers are subject to late fees from date of revised (recall) due date.

Part E - Reservations (Holds)

(10) Most items available for loan may be reserved (placed on hold).

(11) Reservation/hold requests are valid for 30 days from the time of request placement.

(12) Items will be held for collection at Library service desks for a maximum of 7 days prior to their return to the collections.

(13) Reserve and 3 day loan items cannot be reserved.

Part F - Reserve Collections

Campus Reserve Collections

(14) Each UWS campus library maintains a Reserve Collection for material anticipated to be in high demand. These collections include books and other items from the Library collections, personal copies of academics’ work. All materials placed on reserve are accessible via the Library Catalogue.

(15) Material is placed on reserve collections at the request of academic staff, and may remain on reserve for either one or both semesters of a current academic year. The collections are cleared at the conclusion of each academic year.

e-Reserve

(16) An electronic reserve has been established to facilitate wide access to scanned or digital journal articles, chapters from books and other material (within limitations imposed by Copyright legislation). All materials available through e-Reserve are accessible via the Library catalogue.

(17) At least 72 hours notice is required to ensure placement of items in the Reserve and e-Reserve collections.

Part G - Services to External Students

(18) Students enrolled in UWS External programmes, as defined in Part A above, are entitled to Postal loans for books from UWS libraries via the External Services Unit.

(19) This service is available within Australia only.

(20) A maximum of 10 items can be requested per week up to the borrowing limit within each client category.

(21) Outward postage costs are met by the Library while students are responsible for return postage.

(22) Note: Materials on loan remain the client's responsibility until received by the Library. The following items are unavailable for request:

  1. Non-print items
  2. Three-day loan items
  3. Items from Reserve Collections
  4. Reference materials
  5. Journal issues or volumes (specified articles may be supplied)

Part H - Reciprocal Borrowing Arrangements

(23) UWS Library participates in the ULA (University Library Australia) a national borrowing scheme. Students and staff in good standing (i.e. currently enrolled with no outstanding loans or late fees) are eligible to register with other university participants in these agreements.All fees, charges and levies associated with such registrations are to be met by the client.

Part I - Fines and Penalties

(24) Patrons who fail to return items on or before the due date incur late fees and penalties. These fees and penalties are designed to assist students by maximising access to, and availability of, library materials.

Part J - Overdue items: Suspension of Privileges

(25) Further borrowing privileges are suspended when items on loan are not returned on or before the due date. Borrowing privileges remain suspended until all overdue materials are returned and associated late fees discharged.

Part K - Courtesy Notices

(26) One courtesy reminder notice of overdue materials is sent when item/s are 5 days overdue.

(27) A further notice is sent 28 days past the due date.

(28) A bill for replacement ($100.00 per item or actual cost, whichever is greater), 100 days after the due date.

Part L - Late Fees: Possible Suspension of Privileges

(29) Failure to return a borrowed item on or before the due date or time, or failure to return a recalled item within one week of the recall request will incur a late fee on return of the overdue item(s).

(30) Late fees are levied at the following rates:

  1. Reserve collection items $2.00 per item per hour or part thereof
  2. General collection items $1.00 per item per day or part thereof
  3. 3 day loan items $2.00 per item per day or part thereof
  4. Recalled items $2.00 per item per day or part thereof

(31) In circumstances where individual borrowers’ late fees total $10.00 or more, borrowing privileges are suspended.

(32) Late fees are capped at a maximum amount of $25.00 per item.

(33) The Campus Librarian, Client Services Librarians the Associate Librarians or the University Librarian may, in particular circumstances, (e.g. substantiated illness or misadventure) waive late fees.

Part M - Lost and damaged item charges and penalties

(34) Lost items must be replaced.

Standard Fee

(35) A standard fee of $100.00 (minimum) or actual replacement cost per missing item applies. A $25.00 processing charge is levied in addition to the lost item charge.

Replacement

(36) Lost items may be replaced by clients with an identical copy of same edition of the lost work. Replacing a missing item incurs a processing fee of $25.00.

Reimbursements

(37) Lost item fees may, at the discretion of the Campus Librarians, Client Services Librarians, the Associate Librarians or the University Librarian be reimbursed should lost items subsequently be found and returned to the Library. In such instances, overdue fees and processing charges are not subject to reimbursement.

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Section 4 - Procedures

(38) Nil.

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Section 5 - Guidelines

(39) Nil.