Circulation and Access
Syracuse University provides library services to meet the instructional and research needs of its students, faculty, and staff; to fulfill regional and national commitments to resource sharing; and, as resources permit, to meet the research needs of SU alumni and members of the Syracuse community. All library users are subject to the rules and regulations of the Syracuse University Library. The policies contained herein are established to ensure fair access to the Library's collections and to promote an environment conducive to study and research.
Entrance
The SU Library welcomes members of the general public as well as all individuals affiliated with Syracuse University to use the Library's resources and facilities. To ensure that current SU students, faculty, and staff have access to necessary academic resources and to ensure a safe and secure environment for users, the Library may at times give priority in service to University-affiliated users and may limit visitors' access to selected facilities, collections, and services.
Library facilities are open to the public as posted at building entrances and on the Library web site. Depository collections of U.S. government publications and help in using them are freely available to all Library users during these hours. After 9 p.m. each day, access to Library buildings is restricted to individuals holding currently valid SU I.D. cards. For more information, see the University's I.D. Card Policy.
Food is permitted only in food vending areas and in the E.S. Bird Library cafe; beverages are permitted in securely sealed containers only, and are restricted in designated locations within the Library.
Registration
All visitors are encouraged to register at the E.S. Bird Library first floor service desk, the Science and Technology Library service desk, or the relevant branch library service desk. Visitors must register in order to use the Library's public computer workstations, to access the Library's catalog and databases, and to borrow materials (a fee may apply; see below for more information). To register, visitors must provide a current government-issued photo I.D. and complete a visitor registration form. See the Visitors Guide for further information about services and resources available to visitors.
Public Workstation Access
All of the Library's networked computer workstations may be accessed by logging in with an SU-issued NetID. Visitors are eligible to use computer workstations after completing the Library's registration process and charging out a computer key. See the Visitors Guide for more information.
Patron Confidentiality
In recognition of the individual's right to privacy, the Library does not release patron or circulation records unless legally required to do so. For further information, see Patron Privacy Policy at http://library.syr.edu/policies/privacy.html.
Borrowing
Those with current SU I.D. or guest borrower cards have borrowing privileges as outlined in the table below. Other visitors may use Library resources in-house. Those who wish to have another SU-affiliated individual borrow materials on their behalf may obtain a proxy authorization form from the circulation desk at E.S. Bird library or the Science and Technology Library. Individuals are responsible for all materials checked out in their name and for all fines and charges. The table below lists the services available to the various patron groups.
Patron categories
Borrowing privileges are provided for the following patrons with their SU I.D. card:
Undergraduates: |
SU, ESF, and University College (UC) undergraduate students. |
Graduate students: |
SU and ESF full- and part-time matriculated and non-matriculated graduate students. |
Faculty: |
SU, ESF, and UC faculty. The University determines faculty status; it is not assigned by the Library. |
Staff: |
Full- and part-time SU, ESF, and UC staff. Does not include temporary employees. |
Emeriti faculty: |
Retired SU faculty with emeritus status conferred by the University. |
ISDP: |
Students formally enrolled in an Independent Study Degree Program. Access Services will mail SU Library books to ISDP students. |
Visiting Scholars: |
From other educational institutions who are formally associated with an SU academic department. |
Post-doctoral students: |
Those who have completed a doctoral degree and are continuing research at SU. |
Faculty Borrowing
Loan period for faculty extends to the end of each academic year. Faculty receive courtesy reminder notices in advance of the date due. Faculty will recieve recall notices for items requested by other users or for reserve and must return these materials by the date indicated on the recall notice.
Guest Borrower Cards
No charge:
Members of the following groups may obtain guest borrower cards at no charge from the circulation desk at E.S. Bird Library or the Science and Technology Library:
Alumni: |
Those who have completed a degree program through Syracuse University, University College, or the College of Environmental Science and Forestry |
Library Associates: |
Dues paying members at the patron level or higher |
Upstate Medical University: |
Faculty, staff, students |
Onondaga Community College: |
Faculty only |
LeMoyne College: |
Faculty and students with permission issued by LeMoyne College Library |
ESF Continuing Education Program |
|
Fee-based:
Guest borrower cards are available for a fee to the general public, including graduate students from other institutions. Undergraduates from other institutions are not eligible except by inter-institutional agreement, nor are high school students with the exception of those enrolled in the Project Advance program. Empire State College faculty and students may purchase guest borrower cards at a 50% discount. The Elmira College Extension Program pays for guest borrower cards for its faculty and students.
Fees are $100 for one year, $50 for a semester, or $25.00 for one month.
Visitors who do not intend to borrow materials, but wish to use Library computers and borrow designated materials for in-house use, will register to receive a Visitor Card.
Circulation and Access Policies
Loan Period
Maximum # Items
Renewals
Place recalls and holds?
Remote Database Access
ILL
Laptop loans
Course Reserve-physical items
Undergraduate
28 days
100
5
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Graduate
16 weeks
250
5
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Faculty / Librarians
Fixed annual due date
250
5
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Staff
16 weeks
100
5
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Emeriti faculty
Fixed annual due date
250
2
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
ISDP participants
28 weeks
250
5
Yes
Yes
Articles only
Yes
During residency
Alumni
28 days
10
2
Holds only
No
No
No
No
Project Advance
28 days
100
5
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
Guest Borrowers *(see below)
28 days
10
2
No
No
No
No
No
Post Doctoral Students
16 weeks
100
5
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Visiting Scholars
28 days
10
2
No
No
No
No
No
Spouse/Dependents
28 days
10
2
No
No
No
No
No
Patron Information and Online Renewal
Patrons can view a list of books charged out to them, renew books, and check on the status of pending requests by clicking on SUMMIT Catalog on the library's home page at http://library.syr.edu and then selecting PATRON INFO.
Request Forms
| Hawkins Building Storage Request | Request that items located in remote storage be retrieved for use. |
| In-Process Request | Request items listed in SUMMIT as "In Process" be rush processed and held for you at the Circulation Desk. |
| Missing Book Request | Request a search for materials that you have been unable to locate. |
| Recall Hold Request | Request that an item listed in SUMMIT as "Checked out - due mm/dd/yy" be recalled from the current borrower and held for you. |
| Stacks Maintenance | Inform Access Services of stack areas in need of attention. |
Overdue Fines
Library users are responsible for the timely return of library materials in order to make them available to other readers. Fees are assessed for items that are not returned or are returned late. Note that fines for reserved or restricted materials are higher than fines for main stacks books. The table below lists the fines for the various types of Library materials.
Type of material |
Fine per item |
Maximum fine
|
Main stacks books |
50 cents per day |
$15.00 |
Restricted and overnight course reserve items |
50 cents per hour |
$30.00 |
Three-day course reserve |
$5.00 per day |
$30.00 |
Patron recalls |
$2.00 per day |
$30.00 |
Reserve recalls |
$3.00 per day |
$30.00 |
Laptop computers |
25 cents per minute |
$30.00 |
Digital cameras |
$1.00 per hour |
$30.00 |
CDs (Media Services) |
50 cents per day |
$15.00 |
Audio tapes |
50 cents per day |
$15.00 |
Lost Item Fees
Borrowers will be charged a lost item and processing fee for lost or stolen library materials. Library users have the option of providing a new, unused replacement copy or paying the $65.00 Lost Item Replacement fee. In either case, a $20.00 Lost Item Processing fee is charged. An additional fee of $7.00 is charged if the user provides a soft covered replacement.
Recalls
Eligible users may request that materials checked out to others be recalled for their use. To recall an item, click the Request button in SUMMIT while the record for the desired item is on the screen. Those eligible to recall materials will see the Recall option in the resulting drop-down menu. All library materials are subject to recall and must be returned by the due date stated in the recall notice. Users are encouraged to return library materials directly to the desk from which they were borrowed in order to make them available as soon as possible to the requestor.
Notices
The Library sends a variety of notices to communicate with users regarding the status of their materials. Examples include overdue notices, recall notices, item available notices (when a recalled item becomes available), courtesy notices (sent to faculty when materials are about to be due), and bills for fines and fees. In fall 2004, the Library began using email to send overdue, recall, availability, and courtesy notices to Syracuse University students, faculty, and staff. Bills for overdue fines and unreturned items will continue to be sent in print form. Syracuse University's February 2003 policy that established email as a primary method for official university communications enabled the library to make this change. Library notices are sent to official syr.edu addresses for SU-affiliated individuals (notices to visitors will be sent via the methods chosen by the visitor at the time of registration). For more information on the University's email policy, see http://cms.syr.edu/email/.
E-mail notices will only be sent for material circulated from a Syracuse University Library location; SUNY ESF Moon Library, H. Douglas Barclay Law Library, and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Library are not included in this implementation.
Departmental Policies
Remote Access
Current SU students, faculty, and staff have online access to a wide variety of research databases, electronic journals and library services, which are available through the Library web page at http://library.syr.edu. In order to access most databases, users are prompted to enter their 10-digit SU I.D. number and password, the user's last name entered in lower case letters. If you are using a workstation that connects directly to the campus network (i.e., within the syr.edu domain) you will have direct access to these resources. If you are accessing from off campus, please refer to Instructions for Remote Access to Electronic Resources or call 443-2093 for assistance. Due to licensing agreements with database and electronic journal vendors, access from off campus is available only to SU students, faculty, and staff.
Course Reserves
The Library supports the University curriculum by providing a course reserve service that makes available materials that have been designated by faculty as required readings for specific courses. In general, the Library provides reserve access for the convenience of students both in preparing class assignments and in pursuing informal educational activities such as advanced independent study and research. Materials may include books, book chapters, articles, online materials such as e-journal articles and web sites, and faculty-developed materials such as lecture notes, sample tests, etc. See the Course Reserves web pages for faculty and students for more information regarding reserves policies and procedures.
Lists of course reserve materials for E.S. Bird Library, Architecture Reading Room and the Science and Technology Library and its branches are listed in Blackboard . Physical reserve materials are listed in SUMMIT. Choose the Course Reserves tab and search for the desired course. Physical items (books and other materials) are available at the first floor service desks in E.S. Bird Library and the Science and Technology Library. Faculty determine the most appropriate loan period for their students. The three types of reserve loan periods are:
- Restricted - two hour loan·
- Overnight - due one hour after opening the day after it is checked out·
- Three day - due three days after check out.
Access to Other Libraries
The Syracuse University Library interlibrary loan service (ILLiad) will obtain materials for you that are not owned by SU. If you wish to visit another library in person, please see the list below of regional libraries and their access and borrowing privileges. Note that some libraries do not make certain services available to visitors, such as specialized computer workstations, media equipment, and restricted and reserved collections. It is important to check the policies of individual libraries prior to visiting. Syracuse University Library also participates in the OCLC reciprocal faculty borrowing program. Please contact the Access Services department if you are interested in knowing whether a particular academic library in the United States participates in this program.
Regional Libraries
Binghamton University |
All visitors are eligible for in-house use. Borrowing privileges are available to SU faculty, students, and staff for a $25.00 annual fee. An SU I.D. is required. |
Colgate University |
All visitors are eligible for in-house use. Borrowing privileges are available to SU faculty, students, and staff for a $25.00 annual fee. An SU I.D. is required. |
Cornell University |
Most Cornell libraries have an open stacks policy, although Cornell reserves the right to restrict access at times. An SU I.D. card is required. SU faculty members have borrowing privileges with a letter of introduction from Syracuse University Library provided by Nancy Cohen (njcohen@syr.edu), Room 014 E.S. Bird Library. Syracuse University pays the $250.00 annual borrowing fee on behalf of the faculty member. Exception: All New York State residents have borrowing privileges at the three state supported libraries on the Cornell campus upon presentation of identification. Mann Library - Agriculture, Life Sciences, Human Ecology Flower Library - Veterinary Medicine Catherwood Library - Industrial Relations |
Hamilton College |
SU faculty, students, and staff have access to both in-house use and borrowing free of charge. An SU I.D. card is required. |
LeMoyne College Library |
SU faculty, students, and staff have access to both in-house use and borrowing free of charge. An SU I.D. card is required. |
Onondaga Community College Library |
SU faculty, students, and staff are eligible for in-house use and borrowing free of charge. An SU I.D. card is required. |
SUNY Cortland |
All visitors are eligible for in-house use. Borrowing privileges are available to SU faculty, students, and staff who live in the following counties: Broome, Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Madison, Onondaga, (including residents at Syracuse University) Tioga, and Tompkins. There is no fee for borrowing. An SU ID card is required. |
SUNY Oswego |
All visitors are eligible for in-house use. Borrowing privileges are available to SU faculty, students, and staff. There is a borrowing fee of $10.00 the first year, with a $5.00 renewal fee charged each additional year. An SU I.D. card is required. |
University of Rochester - Rush Rhees Library |
All visitors are eligible for in-house use. SU faculty and graduate students at PhD level have borrowing privileges with a letter of introduction from the Syracuse University Library Administration office, Room 219 Bird Library. There is no fee. Borrowing policies at other University of Rochester libraries vary. An SU I.D. card is required. |
Upstate Medical University |
All visitors can use most library materials in-house. SU faculty, graduate students, and staff may borrow materials with a letter requesting privileges from faculty on SU departmental letterhead. An SU I.D. card is required. |
Utica College Library |
SU faculty, students, and staff have in-house use and borrowing privileges free of charge. An SU I.D. card is required. |
Rev. 01/11/08 aks
