CUL Gateway: Undergraduate Policies

Services : Circulation : Undergraduate Policies

Circulation is the library’s name for lending and borrowing material from the Cornell collections. The purpose of the Cornell University Library’s circulation policies is to encourage timely and equitable access by Cornell faculty, students, and staff to books, journals, and other items which they need for teaching, learning, and research.

Circulation Loan Periods

The Regular Loan Period for Undergraduate Students is 42 days.
Various categories of special materials, such as journals, videos, or reserve items, may be loaned for shorter periods of time such as hours and days. Check with individual libraries for various loan periods.

Notices

Courtesy Notices are sent four days before a book is due, and Overdue Notices are sent the second day after a book is due. Available Notices are sent the day after a requested book is received at the designated pick-up library. Recall Notices are sent the day after a book is recalled by another user, and Fine/Fee Notices are sent the day after the fine or replacement charge is incurred.

Library notices are sent by e-mail to the borrower's net id address (netid@cornell.edu). If another type of e-mail address is the preferred address (such as you@department.cornell.edu), the borrower will need to configure their mail preferences so that netid mail is routed to the preferred address. Please go to http://whoiam.cornell.edu and follow the instructions for routing mail. Note that failure to receive a courtesy or overdue notice does not relieve the borrower of responsibility to return or renew borrowed materials by the due date.

Overdue Fines

Loan Type	Fine Rates
Regular	$.75/day*
Hourly	$.04/minute or $2.40/hour
Short Term	$2.00/day
Recalls	$3.00/day

*Late fees are not charged for regular loan materials renewed or returned within nine days of the due date. Fines are retroactive the tenth day. All other overdue loan materials are subject to immediate fines.

Replacement Billing

A replacement bill is created 27 days after the due date if an item has not been renewed or returned.

Lost Item Replacement Cost	$75.00**
Overdue Fine	$25.00
Recalled Item Fine	$60.00
Short Term Loan Fine	$35.00

** This amount may be more if an item is of greater value.

If the material is returned after a bill is sent, the cost of the item will be credited, IF not already replaced or reordered. The fines may NOT be refunded.
All unpaid bills are sent to the bursar 10 days after creation.
Questions and appeals regarding bills and fines should be directed to the circulation staff of the lending library.

Borrowing Privileges

Cornell University identification cards serve as library cards. The privilege of borrowing is a personal one and may not be transferred.
A patron’s ID will be blocked and borrowing privileges will be suspended if the borrower:
1. owes library bills of $300 or more.
2. fails to respond to one recall request.
3. has more than 100 overdue items.

Recalls

Any item may be recalled at any time for Course Reserve use or after two weeks if requested by another Cornell patron.

General Circulation Policies

All library material must be properly charged out and its prompt and safe return is the personal responsibility of the individual to whom it is loaned.
Overdue notices are sent as a courtesy to remind borrowers that an item should be renewed or returned, but failure to receive a notice does not absolve the borrower of the responsibility to renew or return the item to the library in a timely manner.
The borrower is responsible for notifying the library immediately if library material is damaged, missing, or lost.
Address Changes: Please be aware that during the regular academic year, address corrections made through "Just the Facts" may take a week or longer to be transferred to the library circulation system. During the summer, addresses are not changed in the library circulation system.