About the Library: The Circulation Department

Circulation

Who can borrow?

Students who are currently enrolled and financially cleared, faculty who are currently teaching, and L.I.U. employees may borrow from the Brooklyn Campus Library. L.I.U. Alumni may also borrow with their Alumni card. Students from schools participating in the Academic Libraries of Brooklyn (ALB) consortium also have borrowing privileges.

Obtaining a LIU Barcode/Registering your card

In order to borrow books, you must first register your LIUCard and get a library barcode at the Circulation Desk, 5th floor LLC. If you are a student, you must be currently enrolled and cleared with the bursar in order to register your card. You will need to provide both your current and permanent addresses and phone numbers, in case the Circulation staff ever needs to contact you. It is your responsibility to update your address with circulation if it ever changes. Changing your address with the Registrar/Bursar does not change it in the library’s system.

Students who are not currently cleared with the bursar but are attending classes must bring to the library a bill from the bursar which has been stamped “cleared” or “temporarily cleared” for the current semester. You will need to present this bill EVERY TIME you wish to check out titles until the bursar clears your account. Please keep in mind that even after clearing your account it can take up to two weeks for the bursar’s system to be updated. You will need to continue to show your stamped and dated bill until then for library privileges.

If you are a student who is not currently taking classes, but need access to the library because you are finishing an incomplete, working on a thesis, or any other school-related reason, ask for a “Request For Library Privileges” form at the Circulation Desk. Part of this form must be filled out and signed by your department head or faculty advisor.

Brooklyn Alumni must obtain an Alumni Association Card from the Alumni office and register it at the Circulation Desk. You will need to present a valid State ID or Driver’s License in addition to your Alumni Card when checking out titles.

Students from ALB schools must obtain an ALB card from their school’s library each semester and have a valid I.D. from their school in order to check out books from L.I.U.

Your library card cannot be used at the library by anyone else. Do not give your card to anyone else to use. If your card is lost or stolen, report it to Circulation immediately so that it can be disabled. You must do this in order to avoid being held responsible for any unauthorized transactions.

Click to download Student Registration Form and Employee Registration Form. (PDF files, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader to open)

Checking out materials (Loan Period)

You must present your registered LIUCard in order to check out books and videos. If for any reason you do not have your I.D. card, the only other form of identification you may use is a cleared bill from the bursar for the current semester, accompanied by a valid photo I.D. (driver’s license, etc.). You must already have a library record in order to use an alternative form of I.D.

Your loan period is determined by what your status with the university is:

Loan periods may be shortened to the end of the semester in which the item is checked out. Students, Faculty, and Administrators may have up to 15 books checked out at any time. Staff may have 10 items out, Alumni may have 5 items, and ALB cardholders may have 2. Only 3 circulating videos may be taken out at a time by any borrower type.

The due date will be stamped inside the back cover of every item you check out. It is your responsibility to make sure that all items are returned or renewed on or before their due date(s).

All library books must be returned to their lending location. Books borrowed from the Brooklyn Campus must be put in the book return located at the Circulation Desk on the fifth floor. The library is not responsible for fines or charges which may occur if books are returned to the wrong location.

Notices

Overdue notices are mailed out approximately one week after an item was due. Notices are a courtesy. A book is considered overdue and you are responsible for any overdue fines even if you did not receive an overdue notice. Please be sure to notify circulation if your address ever changes.

If you believe that a notice you have received is incorrect, please call the Circulation Desk.

Books: $.10 per day to a maximum of $5.00.
Videos: $3.00 per day to a maximum of $9.00.

Items overdue more than 50 days will be considered lost and you will be billed for either the current retail price or a fixed replacement cost of $59.99 for out of print titles. In addition, there will be a restocking fee of $15.00 per title. Please note that once a lost book has been paid for there are no refunds unless the book is found and returned the same day as payment.

The library may, at the Circulation Supervisor's discretion, refuse the return of books which have been damaged and charge the patron for replacement.

Faculty are not charged daily fines or restocking fees, but are expected to compensate the library for the cost of any lost or damaged materials. Faculty with overdue materials will be blocked from most library services.

Renewals

Books may be renewed by bringing them to the Circulation Desk or, for a first renewal, online. A book may not be renewed if another patron has requested it (see Holds) or if it is overdue. If a book is overdue, it may only be renewed in person and any accrued fines must be paid first. Please note that the library does not renew books by phone or email.

Holds

If an item that you need is checked out, you may place a hold on it at the Circulation Desk. A hold prevents the person who has the book out from renewing it, and tells Circulation to hold the item and notify you when it is returned. You will be notified by telephone or mail when the book is returned.

Reserve Reading

Course and departmental reserve readings are held behind the Circulation Desk. Reserve materials are in very high demand, and may only be used in the library. You must leave your LIUCard at the Circulation Desk while reserve materials are being used. If a Reserve item is not returned by the end of the day, for any reason, you will be charged a $10.00 fine for each night the item is kept late. The Circulation Desk closes fifteen (15) minutes before the library, and all reserve materials must be returned by that time. Because these materials are needed by so many people, we ask that you do not keep them out longer than necessary, and that you be especially careful with them.

Electronic Reserves

Traditional course reserve materials can be found behind the Circulation desk. Electronic reserve materials can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Click here for more information.

Off-Campus Database Access

LIU students, faculty, administrators and staff with a library account in good standing may access most databases from off-campus. Alumni and ALB cardholders may use the on-campus terminals available in the Reference Department and the Library Cyberlab.

Blocks on your Record

Your library record will be blocked, and you will be prevented from checking out materials and remotely accessing the online databases, for any of the following:

·         Fines, fees, or overdue items on your account

·         Missing or incorrect information on your registration form, or returned mail

·         Lapsed registration (your library record must be updated yearly)

·        Notes from the library staff about special situations or problems

These blocks will be removed when any outstanding items are returned and fines or fees are paid. Please be aware that lost books or outstanding fines may stop you from registering, getting a transcript, or receiving a diploma.

You may call the Circulation Desk at (718) 488-1338 for information on any blocks associated with your record.

Revised by S. Gordon 7/06
Updated by I.Wang 7/06