Library Usage Policies
I. CIRCULATION
Library materials are checked out to students on all three campus locations using the automated circulation system, Auto-Graphics (AG) by Agent. Students must provide a Southern Union Student Identification Card (Student ID Card) to checkout materials in the collection. Students attending Southern Union as part of a corporative agreement must also obtain a Southern Union Student ID prior to checking out materials.
Books from the general open stacks circulate for four weeks with a two (2) renewal limit. Each renewal period is limited to two weeks unless a hold has been placed by another patron.
Reserve materials; materials kept in the Reserve Room at the request of instructors or placed by the librarian; circulate as directed by the instructor. Materials not placed on hold by instructors circulate for a three (3) day period. Any changes in this checkout procedure must be cleared with the campus librarian.
Any item not held on the base campus of a student can be requested from another campus. A waiting period of three business days is necessary for courier service delivery. The LRC will hold material requested from another campus for three business days after arrival notification has been made before returning the item to its holding library.
Reference books, periodicals, audio-visual materials, and special collections materials do not circulate outside of the library. A copy machine is available for copies for $.10 a copy at the expense of the student.
Checked out books must be returned by the last class day prior to final exams. Checked out equipment is due by the last day of finals. Any item not returned or students with outstanding fine on their accounts, results in a hold placed on the student’s school account. Access to grades, transcripts, or class registration process, will be held until all obligations to the library are met.
Faculty/Staff can charge out materials for the length of one year, however, employees are urged to return materials promptly when not needed. Materials may be recalled after two weeks if other patrons need the material. Faculty/Staff notices are sent during the summer semester. This is the time resources can be returned for inventory verification and to recheck.
II FINES
All printed materials must be returned by the last class day prior to final exams. Any item not returned results in a lost item fee for the cost of the item up to $65 per item. Laptops are due back by the last day of finals and are charged $1 per day with a maximum fine of $75 if they are not returned by the last test day of that semester. Additionally, none returned items or unpaid fines results in a hold placed on the student’s school account to include a hold on grades, transcripts, and registering privileges until all obligations to the library are met.
III LOST MATERIALS
The library must be reimbursed for lost or damage material. Faculty, students, and any library patron will be held financially responsible for any material checked out to them and lost.
Patrons losing materials shall pay a fee to replace the item up to $65 per item for replacement costs including processing fees. Lost or damage laptops may result in fees totaling $300 depending on the condition of the equipment. Paid fines are non-refundable. Users are not allowed to purchase lost items and donate them to the library in lieu of paying fees.
LAPTOP POLICY
Southern Union has a limited number of available laptops for students to rent from one hour or more, or even a semester. These laptops are available to assist students with meeting their course assignments. Note, Only One Laptop is Loanable Per family. To receive a laptop, students must meet the following criteria: