Library Regulations

1. Admission

The facilities of the Library are open to all members of staff and registered students of the University. Other persons seeking to use the Library for the purpose of study or research may be admitted at the discretion of the Librarian. Occasional visitors must sign the visitors' book.

2. Discipline

All users of the Library are required to conduct themselves quietly and to obey any instructions from the Library staff, including the production of acceptable means of identification.
The use of personal audio equipment and mobile phones is permitted in those areas of the Library where indicated by signs and plans. Such use should not be disruptive to other users. Such equipment is not permitted in areas designated as Silent Zones. Similarly, snack foods and water (no other drinks) are permitted in designated areas only. Users should dispose of empty bottles and other containers in the bins provided
Places in the Library may not be reserved for more than 15 minutes.
Under no circumstances may books or journals be removed from Library premises unless an appropriate loan transaction has been completed. Readers are reminded that any breach of this rule can render them liable to a fine imposed by the Librarian, disciplinary action within the University, and also in some cases to legal proceedings.

3. Borrowing

All readers must complete the appropriate loan transaction when making an application to borrow any book or other publication. In the case of volumes not returned or returned in a badly damaged condition the University reserves the right to require the replacement by another copy or the payment of the estimated value. All volumes must be returned upon request by the Librarian.
Current issues and bound volumes of periodicals, reference books so marked, and other material temporarily or permanently restricted, may not be borrowed except by permission of the Librarian.
Four Hour Loans

Books in heavy demand, normally located in the Short Loan Collection, may be borrowed for specific sessions and must be returned by the time stamped. This is usually for four hours, with an extended period overnight.
Day Loans

Books in this category may be borrowed from any time in the day until 13.30 on the following day.
Week Loans

Books in this category may be borrowed for a period normally of seven days and must be returned by the date stamped.
Four Week Loans

Books in this category may be borrowed for a period normally of four weeks and must be returned by the date stamped, or after seven days when recalled for other readers, whichever is the earlier. In the case of the latter, a recall notice will be sent to the user via their University email address.
Loan Limits

Loan limits for the various categories of books for staff and students are as determined by the Librarian. Details can be found on the borrowing page.
Limited borrowing facilities may be granted to other persons wishing to use the Library upon written application to the Librarian. A fee will normally be charged.
Provided books are not reserved, loans may be renewed on request.
Final year students are required to return all loans not later than the day after the final examination, or project completion date, whichever is the earlier.
Library staff will disclose information on the loans of individual users to other parties in the University only in a very limited number of circumstances. These may include circumstances where the Library is attempting to recover overdue loans, or other circumstances involving disciplinary proceedings. Requests from parties outside the University would be declined unless required by law.
Students who are away from the University on industrial placement, year abroad or extended study leave should not borrow library items without prior arrangement with the Loans Librarian. Items borrowed under such agreements will remain subject to recall and must be returned promptly at the borrower's expense.
The Library offers an online reservation service, whereby users may reserve loans online or in person. During teaching periods, the Library may also recall loans, to enable better circulation of resources that are in heavy demand: users are contacted via the University email service to advise of these recalls.
Students with additional needs are encouraged to use the Library’s Disability Services.

4. Fines and Penalties

For failure to return a book on Four Hour Loan by the time stamped, staff and students will be charged a fine of 20p for the first hour or part of an hour and 20p for each subsequent hour the Library is open, subject to a maximum of £20
For failure to return a book on Day Loan by the time stamped, staff and students will be charged a fine of 10p for the first hour or part of an hour and 10p for each subsequent hour the Library is open for the first two days. Staff and students will then be charged a fine of 20p per hour or part of an hour for each subsequent hour the Library is open, subject to a maximum of £20.
For failure to return a book on Week Loan by the date stamped, staff and students will be charged a fine of 20p per day, subject to a maximum of £10.
For failure to return a book on Four-Week loan by the date stamped, staff and students will be charged a fine of 5p per day, to a maximum of £5. However, if a book on Four Week Loan is subject to a recall, within seven days of a recall notice being sent by the Librarian, staff and students will be charged a fine of 20p per day, subject to a maximum of £5.
In exceptional circumstances fines may be waived or commuted at the discretion of the Librarian.
A user who fails to return an item by the required date and/or fails to pay fines due will normally have all borrowing privileges suspended by the University Librarian until the matter is cleared. Disciplinary proceedings may be instituted in cases of prolonged delay, or where there are repeated offences against the borrowing regulations. The Library will send out reminders for overdue loans to staff and students to their University email address.
A user found in unauthorised possession of Library material may be fined up to four times the replacement costs, subject to a minimum of £10.
Damage to library materials, including the removal of pages from books and journals, will be regarded as a serious offence under the Code of Misconduct. Penalties may include exclusion from the University.
Regulations for the use of computers in the Library follow the University's Computer Use Code of Conduct. Failure to comply with this code may lead to the suspension of Library privileges, disciplinary procedures and, where the offence is covered by the Computer Misuse Act, 1990, to criminal prosecution.

5. Student users failing to return items

5.1

Student users failing to return loaned items by the required date, and after a first warning notice and suspension of their library account, will be sent a second notice warning them that further action will be taken to suspend their IT account. These warning notices will be sent to the University email address and, if there is no response, to the department or local address.

5.2

If the student user fails to respond adequately, the matter will be referred to the student's department, and the student's IT account will be disabled (providing there are no acceptable extenuating circumstances).

5.3

Students failing to respond to this action will then have their student registration record amended to advise that they are not to be re-enrolled the following academic year. An invoice will be raised by the Library to recover the value of the items and an administrative charge to cover the University's expenses. Advice will be sent to the Academic Registrar to support the administrative charges (£50) applied to the library account.

5.4

Failure to pay an invoice will result in the student being declared in debt to the University. Students in debt to the University may be debarred entry to subsequent years, may be liable to further disciplinary action under the Code of Misconduct and will have their assessment results and any certificates due withheld. The University reserves the right to re-claim debt through the courts which may result, for those individuals so referred, in damage to future credit status when applying for loans, mortgages, credit cards, etc.