Borrowing Privileges
Registering with the LibrariesAll faculty, staff and students officially affiliated with Penn State and residents of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are permitted to register with the Libraries. Faculty, staff and students including wage or part-time staff and non-degree or part-time students are eligible for Penn State IDs that will serve as library cards. Penn State IDs are available at any ID office. Pennsylvania state residents having proper ID (PA drivers license or state ID) with current address will be issued a Resident Borrowers card by the Libraries.
Please Note: A viable Penn State ID or Resident Borrowers card must be presented whenever borrowing materials from the Libraries.
"How do I register with the Libraries?"
Loan Periods / Account Limits
Patron Status Loan Period Maximum Number
of Items
Undergraduate 28 days 200
Schreyer Scholar semester 500
Graduate semester 500
Faculty / Staff semester 500
State Resident 28 days 100
Your Responsibilities
As a patron of the Libraries, it is your responsibility to understand and comply with all Penn State Libraries' policies as explained both in this document and in the Libraries' Lending Code. As a borrower, you are also responsible for all materials charged to your account. Borrowing materials "for" someone else with your card, loaning library materials charged to your account to another, or giving library materials to someone else to return for you does not alleviate your responsibility for such materials.
Address ChangesAll changes to your postal and/or email address must be reported directly to the University Libraries. The Libraries are not notified of any address changes reported to the Registrar, Bursar, or any other Penn State office.
You may change your address with the Libraries online at My Library Account or at any Penn State Libraries location throughout the state.
Materials from Other CampusesWith the exception of certain reserve or restricted loan items, materials located at any campus library are available for loan to any Libraries' patron at any Penn State location. Most campus materials may be ordered through the online catalog by clicking the "I Want It" button at the top of the citation screen. Typically, available materials requested from a campus location will be delivered within 3 - 5 days.
Library NoticesNotices for materials on hold, recalled and overdue materials, overdue and replacement fees, will be sent by email, unless requested otherwise. Any changes in address must be reported to the Libraries (see address changes).
Please note: Regular overdue notices are sent as a courtesy reminder only. Failure to receive any notice does not relieve a borrower of the responsibility of returning an item by the date due.
RenewalsLibrary materials not subject to restricted loan periods may be renewed twice by phone, (814) 863-2174, or online at My Library Account. Materials to be renewed a third time must be brought to a lending desk. Borrowers are encouraged to review their list of checkouts before renewing and bring any discrepancies to the attention of library staff. Faculty and staff receive unlimited renewals.
Material that has been recalled cannot be renewed, although patrons may place another hold on such material.
Renewal of interlibrary loan is subject to the policies of the lending institution.
E-ZBorrow(PALCI) materials may be renewed once and are subject to recall.
Non-Circulating MaterialsMany periodicals, course reserve and reference materials do not circulate for extended periods of time. Such materials may be borrowed and removed from the Libraries for two hours or longer at the discretion of Libraries' staff. If you wish to borrow such materials, contact staff at the nearest service desk.
Materials from Other InstitutionsMaterials borrowed from institutions other than Penn State through E-ZBorrow(PALCI), the VEL or Interlibrary Loan are subject to all conditions, such as length of loan periods and number of renewals, set forth by the lending institution.
Returning MaterialsAll materials borrowed from the general stacks, including materials that have been recalled, may be returned to any Penn State Libraries' location statewide.
Periodicals, course reserve and all special permission materials should be returned to the service desk from which they were borrowed.
Recalled materials must be returned to directly to a lending desk.
Please note: Although Penn State participates with a number of other institutions to share resources, all materials borrowed from Penn State directly (i.e. not through interlibrary loan) should be returned to a Penn State Library. Returning Penn State material to any location other than a Penn State Libraries' location, even if that location accepts the material, does not relieve the borrow of any responsiblilities.
RecallsAll materials borrowed from the Libraries are subject to recall by other patrons after the current borrower has had the material for seven days. Materials needed for course reserve may be recalled immediately. All patrons will have no fewer than 10 days from the date on which a recall notice is issued to return a recalled item without fee. After ten days, overdue fees will be assessed at the rate of $3.00 a day. Total overdue fees for a recalled item shall not exceed $30.00, however an additional processing fee may be assessed if a patron has been billed for replacement costs of the material.
How can I recall a book?
Why can somebody recall my books before they're due?
Vacations, Sabbaticals, Leave of AbsencePatrons who will be out of the area for any extended period of time in excess of one week are strongly encouraged to return all Library materials, or to leave any Library materials with someone who will have access to any Library notices that may be sent to the borrower. Patrons on vacation, sabbatical or leave of absence are responsible for any Library materials that may be recalled or overdue during their absence.
Semester BreaksThe University Libraries remain open through all semester breaks and intersessions, with the exception of official University holidays. Please consult the Hours page for the Libraries schedule during these times.
In recognition that many students, faculty and staff will be away, recall due dates will be suspended during Winter and Spring break. Recalls placed during a spring or holiday break will be due ten days from the date that the recall is placed, or on the first day of classes following the break. Please note that this exemption applies to due dates for recalls only. Patrons are responsible for any notices sent immediately prior to and immediately following any spring or holiday break. Patrons are responsible for any materials borrowed over summer session and for responding to any notices sent during summer session.
Overdue MaterialsAll materials borrowed from the general stacks (i.e. materials that are not subject to restricted loan periods) that have not been recalled may be returned or renewed within 30 days of the due date without fee. This grace period applies to materials from the general stacks only and does not include periodicals, reserve material or recalled materials. Materials that have not been returned or renewed within 30 days will be presumed lost by the Libraries' and fees for lost and processing will be assessed. Please note that materials for which replacement costs have been assessed cannot be renewed. If such materials are returned within a month of the bill date, lost and processing fees will be waived, although the patron will still be responsible for any overdue fees. If the materials are returned more than a month after the date billed, the borrower is responsible for the entire processing fee, plus overdue fees if applicable.
Fees for overdue and replacement costs may be paid by cash, check, money order or IDCC (sorry, no credit or debit cards) at any Penn State Libraries' Lending Desk. Any fees that remain unpaid may be eligible for payroll deduction, sent to a collection agency, or transferred to a student's account with the University Bursar's Office. All fees transferred to the Bursar's Office must be paid to the Bursar by mail or in person at 103 Shields Building. Library fees that have been transferred to the Bursar's Office cannot be paid at the Libraries. See Fees and Fee Payment for more information.
Account BlocksAn account block that prevents patrons from borrowing materials may be placed for a variety of reasons, including failure to sign a registration card in ink, failure to renew a carrel or return a carrel key, providing incomplete address information (for example, not including an apartment number with a street address), or failure to pay fees. Account blocks will also prevent patrons from accessing their account. Typically, account blocks can be easily removed by staff immediately after the problem has been resolved (i.e. the registration card signed in ink, the carrel renewed or key returned, the address completed or the fee paid). If you suspect that your account is blocked, contact your Lending Desk for details.
Lost or Damaged MaterialsIf library material has been lost by a patron, the Libraries typically will assess lost charges that are an average of the current replacement costs of any materials within a given subject. This average cost may be greater or lesser than the actual replacement costs for a particular item. In addition to this lost fee, a patron will be assessed a general processing fee of $25.00 and overdue fees if applicable. If a patron loses an item, he or she has several options available:
Payment of Fees - The patron may elect to pay the Libraries' charges.
Replacement of Material - The patron may elect to replace the material. Replacement material must be in good (i.e. no broken bindings or writing on any text pages), but not necessarily new, condition. The replacement copy must be bound as a hardback or a $15.00 binding fee may be assessed. Also, the material must be the same edition. If a patron provides replacement of material, the Libraries will waive LOST fees. Processing and overdue fees remain.
Depending on the circumstances, either payment of fees or replacement of material may be recommended. For example, if there is a reasonable chance that a lost item will be found, payment of fees may be the better option, since the patron will be refunded all lost fees should the item be returned within six months of its bill date (overdue fees and the processing fee will not be refunded). If it is unlikely that a lost item will be found, replacement of material may be a better option, as the patron will not be responsible for lost fees, and may be able to find a good-quality used copy at a lower price.
Please note that the Libraries cannot issue a refund to patrons who have provided replacement materials, rather than paid the replacement fees, if the lost materials are found. Only if replacement fees are paid and lost materials found within six months of their bill dates will the Libraries' issue a refund.
Note: The decision to pay replacement fees or provide replacement material is final. We cannot accept replacement material after a patron has paid replacement fees for the same item.
Penn State Alumni Association Members
Members of the Penn State Alumni Association are eligible to register for an Alumni Borrowers Card at Penn State library locations throughout the state and may borrow up to twenty circulating items.;
Alumni Borrowers who also register online through the library with Friends of Penn State may:
- place holds on items that are not currently available by clicking on the “I Want It” button from an item screen in The CAT,
- can view their borrowing account information online, and
- can renew their borrowed items online.
Visit the Friends of Penn State home page for more information about other Penn State services.
Pennsylvania residents are eligible to register for a Resident Borrowers Card at Penn State library locations throughout the state and may borrow up to 100 circulating items. Resident Borrowers who also register online through the Libraries'Friends of Penn State page may:
- place holds on items that are not currently available by clicking on the “I Want It” button from an item screen in The CAT,
- can view their borrowing account information online, and
- can renew their borrowed items online.
Faculty members from other institutions who hold appointments as a “visiting professor” or other similar status should ask the unit head of the Penn State academic department in which they are resident to provide documentation to the University Libraries to establish borrowing privileges.
Academic personnel and students from other Pennsylvania institutions of higher education may register as Pennsylvania Resident borrowers.
Anyone is welcome to visit any University Libraries location and to use the books and other resources while they are there.; However, borrowing privileges are limited to persons who are affiliated with Penn State as student, employee, or Alumni Association member, or who are Pennsylvania residents.
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Last updated September 24, 2003
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