Loans

Introduction
Conditions of borrowing
Borrower categories
3.1 ACU borrowers
3.2 NonACU borrowers
Categories of material
4.1 Material for loan
4.2 Material not for loan
Borrowing table
Recalls
Restricted loans
Requests
8.1 Requests for journal articles, chapters or extracts
8.2 Requests for non-ACU library items (interlibrary loans)
Timeframes for emailing overdue notices
Fines
Appeals
Suspension of borrowers
Services to off-campus students
13.1 Off-campus students in Australia
13.2 Off-campus students overseas

1. Introduction

These procedures form the basis for the lending services operation of Australian Catholic University Library. ACU Library operates as ‘one library’ across multiple campus. Changes to procedures should be referred to the Chair of the Collection Services Group. Significant changes will be referred to the Client Services Leadership Group and then to the Library Executive Group for endorsement.

These guidelines are governed by the Library Services and Facilities Policy.

2. Conditions of borrowing

Registration as a borrower constitutes acceptance of the terms of these conditions.
It is the responsibility of the borrower to return items borrowed in good condition and on time.
All borrowers (including staff) are subject to a Bill for Replacement if any item is lost, damaged or overdue.
Loans are not transferable.
Loans may not be borrowed by third parties except in unusual circumstances, by prior arrangement and with appropriate identification of the third party.
Late return of items may incur penalties including fines.
Only one card may be used at any time. If you are primarily a staff member who is also a student then use your staff card. Students who are employed on a part-time or casual basis should use their student card.
Where students and staff have multiple student cards, only one card may be used for their library account.
Library debts are treated as a University debt. Sanctions pertaining to Non-payment of University debts are outlined in ACU Academic Regulations.
The Library sends notices to borrowers as a courtesy. Non-receipt of a notice by a borrower does not constitute grounds for an appeal.

3. Borrower categories

3.1 ACU borrowers

ACU borrower	Inclusions
ACU borrowerUndergraduate	InclusionsUndergraduates, Clemente, ELICOS
ACU borrowerPostgraduate	InclusionsGraduate Certificate and Diploma, Postgraduate Certificate and Diploma, Honours, Masters by Coursework
ACU borrowerHigher degree	InclusionsPhD, Masters by Research, Doctor of Education (EdD), Doctorate by Coursework
ACU borrowerOff-campus	InclusionsStudents enrolled by distance, online or via ACU Satellite Centres, who do not attend regular lectures on campus
ACU borrowerACU Online	InclusionsStudents enrolled in ACU Online
ACU borrowerStaff	Inclusions Academic and Professional staff employed by ACU Honorary Staff: Adjunct Professors, Emeritus Professors, Honorary Fellows, Clinical Associates, Affiliate lecturers, Volunteer researchers and other special roles granted by ACU

3.2 NonACU borrowers

NonACU borrowers	Eligibility criteria	Cost
NonACU borrowersAlumni	Eligibility criteriaGraduates of ACU.	Cost Free
NonACU borrowersCommunity	Eligibility criteriaAny member of the community. People under the age of 18 will require the signature of a parent or guardian to guarantee the payment of any outstanding debts.	Cost Contact your local campus library
NonACU borrowersReciprocal	Eligibility criteria Students and staff from other participating universities under the University Libraries of Australia and New Zealand (ULANZ) reciprocal borrowing program. Photo ID and proof of enrolment or employment at your home institution is required. If a reciprocal borrower fails to observe ACU Library's loan conditions, their borrowing privileges will be suspended and ACU may also advise the borrower's home library and seek financial compensation. Enrolment as a NonACU borrower is campus specific. It is valid only at the campus to which application was made.	Cost Free (ACU may seek confirmation of the applicant's good standing at their home library)

Processing new registrations of NonACU borrowers may take up to one business day. Borrowing privileges will commence on completion of registration.

NonACU borrower membership does not include the following:

Access to online licensed resources (databases, journals and ebooks).
Eligibility to borrow 2 hour and 3 day loan.
Eligibility to borrow items from curated collections determined by each campus library.
Eligibility to place requests on any items (from ACU campus libraries or nonACU libraries).

4. Categories of material

4.1 Material for loan

Main collection
High demand collection
Curriculum collection
Early childhood collection
Equipment collection
Other collections determined by each campus Library locally

4.2 Material not for loan

Print journals and newspapers
Reference collection
Curated collections as determined
Individual items as determined

5. Borrowing table

Borrower	Standard loan	3 day loan	High demand	Requests allowed	Home delivery
Borrower Undergraduate: Undergraduate, Clemente, ELICOS	Standard loan Unlimited items Unlimited time Items may be recalled Unlimited renewals (unless recalled) On hold shelf: 5 days	3 day loan 5 items Up to 12 days On hold shelf: 1 day Request items located at home campus only 3 automatic renewals (unless recalled)	High demand 2 hour loan 3 items No requests No renewals	Requests allowed Scan: 10 Physical: 10	Home deliveryNot available
Borrower Postgraduate: Graduate Certificate and Diploma, Postgraduate Certificate and Diploma, Honours, Masters by Coursework	Standard loan Unlimited items Unlimited time Items may be recalled Unlimited renewals (unless recalled) On hold shelf: 5 days	3 day loan 5 items Up to 12 days On hold shelf: 1 day Request items located at home campus only 3 automatic renewals (unless recalled)	High demand 2 hour loan 3 items No requests No renewals	Requests allowed Scan: 10 Physical: 10	Home delivery Yes Standard loan
Borrower Higher degree: PhD, Masters by Research, Doctor of Education (EdD), Doctorate by Coursework	Standard loan Unlimited items Unlimited time Items may be recalled Unlimited renewals (unless recalled) On hold shelf: 5 days	3 day loan 5 items Up to 12 days On hold shelf: 1 day Request items located at home campus only 3 automatic renewals (unless recalled)	High demand 2 hour loan 3 items No requests No renewals	Requests allowed Scan: 10 Physical: 30	Home delivery Yes Standard loan
Borrower Off-campus: Distance, online, ACU Satellite Centres	Standard loan Unlimited items Up to 26 weeks Items may be recalled Unlimited renewals (unless recalled) On hold shelf: 5 days	3 day loan Only available in-person 5 items Up to 12 days On hold shelf: 1 day 3 automatic renewals (unless recalled)	High demand Only available in-person 2 hour loan 3 items No requests No renewals	Requests allowed Scan: 10 Physical: 10	Home delivery Yes Standard loan
BorrowerACU Online	Standard loan Unlimited items Up to 26 weeks Items may be recalled Unlimited renewals (unless recalled) On hold shelf: 5 days	3 day loan Only available in-person 5 items Up to 12 days On hold shelf: 1 day 3 automatic renewals (unless recalled)	High demand Only available in-person 2 hour loan 3 items No requests No renewals	Requests allowed Scan: 10 Physical:10	Home delivery Yes Standard loan
Borrower Staff: Academic, professional, honorary	Standard loan Unlimited items Up to 26 weeks Items may be recalled Unlimited renewals (unless recalled) On hold shelf: 5 days	3 day loan 5 items Up to 12 days On hold shelf: 1 day Request items located at home campus only 3 automatic renewals (unless recalled)	High demand 2 hour loan 3 items No requests No renewals	Requests allowed Scan: 10 Physical: 30	Home deliveryNot available
Borrower NonACU: Alumni, community, reciprocal	Standard loan 15 items 2 weeks Items may be recalled 3 automatic renewals (unless recalled) No requests	3 day loanNot available	High demandNot available	Requests allowedNot available	Home deliveryNot available

Items may be recalled if requested by another borrower.

Students can borrow 2 hour and 3 day loans in-person only. They will not be loaned out via Postal service.

ACU staff and students are entitled to borrow from any ACU Library.

6. Recalls

Items out on loan may be recalled if there are requests on the item or it is needed for the high demand collection. This shortens the loan period already given but borrowers are guaranteed a minimum 7 day loan period.

Recall notices will be sent to the borrower’s recorded email address. Fines will apply to overdue recalled items at the standard rate.

If an item has multiple requests, the loan period is reduced to 7 days.

7. Restricted loans

Restricted loans are short term loans. Short term loans facilitate equitable access.

Restricted loans can be assigned the following loan periods:

2 hour loan (held in the high demand collection).
3 day loan.

8. Requests

ACU students and staff may place requests for items from any campus library.

The following exceptions apply to requests:

Requests on 3 day loans are accepted only on items from the borrower’s registered home library.
Requests on 2 hour loans are not accepted.
Requests will not be accepted if the borrower has an overdue item, or has outstanding fines of $10.00 or more.
ACU Library reserves the right not to supply material from curated collections or items they deem to be unsuitable to post; for example, oversize, fragile, rare or valuable items.

Borrowers are informed via email when a request is available for collection.

Standard loans are held for collection for 5 working days and 3 day loans are held for one working day at your home campus library.

If requests are not collected within the allocated time then the items are returned to the shelf and the request is cancelled.

8.1 Requests for journal articles, chapters or extracts

ACU students and staff may request copies of articles from hard copy journals and book chapters from any campus library. Digitised copies will be sent to the borrower’s recorded email address.

Copyright provisions apply. For books, one chapter or 10% (whichever is greater) and for journal articles, generally one article from each issue.

8.2 Requests for non-ACU library items (interlibrary loans)

Please refer to Interlibrary Loans and Document Delivery.

9. Timeframes for emailing overdue notices

Loan type	Courtesy notice	First overdue notice	Second overdue notice	Lost item bill
Loan typeStandard item	Courtesy notice2 days before due date	First overdue notice2 days after due date	Second overdue notice14 days after due date	Lost item bill28 days after due date
Loan type3 day loans	Courtesy notice2 days before due date	First overdue notice1 day after due date	Second overdue notice2 days after due date	Lost item bill14 days after due date
Loan type2 hour loans	Courtesy notice–	First overdue notice–	Second overdue notice–	Lost item bill1 day after due date
Loan typeILLs	Courtesy notice2 days before due date	First overdue notice1 day after due date	Second overdue notice2 days after due date	Lost item bill14 days after due date

10. Fines

All borrowers are subject to fines with the exception of ACU staff. All borrowers (including staff) are subject to a Bill for Replacement if any item is lost, damaged or overdue. Notification will be sent via email. Replacement cost is determined by the recorded purchase price or the current market value of the item.

Once library fines and replacement costs reach $45, they are treated as a University debt. University sanctions may apply to the non-payment of debts are outlined in ACU Academic Regulations.

Students with a debt to the University may be unable to:

enrol or re-enrol in any program or unit
receive a result in any program or unit completed
graduate from any program or receive an award from any University program.

Fines are generated as follows:

Item type	Rate of fine	Maximum charge per item
Item typeRecalled items	Rate of fine50 cents per item per day	Maximum charge per item$50.00 maximum per item
Item type2 hour loans	Rate of fine$1.00 per hour (or part thereof)	Maximum charge per item$50.00 maximum per item
Item type3 day loans	Rate of fine$2.00 per item per day	Maximum charge per item$50.00 maximum per item

11. Appeals

Borrowers who have incurred penalties due to extenuating circumstances (such as illness) should contact their campus library in the first instance. Appeals will require documentation such as a medical certificate to support your claims.

Where borrowers believe an item has been returned but not recorded on their account, Claims Returned forms are available in all libraries.

12. Suspension of borrowers

Borrowing privileges will be suspended if a borrower has any item overdue, or has outstanding fines of $10.00 or more.

All borrowers (including ACU staff) will have their borrowing privileges suspended when ACU Library is advised that a borrower has breached the lending conditions of any reciprocal borrowing scheme.

13. Services to off-campus students

13.1 Off-campus students in Australia

Off-campus students are eligible for postal service. Requests for physical library items such as books or DVDs may be posted to the off-campus borrower’s recorded postal address or picked up at their home library. Return postage of items is the responsibility of the borrower.

Off-campus students may also request digitised copies of journal articles, chapters or extracts from items held in any ACU Library. These are sent to the borrower’s recorded email address.

13.2 Off-campus students overseas

Requests for physical library items such as books or DVDs are posted to overseas students via AIRMAIL. The student is responsible for return of the loan (including costs), via AIRMAIL, to the campus library from which it was sent.

Digitised copies of journal articles, chapters or extracts from items held in any ACU campus library will be sent to the borrower’s recorded email address.

Where the overseas student does not have access to a secure postal system the Library Manager may limit the posting of items. The Library Manager may also restrict loans from curated collections, or items that are fragile, rare or oversized. Because of the possible high cost to the student of return postage the number of items posted at any one time is limited to a manageable number, at the discretion of the Library Manager.

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