Library Procedures | St. Clair College
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For various sections of library procedures, please visit one of the following pages listed below:

Acceptable Library Use

Privacy

Private information will not be released by library staff without the explicit consent of the patron of concern. The Library Resource Centre will comply with the appropriate provisions under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

Children

Children cannot be left unattended in the library and are subject to the same rules and regulations as all library patrons.

Computers

Computers available in the Library Resource Centre for student use are subject to the St. Clair College Acceptable Use Policy.

Disruptive Behaviour

Disruptive and inappropriate behaviour is subject to the application of the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities.

Noise must be kept to a minimum in the library to ensure that patrons who wish to work in a quiet environment are not disturbed. Any high noise levels, use of inappropriate language, or other behaviours which interfere with a patron's ability to work quietly are not permitted. Noisy or inappropriate behaviour may result in a warning from library staff. Repeated warnings may result in a patron being asked to leave the Library Resource Centre. More serious incidents may result in a patron being automatically asked to leave without a prior warning or security being called as a first step.

Food and Beverages

In order to provide a clean, comfortable and productive work environment, and to preserve library materials, equipment and furnishings, some food and drink are restricted in the library.

The Library Resource Centre permits certain food and drink in the library, with the exception of computer stations, printers, and photocopiers.

The following food and drink are permitted:

  • Drinks with lids
  • Snack foods such as muffins, cookies, fruit and granola bars

The following food and drink are NOT permitted:

  • Open drink containers with no lids
  • Foods that require utensils
  • Hot foods that are excessively messy. Examples would include pizza, soup, poutine, and burgers
  • Loud snack foods [chip bags]

As a courtesy to others, please dispose of your trash and clean up your work area before you leave. In case of an accident, such as a coffee spill, please notify library staff.

The library staff reserves the right to determine which food items and drink containers are acceptable and will respond to complaints about inappropriate food. Students may be asked to leave until their meals are done.

Printing and Photocopying

The Library Resource Centre complies with all applicable copyright laws and the St. Clair College copyright policy. Patrons are responsible for their own printing and photocopying and they are responsible for ensuring that their copying/printing complies with Canadian copyright laws. Change for photocopiers is not provided.

Electronic Devices

Electronic devices including, but not limited to, cellphones, smartphones, tablets, and music devices are permitted, provided they are used in compliance with the Library Resource Centre rules on Disruptive Behaviour. Patrons talking on their devices or listening to music at audible levels will be asked to quiet their devices or leave the library.

Theft and Vandalism

All incidences of theft or vandalism in the library will be reported to college security by the person who experienced the theft/vandalism. Incidences of theft or vandalism of college property and library materials within the library will be reported to college security by library staff.

Patrons are responsible for their own personal items and Library Resource Centre staff cannot be responsible for these items under any circumstances.

Group Study Rooms

Group study rooms are intended for groups of students who require a space to collaborate and study together. As such, room bookings are restricted to students from September to June. Faculty may reserve rooms along with students during the July-August period.

Rooms may be reserved for two hours/day/group. Students and staff must use a valid St. Clair College email to book a study room online. Bookings are cancelled if the room is not occupied within ten minutes of the booking start time. Personal items left in a room do not constitute occupation of the room and they will be removed by library staff to accommodate other groups which may book the room.

Conversation noise levels are acceptable but must not reach a level that disturbs patrons outside of the room.

Library staff reserves the right to determine misuse of study rooms and remove students as necessary.

Patrons and Borrowing Privileges

Definition of Patrons

The following patrons may access and borrow library resource materials:

Type of Patron Definition
Student Currently enrolled at St. Clair College
Staff Currently employed at St. Clair College

Borrowing

It is the responsibility of every student who chooses to borrow from the library to renew or return their materials by the correct due date, to read and respond to library notices through email and mail. Failure to do so will result in overdue fines.

Students must present their St. Clair OneCard every time they borrow library materials. Other persons not defined above have no borrowing privileges. However, they are welcome to use the Library Resource Centre facility.

Library Resources, print and online, are not available to the community, including St. Clair alumni and retired staff.


Loan Periods and Renewals

Loan Periods

Resource Type Loan Period Renewals
Circulating Materials 2 weeks 6
Course Reserve (CR) In-library use only 0

Renewals

Materials from the circulating collection can be renewed a maximum of 6 times, as long as no other library patron reserves that item. Renewals may be done online, by email from a patron's St. Clair College email address, by phone, or in person. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure their items are renewed.

Maximum Number of Items

Students, faculty, and staff may take out a maximum of 25 items total.


Reserves

Course Reserve

Faculty may place books/audiovisual materials on reserve for student use. Materials in this collection may be used in the library only and must be returned before the Library Resource Centre closes.

Patron Recall

Staff and students may place a book on reserve which is already signed out to another patron so that they may access that material when it becomes available. If there is more than one reservation for a book, patrons receive the book in the order that they placed their reservation.

When a book is on reserve, the student will not be able to renew that item. If that item is overdue, fines will continue to accumulate until the item on reserve is returned.

 

Fines and Fees

Overdue Materials Fines

Type of Material Fine Amount Maximum Fine Per Item
Circulating Materials $0.25/day/item $25.00
Course Reserve (CR) $10.00/day/item $50.00

Fine amounts increase daily excluding Sundays and holidays.

Overdue Notice

An electronic notice will be sent to the borrower's college email indicating books borrowed, due dates, recalls, or overdue material. All users are responsible for monitoring email for items on loan and subsequent overdue material.

Library Account Holds and Encumbrances

Library Account holds will cause all borrowing privileges to stop and are put into effect if:

  • The total library fines are equal to or greater than $5.00
  • Library materials have not been returned and overdue fines have not been paid on any item which is overdue by 4 weeks

A college encumbrance is placed on patron accounts when the following occurs:

  • The total amount owing on a library account is greater than $50. This includes both the overdue fines and the cost of materials not returned.

Encumbrances and suspended accounts are only cleared when all overdue materials have been returned and all library fines have been paid. Classmarks/transcripts are withheld by the college until the account is cleared or at the discretion of St. Clair College administration.

Appeals

If a patron disagrees with a levied fine they may appeal to the Director of Student Services by sending an email to library@stclaircollege.ca.


Lost/Damaged Materials

Patrons are monetarily responsible for the replacement of all damaged or lost library materials. The replacement cost for a book which is lost or damaged beyond repair includes the full acquisition cost of an available replacement copy (which may be a similar or updated work if an exact copy of the lost work is not available). Patrons who pay to replace a book are also responsible for the payment of any overdue fines associated with the book they are replacing.

A patron account will be charged the replacement cost of an item if it is overdue by more than four weeks. Only the replacement cost, and not accumulated overdue fines, is waived if the item is returned.