Library Use Policies

APU students, faculty, staff, and the extended community may borrow books, media, and other items available in the university libraries. Additionally, APU faculty members may place materials on course reserve materials for easy access by students. For borrowing privilege information for Alumni and Community Members, please review our additional patron information.

To checkout materials from the APU Library Catalog, patrons must present a current APU ID or completed “APU Library Patron Registration” form with a valid photo ID. Patrons may also request materials available through other academic and public libraries for delivery to the APU Libraries for checkout.

To read details on borrowing privileges and responsibilities, procedures, returning and renewing borrowed items, requesting a hold, and fees, see below.

For more information, contact Cheryl Chesler, access services manager, at (626) 815-6000, Ext. 3277, or cachesler@apu.edu.

Borrowing Privileges

What are my privileges as a patron of the APU Libraries?

For details, refer to the linked table of patron privileges.

What is my responsibility as a borrower of APU library materials?

It is the borrower’s responsibility to:

• know when material is due to be returned.
• return or renew material on or before the due date.
• exercise care in handling all library materials.

Library borrowing privileges may not be transferred to another person, although faculty members may have their teaching assistants linked to their library records for the purpose of conducting research or preparing for classes. The library reserves the right to require a photo ID at any time. Borrowers who abuse library policies or disrupt library service may have their library privileges revoked.

It is the borrower’s responsibility to notify the library immediately of any change of address or phone number. The library uses the university’s apu.edu email accounts for its primary communication resource—for notification of available materials, overdue notices, and late fees. It is the borrower’s responsibility to forward mail from these accounts to commercial email accounts if they are used. Lack of mail delivery does not excuse the borrower from responding to any notices. Mail returned to the library, or email that “bounces” back to the library’s automated notice system, due to failure of a borrower to provide timely and adequate mail or email addresses may result in the suspension of borrowing privileges until the issue is resolved.

The library will not release personal borrowing information about any library user to any other individual or organization unless required to do so by law or by university policy.

Checking Out Materials

How do I borrow library materials?

Current students, faculty, or staff are automatically entered into the Library database. If the patron is not in the database, an “APU Library Patron Registration” form, available at the circulation desk, must be completed and presented with a photo ID and proof of APU status.

If you are a guest or alumni, please visit the Library Patrons page for more information on borrowing material from the University Libraries.

How do I return or renew library materials?

Library materials must be returned or renewed on or before the due date. Book drops are located at the entrance to each library. In addition, a return depository is located at the sidewalk leading up to the Darling Library. Materials may be renewed at the Circulation Desk at the Stamps, Marshburn, or Darling libraries in person, by phone, or online through your library account online. Regional Campus borrowers will find additional information on returning and renewing materials below. Overdue materials and materials with holds cannot be renewed.

To renew by phone, please call:

• Darling Circulation
  (626) 815-6000, Ext. 5060
• Marshburn Circulation
  (626) 815-6000, Ext. 3847
• Stamps Circulation
  (626) 815-6000, Ext. 5613

The item I need is checked out. How can I get the item?

An item requested by another borrower or needed by the library may have a hold request placed on it at any of the above Circulation desks. Items may be recalled for Reserve use at any time and for other patron use after three weeks. Items with holds on them may not be renewed. When the requested item becomes available, it will be placed on the hold shelf and the requester notified to pick up the item within 10 days. If there are multiple requests for a single item, they will be honored in the order received.

Other alternatives for obtaining a checked-out item is to see if it is available through through Interlibrary Loan.

Overdue or Lost Items

What happens if an item is overdue or lost?

Materials will be billed for replacement and processing fees assessed if materials are excessively overdue. Return of the material will cancel the replacement fee, but the accrued overdue fine must be paid, if applicable.

Lost materials must be reported immediately to the library. The minimum replacement cost for an APU owned item is $95 plus a $20 processing fee. The library will adjust the replacement bill upward if these figures do not cover the cost of the item. Borrowers are responsible for replacing or paying for the repair of materials damaged while out on loan and no longer usable. A borrower may replace a lost or damaged item with a duplicate copy acceptable to the library. The library reserves the right to determine if the duplicate is acceptable. After supplying the replacement copy, the borrower is still responsible for all processing fees.

Replacement bills and processing fees can be paid by using the payment link in your replacement bill notice or by doing directly to the library bill payment form. Outstanding debts will result in the suspension of all library privileges until the debt is resolved. Students may not transfer library fees to their university accounts.

The University Libraries understand the multifaceted demands our library community must be capable of responding to and the corresponding usefulness of cell phones. While we appreciate the practicality of carrying a cell phone wherever you go, we ask that you abide by a few simple guidelines, in order to preserve the proper climate for research and study.

Required Behaviors

Most importantly please do not answer calls on your cell phone while in a library. We would request that if you must take the call, please take it outside immediately.

Do not talk on your cell phone while in “discreet” sections of the building (e.g. the restrooms, stairwells, corners, etc.).

Suggested Behaviors

On behalf of our library community, we would greatly appreciate if all cell phones were changed to vibrate or silent ring tone settings while in a library.

Please utilize text messaging and email as you are comfortable.

Lastly, whenever possible, please turn off your cell phone while using a library.

Possible Repercussions

Failure to comply with the instructions of a library staff member may result in the suspension of library privileges or contact with Campus Safety.

Like the local public library, the university libraries are an important resource for seeking, finding, retrieving, evaluating, and using information. Our goal is to provide a clean, safe, and quiet atmosphere for all members of the APU community.

Unlike the local public library, the university libraries serve a primarily adult population. We are not designed to meet the information needs of children, and make no promise that the needs of children will be accommodated. The following guidelines have been established to clarify our position on children in the library, and to remind adults that they are responsible, at all times, for the behavior, and safety, of their children while visiting APU libraries.

Parents are urged to assist their children in the selection (and use) of various library materials and computer resources appropriate to their age and family values. A parent or guardian must accompany children at all times. It is the responsibility of the parent(s) or guardian(s) to monitor the behavior, and safety, of their children at all times.

Unruly children will be asked to discontinue their use of library resources and/or leave the library, and parents shall be required to remove their children from the library if requested by library staff.

Children may use the library (and its resources) as long as they are not disrupting patrons, are not misusing library resources (or its facilities), and are not creating a safety hazard to themselves or others. Parents assume financial responsibility for any loss or damage to library resources and/or facilities.

Although we try to accommodate all library users, APU students, faculty and staff do have priority over visitors (including children) in the use of library resources, facilities and services.

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Study rooms are provided for student use in all three of our libraries for a maximum of 2 hours at a time. Study rooms are generally available for 2-4 people per small room, and 4 or more people per large room.

Book a Study Room

The use of a study room is at the discretion of the library. Study rooms will be monitored by library personnel. Any unacceptable use may lead to forfeiting the use of the room; examples of unacceptable use include but are not limited to:

• Using it as a classroom
• Watching non-course-related material on the TVs
• Sleeping
• Excessive noise
• Using it as a break room, including eating meals, having social meetings, etc.

If you have questions about study rooms, contact the libraries at (626) 815-3847.