305 - Library Policies
| Title: |
Library |
| Owner: |
Director of Library Services |
| Last Update/Revised: |
11/10/2020 |
Policy:
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User Responsibilities and Ethics
The United States University Library is open to students, faculty, and staff. Library materials are to be used and shared among the community and therefore must be preserved. For this reason, there are certain regulations and conditions of use while using resources in the library.
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Regulations
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Please maintain an atmosphere conducive to study, by being as quiet as possible. Please turn off the ringer on your cell phone and set it on vibrate mode. You may conduct cell phone conversations outside of the library entrance.
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Absolutely no food, drink, or water bottles are permitted in the library outside the student’s bag or backpack. There are tables and chairs nearby in the Student Lounge.
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After browsing through books, do not try to re-shelve them. Leave them on tables or on the check-out desk.
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As most patrons of the Library will be accessing its resources and assistance electronically, please remember to practice good netiquette and adhere to university conduct expectations. See the Student Code of Conduct in your D2L Brightspace courses and/or the University Catalog.
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Conditions of Use
The library is designed primarily for the use of the students, faculty, and staff of United States University. For electronic use: students and faculty are registered at the beginning of each session and assigned USU Gmail and Online Classroom-D2L Brightspace accounts. To access the databases and resources in the Library Corner, students need to be registered in a course. Some open source materials are also available at the University Library website.
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Accessing the Library Corner
All students, faculty, and staff may access the LIBRARY link in every online course (at the main menu of each course in D2L Brightspace). course in D2L Brightspace requires the use of your institutional login and password. Access to the
In D2L Brightspace, you will be automatically enrolled in the Library Corner. The Library Corner houses a variety of databases and resources, research guides, information literacy training webinars, videos, and tutorials.
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Ask a Librarian Services
Students, faculty, and staff of the United States University can submit requests to our virtual library reference services 16/7 from 9am to 10pm via email
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Accessing the Library Databases & E-Resources
To access the databases subscribed by the University you need to log-in into your Online Classroom-D2L Brightspace and select the Library link located in the main menu of each course. No need for passwords.
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Collection Management and Development/Preservation
The Library physical collection, electronic journals and e-books databases support the academic programs of the Unite States University.d
The databases are revised yearly for upgrades or cancellation based on database usage statistics, and new programs added or suspended. Decisions are made before the renewal of the databases. Data is presented to Deans, Provost and Assistant Provost.
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Information Literacy Training - Online Library Orientation and Instructional Sessions
An online video orientation to the Library is available in the D2L Brightspace-Library Corner under Videos and PowerPoint Tutorials as well as Library Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and a host of slide presentations and videos that give great detail regarding the research process. The Library also offers a series of live webinars each session, covering a variety of online resources, including licensed databases, reputable “free/open” internet sources, and using APA Style for referencing your research (See the Webinars Schedule in the Library Corner for current offerings).
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Reference and Research Services Online and on-ground
The library provides informational resources and professional reference assistance in support of the academic and research programs of United States University to students, faculty and staff 16/7 from 9am to 10pm via email and on-ground from M-F from 9am to 5pm
Information Literacy Training webinars are scheduled at the beginning of the session via Zoom and YouSeeU.
Students and faculty request one-to-one guided database searches, References and In-Text-Citations by sharing desktop via Zoom, Google Meet, YouSeeU, Telephone, e-mail and other services.
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Circulation Policy
The circulation policies of the United States University Library are enacted to provide access and protection to materials in the library’s collections to students, faculty and staff of the University. The Library physical collection is comprised of books.
a. United States University issues USU Identification Cards to faculty, students, alumni, and staff, with an ID number to facilitate the loan of materials and to keep a record of materials loaned to patrons. Special borrowers are approved by Deans.
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Book Loan Limits for the USU Library materials by patron category, see Table 1 below:
Table 1
| User/Borrower |
General Collection Loan Period |
General Collection Loan Limit |
Textbook Loan Period |
Textbook Loan Limit |
Textbooks "On Reserve" |
| USU Graduate Students |
60 Days |
5 books per session |
60 Days |
1 |
2-3 Hours |
| USU Undergraduate Students |
60 Days |
2 books per session |
60 Days |
1 |
2-3 Hours |
| USU Faculty and Staff |
60-80 Days |
No limit |
60-80 Days |
4 |
2-3 Hours |
| USU Alumni |
20 Days |
1 book |
1 Hour |
1 |
1 Hour |
| USU Special Borrowers |
20 Days approved by Deans |
1 book |
1 Hour |
1 |
1 Hour |
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Non-circulating Materials
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Reference collection (Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, Manuals, Guides, etc.)
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DVDs (Circulation to USU faculty is allowed an in-house use. If part of a book, it may circulate)
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Holds/Requests: All USU students, faculty and staff may place holds (requests) on any circulating item from the general collection; through e-mail
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Renewing: Course material from Reserve collection cannot be renewed. Materials from general collection can be renewed for a period of 30 days, if material has not been requested for another patron. All USU Library materials can be renewed by email.
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Recalls: All USU Library materials from the general collection are subject to recall when another patron places a hold (request) on the material(s). The first patron will have fourteen days to return the recalled materials, from the date of notice. Recalled materials cannot be renewed.
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Returns: Any USU Library materials can be returned to the Library or to the Front Desk
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Fines
No daily late fines are assessed for USU Library materials. However, items not returned or renewed once past due, will be declared lost and the patron will be subject to replace the same material. Some or all library privileges may be revoked if an item is not returned or replaced.
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Graduation, Withdrawal or Departure from the University
The Library will be informed by the Registrar via e-mail when students request transfer, graduation or withdrawal. The Library will report to the Registrar by email if there are books to be returned.
The Human Resources Department will inform the Library when faculty members depart from the University or reach the end of their contract. The Library will report to HR by email, if there are books to be returned by the faculty member at the expiration of their contract period.
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Privacy Rights
The library has the commitment to protect the privacy rights of our users, regardless of the format or medium of information in use.
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Technology Services and Policies
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Internet Access
The USU campus and Library are wireless. See the posted network ID and passwords for access in each classroom.
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Computer Access
USU provides students access to computers on campus in the Computer Lab and in addition, students have access to Google Chromebooks.
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Copy Machine Access
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USU provides students access to a copy machine in the Computer Lab.
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Copyright Policy
See our What You Should Know about Copyright presentation before making copies of any materials. For more information, see the “Copyright and Fair Use Provisions” guidelines in the Library Corner.
Purpose: The United States University Library mission is to support the learning, research, and academic success of its students, faculty, and alumni. Through campus and online information literacy, the library responds to the information needs of the USU community in supporting student-centered learning.
To accomplish this mission, the library will provide access to academic resources by creating and maintaining the Library Corner in D2L.
The Library Corner has the resources to perform the Information Literacy Training via online or on ground instruction to satisfy the information needs of students and faculty. The training covers the content of the Library Corner according to the student program, how to search databases and online resources, APA format, references, in-text citations, paraphrasing, videos tutorials, and research guides by course or by program to ensure that students can effectively locate access, interpret, evaluate, and communicate information to support the Learning Outcomes.
Scope: The United States University library supports the teaching, learning, research, and academic success of its faculty and students. The university provides the Baccalaureate and Master degree in the areas of business, nursing and education.
Library Resources
See updates in D2L A-Z LIST OF DATABASES and resources under colleges
Document and Form(s):