Rule of the Library

(as approved by the Vice-Chancellor on 30 June 1992) (amended)

The Executive Director of the Division of Library Services which administers the libraries on each campus has authority from the Board of Governors to enforce this rule.

The authority of the Executive Director shall be delegated to each campus Library Director for the daily operation of the relevant library, and where specified for the enforcement of this Rule. In the absence of the Library Director, this authority is vested in the Officer-in-Charge of each campus library at any time.

1. Hours of Opening

The hours of opening of each library shall be determined by the Executive Director on advice of the appropriate Library Director, and notified to the users of each library. Any variations to standard opening hours shall be notified in advance, through normal University channels, and posted at each library entrance.

2. Entry to the Library

The Rule of the Library shall be displayed or made available to users of the library.
Members of the public may enter a library during its hours of opening. Entry is taken to indicate acceptance of the Rule and agreement to be governed by it.
Persons under the age of 18 years may be required to be accompanied by an adult deemed responsible for their abidance by the Rule.

3. General Conduct within the Library

Users of the Library shall adhere at all times to these conditions of general conduct, which shall be enforced by the Officer-in-Charge at the time.

Any person within the library shall produce appropriate identification upon request of a member of the library staff or security staff.
Persons using the library shall conduct themselves in a quiet, orderly manner. Disturbance of other patrons must be avoided.
Eating, drinking and smoking are not permitted in public areas within the library.
No animals, other than guide dogs, may be brought into the library.
Any items brought into the library shall remain the responsibility of the owner and may be required to be offered for inspection by any member of the library staff or security staff.
Seating in the public area may not be reserved.
Articles left unattended in the library may be removed by the library staff and treated as lost property.
Any persons not adhering to these conditions of general conduct and use, who are requested to do so by the Officer-in-Charge, must comply with the direction or leave the library immediately.

4. Use of Library Facilities

Each Library Director may permit any person to use any facility of that library and determine the conditions of use.
Charges may be imposed for the use of the library materials, services or other facilities.
Schedules of charges and fines shall be published in the University Handbook.
Items which are the property of the University or the library shall not be defaced, mutilated or deliberately misplaced.
Privacy of patron and loan records shall be maintained.

5. Availability of Material for Loan and Conditions of Loan

No library material shall be removed from a library building until a loan has been appropriately transacted.
Items in the open access collections of each library are normally for loan. Specific categories, for example, reference materials, may be excepted.
Loan periods shall be determined by the Executive Director and published within the University.
A campus Library Director may modify loan conditions temporarily to more satisfactorily cater for items in high demand.
Material issued on loan may be recalled by the library staff at any time.

6. Borrowing Privileges

The following are entitled to borrow approved materials from the library: students of the University, staff of the University, reciprocal borrowers (students and staff of other tertiary institutions) and members of the community/special users as approved by a campus Library Director.
Community and special borrowers will be charged an annual fee.
Community and special borrowers may borrow from the University Library but will not be granted reciprocal borrowing privileges at other libraries by virtue of enrolment at Charles Sturt University.

7. Borrower Responsibilities

A current card indicating entitlement to borrow from the library shall be presented by each borrower.
The card showing borrowing entitlement shall not be used by persons other than the registered card holder.
University members shall report the loss of their card immediately to the Student Administration Office. Borrowing privileges may be withheld until a new card is issued.
Community and special borrowers shall report the loss of their library card immediately to the campus library where the holder is registered. Borrowing privileges may be withheld until a new card is issued.
A borrower shall remain responsible for material issued against his/her library card until the material is returned to the library and the loan transaction discharged by the library staff.
Borrowing privileges may be suspended if a borrower has overdue items, outstanding library fines, or is in some other way in breach of this Rule.
Fines for the late return of items may be imposed. Fines may be waived only by the campus Library Director or nominated delegate.
Failure to return a loan shall incur a maximum fine plus a replacement charge for the item loaned.
Outstanding library fines or debts may prevent the issue of final grades for the session or re-enrolment in a subsequent session.

8. Misconduct or Breaches of this Rule

Where a person is in breach of this Rule the Executive Director or the Library Director may suspend that person for a period not exceeding two weeks from attendance at, or from the use of all or any of the facilities of the library.
Where the Executive Director or the Library Director exercises authority under (i) above the matter shall be reported forthwith in writing to the Principal.
Where the Executive Director or the Library Director believes that the breach of the Rule dealt with under (i) above so warrants, he or she may recommend to the Principal that the person be dealt with under the By Law or Rules relating to student or staff misconduct.
Except where a breach of this Rule is to be dealt with under (iii) above, a person aggrieved by a decision of the Executive Director or Library Director under (i) above may appeal to the Principal.

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