Borrowing of Library Materials Policy

NJIT libraries facilitate the circulation of materials owned by NJIT to students, faculty and staff and authorized alumni, courtesy and guests borrowers.

Who may borrow library materials?

• NJIT students, faculty and staff with a current validated NJIT ID card
• NJIT Alumni with a valid ID card
• NJIT Enterprise Development Centers members
• NJIT VIP's with letter from appropriate department
• Students from CHEN member libraries in Newark: Essex County College and Rutgers University (Newark Campus Only)
• VALE reciprocal borrowing institutions and NJIT library VALE borrowing policy
  1. Undergraduate students (participating institutions)
  2. Faculty/staff (participating institutions)
  3. Graduate students (participating institutions)

What materials may be borrowed?

• Circulating collection
• 2-hours, 1 day, and 7 day materials in the reserve collection housed at the Circulation Desk
• Humanities/Social Science videotapes

What materials may not be borrowed?

• Reference books
• Periodicals / serials / journals / magazines
• Non-circulating Humanities/Social Science books. These are intershelved with circulating collection on the lower level
• Use in library materials

How long can I keep the materials I borrowed?

How many items can I borrow?

• Circulating collection: varies by borrowing status
• Reserve collections: 3 items
• Humanities/social science videotapes: 3 items

Is there a limit on how many items in the circulating collection I can borrow simultaneously?

• NJIT undergraduate students: 15 items
• NJIT graduate students: 25 items
• NJIT faculty and staff: 25 items
• NJIT alumni: 10 items
• Alumni, courtesy & guest borrowers, Rutgers Newark Campus students: 10 items

What is the check-out procedure for circulating materials?

• Borrower must present an ID card, valid for the current semester, to borrow library materials. Only the owner of a library-registered ID is authorized to borrow materials on his or her card. The library is not responsible for unauthorized use of library cards.

What is the check-out procedures for "use in library" materials?

• Borrower must present an ID card, valid for the current semester, or a valid driver's license in order to borrow Use in Library Materials. The ID will be held at the Circulation Desk while the material is being used in the library.

What is the procedure for renewals?

Materials on loan may be renewed twice providing no one has requested them. NJIT graduate students may renew items three times. Renewals may be done in the following ways:

1. on the web (My Account)
2. by presenting the books at the circulation desk
3. via the telephone 973-596-6371 (faculty and staff only)

In the spirit of limiting renewals to two times so that other users have access to material, we also ask that borrowers wait 48 hours before borrowing a book they have just returned. In cases where we know 48 hours have not passed, we will consider such a loan as a renewal for the purpose of this policy.

What are the fines for returning borrowed items late?

* Fines are NOT a mechanism to "rent" a book. Purposefully keeping a book for a longer period of time after it is overdue and then simply paying up the fine does NOT relieve you of your library obligations. Borrowers who are habitually keeping books overdue may may be subject to loss of access and use of library resources and disciplinary action by the university.

How do I place a hold on a borrowed item?

• Holds may be placed on materials that are currently charged out by placing a Hold request using the online catalog system

How do I recall a borrowed item?

• All materials are subject to recall before its original due date when the item is needed by another library borrower.
• The library understands that borrowers need materials for the papers they have to write and exams for which they have to study. However, the library is charged with making sure as many borrowers as possible get access to the materials they need. Sometimes -- when there is great demand and few resources -- that means you get a shorter "turn" with the material.

Is there a recall fine for borrowed materials that are not returned by the recall due date?

• Recall fine is $1.00 per day / per item for materials not returned after 7 days of notice

What are the procedures for lost or damaged materials?

• Patrons are fully responsible for all library materials charged out to them. In the event that an item is lost, the library will charge the cost of the item plus a $10.00 processing fee per item. If a lost item is found and returned within 90 days the cost of the item will be refunded. The processing fee is not refunded.

Does the library send overdue notices for materials that I borrowed?

• Notices are sent at 7, 14, and 21 days after an item is due.
• Notices are emailed to the borrower's official NJIT email addresses. Borrowers are responsible for checking NJIT email account or automatically forwarding email sent there to their off-campus or preferred email account.

Updated at the CITLAR Committee meeting, Sep 11, 2014
Updated at the Faculty Library Committee meeting, Dec 16, 2004
Updated at the Faculty Library Committee meeting, Oct 21, 2004
Updated at the Faculty Library Committee meeting, Nov 20, 2003
Updated at the Librarians Team Meeting, Sep 5, 2003
Approved at the Librarian’s Team Meeting, Aug 18, 1999