Library Policies

Updated February 2018

All persons using library computers must comply with the policies stated in the Roosevelt University Computer and Network Usage Policy. This document also allows the Library to define local "conditions of use". Per the Auditorium and Wabash Building Access Policy, the Chicago Campus is a closed campus to the public. However, the Schaumburg Campus remains open for public use. The Library provides open access to its computers.  However, certain restrictions will apply from time to time.  These restrictions include, but are not limited to, the following:

Who may use Library Public Access Computers?

Priority will be given to current students, faculty, administrators, and staff of Roosevelt University or any I-SHARE institution; members of the Roosevelt Alumni Association. Users may be asked to display a valid ID card when using public access computers.

Members of the public may use computers when space is available. However, library staff reserves the right to request public users give up their computer if the labs become full.

For what purposes may the library Public Access Computers be used?

The Library’s computers are primarily for the scholarly communication and research needs of Roosevelt University and I-SHARE faculty, students and staff. Members of the public may also use the computers for their research and communication needs subject to the limitations stated above. The Library does not monitor or otherwise interfere with or censor use of the computers with regard to the content being accessed. However, a person may be asked to move to another computer if the content is inappropriate and interferes with others in the Library. No illegal activities are permitted on the Library computers.

The Library’s public access computers may not be used for commercial purposes.

Roosevelt University Interlibrary Loan Policy

Interlibrary loan (often referred to as ILL) is an agreement among libraries to share materials by lending and borrowing items to one another. This service is intended to compliment and supplement the Library’s collection to meet the information and research needs of the registered Roosevelt University Library user.

The Roosevelt University Library is a member of OCLC (Online Computer Library Center) that provides the software, guidelines, maintenance, and network for libraries across the United States and the world. Library staff follows these guidelines set by OCLC that are based on the American Library Association Interlibrary Loan Code in which determines and governs all interlibrary loan transactions under the guidelines set by the State of Illinois Library. As such, the Roosevelt University Library participates in the ILLINET program and follows the guidelines set by the state when lending and receiving materials with other libraries, not part of the I-Share system, across the State of Illinois. https://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/publications/pdf_publications/lda130.pdf

Lending

Roosevelt University Library materials will be loaned to other libraries through interlibrary loan after they have been in the collection for sixty days or removed from the “New Books” displays. This is to ensure equable access to new materials for registered Roosevelt University Library users. The loan period for interlibrary loan materials is 28 days. Materials loaned to other libraries can be renewed up to two times if no registered Roosevelt University Library user needs the item(s).

Materials not available to lend through interlibrary loan are videos, DVDs, CDs, newspapers, magazines, items on reserve, textbooks, local request items, course packets, software, equipment, reference materials, items in the university archives, or specialty/rare items. Library staff will not recall RU Library owned materials already checked out by another Roosevelt Library or CARLI user for interlibrary loan. The Roosevelt University Library will not lend items internationally.

Borrowing

All registered Roosevelt University Library users may utilize interlibrary loan services. Interlibrary loan privileges are not available to alumni and non-Roosevelt community members. Interlibrary loan services are free to all Roosevelt students, faculty, and staff members.

The Roosevelt University Library utilizes a software package maintained by OCLC named ILLiad to fulfill all interlibrary loan article requests and book requests that cannot be filled though I-Share. All Roosevelt University Library users must have an ILLiad account to request materials through interlibrary loan. To create an account, check a request status, view electronically delivered articles, or to renew items checked out through interlibrary loan, please visit: http://libguides.roosevelt.edu/illiad. Patrons must use their Roosevelt email address when creating an ILLiad account.

Requested materials for interlibrary loan must be requested first through I-Share if available. (See ILDS Lending Policy) Library staff will deny material requests from ILLiad if the items are available through I-Share. If items are not available through I-Share, materials will always be requested first from local, state, and national libraries before sending the request internationally. Library staff cannot guarantee the time for filling a request and may cancel a request when all possible lending sources have been exhausted or no library is able to supply the material.

Roosevelt University Library users will be notified via their Roosevelt University email address when items have arrived. All items are expected to be returned on time and in the same condition as received. Due dates and renewals are determined by the lending library, and Roosevelt University library staff do not have control over those lending policies.

Roosevelt University Library users are responsible for paying all fees assessed by the lending library due to late, lost or damaged items. Additional interlibrary loan requests will not be accepted until these costs are paid in full. If Interlibrary Loan materials become 10 business days overdue then the patron will be suspended of all library privileges and a registration hold will be placed on their university account. Borrowing patrons are responsible for any and all overdue fees incurred due to overdue material. No overdue fines will be waived.

Interlibrary loan is a courtesy provided by the lending library and any conditions of use imposed by that library must be strictly observed. All items are subject to immediate recall by the lending library.

Textbooks

The Roosevelt University Library understands that the cost of textbooks is high. Although the Library does allow patrons to place ILL requests for certain required course reading material, we are unable to borrow required textbooks via Interlibrary Loan. Why?

• Interlibrary Loan should be used for supplementing your research, and is not a substitute for buying required textbooks.
• Attempts to borrow current editions of textbooks sometimes takes many weeks and are frequently unsuccessful.
• Interlibrary loan due dates are short and will not cover a full semester use. If you attempt to keep an ILL book for a whole semester overdue fees could add up to be greater than the original cost of the book.

The Interlibrary Loan Office will only request materials needed for scholarly research, and Interlibrary Loan staff reserve the right to cancel requests that do not fall into this category.

I-Share Lending and Borrowing Policy

The Roosevelt University Library is a member of a library resource sharing cooperative named the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI). The CARLI consortium is a network of academic libraries around the state of Illinois that share materials through a common catalog (I-Share) and library book delivery system (ILDS). Through the consortium, libraries routinely utilize the delivery system to share materials with each other when items are needed by their own registered users. The Roosevelt University Library participates in sharing and requesting materials with other CARLI libraries. This service is intended to compliment and supplement the Roosevelt University Library’s existing collection to meet the information and research needs of the registered Roosevelt University Library user.

Lending

Roosevelt University Library materials will be loaned to other libraries through the I-Share cooperative after they have been in the collection for sixty days or removed from the “New Books” displays. This is to ensure equable access to new materials for registered Roosevelt University Library users. The loan period for I-Share materials is 28 days. Materials loaned to other libraries can be renewed up to two times if no registered Roosevelt University Library user needs the item(s).

Materials not available to lend through interlibrary loan are videos, DVDs, newspapers, magazines, items on reserve, textbooks, course packets, software, equipment, reference materials, items in the university archives, or specialty/rare items. Library staff will not recall RU Library owned materials already checked out by another Roosevelt Library user.

Borrowing

All registered Roosevelt University Library users may utilize ILDS services free of charge. I-Share privileges are not available to alumni and non-Roosevelt community members. All Roosevelt University Library users must have an I-Share account to request materials from participating libraries. To create an account, check a request status or to renew items checked out through I-Share, please visit: https://vufind.carli.illinois.edu/all/vf/.

Library staff cannot guarantee the time for filling a request. Roosevelt University Library users will be notified via their Roosevelt University email address (provided when signing up for an I-Share account) when items have arrived. Items requested via I-Share will be held at the circulation desk of the user’s choice for three weeks. Items on hold longer than three weeks will be returned back to their home libraries. All loaned items are expected to be returned on time and in the same condition as received. Lending libraries may charge for lost or damaged items.  Due dates and renewals are determined by the lending library, and Roosevelt University library staff do not have control over those lending policies.

Roosevelt University Library Circulation Schedule

The Roosevelt University Library is part of the CARLI I-Share consortium that determines many of the circulation policies for materials borrowed and loaned out to other participating institutions. The scope of this schedule is to outline the circulation parameters for Roosevelt Community members and CARLI reciprocal patrons borrowing or lending materials from the RU Library.

Library privileges are extended to following valid (currently registered) patron type:

• Roosevelt University Faculty
• Roosevelt University Staff
• Roosevelt University Students
• Roosevelt University Alumni – alumni may only borrow materials owned by the Roosevelt University Library
• Faculty Emeriti – emeriti faculty may only borrow materials owned by the Roosevelt University Library
• Students, staff, and faculty from participating CARLI institutions   

Local Requests

RU Faculty and Staff

* Items borrowed from other CARLI institutions typically have a checkout period of 28 days. This is determined by the lending institution.

**Items borrowed from other institutions will be renewed for an additional 28 days. Renewals are determined by the lending institution. Other institutions may recall materials at any time, not allowing renewals.  

RU Students, Alumni, Emeriti & CARLI Members

* Items borrowed from other CARLI institutions typically have a checkout period of 28 days. This is determined by the lending institution.

**Items borrowed from other institutions will be renewed for an additional 28 days. Renewals are determined by the lending institution. Other institutions may recall materials at any time, not allowing renewals.

Schedule of Fines

*Library patrons may replace Roosevelt University lost items with the same item or newer edition. It is the responsibility of the library patron to contact lending institutions to determine fines, fees and possible replacements. Any account holds will not be waived until the item is received by the Library. CARLI institutions may charge an additional $20.00 processing fee, along with the lost item fees. Overdue items 29 days late are considered lost.

Account Holds

There are two level of holds on library patron accounts:

Level 1- CARLI Hold

Level 2 – Institutional Hold

A CARLI hold is defined as a block on a patron’s account that prevents utilization of reciprocal institution borrowing privileges. A CARLI hold will be placed on a library account when a patron has a combined 25 items overdue or 1 item in the lost status. The library patron is responsible for any fines accumulated from other institutions.

An institutional hold is defined as a block on a patron’s Roosevelt University Banner account. An institutional hold will be placed on a library account when a patron has a combined 25 items overdue or 1 item in the lost status. The library patron is responsible for any fines accumulated. As a courtesy, Roosevelt University will place an institutional hold on a local patron’s Banner account at the request of the lending institution. Library holds can only be removed when all fines are paid down to a maximum of $5.00, replacement copies are provided, or staff from other lending institutions inform the Roosevelt University Library that all fines and holds have been cleared from their institution. 

Interlibrary Loan Requests

Current Roosevelt University students, staff and faculty have interlibrary loan privileges. These privileges allow borrowing of materials from other institutions around the world that are not part of the CARLI consortium. All overdue fines and renewal privileges are determined by the lending institution and are charged to Roosevelt University. Library patrons are responsible for all fines and fees at a maximum of $60 per title. Institutional holds will be placed on patron accounts until all fines and fees are paid. Replacement interlibrary loan titles are not accepted to remove any holds.

Updated January, 2008

Privacy is an essential element of intellectual and academic freedom.  The Roosevelt University Library is committed to protecting the privacy of its users and maintaining the confidentiality of all information collected.

The library maintains records of personally identifiable information in order to conduct its business.  Such records include circulation records, interlibrary loan records, emailed reference requests, and other records of uses of library materials, facilities, or services.  It is our goal to gather only the minimum information necessary and to retain that information only as long as is needed to complete the transaction.

Confidentiality will be maintained for all personal data acquired by the Library as required by the Illinois Library Records Confidentiality Act.  The Library will also comply with the Confidentiality Policy of Roosevelt University as well as the privacy requirements of the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act(FERPA).

The Library subscribes to the American Library Association Code of Ethics.  Section III of the Code of Ethics states:

We protect each library user's right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired or transmitted.

The library Web site links out to other sites and services that are not contained or controlled within the University's computer systems.  As the practices of these sites are not controlled by the library, users must read the privacy statements at these sites to learn of their privacy practices.

This policy will be reviewed on a regular basis and updated as needed.