Access to the Library & Borrowing Policy

• Access -- Who can use Wellesley Libraries
• Borrowing -- Who can borrow from Wellesley Libraries
• Loan Periods & Renewals
• Recalls & Holds
• Overdues, Fines, & Replacements
• Reserves
• Interlibrary Loan
• Library Rules
• Patron Confidentiality

Access & Borrowing Privileges 

Borrowers

NOTE: Groups indicated with italics have different borrowing privileges at the Art Library.

The following persons may borrow materials from the Wellesley College Libraries, personal ID and sign-in may be required.

• Students of Wellesley College, MIT, and Olin College, cross-registered students from Brandeis, Babson, and Wellesley High School
• Faculty/Staff of Wellesley College (including emeritus), MIT, and Olin College
• Wellesley College Trustees (including emeritus)
• Wellesley Research Affiliates - Wellesley College Fellows, Associates in Education, Stone Center Interns, project managers of Center for Research on Women, and visiting research scholars
• Wellesley Affiliates - docents, retired employees, teachers from Wellesley High School, Dana Hall, and St. Mark's, and Babson faculty.
• Wellesley College Auditors - Cannot borrow from Art Library
• Wellesley College Alumnae - Cannot borrow from Art Library
• Family of Wellesley College Faculty/Staff - spouses and college age children only
• Boston Library Consortium card holders - Cannot borrow from Art Library

Those who meet the above criteria, but have not been issued a Wellesley College ID, will have to register at the Circulation Desk for an Outside Borrower Library Card. Personal ID or Institution ID should be presented and proof of current address may be required.

Please be aware that loan periods vary for different patrons; please see Loan Periods and Renewals.

On-site Users

On-site use of Wellesley College Library facilities and materials is granted to the following persons:

• Those requesting the U.S. Depository collection
• Students or faculty from other colleges and universities
• Town of Wellesley residents (beyond high school age) who need material not available at public institutes
• Students from Wellesley High and Dana Hall with a "One Day Pass" from their School Librarian.
• Family and guests (beyond high school age) accompanied by a member of the Wellesley College or MIT communities

Visitors

Those not directly associated with Wellesley College wishing to tour/view the facilities or have special access will be expected to show identification and be signed in if requested.  For more information, please contact the Clapp Library Circulation Desk at (781) 283-2166.

Loan Periods and Renewals

All library materials should be returned to the library from which they were checked out.  Loan periods are determined by patron types and material types. Loan periods for regular circulating materials are in the following table. For all other materials please inquire at the Circulation Desk of the appropriate library.

Patron Type	Material Type	Loan period	# of Renewals
Wellesley College: Students, Affiliates, Auditors, Alumnae, Family of Faculty/Staff MIT and Olin Students Boston Library Consortium card holders	Book   Video, DVD, CD	28 days   1 week	3   3
Wellesley College: 350/370 Students, Research Affiliates	Book Video, DVD, CD	120 days 1 week	3 3
Wellesley College: Faculty, Faculty Emeritus, Staff, Trustees MIT and Olin Faculty/Staff	Book Video, DVD, CD	6 months 1 week	As needed 3

Library materials cannot be renewed if another patron places a hold on the items.

Library materials can be renewed in person with library card/ID or by signing into My Library from the Library Home page.  Materials cannot be renewed over the phone.

Recalls & Holds

Identity of borrowers is confidential.

Holds

Wellesley Students, Faculty and Staff may place a hold on a checked-out item and be electronically informed when the item is returned.  The item will be held for this patron at the owning Library's circulation desk for 7 days from the date of return.

Recalls

Wellesley Students, Faculty and Staff may request that an item be recalled.  A new due date, 5-14 days from the date of recall, is created for the item and the current patron must return the item by this new due date.  The current patron is assured 14 days check out for an item. If the the patron has had the items 14 days the new due date will be 5 days from date of recall.

The current patron will be electronically informed that their item has been recalled with a new due date.

If a book is needed for a course reserve it can be immediately recalled and due back on the date of recall, regardless of the patrons check out date.

A recalled book will incur a $2.00 per day fine, if not returned by the new due date.

Overdues, Fines, & Replacements 

Fines for Overdue Items

Patron Type	Regularly Circulating Items (4 week book loans; 1 week DVD, video & CD loans)	RECALLED Regularly Circulating Items	Reserves Materials
Wellesley College: Students, 350/370 Students, Auditors, Research Affiliates MIT and Olin: Students	No charge if renewed/returned before billing	$2.00 per day	$1.00 per HOUR 50% of a fine may be waived when overdue reserve item is returned with payment
Boston Library Consortium card holders Wellesley College: Alumnae , Family of Faculty/Staff, Affiliates	$ .25 per day	$2.00 per day	$1.00 per HOUR 50% of a fine may be waived when overdue reserve item is returned with payment

Courtesy overdue notices are sent electronically when items are 1 day, 1 week, and 2 weeks overdue.  Patrons must register a current email address to receive courtesy notices.

When an item is 4 weeks overdue, a Billing Statement will be sent to the patron.  Payments not made to the Libraries will be sent to the Bursar at the end of each semester.

Billing and Replacement Fees for Unreturned or Lost Items

Once an item is 28 days overdue, a replacement fee of $100.00 will be added to the patron's library account. If the item is returned the replacement fee will be removed.

This replacement fee is an estimate of the cost to replace a lost item, and a Librarian at the owning library's Circulation Desk must be contacted to determine the actual replacement cost of a lost item.

Replacement fees will be sent to the Bursar at the end of each semester for items not returned.

Bursar Billing

Student fines will be sent to the Bursar at the end of each semester . All other fines not paid by the end of a students enrollment at Wellesley College will be sent to the Bursar.

Reserves

Course reserve materials may be placed on reserve at the Knapp Media and Technology Center in Clapp Library and the Art, Music, and Science libraries. Please see the Course Reserves page for further details.

• Most course reserve materials are included in the Library's online catalog.  A search may be done by course or instructor's name.
• Most reserve materials circulate for 3 hours and usually overnight.  Some materials are IN LIBRARY USE ONLY and can only be used while a patron is in the library.  Other materials may require students to leave their student ID with Library staff during use.
• Faculty/Staff wishing to place materials on Reserve should contact staff at the appropriate library.

Each library may have slightly different rules regarding reserve items; please contact them if you have specific questions:
Art Library x2049  ·  Knapp Center x2368
Music Library x2075  ·  Science Library x3084

Confidentiality of Borrower Records & Recalled Items

It is the policy of the American Library Association to maintain the confidentiality of borrowers' records. However, when an individual borrower's abuse of Library privileges infringes on the needs of other members of the Wellesley College community, the Library reserves the right to disclose the borrower's name to appropriate individuals such as a dean, members of the faculty, or General Judiciary personnel. The Honor Code applies to all Library transactions.

Library Rules

Food & Drink Policy

Food and beverages, and their containers, attract insects and rodents, and can stain and destroy library materials, equipment and furniture. The smell of some foods may also be bothersome to other library users. Please be considerate of others--don't leave trash behind.

• In Clapp Library, food may be eaten in the First Floor Lounge (Knapp level) and the Brackett Reading Room on the second floor (Reference Room level). Hot meals should not be brought into the Library.
• In the Art, Music, and Science Libraries, beverages are allowed in reusable, spill-proof containers; food is not permitted.
• Library patrons are encouraged to use reusable, spill-proof drink containers (such as plastic coffee mugs with sealable lids, or reusable water bottles). Disposable, paper containers are not spill proof and should not be brought into the Library.
• Absolutely no food or drinks are permitted at audio/visual and computer workstations or in Archives and Special Collections.

Appropriate Behavior

• Users are expected to respect others by keeping conversations at low levels or by using study rooms at the libraries.
• Cell phone usage is restricted to spaces determined by each library. Cell phones should be set to a non-ringing mode.

Honor Code

• Use of library computers should be for academic purposes only.  Priority is given to Wellesley College faculty, staff and students.
• Use of library facilities should not violate the College's Responsible Use of Information Technology Resources Policy
• Honor Code