All Valley City State University students, staff, and faculty are considered library patrons and are provided with full access to materials and services using their university-issued ID card. Emeritus staff and faculty are also automatically considered library patrons and do not need to apply for a card. Community members may use library resources and/or may elect to become a local library patron by applying for and receiving a community patron library card. Priority for resources and staff time is given to university users.
General Borrowing Privileges
- Borrowing privileges are not transferable and must be exercised personally.
- Material will be loaned to patrons with a valid library card/university-issued ID. The library staff may request verification of patron information during the circulation process.
- Loan periods vary by user group and material type. See the loan periods table for specifics.
Loans and Renewals
- Material may be renewed via email or phone before or on the day it is due, and in person at the library Information Desk.
- Material is renewed one-time unless a hold request by a university user has been placed on it.
- Students are expected to return all library materials and clear their library records by the end of each term. This means the due date for book loans and renewals after week ten defaults to the end of term date rather than the six week loan period.
Overdue Items
- All library users are ultimately responsible for being aware of the due dates of loaned items and for their prompt return.
- The library sends reminder and overdue notices as a courtesy to its patrons to renew or return borrowed items. Failure to receive an overdue notice does not absolve the patron of the obligation to return the materials.
- The library no longer accrues fines for overdue item but there is a lost item fee. The fee will be charged to the user’s account fourteen days after the due date on any library materials.
Charges for Lost/Damaged Items
- The library assesses a fee of $50 per item declared lost or damaged beyond repair.
- VCSU faculty, students, and staff will be charged through the Business Office.
- Community patrons will be billed directly by the VCSU Library.
- The lost or damaged item fee is nonrefundable a month after the due date on any library materials. The library staff reserves the right to revoke or refuse borrowing privileges.
- Faculty and staff employed at Valley City State University have extended borrowing privileges. They may renew materials at the end of fall semester but must return all materials at the end of the academic year.
- Faculty and staff departing from the college must have cleared their library record before their service to the college is terminated.
Lost Interlibrary Loan Items
The lending library determines the cost of the lost item and the handling charges; the VCSU patron will be billed for costs by the VCSU Library on behalf of the lending library. Unpaid bills will be turned over to the VCSU Business Office for collection.
Requests and Recalls
- Recalls may be requested at any time for books that a faculty member designates to be placed on reserve for a class. In this scenario, the book must be returned immediately.
- VCSU students can request a recall of a book after the book has been checked out for a minimum of fourteen days. The library will hold the items for up to seven days for the requesting student when they are returned.
- Notification for recalls will be sent to the patron’s email account. Return the recalled items by the date and time specified in the recall notice to avoid replacement costs billed to the user regardless of the original loan period or due date.
Revised: January 2025
