Library Circulation Policy
Introduction
- Library borrowing privileges are available to all individuals currently enrolled or employed at the PES University. Alumni of PES University are granted borrowing privileges upon specific written requests. Alumni are defined as any former student who has received a bachelor’s, masters, or Ph.D. degree from PES University or PES Institute of Technology. Alumni may utilize the library’s online services while on campus but do not have off-campus access to library databases or interlibrary loan services.
External Members
- All groups or individuals who do not fall within the defined categories mentioned in the Library Regulations are eligible only for "external" membership. "External membership" is available upon payment of the prescribed fee and grants access only to borrowing facilities limited to print on paper resources at the discretion of the Librarian/Library Advisory Committee.
Borrower Confidentiality
- All library records pertaining to an individual user and their use of the library and its resources are confidential. These records may be accessed and used by library staff for library operations. Records will not be disclosed to others except upon the request or consent of the library user, pursuant to a court order, or as required by law. Such disclosure may only be made by the university librarian in consultation with the appropriate university authorities.
ID Cards
- To borrow materials, patrons must present their own library card or university ID.
Users' Responsibility
- The library holds the user whose name appears on the library ID card responsible for all use made with the card.
- Library users immediately notify the librarian of any changes in their email address or phone number.
- Return all materials on time.
- Strictly adhere to all library rules and regulations.
Library privileges may be revoked and/or fines imposed on users for any of the following reasons:
- Attempted or actual book theft.
- Failure to pay for lost books.
- Failure to respond promptly to overdue notices.
- Defacement of library materials, such as underlining, marginal notations, or removing pages.
- Damage to library furniture or fixtures.
- Rude or abusive treatment of library staff.
- Violation of copyright regulations in force.
Advance, overdue, and lost notices
- Notices are sent to patrons via SMS or email as a courtesy. Non-receipt of a notice does not exempt the patron from the responsibility to return or renew materials on time. The library sends notices in good faith, assuming they will be delivered. Overdue notices are sent on the due date. If an item is not returned after an overdue notice, a reminder will be sent after one month. If the borrower fails to respond even after four overdue notices, the material is presumed to be lost. The user will be sent a letter requesting reimbursement for the cost of the item. If the lost item is returned to the library, the cost will be refunded.
Renewals
- In general, users may renew materials if they are not reserved by another patron. The renewal period is always the same as the initial loan period, which is 14 days. Most valid users can renew materials up to four times in person. Staff may permit more than four renewals at their discretion, or the item may be checked in and then checked out again to the user. Any item for which a reservation has been placed by another library patron cannot be renewed.
Fines
- A fine for overdue material will be charged at the rate of Rs. 1 per day per book for the first 10 days, and Rs. 5 per day after 10 days. Illness does not generally waive fines. Patrons who wish to dispute a fine charged by the library should complete a Fines Appeal Form. Payments for fines are typically made through the University app. In case the app is not functioning, users can make the payment directly at the accounts department and submit the paid receipt. The library does not collect cash payments. University employees are usually not expected to pay fines for overdue library materials, but they will be charged for lost or damaged materials.
Lost Materials
- An item can be declared lost by the user in consultation with library staff. The user should immediately submit the details of the lost book in writing. Once an item is declared lost, the user is responsible for paying the two times cost of the item, as well as any overdue fines. Any borrower who has lost two or more items will be unable to borrow materials until the lost items are returned or paid for. If lost items are found, they may be returned within a 15-day period for a refund.
Claimed Returned
- If a user claims to have returned an item, but the library does not have a record of it, the item can be marked as "Claimed Return" (CR) status. The item remains on the user's record, and if it is not found within 90 days, the user may be charged replacement costs for the item. The library regularly conducts searches for claimed returned items during the 90-day period. Having two or more claimed returned items will prevent a patron from borrowing materials until the items are returned or paid for.
Recalls
- When an item is requested or recalled by another individual, the patron who currently has the item checked out will receive a recall notice.
Damaged Materials
- Normal wear and tear on any item will not incur any charges.
- If an item is damaged by a patron, rendering it unusable, the patron will be charged the full replacement price of the item, as well as an additional processing fee. The user responsible for the damage will have their library privileges suspended.
- The library will determine the charge for damage that can be repaired or does not render the item unusable. Damage to materials will be assumed to be accidental unless there is reason to believe otherwise. Patrons found defacing or destroying library materials will be required to pay for a replacement copy.
Returns
- All borrowed materials should be returned at the circulation desk inside the library.
Borrowing materials from other libraries
- When PES University faculty, staff, or students need materials that are not available in the university library, they may request them through interlibrary loan. Items available in networked libraries can be borrowed for a period of fifteen days. The user should send a request to the librarian, and they are responsible for covering the postal or courier charges for the materials.
Shelving books
- To ensure the efficient functioning of the library, it is important to keep library materials in their proper places. Patrons are requested to leave all items they have removed from the shelves on the reading tables and not to replace them on the shelves.