Circulation Policy

NIU Libraries commit to offering great service so that users can find what they need. We commit to fair circulation for all users. We also commit to protect the privacy of users.

This policy defines:

• valid library users
• what library items can be borrowed
• how circulation works

Borrower categories

1. NIU academic staff
   • ranked and unranked
   • full- and part-time
   • visiting
   • adjunct
   • affiliate
   • emeritus/retired
   • temporary
   • Supportive Professional Staff (SPS)
2. Enrolled NIU students
   • graduate
   • undergraduate
   • dissertation/theses candidates
   • at-large
   • part-time
3. NIU staff
   • full-time
   • part-time
   • retired
4. Visitor library card holders
   • alumni
   • members of Friends of NIU Libraries
   • State of Illinois residents
   • minors with parent permission
   • visiting scholars sponsored by an academic unit on campus
5. I-Share affiliates
   • faculty
   • students
   • staff

Valid identification

Users must have valid ID in order to check out any library item.

1. NIU students, staff, and faculty must have a valid OneCard.
2. Community members must have a valid Visor Library Card and a photo ID.
3. Users from I-Share schools must have a valid photo ID and be active in our shared patron database.

NIU does not allow someone to use a OneCard that belongs to someone else. If a library user uses false identification, they could lose their right to use the library or legal action could be taken. 

General terms

1. Users can get most library items for themselves. Most library items can be checked out and taken out of the library. Users must ask for items in Storage.
2. Anyone who wants to pick up library items from an NIU learning resource center must be a student at or be teaching at that campus.
3. If a user wants to allow someone else to check out materials for them then that that user must fill out a proxy form. Users who do this must still return all items on time and are still responsible for paying for lost or damaged items.
4. When a user checks out items, they must take care of those items, and they must return the items to the library when the items are due. Users can create an online account to track due dates and renew items online. The library sends a courtesy notice and an overdue notice when items are due. If items are returned late, they may be billed to the user as lost items. Users can ask for a receipt when they return items.
5. Users at NIU must update their addresses with Human Resources or with Registration and Records. Visitor library card holders must update their addresses at the library’s Circulation Desk.
6. Users can be charged a fee for items that are checked out that have a status of damaged, lost, or missing.
7. Most valid users can check out as many items as they want. Visitor library card holders can check out 10 items at once. Friends and visiting scholars can check out up to 50 items at once.
8. It is a crime to steal or damage library materials. Users who steal or damage library items can be punished by the university or by the law.
9. Users must obey I-Share policies and the Information Delivery Services policy.
10. Users’ registration and circulation records are confidential. Those records will not be made public unless there is a court order or if a police officer states that the information is needed because of "an imminent danger of physical harm."

Renewals

A user can renew their library items in person at the Circulation Desk of the library. A user can also renew library items online through their library account. Usually, faculty, staff, graduate, and Honors students have 10 renewals. Other users have 3 renewals.

Reasons that a user could be suspended from the library

If a user causes problems repeatedly they can be suspended from using the library:

• Returning library items damaged
• Damaging library items that belong to other libraries
• Providing false address ID
• Using a false ID
• Abusing library staff
• Not replying to messages from the library
• Returning laptops late

Users are told in writing if they are suspended from the library. A user can ask the library to review this decision. Users can see any documentation having to do with their suspension. Once a user is suspended, all of their library items need to be returned. Suspended users cannot use I-Share.

Library charges

Users are billed if items are not returned 60 days after the due date. This charge is called the "lost book" charge and it is $100 per unreturned item. If a user has 10 or more items that are "lost book" their library account can be blocked. If the account is blocked, it will be unblocked after the charges are paid.

Users can be charged a fee if an item is damaged.

Sometimes a user can replace an item on their own instead of paying the full billed amount. If a user wants to do this, they must contact the Head of User Services to get approval before they buy the item.

Once a user pays for a library item, that money cannot be returned to the user.

Laptops have their own billing policy.

Unpaid bills

Once a user gets an Overdue Notice, they have 60 days to return the item before that item is billed.

1. The library will send faculty a letter or email to let them know if their library rights are suspended.
2. A student will be suspended if they have 5 or more "lost book" items. Students may not be able to register or get transcripts if they do not pay library bills.
3. The library will suspend library rights of a visitor library card holder if that user has 5 or more "lost book" items. 

Appeals

• Users can appeal library charges.
• Faculty appeal to the Head of User Services.
• All other users appeal library charges by turning in an appeal form to the library’s Circulation Desk.
• The library will review appeals and users will be notified of the library’s decision.

Suspensions

• A user can appeal a suspension of their library rights.
• Users can see any documentation related to their suspension.