Circulation Policies

In order to make materials accessible to patrons as needed, the Owensboro Community & Technical College Library has adopted the following circulation policies:

Eligible Borrowers
A valid driver’s license or other picture identification as approved by the librarian must be presented at the circulation desk to obtain a student ID/library card (students also need to provide a current semester class schedule). Materials may be borrowed by the following persons:

• Currently enrolled students of OCTC.
• Faculty and staff of OCTC.
• Area high school students who have a valid drivers license and adult residents of Owensboro and the OCTC service area including Daviess County, Ohio County, Hancock County, and McLean County.
• Students of colleges with which OCTC has reciprocal borrowing agreements—currently Brescia University and Kentucky Wesleyan College.
• WKU Owensboro regional campus personnel and currently enrolled students.

Materials for In-library Use Only
Reference books, periodicals, microforms, some course reserves, and some videorecordings are restricted to in-library use only. A microform reader/printer and a copy machine are available; compliance with current copyright law is the responsibility of the user. A TV and CD/DVD/VHS player is available for viewing non-circulating videorecordings.

Borrowing Privileges
All borrowers must agree to abide by the Library’s policies, including acceptance of responsibility for overdue and replacement charges.

• Patrons must have their library cards and must not have their privileges restricted (see "Restriction of Privileges" below) in order to check out materials.
• OCTC students are subject to a limit of 12 checked-out items at any given time. All community patrons are subject to a limit of 6 checked-out items at any given time. At this time there is no limit for OCTC faculty and staff.
• There is a limit of 3 checked-out videorecording items at any given time for all student and community patrons.
• Holds may be placed on most items. Exceptions are reserve items.
• Items may be renewed one time, but only if there are no holds placed on the item, the item does not have a "Lost" status, and the patron's privileges have not been restricted (see "Restriction of Privileges" below). Exceptions are reserve items which cannot be renewed.
• Reserve items circulate according to the time requested by the instructor who put them on reserve. Times may be 2 hours, 1 day, 3 days, etc.
• Books, music CDs, audiotapes, and audio books circulate for 3 weeks.
• Videotapes and DVDs circulate for 1 week. 

Borrowing Privileges with Other Libraries
In addition to the above privileges, OCTC students and faculty may check out materials from libraries with which OCTC has reciprocal borrowing agreements—Brescia University and Kentucky Wesleyan College. Students who borrow from these schools must abide by their circulation policies. If the local libraries have been searched and needed information has not been found, materials may be borrowed from other Kentucky or United States libraries (see Interlibrary Loan Policies at the end of this document).

Service and Replacement Charges
Patrons will receive a date due slip for all materials when items are checked out. Failure to receive overdue notices does not exempt borrowers from responsibility for returning items on time or for charges levied if they are not. The following charges are incurred when items are not returned to the library by the date due.

• Books, audio books, music CDs, and audiotapes will be assessed $.10 per day per item for each day overdue.
• Videotapes, DVDs, and regular reserve items will be assessed $1.00 per day per item for each day overdue.
• Hourly reserves will be assessed $.25 per hour per item overdue.
• Items that are lost and not returned will be billed to the patron at the cost of replacement, plus $10.00 processing fee, plus overdue charges. If the item is returned, the replacement cost and processing fee will be credited to patron’s account. Overdue charges will still be due.
• Lost or stolen student ID/library cards will be replaced for $10.00.
• Lost or stolen community library cards will be replaced for $3.00. 

Appealing Fines
If a patron feels he/she has been billed in error, he/she may ask at the Circulation Desk for a Fine Appeal form. The appeal will be referred to the Director of Library Services for resolution. Telephone or email address should be included for future communication.

Damaged Books
Notify the Circulation Desk staff when you bring in a damaged book. Some minor damage is reparable by library staff. You will not be charged in that case. If the book cannot be repaired by staff but can be repaired by a binding service, you will only be charged for the actual cost of repair plus postage.

Restriction of Privileges
Any patron with overdue items and/or unpaid late fees or replacement charges (either at the OCTC libraries, at one of the reciprocal local libraries, or at another lending institution because of an interlibrary loan) will have his or her circulation privileges suspended and will not be able to register or obtain transcripts until the debt is cleared. 
 
Interlibrary Loan Policies
All patrons must have a library card to request interlibrary loans.

• A patron may request 3 books, 1 audiovisual, and/or 5 articles at one time.
• Requests are made by filling out an Interlibrary Loan Request Form, either in the library or from the form on the Library Services web page.
• A patron wanting to renew an item must bring the book to the interlibrary loan librarian by due date and leave it until confirmation of renewal is received by lending institution.
• Overdue charges are assessed at the time the item is overdue. An overdue notice will be sent to the patron informing him/her of the charge.
• A charge of $1.00 per day per item, as of the date of the letter, will be assessed.
• If a book is lost or not returned, the patron will owe the cost of the book plus the processing fee assessed by the lending institution.
• Any patron with overdue items and/or unpaid replacement charges will have his or her circulation privileges suspended and will not be able to register or obtain transcripts until the debt is cleared.