Information ServicesLibrary regulations

Contents

Definitions

  • 'Library' means the University Library as defined in Regulation 1
  • 'Library staff' means the staff of the University Library
  • 'Librarian' means the University Librarian and Head of Information Resources Directorate or nominee
  • 'Library Committee’ means the Committee constituted and appointed by the University Management Committee

General

  1. The University Library comprises:
    • The Andersonian Library (Curran Building)
    • Such other places as defined by the Library Committee with the approval of Senate.
  2. These Regulations apply to all constituent libraries of the University Library except where other specific provisions are stated.
  3. A copy of these Regulations shall be displayed on the Library website and a copy shall be supplied to any member of the Library on request to the Librarian.

Hours of Opening

  1. Each part of the Library is open at times designated by Senate. In exceptional circumstances (such as inclement weather or unavailability of staff) these times may be temporarily varied by the Librarian. Any changes to opening hours or additional opening hours will be publicised on the Library website and at the entrance to each constituent Library. The Library is closed during statutory holidays except where otherwise notified.

    The opening hours are to be found in the Andersonian Library and on the Library website.

Admission

  1. The following persons are eligible for membership of the Library. In the categories of membership noted in Regulations 5.4 to 5.7 the range of facilities granted will be at the discretion of the Librarian:
    1. Members of the Court
    2. Members of the staff of the University
    3. Registered students of the University
    4. Holders of degrees and other equivalent awards of the University and its antecedents.
    5. Members of the academic and academic-related staff of Aberdeen, Abertay, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Glasgow Caledonian, Heriot-Watt, Napier, Queen Margaret University College, Robert Gordon's, St. Andrews and Stirling Universities and the University of the West of Scotland.
    6. Graduates of Aberdeen, Abertay, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Glasgow Caledonian, Heriot-Watt, Napier, Queen Margaret, Robert Gordon's, St Andrews and Stirling Universities and the University of the West of Scotland.
    7. Members of an Institution which is accorded the use of the Library by virtue of an agreement between the Institution and the University.
  1. Other persons and organisations may be accorded certain Library facilities at the discretion of the Librarian.
  1. No person may be admitted to membership of the Library until they have signed a declaration that they agree to abide by these Regulations. All members are required to inform the Librarian of their up-to date contact details including email and postal address both in semester and out of semester. The University Library will use these addresses for official communications and will not be held responsible for non-delivery where a change of address has not been notified.
  1. All members of the Library will be issued with a membership card. The student card issued to a registered student of the University in attendance in any year incorporates a Library membership card. All other persons, including registered students not in attendance in any year, must apply for a membership card. Membership cards must be shown to Library staff on request. Failure to show membership cards to a member of Library staff, or lending a card to another person, may lead to readers being asked to withdraw from the Library for the day. Any repeat of such offence may be dealt with by recourse to the Regulations for Student Discipline. All suspensions will be reported to Supervisors or to Heads of Departments. The loss of a Library membership card must be reported to staff in the Andersonian Library at the earliest opportunity. Members of the Library are required to take responsibility for any unauthorised use of their cards.
  1. An annual charge determined by the Librarian with the agreement of the Library Committee shall be made for the issue of Library membership cards to persons who are eligible for membership under Regulations 5.4, 5.6 and 5.7. Charges determined by the Librarian may be levied on persons or organisations who have been granted access to Library facilities under Regulation 6.

Conduct

  1. In addition to the disciplinary offences covered in University Regulation 5.1.1, the following are prohibited in the Library:
    1. Disorderly or improper conduct
    2. Noise, including conversation outwith the designated areas
    3. Consumption of food and drink outwith designated areas. A reader found with food or drink in the Library will be responsible for its immediate removal. Unattended food or drink may also be removed by any member of the Library staff and disposed of without prior warning.
    4. Mobile telephones, pagers and personal audio equipment must be switched to silent outwith designated areas.

Persons in breach of this Regulation may be required to leave the Library by the Librarian or by any member of the Library staff without prior warning and be suspended for a period of up to two weeks. All suspensions will be reported to Supervisors or to Heads of Departments. Any repeat of such offence may be dealt with by recourse to the Regulations for Student Discipline.

  1. Action will be taken against anyone writing in or otherwise defacing or damaging Library property.
  1. All users must leave the Library promptly when closure or any other reason for evacuating the building is signalled.
  1. All users must comply with the Area Safety Regulations and be familiar with the Know Two Routes guidance and with directions for evacuation in case of emergency or statutory fire drills. A copy of the Know Two Routes guidance may be consulted at the Level 3 Enquiry Desk in the Andersonian Library.
  1. Seats may not be reserved. Library material or personal effects left unattended in the Library may be removed by Library staff.
  1. No person shall enter or leave any part of the Library except by the main Entrance and Exit except in the event of the Fire Alarm sounding. A person who is not a Library member shall not proceed into any part of the Library beyond the Entrance without presenting authorisation. A member of the Library staff may require any person within the Library to establish their identity at any time. A person leaving any part of the Library may be required to present all Library material for inspection at the Exit. Any member of the Library staff may require any person leaving the Library to establish items in their possession do not include Library materials not authorised for borrowing. Bags may be searched as readers leave the Library (see Regulation 18).

Borrowing

  1. All Library material may be borrowed, with the exception of the following which may be borrowed only under special conditions as the Librarian may determine:
    1. Books and other Library material designated for reference only
    2. All serials
    3. Books, maps, microfilms, prints or manuscripts in any of the special or archival collections, and items of special value or rarity
  1. Notwithstanding Regulation 16, the Librarian may withhold or restrict the circulation of any Library material in the Library or transfer it from one part of the Library to another.
  1. No Library material may be removed from the Library unless it has been duly issued. Any items of stock used in a lockable room or storage area must be formally issued to readers; items of library stock not issued will be removed without notice.
  1. A borrower remains responsible for any Library material on loan as long as the loan record remains active; Library material may not be transferred from one member to another.
  1. Borrowers are responsible for protecting any Library material in their possession against damage. They are required to report to the Librarian any loss of or damage to Library material on loan to them.
  1. Borrowers are required to return Library material either to the self return sorter unit or at the Enquiry Desk.
  1. Books unavailable for loan may be reserved.
  1. No material on loan from the Library may be taken outside the United Kingdom except with the approval of the Librarian on each occasion. [Note: Regulations 24 to 31 do not apply to the Short Loan Collection.]
  1. Applications to borrow Library material must be made at the Enquiry Desk by the borrower who must present their membership card or by using one of the self-issue machines.
    The maximum number of items that members may borrow is as follows:
    Borrower typeLimit
    Undergraduate students 15
    Postgraduate students 20
    Staff 30
    Persons eligible under the provisions if Regulations 5.1, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7 and 6 5
    Different entitlements may be applied to students undertaking vocational courses and short courses.

    The Librarian has the discretion to adjust the number of items borrowed.
  1. The maximum period of loan for books shall be six weeks for all borrowers. Other loan periods exist for other categories of materials.
  1. Serials are reference only.
  1. Standard and 1 Week Loans will be automatically renewed, up to the maximum loan period, if they have not been reserved by another borrower.

    The maximum loan period for Standard Loans is 24 weeks. The maximum loan period for 1 Week Loans is 6 weeks.

    An email will be sent to the borrower if an item cannot be renewed and must be returned to the Library.

  1. The Librarian may recall any book from a borrower by notice. No borrower will normally be required to return a book within one week of the initial date of loan. Immediate return may be required in special circumstances.
  1. Borrowers who fail to return books within the loan periods specified in Regulation 25 and 27, or after issue of a notice of recall under Regulation 28, shall be charged fines. Current fine charges can be found on the Library website or in the Library. Fine rates and ceilings may be increased by the Librarian with the endorsement of the Library Committee.
  1. If Library material is still outstanding after a period of 4 weeks from the date when it first became overdue, it will be deemed to be lost and subject to action by the Librarian under Regulation 44.
  1. If any fine is outstanding after a period of 7 weeks from the date when the material first became overdue, the Librarian will refer the matter to the Finance Office which will institute procedures to recover the money owed.

    [Note: Regulations 32 to 36 are additionally applicable to the Andersonian Library Short Loan Collection.]
  1. Applications to borrow Library material may be made in person at the Short Loan Desk by the borrower who must show their membership card or by using the Short Loan Kiosks. The maximum number of Short Loan Collection items that a member may borrow is three.
  1. Short Loan items will be automatically renewed for up to a maximum loan period of 1 week. The Librarian may recall a Short Loan item by notice, which shall specify return the next day.
  1. Borrowers who fail to return Short Loan items within the loan period shall be charged fines. Current fine rates can be found on the Library web-site or in the Library. Fine rates and their limits are reviewed regularly and may be increased at the discretion of the Librarian with the endorsement of the Library Committee.
  1. If Library material is still outstanding after a period of two weeks from the date when it first become overdue, it will be deemed to be lost and therefore subject to action by the Librarian under Regulation 44.
  1. If any fine is outstanding after a period of 5 weeks from the date when the material first became overdue, the Librarian will refer the matter to the Finance Office which will institute procedures to recover the money owed.

Inter-Library Loans

  1. Material borrowed from other libraries is subject to the conditions imposed by the lending library and by these Regulations.

Stocktaking

  1. An inspection of the stock of each part of the Library shall be made at intervals. During such inspection, that part of the Library shall be closed.

Penalties and Discipline

General

  1. Under the terms of Ordinance 5.2.5, the Librarian or the Librarian’s Depute or any other authorised member of staff shall be responsible for maintaining order in the Library and may require any person who is guilty of disorderly or improper conduct or any breach of these Regulations to withdraw from the Library for the day. Without prejudice to the foregoing general powers the Librarian shall have further powers specified in these Regulations.
  1. Alleged breaches of these Regulations by registered students of the University shall, except where the Regulations specifically provide otherwise, be investigated in accordance with the Regulations for Student Discipline. Under the terms of the Student Discipline Procedure, the Librarian shall be entitled to deal with any disciplinary matter of a minor nature being any offence of a general nature prejudicial to good conduct and good order within the Library.

    Failure to submit to any suspension imposed under these Regulations shall be treated as a major offence to be referred to the Discipline Committee. A student who is in breach of discipline may incur one or more of the penalties cited in the Student Discipline Procedure.
  1. The Convener of the Discipline Committee (or if not available, the Secretary to the University) shall have power in special circumstances to suspend forthwith the Library and/or University membership of any registered student of the University who is alleged to have committed any breach of these Regulations. Such suspension shall only be imposed after receipt of a preliminary report of the facts of the case and shall remain in force until the completion of the first hearing of the case under the procedures specified in the Student Discipline Procedure or until it is lifted by the person who imposed it. Any exercise of the powers of suspension granted by this regulation shall be without prejudice to any penalty of suspension incurred or imposed under the provisions of the Regulations for Student Discipline and Regulation 43 below.
  1. Where any member of the Library other than a registered student of the University is alleged to have committed any breach of these Regulations for which a specific penalty is not prescribed herein or fails to submit to any suspension imposed under these Regulations, or otherwise behaves in a disorderly or improper manner, the Librarian shall suspend the person’s membership and report the matter to the University Court.

Unauthorised Removal of Library Material

  1. The Librarian, being satisfied that an offence has been committed, may impose the following penalties on a member who contravenes the provisions of Regulation 18 by removing a book or serial beyond the Library Exit without its having been duly issued. For the first offence: suspension from membership of the Library for up to two weeks. For a second offence: suspension from membership of the Library for up to three months. For any subsequent offence: suspension from membership of the Library for up to three months and referral of the case to the Senate Discipline Committee under the provisions of Regulations 40 and 42. Such an offence may be subject to criminal proceedings.

Loss or Damage

  1. The Librarian shall assess responsibility for loss of or damage to Library material in use by or on loan to members and shall levy charges thereon. If such charges remain unpaid after a period of 3 weeks from the date when they are levied the Librarian shall refer the matter to the Finance Office which will institute procedures to recover the money owed.

Failure to Pay Fines and Charges

  1. A member who fails to pay any fine or charge shall not be entitled to the rights and privileges of membership of the Library until the fine is paid or the matter is otherwise disposed of, except that Library material borrowed other than that on which the fines are due shall not be deemed as overdue until such time as it would become overdue if the rights of membership had not been suspended. [In terms of Ordinance 3.5.6, no person shall be admitted to a Degree or granted a Diploma or Certificate unless all fines or charges due under these Regulations have been paid.]
  1. The Librarian shall require the payment of all fines imposed under these Regulations and impose charges and suspension without mitigation or favour, except that the Librarian may take account of illness or other special circumstances.

University of Strathclyde Theses

  1. Theses and other material deposited in the Library in accordance with Regulation 20.6 are available for consultation in the Library. Where more than one copy of a thesis is held by the Library, a copy may be available for individual loan, or, on receipt of an application from its Librarian, for consultation in an approved library. All consultation, loan or copying of theses is subject to any restriction imposed under Regulation 20.6.19 (Regulations for Higher Degrees) and under the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, and all subsequent Regulations and legislation pursuant thereto.
  1. On written request by the appropriate Head of Department, one copy of a thesis or other material deposited in the University Library in accordance with Regulations 20.1 – 20.4 (General Regulations for Higher Degrees by Research) may, notwithstanding Regulations 20.6.15 and 20.6.16, be transferred for retention in that Department although that copy will remain subject to the provisions of Regulations 47, 49 and 50. Where a moratorium has been imposed in accordance with Regulation 20.6.19 such transfer shall not take place until the lifting of the moratorium.
  1. Where the author has not lodged with the Librarian a written objection to the copying of their thesis, the Librarian may give permission for single copies of that thesis, in whole or in part, to be made for the purposes of research or private study, or for deposit in the British Library.
  1. Persons borrowing or consulting a thesis, or receiving copies of a thesis in whole or in part, must observe the author's rights set out in the declaration contained in Regulation 20.6.6.

Copyright

  1. All members must recognise that copying of materials in any manner is strictly controlled. All persons admitted to the Library under Regulations 5 and 6 must abide by the terms and conditions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, and all subsequent Regulations and legislation pursuant thereto, and the license agreement between the University and the Copyright Licensing Agency, and any body with which the University enters into an agreement to control and enforce copyright in any category of material. Regulation 6.13 also applies.

Limitation of Liability

  1. As part of the service provided by the Library of the University of Strathclyde the staff of the Library will assist members to locate published information in printed, electronic or other format, whether held within or external to the Library. The Library will try to ensure the efficiency of this service, but does not guarantee the completeness or accuracy of any search carried out or of any information supplied. Neither the University of Strathclyde nor any member of its staff accepts responsibility for errors or omissions in the detail, scope or context of information supplied or obtained from any of the above mentioned sources or for any loss or damage incurred by any member or other person or organisation as a result of any such error or omission or of negligence or otherwise in relation to any of the services provided by the Library.

    Information supplied by the Library may be protected by copyright and the owner of copyright may have a remedy against anyone copying or publishing the information without consent.

Use of Computers and Electronic Sources of Information

  1. The use of computing facilities in all University locations is governed by the University Policy on the Use of Computing Facilities & Resources. Where information is made available in electronic form, users must observe all conditions of use imposed by vendors as part of the licensing or sale of their products.