Policies

Borrowing Policy

Concordia ID cards are issued to faculty, staff, and currently registered Concordia students. Concordia University Library Guest Cards are issued to the following groups:

• Southern California Theological Library Association (SCATLA) members. Membership in SCATLA allows graduate students in the School of Theology circulation privileges at other member institutions.
• Vanguard University students with current ID cards.

Alumni may purchase a CU Library Guest Card for $30, and Community Users may purchase a CU Library Guest Card for $60. Both cards are good for one year.

The table below shows the borrowing privileges for each group:

	Privilege Fee	Overdue Fines***	Charge Limit
Students	$0	$0.25/day	10
Faculty	$0	N/A	30
Staff	$0	N/A	10
SCATLA	$0	$0.25/day	10
Community User (Guest)	$60	$0.25/day	3
Alumni	$30	$0.25/day	5
Pastors*	$0	$0.25/day	5
VIP**	$0	N/A	10
Vanguard University	$0	$0.25/day	10

* Pastors must be Local/Orange County and Ordained.
** VIP includes Regents, Trustees, Emeriti, Benefactors, etc.
*** If a patron has an overdue item(s), their account will automatically be blocked.

Circulation Policy

To check out books from the library, patrons must present their current CU identification card or CU Library Guest Card.(For further information see borrowing policy). The table below shows the circulation privileges/loan periods for each group:

	Book Collection	Audio-Visual Collection	Reserve Collection	Children’s Collection	Periodical & Reference Collection
Students	28 days*	14 days *	7 days Overnight 3 hours Library Use Only (LUO)	28 days *	Does not circulate
Faculty	90 days*	14 days *	7 days Overnight 3 hours Library Use Only (LUO)	28 days *	Does not circulate
SCATLA	28 days*	14 days *	N/A	28 days *	Does not circulate
Community User (Guest)	28 days*	14 days *	N/A	28 days *	Does not circulate
Alumni	28 days*	14 days *	N/A	28 days *	Does not circulate
Pastors	28 days*	14 days *	N/A	28 days *	Does not circulate
VIP	90 days *	14 days *	N/A	28 days *	Does not circulate
Vanguard University	28 days*	14 days *	N/A	28 days *	Does not circulate

* Material(s) may be renewed once if no one has requested it/them.

If you wish to keep the material(s) longer than four weeks, you must RENEW the material(s). The library does NOT accept phone renewals, but you can renew the materials yourself using the library catalog [see instructions below] or by bringing the items to the library. There is only one renewal per item. If additional use is necessary, the material must be checked in and then checked out again.

To renew online:

1. Point your browser to the library catalog.
2. Click on “My Account”.
3. Click on “Renew My Materials”.
4. Type in your User ID (the nine digit letter/number combination on the back of your ID card).
5. Type in your PIN (the password you received during registration).
6. Click on “List Charged Items”.
7. Put a checkmark before the items you want to renew.
8. Click on “Renew Selected Items”.

Overdue Policy

Our goal is to encourage the timely return of library materials and provide for optimal sharing of the collection. Patrons are responsible for returning or renewing items by the due date. The Library sends all notices to students' Concordia University email accounts. Overdue notices are a courtesy and non-receipt or late receipt does not exempt the user from overdue fines and replacement bills. It’s the responsibility of the students to keep track of the due dates of their loans and check their library accounts regularly for overdue items and fines. Materials are overdue if not returned within the allotted time. (Most books can be kept for 28 days; most video tapes, audio tapes, and CDs can be kept for 14 days.) The CU Library charges an overdue fine of 25 cents a day PER item checked out. The fines for materials on reserve are substantially higher, $5.00 a day PER item. Fines are incurred every day that the library is open, whether or not school is in session. Fines are not tallied until the material has been returned. Patrons MUST take the responsibility for returning materials on time. Any accrued fines must be paid by the last day of the current semester. Any fines remaining at the end of the semester (plus a $10.00 processing fee) will be sent to Student Accounts. When an item becomes overdue, borrowing privileges are blocked until the item is returned or renewed.

Lost or non-returned items

An item is considered lost if not returned or renewed by the last day of the current semester and a lost book fee of $50 (plus a $10 non-refundable processing fee for each item) will be sent to Student Accounts. If the replacement cost of an item is likely to be higher than the default charge, that price may be charged instead. Patrons may pay the replacement cost or replace the item with a new copy (similar binding) and pay only the overdue fines and billing fees. When an item is returned or replaced within 6 months of the due date a credit will be given for the replacement cost minus the $10.00 processing fee. After 6 months there will be no refund for a returned or replaced book. Once the billing has been forwarded to Student Accounts, the library can no longer accept the payment but the account must be settled at Student Accounts. The patron must present a receipt from Student Accounts to the Library in order to reinstate their library privileges.

Appeals

If you believe you returned an item(s) but it is still checked out to you, please fill out a Claims Returned (missing book) form at the Circulation Desk. You may contact the library if you wish to appeal a fine. Appeals may be made only during the month the charges/fines accrue. Appeals can ONLY be made in writing at the Circulation Desk.

Donation Policy

The CU Library welcomes gifts of materials appropriate to our university mission, or funds for the purchase of such materials, recognizing that gifts may provide valuable additions to the collection. Gifts allow material to be added to the collection for little or no initial cost. However, gifts ultimately are not free; they must be catalogued, processed and housed. To keep such expenses to a minimum, tight control is needed. Final decisions on the retention and disposition of all gifts are the responsibility of the Director of Library Services.

Gift Guidelines:

Donated materials are expected to meet the same standards of quality and relevance to the collection as new titles. They should support the curriculum and the mission of the library as well as meet the collection development guidelines and policies, in regard to physical condition, format, language, etc.

The Library adheres to all federal regulations governing Internal Revenue Service gifts-in-kind.

The CU Library follows the recommendations of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), a division of the American Library Association, in regard to the appraisal of gifts or resources.

The CU Library follows the recommendations of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), a division of the American Library Association, in regard to the appraisal of gifts or resources.

What types of items will be accepted as donations?

• Monographs.
• Faculty Works. Donated works by faculty and/or alumni authors are always welcome and will be added to the collection, unless these works do not meet collection development guidelines and policies or are otherwise inappropriate for an academic library.

What types of items will not be accepted as donations?

• To protect the donor and the University, the Library, as an interested party, does not establish values of gifts or resources. If the donor desires an appraisal, it is the donor's responsibility to estimate values or employ the services of an independent consultant.
• The acceptance of a gift which has been appraised by the donor or a disinterested party does not in any way imply endorsement of the appraisal by the Library.

What occurs after items are donated?

• The Library reserves the right to make decisions about the disposition of all gifts.
• All donors will receive an acknowledgment letter from the university with the number of titles donated.