Library Privileges

1. University Persons:  The UNI community includes graduate students, undergraduate students, distance education students, faculty, professional and scientific staff, and merit staff at the University of Northern Iowa. Library privileges available to persons belonging to the UNI community, as here defined, include the following:

A. Borrowing Privileges:

1. To borrow material from the UNI Library, all people affiliated with UNI must present an UNI identification card at the time of checkout.

2. A general description of Library circulation services and fines for the University community follows.
The listed checkout periods apply to merit staff only. Undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty members, and professional and scientific staff have extended loans on books from the stacks and government documents. Undergraduate and graduate students may check out these books until the end of the current semester, and faculty members and professional and scientific staff until the end of the academic year. However, if another patron requests a book that is out on an extended loan, the extension is canceled and the book is recalled with a new due date. Faculty and professional and scientific staff members are charged overdue fines only for current and bound periodicals, ILL items, room keys, and recalled items. All patron categories are charged replacement, overdue and billing fees for lost items.

• Collections with 3-week Loan/Renew every three weeks until end of semester.
  • Main Collections
  • Government Documents
  • Oversize Books
• Collections with 3-week Loan/One 1-week Renewal
  • Career Collection
  • Sound Recording
  • Maps
• Collection with 2-week Loan/Renew every 2 weeks until end of semester
  • Youth Books
• Collections with 1-day Loan/No Renewals
  • Bound Periodicals
• Collection with 7-day Loan/One Renewal
  • Videos/DVDs
• Collection with Special permission (1 day check out/No renewals)
  • Current Periodical
• Collections with Building Use Only
  • Microfilm/Microfiche
  • Permanent Reserves
  • Reference Collection Materials
  • Materials labeled “Building Use Only” in stacks and other locations.

3. A list of other items/services available to various groups of UNI individuals is found below.

• Course Reserves (available only to currently enrolled graduate and undergraduate students)
  • 3- hour anywhere, 3 -hour Building Use Only, or 1-day, 3-day Loan/No Renewals
• Lockers (available only to currently enrolled graduate and undergraduate students)
  • Semester Loan/No Renewals
• Student Laptop Computer (only available to currently enrolled graduate and undergraduate students)
  • 1-3 hour checkout with 1-1 hour renewal/
  • The following is a list of circulation limits for categories of UNI individuals.

4. The following limits apply to the numbers of items library users of various patron categories may have checked out at one time. When the limit is reached the user’s circulation privileges will be “Blocked” until some of the checked out items are returned. At that time, the user may once again check out items up to the limit specified.

• Faculty and P&S – 100 items
• Graduate students – 75 items
• Undergraduate students – 50 items
• Merit staff – 25 items

B.    Reciprocal Borrowing Privileges:

Students, staff, and faculty from any institution in the Two Rivers Alma Collaborative (TRAC) have reciprocal borrowing privileges; that is, anyone from UNI, Iowa State, the University of Iowa, St. Ambrose University, Drake University, Allen College, Wartburg College, Hawkeye Community College, Grand View College, Creighton University, or Grinnell College may checkout materials at any of the listed institutions, subject to the regulations of the lending institution. Persons from these institutions wishing to borrow material from UNI’s Rod Library need only present their school ID card at the Library Services Desk. All library patrons must have a patron information record entered into ALMA.

C.    Renewal Privileges:

Books from the stacks and from government documents may be renewed for one week at a time through the end of the current semester. Career books may be renewed once, for one week. Youth books may be renewed for two weeks at a time until the end of the semester. Bound periodicals and items that have been requested by other patrons may not be renewed. Library items may be renewed by phone, mail, in person, or through "My Account" on the Library’s web site.

D.    Recall and Holds Privileges:

Books out on extended loan can be recalled for course reserves or if it cannot be obtained through interlibrary loan. The item is recalled with a new due date. From one to three weeks will be allowed for the book’s return, depending upon when it was originally checked out. Items needed for Course Reserves are recalled immediately. If an item is checked out with a normal loan period, a hold on the item can be placed. Once a hold is placed on an item, a recall notice is sent to the person who has it. That person is entitled to keep the book for a full three-week loan period, unless recalled for course reserves. A notice is sent by email once the book is returned and becomes available. A pick-up deadline will be stated on the notice. If the item is not picked up by the deadline, the item will be returned to the shelves. Bound periodicals may not be held.

E.    Overdue Materials:

Rod Library does not charge late fees on library materials.  If a patron has an overdue item that has been recalled, all borrowing privileges will be blocked.  Borrowing privileges will be immediately reinstated once the recalled material is returned.  Once an item has reached its maximum overdue limit, patrons will be billed a replacement fee and a non-refundable processing fee.  Items may be returned up to one year after the original due date to receive a refund for the replacement fee.  No refunds will be given and no replacements will be accepted after one year from the original due date.

F.    Search Privileges:

If the item is not on the shelves, patrons may come to the Library Services Desk and request a search for the item. You must bring your UNI ID and the item’s call number. Library staff members will begin looking for the item before 1:00 p.m. on the following weekday. If the item is found at that time, or on subsequent searches, it will be held at the Library Services Desk and you will be notified by email.

G.    Interlibrary Loan Privileges:

Books and articles obtained from most Iowa libraries are provided to UNI without charge, but many out-of-state libraries charge from $5.00 to $20.00 for lending a single title and often as much for photocopying an article. Charges for borrowing books will be passed on to faculty and staff. Photocopy charges will be passed on to all patrons. Loan periods vary from two to four weeks and all borrowed items are subject to recall on short notice. Semester loans are not available. Renewals are not automatically granted and are requested sparingly. Not all lenders grant renewals. Some lenders restrict the use of their material to our library building or to not permit photocopying. There is an Interlibrary Loan request limit of 25 items per week per patron.

H.    Remote Access to Electronic Databases Privileges:

The University community has access to the Rod Library’s electronic databases remotely by accessing the Library’s homepage and entering, when prompted, the CatID. Emeriti and alumni have access to licensed electronic resources where the Rod Library's license agreements permit it.

2.    General Public

A. The general public may, at no cost, use most Rod Library collections within the Rod Library building.

B. Community members over 18 years of age will receive at no cost a Rod Library visitor’s card. High school students who are recommended in writing by their school librarians or home schooled high school students who are recommended in writing by a parent or guardian are also eligible for a Visitors Card.

The Library Visitor Courtesy Card permits the person issued the card to use the following materials as indicated, subject to the loan periods and fine rates specified, and subject to immediate recall whenever a UNI person requests an item that the visiting person has checked out. If a visitor has overdue recalled materials, their borrowing privileges will be blocked until the recalled material is returned.  Visitors are limited to having no more than 10 items checked out at a given time.

Library privileges available to persons using the Library Visitor Courtesy Card include the following services:

• Collections with 3-week Loan/One 1-week Renewal
  • Main Collection
  • Career Collection
  • Government Documents
  • Maps
  • Oversize Books
  • Sound Recordings
• Collections with 1-day Loan/No Renewals
  • Bound Periodical
• Collections with Building Use Only
  • Current Periodical
  • Microfilm/Microfiche
  • Permanent Reserves
  • Reference Collection Materials
  • Materials labeled “Building Use Only” in stacks and other locations.
• Collection with 7-day Loan/One Renewal
  • Videos/DVDs

Rod Library does not charge daily late fees on materials.  Once an item has reached its maximum overdue limit, patrons will be billed a replacement fee and a non-refundable processing fee.  Items may be returned up to one year after the original due date to receive a refund for the replacement fee.  Refunds are not given if an item is returned over one year past the due date.

The Library Visitor Courtesy Card does not include privileges of use of course reserve materials and interlibrary loan service. This card also does not include remote access to licensed electronic resources.

Procedures for application of Library Visitor Courtesy Card:

Non-UNI persons who wish to access Rod Library visitor privileges may register for a Library Visitor Courtesy Card at the main Library Services Desk.

Adopted or Revised Date: 1/2/08, rev. 8/21/09, 10/2/09, 8/26/10, 7/5/18, 7/7/2021, 8/3/2023
Review Date: 2021/07