University of Florida

George A. Smathers Libraries

• Off-Campus Access

Home » Borrowing and other privileges

The Gator 1 Identification Card Serves As Your Library Card

• Borrowers must have a Gator1Card (or current official ID from another Florida state university or community college). Cards are issued at the UF ID Card Services office.
• Activate the card at any library circulation desk in order to check out materials.

Borrowing Library Materials

• Materials are due back in the library at a specified time period. The amount of time given to check-out regular material depends on borrower's status. All materials are subject to recall at any time regardless of the borrower's status or original due date of item.
• Some items (e.g., special loan materials within the active collection, reserve items, video recordings) do not circulate or circulate for shorter periods.
• Borrowers are responsible for returning materials on or before the due date stamped in each item.
• The Libraries send an email courtesy notice approximately 7 days before the due date.
• Failure to receive this courtesy notice does not exempt the borrower from fines.

Returning Library Materials

• Library materials may be returned at any UF library location and bookdrops are available when the libraries are closed.
  Exceptions: interlibrary loans, reserves, videos, and items from the Map & Imagery and Mead Libraries.
• When returning materials by mail, please use the following address.

  University of Florida
  Library West Circulation
  Building 689, Room 134
  Shipping and Receiving
  Gainesville, FL 32611-7001

We recommend that you send items by UPS, Federal Express, or Priority Mail with a return receipt and that you enclose a packing list. Items received after the due date will accumulate late fees.

Renewals

Materials may be renewed at any circulation desk or by using the online renewal service, accessible from "your account" in the UF Library Catalog. Exceptions: 

• Items requested by, and recalled for, another borrower.
• Items that do not allow renewals (reserves, periodicals, etc.).
• Interlibrary loans, reserves, videos, and items from the Map & Imagery and Mead Libraries.

NOTE:  An overdue item will prevent use of the online renewal service to renew any charged items.

Requesting An Item Not On The Shelf

• Borrowers may request an item not charged out and not found on the shelf by completing a search request form at the item's owning location circulation desk.
• Borrowers may request "in process" items not yet on the open shelves and without a "Request" link by completing a form available at the item's owning location circulation desk or from the Online Request link on the library home page.
• Borrowers may also recall an item charged to another borrower or request storage material by clicking the "Request" button in the UF Library Catalog record.
• Multiple requests for the same item are handled in the order received.
• Borrowers will be notified when a needed item is available except for items requested from storage which are available the next business day.

Interlibrary Loan

• UF faculty, staff, and students may obtain materials unavailable at UF by submitting an electronic interlibrary loan request via ILLiad http://illiad.uflib.ufl.edu/illiad/.
• Information on Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery services is available at (352) 273-2535 or at http://illiad.uflib.ufl.edu/illiad/docs/ILLbrochure.pdf

Materials Recalled For Other Borrowers

• If an item in circulation is requested by another user, the library sends an email recall notice to the borrower. The recall due date overrides the original due date, and the date stamped on the date due slip.
• Upon returning it, the borrower may complete a new request for the item.
• Materials needed for course reserve are due immediately.  Failure to respond promptly to recall notices is regarded as a very serious infraction of borrowing privileges. The library will suspend borrowing privileges and may notify the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs for further action.

Lost/Damaged Materials

• Borrowers must report immediately to the Libraries materials lost, damaged or destroyed.
• Borrowing privileges are suspended and are not reinstated until the user has accounted for all non-returned items.
• To ensure that items displayed in the online catalog are available to patrons, the Smathers Libraries will attempt to quickly replace each item lost by patrons with an exact copy, an updated edition of the title, or a similar title.
• Overdue fines related to lost items are not increasing and are not refundable if the book is subsequently returned.
• If a lost item is returned before the maximum overdue fine is assessed, there will be no replacement processing fine or replacement cost billed to the patron. The associated overdue fines will not be refunded.
• If a lost item is returned before a replacement copy is ordered, there will be no replacement cost billed to the patron. The associated overdue fines and replacement processing fines will not be refunded.
• If a lost item is returned after a replacement copy has been ordered, the assessed replacement cost will not be refunded. The associated overdue fines and replacement processing fines will not be refunded.
• To ensure condition and accuracy of the item and catalog, the library only orders replacement copies through trusted vendors. The library will not accept patron-supplied replacement copies.

Overdue Consequences

• Failure to return or renew materials on or before the due date will result in blocked library privileges.
• Overdue fine rates are posted at http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/ps/Circ/fines.html

Bills For Library Materials

• Library fines and replacement costs are collected by University Financial Services.
• Bills are paid through the UF Accounts Receivable Office, S-113 Criser Hall, and payment options are found at http://fa.ufl.edu/ufs/.
• Overdue fines, replacement fines, and replacement costs are not refunded.

Request for Refunds

• The libraries no longer refund replacement costs for items that are returned after replacement copies are ordered. Special requests for the library to refund charges must be received on the Request For Refund form within 90 days of the billing date.
• Verbal requests do not protect your rights under this time limitation.
• Requests must contain the borrower's name and UFID number as it appears on University records, a description of the charges being appealed, and an explanation of the extraordinary circumstances why the charges should be waived or adjusted.
• Please include a copy of the bill and other substantiating documentation and submit to Library Administration.
• Please allow 30 days for processing. You will receive written or verbal notification of the disposition of your request.

Borrower Responsibilities

• A card used for borrowing may not be loaned to another person. The card holder is responsible for all costs and consequences of card misuse.
• If a card used for borrowing is lost or stolen, it is the responsibility of the card holder to notify the Smathers Libraries immediately to deactivate the card. Notifying the UF ID Card Services office or any other agency will not result in deactivation in the Libraries system.
• Promptly report address changes to the Libraries to ensure receipt of correspondence.
• The Libraries will correspond with borrowers only via their GatorLink email.  It is the borrower's responsibility to check this mail frequently.

Confidentiality Of Circulation Records

Library circulation records are confidential information. Library staff will not provide any information concerning who currently has an item except as required by law.

 

Health Science Center General Library Loan Policies

Legal Information Center Loan Policies