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Staff (TEAMS, etc.) Circulation Policies

These policies pertain to operations in the Architecture & Fine Arts Library, Education Library, Marston Science Library, Smathers Library, Law Library and Library West and storage collections.

Your Gator 1 Card acts as your library card. Here's how you use your library card

• You must have a Gator 1 Card in order to check-out library material.
• All materials are subject to recall at any time regardless of the borrower's status or original due date of item.
• 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.
• While most materials circulate for the time periods listed below there are exceptions. 

Your GatorLink email account

• The University of Florida Libraries send email courtesy notices, overdue notices and other important library communications only to GatorLink accounts.
• It is the borrower’s responsibility to check their GatorLink mailbox frequently for library correspondence.
• If you choose to forward your GatorLink mail to another account, please note that the University of Florida GatorLink policy states, “Students selecting the forwarding option are still responsible for regularly checking for any mail sent to their GatorLink email address, or at their chosen forwarding address.” For more information about forwarding GatorLink email to other accounts see: http://www.it.ufl.edu/policies/forwarding.html

Borrower Category	Loan Period	# of Items	ILL/Uborrow	Remote Access
UF Staff	8 weeks	100	Yes	Yes

The Gator 1 Card Serves As The Library Card

• The cards are issued at the UF ID Card Services office.
• An activated Gator 1 card allows you to do the following functions.
  • charge out materials.
  • access databases remotely using the Libraries' proxy server.

Basic Borrower Responsibilities

• The borrower most present a valid Gator 1 ID card in order to check out library materials and/or access databases remotely (http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/ufproxy.html)
• Identity information must be up to date on your MyUFL account.
• Recalled books must be returned to the owning library before or by the new due date.

Borrowing Library Materials

• Most library materials circulate for eight weeks to staff.
• 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 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 must be returned at a Circulation desk.
• When returning materials by mail, please use the following address.

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

• Staff 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.
• Staff may request "in process" items not yet on the open shelves and without a 'Request' link by completing the Online Request link on the library home page.
• Staff 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 that are available the next business day.

Interlibrary Loan and Uborrow

• To obtain materials unavailable at UF, submit an electronic interlibrary loan form 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
• For more information about UBorrow services see: http://blogs.uflib.ufl.edu/news/2011/08/04/uborrow-try-it/

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.

Lost/Damaged Materials

• Borrowers must report immediately to the library materials lost, damaged or destroyed.
• Borrowing privileges are suspended and are not reinstated until the user has accounted for all non-returned items.

Lost Item Replacement Policy
When library materials are misplaced, not returned or renewed after the due date has passed, Smathers Libraries declares the materials “Lost” and will begin the replacement process.  The libraries will attempt to quickly replace lost items with an exact copy, an updated edition of the title, or a similar title (see process chart for Library action timeframe).  The libraries no longer refund replacement costs for items that are returned after replacement copies are ordered. Overdue fines related to lost items are not increasing and are not refundable if the book is subsequently returned. Specific fines and fees are delineated at the Library Fines & Fees page
This policy and billing cycle pertains to the Smathers Libraries only and excludes the Health Science Center Libraries and the Legal Information Center. Please refer to their web sites for billing policies.

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 the Library Fines & Fees Page

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/bursar/
• Overdue fines, replacement fines, and replacement costs are not refunded.

Borrower Responsibilities

• A Gator 1 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 Gator 1 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.

Access Support Links:

• Circulation policy
• Course Reserves
• Interlibrary Loan
• Organization Chart