Miller Library Circulation Policy

The circulation department facilitates physical access to Miller Library's collection by providing a variety of services to library patrons, including checking out, renewing, and returning circulating items, placing hold and recall requests for material in circulation, and locating items in the stacks. Patrons also may receive assistance using the copy machines, microform machines or reserving a group study room. In addition, faculty can place course-related required and supplementary readings on Reserve that may be accessed by eligible borrowers.

Privacy of Circulation Records

Miller Library will protect each library user's right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received and materials consulted, borrowed, acquired or transmitted.

Patron Categories

Five categories of borrowers are recognized:

  1. Cornerstone University Faculty and Staff
    • Faculty and staff of Cornerstone University have full borrowing, electronic resource access, Interlibrary Loan, and document delivery privileges. University ID cards serve as library cards for this group of patrons. There is no limit to the number items this group of patrons may check out.
  2. Cornerstone University Students
    • Students who are currently registered for classes have the same library services available to them as faculty and staff but some privileges and loan rules will vary.
  3. Alumni Patrons
    • Persons who have attended Cornerstone University or Grand Rapids School of the Bible and Music may request an alumni library card. Alumni patrons are limited to 10 items checked out at a time but do not have interlibrary loan privileges or off-campus electronic resources access. Alumni patrons may use electronic resources within the library.
  4. Guest Patrons
    • Persons who are not connected to Cornerstone University as a student, faculty, staff or alumni may become guest patrons by participating in the Michicard Program, sponsored by the Library of Michigan. Guests must acquire a Michicard sticker from their local library before obtaining a library card from Miller Library. Guest cards expire at the end of the calendar year but are renewable upon request. Borrowing privileges allow guest patrons to borrow up to 5 items at a time. Guest patrons may use the resources within the library, including the reference computers, but may not check out reserve, non-print, or Curriculum Center material. Guest patrons do not have interlibrary loan privileges or off-campus electronic resource access.
  5. Kaplan Patrons
    • Kaplan patrons are those persons who are registered students with the Kaplan educational centers. They must present their Kaplan student ID card before a Miller Library card can be issued. Kaplan patrons are permitted to check out only Kaplan material but are permitted to check out headphones and tape recorders. If a Kaplan student desires to check out material from the library's collection, they must have a Michicard sticker on their local library card and request that a Guest Patron account be set up for them.

Note: All library users are subject to the Computer Use Policy.

Cornerstone University Library Network

The Cornerstone University Library Network (CULN) is an arm of Cornerstone's Miller Library, and exists to foster cooperation between its member libraries and to share the integrated library system of Cornerstone's Miller Library with participating libraries. Currently Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary has partnered with CULN by adding their library holdings to the CULN online catalog. Cornerstone University patrons (faculty, staff & students) and Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary (faculty, staff & students) have reciprocal borrowing privileges at each other's institution.

 

Collections

The library contains many different kinds of materials. All may be used in the library by any patron with the exception of archival materials (see CU Archive Policy). Collections include but not necessarily limited too:

  • Circulating Collections
    1. General
    2. Video
    3. DVD
    4. Compact Disc
    5. Audio cassette
    6. LP's
    7. Scores
    8. Junior Library
    9. Curriculum Center
    10. Corum Leadership Resource Center
  • Non-circulating Collections
    1. Current Periodical Collection
    2. Bound Periodical Collection
    3. Reference Collection
    4. Map & Atlas Collection
    5. Microfiche Collection
    6. Microfilm Collection
    7. Newspapers
    8. Archives Collection
  • Collections with Restricted Circulation
    1. Guest patrons may only borrow items from the general collection and are restricted from borrowing items from any of the other collections.
    2. The use of the Kaplan collection is solely for Kaplan patrons.

Loan Periods

The standard loan period for circulating materials for students, alumni, and guest patrons is four weeks (28 days).Faculty and staff loan period is one semester although items checked out from the DVD and video collection have a seven (7) day loan period regardless of patron type.

Recalls

 Except for reserve items, all other borrowed materials are subject to recall if another patron places a hold on the item.

Renewals

Renewal privileges are extended one time unless another patron has placed a "hold" on the item. Renews can be made in person at the circulation desk or online at the Miller Library website under the section entitled My Library Account. Phone renewals are available to remote users, since they are not normally on campus.

Holds for Requested Material

A "hold" enables a borrower to reserve the next use of an item that is currently in circulation. Several patrons may place a hold on the same item; a queue, by request date, will be used to distribute the item fairly. A patron will be notified of the item's availability when it is returned.

Reserves

A Reserve system is available for professors to place certain class materials in the library for patrons to use for a limited amount of time. Items on reserve are located at the circulation desk and may be checked out for the amount of time specified by the professor. Holds and recalls may not be placed on these items, nor can they be renewed. A limit of five reserve items can be checked out at any time. Availability of reserve items can be viewed at the Miller Library web site. A charge is incurred for every time-unit (hour or day) after the due date. Week reserves use the day unit when calculating the charge.

Accountability for Loans

Borrowers are responsible for returning all materials checked out in their name on time and in good condition. Borrowers will be liable for replacement costs, including a processing fee and billing fee for materials lost or damaged while materials are checked out to them.

Fines

Materials which are not returned promptly (depending on the category of borrower) incur a fine. The fine schedule is listed in the Library Patron Handbook. Faculty, staff and student assistants are not subject to fines.

Lost Materials

If a borrower does not return material, there is a charge for replacement and a processing fee. The price is also listed in the Library Patron Handbook. Faculty/Staff and student assistants pay only replacement costs.

Security System

Electronic security gates have been installed at the entrance of the library. Materials are desensitized as part of the checkout process and are re-sensitized upon their return to the Library. If a user attempts to leave with library materials that have not been properly discharged, an alarm will sound. The patron will be asked to return to the Circulation Desk, where a staff member may ask to inspect the books, backpack, or briefcase.

Email Notification

All communication to patrons from Miller Library is done via email. Circulation notices are sent by default to a patron's Cornerstone email address. Print notices will be mailed only if the email bounces back to the library. Guest and Alumni patrons should provide an email address when applying for a library card.

Account Blocks

Blocks are placed on a borrower's patron record to suspend privileges until materials are returned and/or financial obligations are cleared. Patrons with faculty privileges are not assessed fines, but they are responsible for replacement costs. Long overdue materials will result in computer-generated blocks, as will non-compliance with recall notices.

University Holds

Students who owe the library money for either library fines or lost/damaged books are subject to having their registration blocked for the next semester until the balance owed is reconciled with the library. Students will be notified by email prior to the beginning of registration that they owe a specified amount of money for late fees or book replacement costs. The email notice also states that a registration HOLD will be placed on their account and they will not be able to register for classes until they have settled their account with the library.

Computers:

  • Personal laptop computers
    • Patrons with Cornerstone issued laptops may connect to the campus computer network in the library. The entire library is equipped for a wireless connection to the campus computer network. Additionally, wired network ports are available on the second floor of the library and at a designated area on the first floor in the student computer lab.
  • Library computers
    • Reference computers: There are several reference computers designated for research located on the first floor of the library. Software programs such as word processing and email should be conducted in the computer lab also located on the first floor.
  • Lab Computers
    • The computer lab is maintained by Information Systems Technology Support and is provided for University patrons with valid Cornerstone ID. A phone is available near the computers for patrons to direct any computer related questions to a lab technician.

Group Study Rooms

Library group study rooms are available for use by students, faculty and staff of Cornerstone University and are available on a first come first serve basis. Groups from outside the University should contact the University Special Events office for room reservations.

AV Equipment

The library has audio/visual equipment such as calculators, headphones, CD/cassette players, and video viewer remote controls available at the circulation desk for in-house check out. These items cannot leave the library. The library has a DVD player and TV/VCR units available for patron in-house use.

Excessive Noise

The library is designated a quiet area since many patrons use the library as a place to study.

Food and Drink

To protect library materials and computers from accidental spills, patrons may not bring food or uncovered beverages into the library. Please leave food and uncovered beverage items on the Circulation desk near the entrance. Drinking fountains are provided on both floors: upstairs next to the elevator and downstairs in the lobby next to the restrooms. Covered beverages are not allowed near the shelving and computer areas.

Telephone Calls / Cell Phones

Library staff will not normally page a patron. In consideration of other patrons, library users are asked to refrain from using cellular phones in the library. On the occasion a phone call is received, the patron should exit to the library lobby to use a cell phone.

Copyright

The library makes an effort to publicize the provisions of the copyright law; it is the responsibility of the borrower to use library materials within the provisions of the law. Copyright law has the most obvious impact on the loan of non-book materials such as film, videos and DVD's. DVD's, film and videos used for non-curricular purposes can be loaned for private viewing only. For public performance (more than family or a few friends), performance rights must be granted by the copyright owner. The library will not knowingly lend films, videos and DVD's for performance purposes unless such rights have been obtained.

Copying/Reproduction

Except for Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery requests, the library will not reproduce or copy items. A copyright statement is placed by each copy machine and printer.

  1. Students Copying
    • Patrons may use the library copy machines at their convenience. If a patron is unsure of how to use the machine, help should be sought from staff. Money will not be refunded for copy machine errors made by the patron. In order to protect the library equipment, only transparencies purchased from the circulation desk should be used in the library copy machines.
  2. Faculty Copy Card
    • The faculty copy card is to be used for charge backs to campus departments. Faculty who need to copy library resources that do not circulate may charge such copying back to a department if they provide an account number and sign the appropriate form at the circulation desk.
  3. Reserve Copies
    • Multiple copies (reasonable maximum is six copies) of "fair use" material may be placed on reserve.