Circulation Policy
General Information
The Circulation Department is located across from the main entrance lobby area of Joyner Library. The Circulation Department is open at anytime that Joyner Library is open, including semester breaks and holidays. The telephone number for the Circulation Desk is 328-6518. The number for library hours is 328-4285. ECU faculty, staff, and students must have their One Card to checkout. Area residents must have a photo id and their library card to checkout materials.
The Circulation Department is responsible for the circulation of many materials within Joyner Library. These materials include all books within the general stacks, bound journals, (which can be checked out by ECU faculty), government document materials, and curriculum materials.
Borrowing Procedures
Borrowing privileges are issued at the Circulation desk. Borrowers must present library cards with appropriate identification each time, to checkout and/or renew items. Borrowers are responsible for all uses of their card, and borrowing privileges are not transferable. Borrowers are responsible for all fines/fees accrued on their card. It is the responsibility of registered borrowers to notify the Circulation department if their library card is lost or stolen.
Faculty and staff must provide written permission on university letterhead, for another person to borrow materials on their library cards.
In order to give first priority service to the university community, Joyner Library has the following privileges and restrictions. Loan periods vary depending upon a borrower’s status.
ECU Faculty-a set due date near the end of Spring semester (except for bound journals which are overnight loans)
ECU Graduate Students-a set due date near the end of the semester (except for curriculum materials which are two week loans)
ECU Staff-four week loan period (except for curriculum materials which are two weeks)
ECU Undergraduate Students-same as ECU Staff
Educator card (K-12 teachers)- same as ECU undergraduates
NC Residents Card
NC Residents-four week loan on all circulating materials except curriculum books and videos.
NC residents may obtain a library card at the Circulation desk. To obtain a library card, the individual must be a North Carolina resident at least 18 years of age. The card can be purchased for a yearly fee of $15.00. NC residents may check out a total of 5 items on their card. NC residents are welcomed, but some services are restricted. Please check with individual departments to determine available services.
Businesses and industries may purchase an area resident corporate card for up to four specific members of their organizations for $100.00 annually.
ECU Alumni Association members-same as an area resident.
UNC Cooperative Borrowing
University of North Carolina Cooperative Library Lending Agreement
All ECU students, faculty, and staff may borrow materials directly from any of the other 15 UNC System libraries via the University of North Carolina Cooperative Library Lending Agreement. See policy at http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/borrow/unc. Materials can be checked out from other UNC System libraries with your ECU OneCard. If the library refuses to accept you ECU OneCard please ask them to contact the Joyner Library Circulation Department to verify your ECU status by calling 252-328-6518. You may return items to the other UNC System library you borrowed from or bring items to the Joyner Library Circulation Desk.
Joyner Material Types (Books, videos, etc.) & Loan Periods Joyner Stacks Books, Joyner North Carolina Collection Books, and Government Documents
ECU Undergraduate students- 4 weeks
ECU Graduate students- fixed due date at the end of the semester
ECU Staff- 4 weeks
ECU Faculty- fixed due date in May
TRC Curriculum Books
Undergrads- 2 weeks
Grads- 2 weeks
Staff- 2 weeks
Faculty- Fixed due date in May
TRC Basal Books (NO RENEWALS TO ANYONE)
Undergrads- 1 week
Grads- 1 week
Staff- 1 week
Faculty- 1 week
Audiovisuals* (Videos, DVD's, etc.) (One RENEWAL)
Undergrads- 1 week
Grads- 1 week
Staff- 1 week
Faculty- 1 week
Joyner Reference Collection Books
DO NOT CIRCULATE
Joyner Periodicals
Undergrads- DO NOT CHECK OUT
Grads- DO NOT CHECK OUT
Staff- DO NOT CHECK OUT
Faculty- Overnight (Current Periodicals see Reference Desk)
For material not listed as at Circulation: (252) 328-6518
*FINES for late Audiovisuals are $1.00 per item, per day
Renewals
Books can now be renewed online!! Go to Joyner Library's Homepage at: www.ecu.edu/lib/, click on library catalog, and then click on "Check Your Library Record". Login with your ECU ID. Click on "Items Out". Select the items to Renew and click: the Renew button. This will NOT work if: the book is on hold, your record is blocked, or this is the 4th renewal. Renewing books can be done in two other ways. Patrons can bring books back to the Circulation desk to be renewed with their library card. Patrons can renew books by phone, by providing the barcode number for each item to be renewed. Renewals are allowed provided the patron has no outstanding fines, or overdue materials. The number for phone renewals is 328-6518. Materials from other departments within the library are subject to renewal based upon that department’s policies. Bound journals may not be renewed.
Holds/Recalls
Borrowers may request to recall items already checked out by another patron. Items can be recalled from any patron after having been checked out for 28 days. Items can also be recalled from any patron to be put on reserve at Joyner Library. NC residents and visitors may not recall items from another patron, but they may place a hold on that item when it is returned. As a recalled or held item becomes available, it will be held at the Circulation desk for a period of seven days. Items not picked up by a requesting patron within those seven days will be reshelved. If a patron receives notification that an item they have checked out has been requested by another patron, and they fail to return that item, they may lose borrowing privileges. Any item that has been placed on hold and/or recall may not be renewed. University student records may be tagged when recalled items are not returned promptly.
Fines
Fines are charged for overdue books and reserve items as well. Fines are $.25 per item per day for overdue books and $.25 per item per hour for reserve items. The five days that follow the due date are "grace" days. If an item is returned after these five days have passed, then the patron loses the benefit of the "grace" days, and fines are assessed. Fines can be paid in cash, check, or credit card at the Circulation desk. Items must be returned by the patron in order for fines to be paid on that item. Ten dollars is the maximum overdue fine for each item. Late charges for videos/dvds are $1.00 per day and there are no grace period for these items. The late charge for reserve items is $1.00 an hour and the maximum charge is $10. Records will be tagged immediately for overdue reserve items.
**Faculty and Staff borrowers are not charged overdue fines.**
NOTE: Failure to read the due date of your materials does not relieve the patron of responsibility for overdue fines. You may check on the status of your library account at any time on the internet.
Damaged and Lost Books
Books that are lost by the patron are handled in the following manner. The patron is charged the current list price for the item, and a $20.00 processing fee. The total cost for the lost item is then paid at the Circulation desk. The list price paid is refundable if the book is later returned in good condition. Damaged books are handled in the following manner. The Preservation/Conservation department determines if the damaged item can be repaired or must be replaced. A bindery charge of ten dollars plus the processing fee will be charged to the borrower if damaged items can be repaired. The borrower will be charged the list price plus processing fee for damaged items beyond repair.
Suspension of Privileges
Borrowing privileges are suspended in the following cases: 1) The library user owes fines or fees of more than five dollars. 2) The library user owes fees for an item that has been damaged while on loan. 3) The library user issues a check to the library that is returned as unpayable. 4) The library user neglects to return a recalled item within 14 days of notification of recall. Student university records may be tagged, preventing registration or release of university transcripts, for any of the above. Faculty members may have borrowing privileges suspended if they have one or more items overdue for more than one semester.
Missing Items
Patrons not able to find materials in Joyner Library may fill out a missing report at the Circulation desk. The missing item(s) will be searched frequently and when the item(s) is found patrons will be notified by phone. Items missing are searched for a period of three months. If the item is not found, a request will be issued to re-order the material.
Faculty Study Rooms/Graduate Carrels
Faculty study rooms are assigned to ECU faculty, and are based upon current availability. Any faculty member wishing to inquire about study rooms should call 328-6518, between the hours of 8-5 Monday through Friday. Priority is given to tenure track faculty working on terminal degrees or publications necessary for reappointment and tenure. Graduate carrels are available in Joyner Library to facilitate research projects requiring extended use of the library materials. Priority is given to graduate students enrolled full time in a graduate degree program. Need for proximity to library materials is also a consideration.
Reserve/E-Reserve
The Reserve collection for Joyner Library is located at the Circulation desk, across from the main entrance lobby of Joyner Library. The Reserve reading room is located on the left, when facing the Circulation desk. Reserve materials circulate in the following manner:
1) Photocopied material circulates for two hours within Joyner Library.
2) Faculty personal books and Joyner Library books circulate for two hours within Joyner Library, one day, or one week as specified by the professor.
Patrons wishing to checkout Reserve materials are required to have their current library card, and the call number of each Reserve item that they are requesting. Students needing reserve materials can search the catalog to find the call number. Information is available at the Circulation desk. Reserve has the same hours as the Circulation department, and the phone number for the Reserve area is 328-6690. Patrons must have their One Card to check out reserve items.
Electronic Reserves are now available! Professors must establish a Blackboard account before utilizing e-reserves. To establish an account contact ITCS at 328-9866. The files will be displayed on Blackboard and are only accessible through Blackboard. More information is available at the Circulation desk, call 328-6518, or e-mail swindellj@mail.ecu.edu. Here are the forms: Electronic Reserves and Reserve (personal books, library books).
Professors wanting to place materials on Reserve for a particular course should plan on doing so at least one week before reading assignments are made for the course. Priority for placing materials on Reserve is based on the date/time that the materials are received. Reserve processing for new materials is done Mon-Fri, between 8-5. Here is the link to the reserve policy. Professors are responsible for obtaining and keeping the copyright for all materials placed on reserve.
