Library Rules
General
The University Library comprises the Bankstown Campus Library, the Blacktown Campus Library, the Campbelltown Campus Library, the Hawkesbury Campus Library, the Parramatta Campus Library and the Penrith Campus Libraries (Allen and Ward Libraries), and the Westmead Reading Room, hereinafter called the UWS Library.
The facilities of the Library are primarily for the use of staff and students of the University of Western Sydney. Borrowing privileges may also be extended to certain categories of external users or reciprocal borrowers. Other members of the public, while not permitted to borrow may use the Library for research or study purposes provided they observe Library rules and conditions of use.
The University Librarian may determine the services offered by the UWS Library, and the users to whom these services may be provided. The University Librarian has discretion to require a user to produce proof of identity or entitlement to use the UWS Library.
Fees and penalties will apply to any breach of these Rules.
Users must at all times act in accordance with instructions authorised by the University Librarian and displayed in public areas, at service desks, computer terminals, photocopy and printing machines or in the UWS Library's official publications.
Conditions of Use of the Library
All users of the Library have a right to pursue their study and research without unnecessary and / or unreasonable disturbance or distraction and have an obligation to respect the rights of others.
Mobile phones must be switched to silent as users enter the Library.
Noise, disturbance and unseemly behaviour are not permitted in the Library. Any person causing a disturbance will be asked to leave.
Children under the age of twelve will not be admitted unless accompanied by and in the charge of an adult. Adults bringing children into the Library are responsible for their behaviour and for ensuring they do not disturb others.
All users shall, on request of the University Librarian or authorised representative, show their UWS ID card, Library Borrowers Card or other evidence of identity.
Computing facilities are provided for research or study only. Users are responsible for ensuring that computing and communication facilities are used in an effective, efficient, ethical and lawful manner. Users are reminded that it is a criminal offence, without authority or lawful excuse, to obtain access to a program or data, to destroy, erase, alter or insert data without authorization, or to intercept or obstruct the lawful use of a computer.
Users must comply with the provisions of current Copyright legislation. Users are referred to the statutory notice posted adjacent to photocopying machines. A copy of the Act is available for reference in each primary Photocopying Room and at the Information Desks.
All books and the contents of bags and cases must be presented for inspection, on request from Library staff or when an electronic security alarm indicates that an item may have been incompletely loaned.
Hot food and uncovered drinks are not permitted in the Library.
Library study and teaching rooms are not available for meetings of clubs or societies or as substitute classrooms for regularly scheduled lectures or classes.
Borrowing
Categories of material for borrowing
All materials in the UWS Library's collections are normally available for loan with the exceptions listed below. The University Librarian, or her/his representative, may approve lending from the categories below in special circumstances:
- Serials, including newspapers, calendars, examination papers
- Items marked NOT FOR LOAN
- Reference items
- Microform items
- Higher degree theses
- Rare books, valuable books, and vulnerable items which are stored in closed access
- Items from the Reserve Collections which are available for use in the Library only.
Borrowing Conditions
- "ID Card" means either the official student or staff identification card issued by the University
- "Library Card" means the borrowing card issued by the Library to authorised external users
- "Inter-Library Loan" means an item borrowed from another library by the UWS Library on behalf of a user, which for the duration of the loan shall be treated as being a UWS Library item and be subject to the same Rules as UWS Library items
- "Patron Barcode" means a machine readable label which assigns to the user a unique identification number
- "Patron Record" means an official library system record which indicates the user's current registration and borrowing status.
Definitions
In these Rules:
Borrowing Process
Users shall:
- Register with the UWS Library prior to borrowing
- Present items for borrowing at the self-check machines or service desk together with their ID card or Library card. Other photo identification may be accepted at the service desk/s
- Report to UWS Library staff if items are damaged prior to borrowing;
- Return UWS Library materials via a designated UWS return chute or via mail
Responsibility of Users
Users shall be responsible for:
- Ensuing, before they leave the UWS Library, that any UWS Library item that they remove from the premises of the UWS Library has been registered for borrowing;
- The safekeeping and return on or before the due date, as recorded in the library system, of items borrowed on their ID or Library card
- The safekeeping of their ID or Library card. Card holders are responsible for any transaction involving the use of their card.
- Users are responsible for all materials consulted, whether borrowed for use outside the Library or not, and will be held liable for any loss, mutilation or other damage. The full cost of either repair or replacement shall on demand be payable to the University, together with a service fee.
Restrictions
Unless authorised by the University Librarian or her/his delegate users shall not:
- Be permitted to borrow without their ID or Library card;
- Lend their ID or Library card to any other person for the purposes of borrowing UWS Library items;
- Return materials from other libraries, with the exception of Inter-Library Loans, to UWS.
Reciprocal Borrowing
Where UWS has formal borrowing arrangements with other institutions, authorised members of such institutions may register for borrowing privileges at the UWS Library provided they are:
- Either students currently enrolled in award courses of academic study, or current employees of the institution, and
- Are in good standing with the home institution
Reserve Collection
Only members of UWS are eligible to use materials placed in Reserve Collections.
Borrowing Privileges
Borrowing privileges and loan periods will be as determined from time to time and so detailed in official UWS Library publications.
The University Librarian or her/his nominee may vary the loan period for any item, or may recall an item at any time. When an item is recalled, the date stipulated on the recall notice becomes the date due.
Penalties and Fees
Failure to return a borrowed item on or before the due date or time, or failure to return a recalled item within one week of the request, will incur a late fee. The fee is payable on each overdue item at a rate approved by the Board of Trustees from time to time. All borrowing and renewal privileges will be suspended pending return of overdue items and payment of late fees. Such privileges will be reinstated when the debt is paid.
Where material has been lost or returned damaged or not returned after a reasonable period, the user is required to pay the cost of repair or replacement of the material together with a service charge levied to cover the cost of administrative processes involved.
The University Librarian reserves the right to apply the actual replacement cost where the material to be replaced is of a value deemed to be well in excess of the standard fee.
