The George and Helen Ladd Library

Courtesy Card Policies

The first priority of the George and Helen Ladd Library is to serve the needs of the students, faculty and staff of Bates College. The Library is open to the public for on-site consultation. Reference services are available to the public, but are limited by the Library’s responsibility to serve the Bates community first. As a courtesy, the Librarian may extend limited borrowing privileges to local adults for materials not usually found in local libraries.

The Library does not provide circulation privileges as a matter of convenience. Strong public and school libraries are essential to the life of the community. The Library asks area residents to rely on their own library for reference and recreational reading. The Library has efficient policies and procedures for interlibrary loan with all local libraries. The George and Helen Ladd Library is a selective depository for United States and Maine government publications. These documents and services related to them are available to the public. Government publications other than reference materials circulate on demand.

Courtesy Card applicants should be aware of the Library’s policies regarding computing services. Computers in the reference area are designed for library research and are available to all library patrons who desire to use electronic information such as the Bates catalog, periodical indexes, government information, and other electronic collections. Some databases are licensed only for use by Bates students, faculty and staff, and are not available to the public. Bates College does not provide word processing, printing, Internet searching or other general computing services to the public, and refers users to local firms and public libraries that provide such services. The computer lab located in the Library is intended for the use of Bates students, faculty and staff only.

Circulation Policies for Courtesy Card Holders

• Video and sound recordings do not circulate to courtesy card holders. They may be used in the Library.
• Interlibrary loan borrowing services are not available to courtesy card holders. Interlibrary borrowing is provided only to students, faculty and staff of Bates College.
• Reference materials and periodicals may not be taken from the building.
• Materials circulate for four weeks, and must be returned immediately if needed by another user. Borrowing privileges are blocked if recalled materials are not returned.
• A maximum of 10 items may be checked out at any one time.
• All library material must be returned by the date due. Fines are assessed for overdue materials.
• Materials may be renewed online or by phone.
• Courtesy cards are not transferable, and may not be used by family members of the borrower, students in the borrower's classes, nor any other person.
• Material borrowed must be for personal use; nothing taken from the Library may be placed on reserve or other similar use at another library or institution of learning.
• Borrowers are responsible for all materials. If material is lost or damaged, users are liable for the price of the item, plus a processing and non-refundable billing fee.
• Borrowers must comply with all regulations of the Library, and give immediate notice of change of address.
• Courtesy borrowing privileges may be revoked without notice.

Eligibility

Adults with research needs not supported by the collections of other local libraries may apply for borrowing privileges in the Library. They must provide the Librarian with specific information as to intended use. In order to facilitate timely return of materials, borrowers must reside or work within 25 miles of the Library. Courtesy cards are valid for a limited period of time and must be renewed if they are still needed.

Members of the Bates Community (students, faculty, staff, retirees, alumni, trustees, and family members of the above groups) should apply for Bates identification through established College channels.

By consortial agreement, students, faculty and staff at Colby, Bates and Bowdoin colleges have circulation privileges at all three institutions. Users will need their own college’s identification card in order to borrow materials.

The following are not eligible for borrowing privileges:

• Undergraduate students at other institutions. Courtesy cards are not issued to students enrolled in undergraduate courses at other institutions of higher education. Students at other colleges may request material from Bates through interlibrary loan from their own institution.
• High school students. Courtesy cards are not issued to high school students. The Library provides interlibrary loan services to area high school libraries.
• Younger students. Students younger than high school age are not encouraged to use the George and Helen Ladd Library unless accompanied by an adult responsible for the child. As a college library, the Library does not collect materials specifically for children.

These policies are subject to change, and are reviewed by the Bates College Facilities Access Review Board.

Revised—April 9, 2004