Princeton Theological Seminary Library Policies

Eligibility

The Princeton Seminary Libraries offer complimentary library privileges to individuals from a number of institutions. The institution list includes Princeton University (faculty, staff, and student body), the Institute for Advanced Study, Westminster Choir College, and the Southeastern Pennsylvania Theological Library Association's (SEPTLA) network of member libraries. Persons who are not current PTS students, faculty, staff or graduates and who do not have privileges by virtue of a status at another institution may purchase privileges according to one of three categories:

I. Basic fee paid privileges are $50.00 per year and allow for up to twenty books to be charged at any given time.

II. Enhanced fee paid privileges are $250 per year and allow for up to fifty books to be charged out at any given time. Patrons with this card may also recall books from other patrons.

III. Church fee paid privileges are $50.00 per year and allow one person from a church to borrow books as with the basic fee paid privileges above. However, for an additional $10.00 per person per year, as many as three additional borrowers from the same church may check out up to five books each.

Identification Cards

All persons who wish to borrow materials are required to obtain an identification card and to present it at the Circulation Desk when charging books. Identification cards are issued for the balance of the current academic year for students and faculty. Other patrons are issued cards for one year or six months from the date that they applied. Applications both for cards and for card renewals must be made in person during library hours. Current students and faculty of Princeton Seminary must obtain their identification cards and renewal stickers from the Housing office; all other persons must obtain them from the Speer Circulation Desk, located on the main floor of Speer Library. For more information, contact the Circulation Desk at (609)497-7940.

Loan Periods

Members of the permanent ranked faculty of Princeton Seminary and Princeton University, along with Ph.D. candidates at the Seminary, may charge books until the end of the academic year (June 30), at which time they must be physically returned to the library for renewal. For all other borrowers, books may be charged for a maximum of four weeks. Fines begin to accumulate at the expiration of the borrowing period unless the materials have been renewed. Normally a borrower is entitled to the use of a book for a minimum of fourteen days, after which time it may be recalled by another patron. Books may be renewed a maximum of five times, unless there is a hold on the item, in which case it must be returned. Books may be renewed online if the books are not overdue. Books recalled by the library, often for reserve use, are due immediately. There is a system limit to the number of books that each patron type may charge at any one time. The following is a list of the most common categories.

Borrowing and Return of Books

Books are borrowed by charging them at the Circulation Desk. A valid Seminary or library identification card, issued to the borrower, must be presented. Books may not be borrowed on another patron's card, nor may borrowing be done on behalf of a third party, except for research assistants who have been given written authority by faculty to do so. It is preferable that books be returned to the Circulation Desk during hours when the libraries are open; however, they may be returned through the night book drop, which is located outside the Mercer Street entrance.

Fines and Lost Books

The following schedule of overdue fines is applicable to all borrowers:

General collection books $ .25 per day
Recalled books $1.00 per day
Reserve and overnight books $ 1.00 per hour

Fines are normally paid at the time of return. Recall and overdue notices are sent via e-mail and if necessary by campus mail or U.S.P.S. mail. If an item is not returned by the third and final notice, the item is considered lost and will be charged replacement and processing fees (see below).

When the fines on any user account reach a level of $20 or more, that account will be "frozen"--that is, no new transactions will be permitted--until the fines are paid.

Persons who lose or damage a library book should report the matter to the Circulation Desk. Once a book is reported, patrons have a reasonable amount of time to search for the book, during which time the accumulation of fines may be suspended. If the item is not located, the patron is expected to pay a replacement fee. The automated system will automatically generate a "lost book" invoice for $70.00, an average amount for book replacement and processing fee. The actual amount will vary depending on the cost and availability of the book. The fees for damaged books will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Patrons may request a receipt for their account status at any time.

Loan Periods for Other Formats

The following schedule of overdue fines will be charged:

Curriculum, pictures   $.25 per day
DVDs, videos   $1.00 per day
Other nonprint material $.50 per day

Fines are normally paid at the time of return. Recall and overdue notices are sent through campus mail and campus email. If an item is not returned by the third and final notice the item is considered lost and will be charged accordingly.

Food, Beverages, and Smoking

Food is prohibited in all public areas of the libraries, with the following exceptions:

1. Vending-machine area of the second floor of Speer
2. PhD lounges on the second and third floors of Luce
3. Scheduled receptions, at which food and drink are served

Beverages are permitted but only when carried in a bottle with a cap or in a travel mug with a lid. Styrofoam and paper cups are not permitted.

The library staff is authorized to request persons disregarding food and beverage restrictions to remove illicit items from the Llibraries.

Smoking is prohibited by New Jersey law in library buildings.

Defacement of Library Property

Users are expected to treat library books and other materials with special care, since they ordinarily must serve generations of scholars. Marking in books, even with pencil, cutting or bending pages, and breaking the backs of fragile items to flatten them on a copier are all regarded as defacement of library property. Persons who are found to treat books in such ways will be required, as a condition for retaining or regaining their user privileges, to compensate the library for replacement or restoration costs. Providing such compensation does not give the user title to the defaced item. Particularly flagrant cases of defacement may result in permanent revocation of library privileges and in other actions available to the Seminary under New Jersey law. For further information on disciplinary procedures, consult the current edition of the Seminary Handbook.