Library Policies (OLD VERSION / REPLACED 10/2/23)

Laptops, iPads, calculators, digital cameras, boxes of bones and more are available for loan.

Login to Your Account to review and renew your library materials online using your BTC Network username and password.

A.  MATERIAL LOAN PERIODS

 

B. MATERIALS THAT DO NOT CHECK OUT 

Reference materials, 2 Hour Reserve items and current issues of journals do not check out of the Library except by special permission.

C.  RENEWALS

Most library materials can be renewed two times. If a hold has been placed on the item, it cannot be renewed. Under special circumstances, an additional renewal can be granted. 

D. RESERVE MATERIALS

Loan Periods

Reserve materials are available on a first come, first serve basis, and may not be reserved in advance.  Some of these items are often in demand by a large number of students and have a short loan period to ensure the greatest access. There are no renewal periods, but a borrower may return an item and then check it out again after 3 p.m. that same day, if it is still available. Items with a loan period of two hours are restricted to In-Library-Use only. Items with a loan period of overnight are due back by 12 p.m. the following day that the Library is open. Items with loan periods of 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks and the end of the quarter, are due back at any hour of the day on the due date.

Fines and Fees

If a Reserve item  (which includes equipment) is not returned by the time and/or date specified on the item, a Fines and Fees notice will be mailed to the borrower the following day. The notice will include the replacement cost of the item and a non-refundable processing fee of $20.00. If the overdue item is returned to the Library, the replacement cost will be removed from the borrower’s account. However, if the Library has to repurchase the item, the borrower will be charged for ALL purchasing and processing fees.

E. HOLDS

Holds may be placed on any regularly circulating materials that are checked out. Students may not place holds on Reserve items or Reference items. If needed for teaching purposes, faculty can place holds on the Reserve collection or Reference items. Items will be held at the Circulation Desk for five days. After that time, if items are not picked up, they will be returned to the collection for circulation. Members of the public may not place holds on any Library materials. 

F.  RECALLS

Library materials may be recalled at any time if there is a need by an instructor.

G.  OVERDUE FINES AND REPLACEMENT COSTS

There are no overdue fines, but if the item is not returned the patron will be billed for the replacement cost of the item and a $10.00 processing fee. An “Unusual Action Code” will be placed on the Library user’s account at Registration.  If after three notices and if the amount is over $100.00, the account will be sent to the College’s collection agency.

i. Regularly circulating items will be replaced 14 days after the item is due, and reserve items will be replaced the day after they are due.

H. CLAIMS RETURNED

If a patron claims to have returned an item for which he or she has received an overdue and/or fines and fees notice, the Library will renew the item for 30 days in order to give the patron and the Library time to look for the material.

The staff person who receives the claim will create a dated pop up note on the patron’s account and print out a copy of the notice to give to the person to handles fines & fees, who will assume responsibility for looking for the item and for updating the patron’s account. 

If the item is not returned by the end of 30 days, the item will be processed as if were a lost item.

If the patron has no previous claims returned items on account, the billed amount will be forgiven.

If a patron has previous claims returned items on account, the item will be processed as a lost item and the patron will be billed accordingly.

I.  PUBLIC (NON-STUDENT) CHECKOUT OF MATERIALS

Members of the public may check out regular circulating material at the Library. Proof of current address is needed before checking out materials. No more than two items can be checked out at a time. Only one of the two items can be a video. (See Appendix C)

            RENEWALS

            Members of the public can renew items one time if there is no hold on the item and the patron has no overdue library materials.

            HOLDS

            Holds may be placed on any regularly circulating materials. Members of the public may not place holds on Reserve items or             Reference items.

            RESERVE MATERIALS

            Members of the public may not check out items from the Reserve collection. These materials can be used in the Library.

J.  RECIPROCAL BORROWING AGREEMENTS

Western Washington University, Whatcom Community College, Northwest Indian College and Bellingham Technical College all have reciprocal borrowing agreements for their students. The two public library systems, Bellingham Public Library and Whatcom County Library System, welcome students to use their libraries, but will only loan to Whatcom County residents.  Students living outside Whatcom County need to request the BTC Library to interlibrary loan material from these two libraries. All of the Washington state community and technical colleges also have reciprocal borrowing agreements. (See Appendix D)

K. CIRCULATION RESTRICTIONS WHEN A PATRON HAS OVERDUE LIBRARY MATERIAL

If a Bellingham Technical College patron has lost material, no more items may be checked out until the item is returned or the fines and fees have been paid.  If a member of the public has overdue or lost material, the material needs to be returned or the fines and fees paid before any additional items may be checked out.

L.  INTERLIBRARY LOAN

Faculty, students and staff may request books, journal articles and other library materials to be borrowed from another library through Interlibrary Loan. The requests need to be program or BTC work related. The Library staff will process the request as quickly as possible depending on the need by date and the cost.

M.  SMALL GROUP STUDY ROOMS

10/22 NOTICE: STUDY ROOMS ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FOR GROUP AND INDIVIDUAL USE, FIRST-COME, FIRST SERVED, MAXIMUM 3 HOURS PER DAY, NO RESERVATIONS REQUIRED

i. Intended Use

The Library has eight group study rooms that are intended to support academic work by groups of BTC students, staff and faculty working on group projects or studying together. They are not intended general-purpose classrooms.

iii. Food and Drink

Current food and drink policies apply to the use of group study rooms. Groups must leave study rooms in clean condition.

iv. Privacy

With a student’s permission, Library staff will tell other members of a group if a room has been reserved under a specific name or what room the student is occupying.

N.  STUDENT LAPTOP

Laptops and iPads are available for students to checkout overnight or for use only in the Library for up to four hours. Students must fill out a Laptop Borrower’s Contract. See attached FAQ and contract.

O.  BTC TUTORS

BTC tutors are entitled to the same borrowing privileges as an employee.

P.  FOOD & BEVERAGES IN THE LIBRARY

Covered beverages and small snacks are allowed in the library.