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Easter Holiday
The library will close at 4pm on Thursday, March 28 and will be closed Friday through Sunday, March 29 – March 31, in observance of Easter. See all library hours.

Borrow & Renew

 

General Provisions

USF faculty, staff and currently registered students may borrow materials from the Gleeson Library. A current USF ID card is used to enter the building and must be presented when borrowing library materials. Student privileges expire at the same time as their current registration, and terminate upon graduation. Staff privileges terminate upon separation of employment.

Interlibrary Loan services including Link+ are available to USF faculty, staff and students. USF law patrons only have Interlibrary Loan services through the Zeif Library and do not have access to Link+. 

On-Campus patrons are those who take classes or maintain offices on the Hilltop campus. 

Off-Campus patrons are those who attend classes online or take classes at any other campus or site including 101 Howard. These patrons may request materials via ILLiad or Ignacio and have their materials mailed to the designated address on record.

USF Faculty

For additional information see the Faculty Loan Policies page.

USF Alumni and Visitors

USF Alumni and visitors may purchase borrowing cards. Some restrictions apply. See the Alumni and Visitors page for details.

All Patrons

It is the responsibility of all patrons using the Library to maintain their library account, return or renew materials on time and pay any overdue or replacement charges. All notices sent by the Library are considered courtesy notices. Library policy is to send notices via email. Failure to receive notices does not alter the patron's responsibilities. View your library record.

Patrons removing, damaging or concealing materials belonging to the Library are subject to replacement charges and possible disciplinary action.

Theft and deliberate damaging of library materials are serious crimes. Destruction of research materials is detrimental to study and scholarship and the mission of the University as well as the Library.

Suspension of Library Privileges

Failure to respond to recall notices or overdue notices within the time limits specified and/or failure to pay fines or for materials lost by the borrower results in suspension of library privileges or progressive disciplinary action. A person who has had their library privileges suspended is not entitled to service from any department of the Library. Library privileges are restored after recalled or overdue items are returned and late charges are paid, or payment is made for lost items.

Borrowing Gleeson Library Books

Loan Periods

Status Loan Period
Undergraduates
Graduates
University Staff
Special Borrowers
30 Days
Doctoral Students One Semester
(subject to recall after 30 days)
Faculty One Academic Year
(subject to recall after 30 days)

For Link+ borrowing periods, see Link+ information below.

No limit is set on the number of books that may be borrowed at any one time.

Books may be kept for the duration of the applicable loan period noted above unless another borrower requests a recall on them (see Recalls below).

Renewals

Status Number of Renewals
Undergraduates
Graduates
University Staff
Special Borrowers
Three Renewals
Doctoral Students Two Renewals
Faculty One Renewal

All materials may be renewed for additional loan periods, provided that there are no holds on them and / or the maximum number of renewals has not been reached. Once the maximum number of renewals has been reached, the patron must bring the material into the library to return or re-checkout.

Gleeson Library items may be brought to the library for renewal or may be renewed online. By renewing item(s) online, you are confirming that you still have each item. Carefully match material listed online that you plan to renew against the library materials in your possession. Be sure to scroll down or move forward through the entire list. Immediately report any discrepancies to the Circulation Desk at 415-422-2660.

Once the maximum number of renewals has been reached, they must be returned to the Main Campus.

Not all material is available for renewal, and some circumstances may prevent renewal. Items not renewed must be returned by the due date or fines will apply. If items are renewed after the due date, fines still apply.

Recalls

All materials, for all patrons, are subject to recall. If another borrower requests material on loan, a recall notice with a new due date is sent to the initial borrower. The library reserves the right to immediately recall any item for Reserves, or for other instructional purposes.

Fines, Fees, and Replacement Charges

Overdue notices are sent to borrowers who have not returned their materials by the due date. A borrower is not exempt from any overdue or replacement charge because of failure to receive a notice from the library.

Charges for lost or damaged materials are based on the current average cost to the Library, plus a processing fee and all overdue fines which have accrued. Processing fees and overdue fines are non-refundable. Material cost fees are non-refundable once the order / replacement process has begun. Gleeson Library does not accept replacement copies for lost or damaged items.

If a borrower states that a recalled or overdue item has been returned, but library records indicate that it has not been returned, a search will be instituted by the Circulation Department. If this process, which entails an extensive search of the stacks and sorting areas over a period of two weeks, does not produce the book, it is considered to have been lost by the borrower. (See Suspension of Library Privileges.)

Patrons who have unpaid bills for damaged or lost items will have their University records placed on hold, and will not receive any Student Enrollment Services or Registrar services until their library account is cleared. Patrons whose charges exceed $99 will also have their library borrowing privileges suspended. All charges on a patron's account must be paid before the University Hold will be lifted. University Holds will be lifted by the next business day after receipt of the payment.

Online Payments may be made using MasterCard or Visa through "View Your Library Record"​

An inability to access or a lack of availability of any particular payment method at any given time does not excuse the patron from their obligation.

Fines and Charges for Books and Videos

Type of Replacement Charge Cost
Book $90
Link+ Book $115
Interlibrary Loan Book $130
Video $130

Replacement Charges for Periodicals

Type of Charge Cost
Replacement Charges: Bound Periodicals $325
Replacement Charges: Unbound Periodicals $150
Processing Fee: Bound and Unbound Periodicals $75

Fines and Charges for Reserves

Type of Charge Cost
Overdue Reserves Material: Library Use Only, 2 hr, and Overnight checkout $1 / hour
Overdue Reserves Material: One Week checkout $1 / day
Replacement Charges: Reserves Material $110

Returns

Items may be returned any time to the Circulation Desk or Book Return outside the main entrance of the Library. Off-Campus patrons may return items to Gleeson Library Document Delivery using the pre-paid UPS return label included with the original shipment. Delivery times may vary. Please allow sufficient time for the Library to receive the item before the due date.

Borrowing Link+ Material

On-Campus Link+ items will be held for pick-up for 10 days after receipt at the 1st floor library Circulation Desk. Off-Campus Link+ materials will be mailed to the designated address on record. For patrons picking up items at other Pickup Elsewhere participating institutions, items will be held for 10 days at those libraries. 

Link+ requests for renewal will be considered only during a five-day window consisting of two days before the due date, the due date, and two days after the due date.

Requests for renewal are requests only, as the institution that owns the materials may deny the renewal. If the request is accepted, the renewal period is 21 days. Books may be renewed one time only at the Circulation Desk or online. 

Link + renewals will read Renew Pending in the STATUS field. You must return to "View Your Patron Record" at a later time to verify if it has actually been renewed.

Patrons may have up to 15 Link+ items and outstanding requests at one time.

Periodicals

Copies of desired materials can be made with the copy machines or scanners located in the library, subject to provisions of the copyright law. Contact a librarian if you need further assistance.

Bound and unbound periodicals cannot be sent to off-campus faculty, staff, or students; however, articles and chapters may be sent via Gleeson Library Document Delivery.

Unbound Periodicals

Faculty are eligible to check out unbound periodicals for 30 days, no renewals and subject to recall after 2 weeks. Unbound issues that do not circulate include newspapers and current magazines that are stored in red display binders. Unbound periodicals are checked out and returned at the Access Services Circulation Desk and are subject to the same General Provisions as for borrowing books.

Bound Periodicals

Faculty, staff, and students are eligible to check out bound periodicals for 30 days, no renewals and subject to recall after 2 weeks. Bound periodical volumes are kept in an offsite storage facility and must be requested through the online catalog; more information about bound periodicals. Bound periodicals are checked out and returned at the Access Services Circulation Desk and are subject to the same General Provisions as for borrowing books.

Borrowing Reserve Materials

Gleeson Library will not mail physical reserve items. For more information see Reserves.

Borrowing Government Documents

Government Documents may be checked-out with the same loan periods, renewal and overdue policies as other circulating books in the library. Documents stamped "Library Use Only" do not circulate. 

Borrowing Videos and DVDs

Videocassettes and DVDs may be checked out for a loan period of one-week. These items may be renewed in-person or online up to three times for additional one-week periods, with the same renewal and overdue policies as other circulating material.

Faculty members can reserve a video resource for a specific date or range of dates for classroom exhibition. San Francisco / Lone Mountain faculty must pick up the item before the classroom use, so please plan accordingly.

Faculty may place a video resource on course reserve. In addition, they may view videocassette recordings in the library's Group Study Rooms, and DVDs in the library's computer labs.

Cancellations

Cancellations for ILLiad, Link + and Document Delivery can be made through each service. Please note however that if a cancellation is enacted during the administrative process it maybe be difficult to remove an item from the patron record. Also some materials may require a return mailing to Gleeson Library. 

Document Delivery

Document Delivery is a library service for USF students, faculty and staff. All USF students, staff and faculty taking classes Off Campus, either online or at another campus or site, can also have circulating books and other materials delivered to them from the Gleeson Library | Geschke Center.  See the Document Delivery page for more information.

Interlibrary Loans

Currently enrolled USF students, faculty and staff, with the exception of USF Law School patrons, may use Gleeson Library | Geschke Center’s Interlibrary Loan service. ILL requests can be made online via the library’s ILLiad system. Please visit the library’s ILL web page for more information. Articles typically take 3 days for electronic delivery. Books typically take 2 weeks to arrive.

If you are a USF Law School student, staff member, or faculty member, please use Zief Library’s ILL service.

If you are uncertain as to whether you are entitled to ILL services, please contact the ILL Office at ill@usfca.edu or (415) 422-2662.

Loan Periods

Books borrowed on interlibrary loan are subject to different loan periods than USF-owned materials. Loan periods are determined by the lending library; be aware of the different due dates listed on each book.

All interlibrary loan items can be returned using the self-addressed label or mailed to Gleeson Library ILL.

Renewals

See the Interlibrary Loan page for more information.

Maps and Microforms

Maps

 are located in the Map Cabinet in the Government Documents room. Please take maps to the circulation desk for check-out. Maps circulate with the same loan periods, renewal and overdue policies as circulating books.

  • Larger-format maps will be checked-out in a plastic map tube.
  • Map tubes will appear on your record as "equipment."
  • Overdue charges apply for map tubes.
  • Map tube replacement charges are $25 with an additional $15 processing fee.

Microforms do not circulate. Reader-printers are available to make copies from microfilm and microfiche.

Borrowing Laptops

Laptop computers are available for check-out at the Access Services Desk of Gleeson Library | Geschke Center and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Only currently registered USF students with no outstanding holds are eligible to check-out laptops. Laptops are not available to faculty, staff, or law students. Remember, a USF OneCard is required for all library check-outs and bookings.

Loan Period

  • Laptops circulate for a 24-hour loan period.
  • A  computer charger (cord and block) will be provided at check-out; these items must be returned with the laptop and are subject to overdue and replacement fines.
  • A patron may not check-out more than one laptop at a time.

Renewals

  • Laptops may not be renewed.

Returning Laptops

  • Patrons must hand the laptop and power charger to an Access Services staff member.
  • Please do not put laptops in the book return chute.

Fines and Replacement Charges

  • Overdue fines will be charged at the rate of $5.00 per hour with no maximum.
  • The borrower agrees to return the laptop equipment in the same order and condition as when received. The patron is responsible for the laptop, including the cost of replacement in the event of theft, loss, or damage and agrees to reimburse the university for the costs of repair or replacement. The replacement cost is $1,600. 
  • Gleeson Library reserves the right to deny checkout privileges based on past abuses.

Other Important Notes

  • Do not leave laptops unattended.
  • Do not modify the system files of the laptop.
  • Patrons must save files to a USB flash drive or online storage. Any files or documents saved to the laptop itself will be erased.
  • ​​​​​​​If you have problems with the laptop, please immediately report the problem to the Access Services Desk.

Borrowing Video Games

  • Holds/recalls may be placed on video games via Ignacio.
  • The loan period will be 7 days with a potential for 3 renewals.
  • Overdue fines will be charged at a rate of $.50 per day. There is no grace period.
  • After 30 days overdue, a replacement charge of $60.00 for the video game, a processing fee of $15.00, and any applicable overdue fines (maximum of $30.00) will be applied to the borrower's record. 
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