Policies and Procedures

1. The Circulation/Periodicals Department is a processing operation for checking out and in library items, and managing fines. Also included in the department are Reserves and Periodicals.
2. The Reference Department is a research-assistant operation. Also included in this department is ERC (Electronic Resources Center).

Opening-Closing Hours
Semester Hours
Monday -Thursday 8:00am – 11:00pm
Friday 8:00am – 5:00pm
Saturday 1:00pm – 5:00pm
Sunday 3:00pm – 11:00pm

Summer Session Hours
Summer hours will be posted at the entrance of the Library. Variations in scheduled hours will be posted in advanced on the entrance doors.

Interim Period Hours
Monday - Friday 8:30am – 5:00pm
Saturday - Sunday CLOSED
Includes break between sessions, and Spring Break.

Holiday Hours
The Library is closed on holiday, unless otherwise notified. Any exceptions and variations in scheduled hours will be posted in advanced on the entrance doors.

Access/Research Services (Public Services) Policy
Noise Policy

• No laughing, loud conversation, audible music, nor any form of excessive noise will be tolerated.
• Library users will be given only ONE verbal warning by a member of the library staff if found in violation of the above. Thereafter, users will be asked to leave the premises IMMEDIATELY and expected to do so PROMPTLY.
• ALL individuals seated or standing in the area from which the noise originates will be asked to leave.
• Security escort can and will be provided if necessary.

Access/Research Services (Public Services) Procedures
Opening Procedures

1. Retrieve keys from the front gate.
2. Unlock doors
3. Turn on lights and photocopies
4. Log on computers - ERC, Circulation/Periodicals, Gateway Online Public Access Catalogs (plaza and mezzanine levels) and Reference.
5. Set up Circulation/Periodicals Desk.
   • Take door/gate count.
   • Stamp and staple three issues of The State Newspaper and place in its appropriate place.
   • From the fourth issue cut the Front, Metro, and Sports sections and place in current event display showcase. Remaining portion goes to the Reference Department to use for Vertical Files.

1. Thirty minutes to closing have work-study students to pick up throughout the library.
2. Ring bell at 15 minutes to closing; remind students that it is time to wrap up.
   • Begin shut down on some computers.
   • Lock entrance to library.
   • Ring bell for the last time and dim the lights.
   • After everyone is out, take the door count, turn lights off. *(NOTE) leave lower right panel light on MLC—server connection. Also, on the lower left panel leave CLD and CLC on for BC CARES.
   • Lock both (entrance and exit) interior doors and the exterior entrance door. Leave the exterior exit door open for newspaper delivery.
   • Drop key off at the front security gate.
3. Guidelines for these closings are as follows:
4. Immediately after notification, ring the bell.
5. Dim the lights.
6. Shut down all computers, copiers and other electronic equipment.
7. Lock interior and exterior entrance doors.
8. Evaluate remaining persons.
9. Lock up
10. Drop key off at the front security gate.

Collection Management Classified by the Library of Congress Classification System, the library collections are composed of materials for a variety of audiences. Benedict College faculty and students are primary recipients, while other members of the college family and the local community in which the college is located are secondary users. The curriculum is the single most important influence on the nature of library resources.

• Collection Evaluation: An integral part of collection development is evaluating the collection to determine if goals and priorities set by librarians are, in fact, meeting user needs. Below are some methods to consider in evaluation:
  1. Statistical analysis – statistics should be analyzed in relation to the collection and user profile. They include ILL requests submitted and filled by the department, determining how often items are used in the library by noting the frequency a particular item is reshelved, and noting the number of reference questions answered successfully.
  2. Faculty/student surveys or interviews directed to the user in order to directly assess the impact of the reference collection.
  3. Evaluation of standard bibliographies and lists, comparing the collection to standard lists, such as subject bibliographies.
• Selection Process: Collection management and selection of print and non-print resources and supporting materials are the responsibility of the librarians in the Access/Research Service Department in conjunction with the Catalog and Acquisitions Librarians. This staff will meet to do the following:
  1. Discuss and evaluate new resources.
  2. Review materials to be replaced.
  3. Discuss status of an item, i.e. on order, in process, or in process of being cataloged and made ready for the shelves.
  4. Consider titles not yet published and place in a hold file.
  The librarians need to identify in some detail which resources will best support the information needs of the college. In order to guide librarians and requestors to insure consistency in the selection process, major tools to consider are the following:
  1. Reference Books for Small and Medium Sized Libraries
  2. Sheehy’s Guide to Reference Books
  3. Books-in Print
  4. Choice
  5. Library Journal
  6. American Libraries
  7. College & Research Libraries
  8. Publisher’s Weekly
• Weeding: Weeding the collection of older works is essential to the provision of good quality service. Excluding certain types of material from the reference collection may also help to keep it viable and pertinent. Librarians must exercise great care while weeding in order not to retain too much or discard potentially useful works. Criteria for Weeding:
  1. Appearance: Books of antiquated appearance which might discourage use; badly bound volumes with soft bindings; poor, printed works including books with small print, poor illustrations, or paper which is translucent. Also worn out volumes whose pages are dirty, brittle, yellow or missing and those with broken spines, or dingy, torn, or dirty covers.
  2. Poor Content: Materials which contain dated or incorrect information, poorly written or performed works, or items which have been superseded by newer, improved edition.
  3. Age: Items that have not been used in many years and/or out of date items.
  4. Specific Classes: Items which should not have been purchased in the first place, and historical items containing inaccurate information or unfair interpretations.
  Procedures for Weeding:
  1. For high volume weeding, implement during interim periods.
  2. For worn or damaged materials, weed on an "as needed" basis.
  3. Charge out to Collection/Database Management Department.
  4. If applicable, pull shelf list card.
  5. Send book(s) to Collection/Database Management Department.

Circulation/Periodicals Department
Circulation Department Policy
Each person with borrowing privileges must check out materials on his or her own identification. Faculty, administrative staff, and/or staff member may send a designated person with written instructions and with their identification card to check out a specific item for the employee; NO ONE MAY CHECK OUT MATERIALS USING ANOTHER’S IDENTIFICATION. While it is recognized that it is the right of students, faculty, administrative staff, staff and persons with valid library borrowing cards to enjoy borrowing and usage privilege, abuse of those privileges, particularly those that harm access or usage of library materials to other library patron or college classes, cannot be tolerated. The library therefore reserves the right to recall all materials charged out.

Who Can Borrow Library Materials

1. Students currently enrolled at BC.
2. Faculty and staff currently employed at BC.
3. Alumni of BC.
4. Participants in special programs affiliated with BC, such as Upward Bound.
5. Others who may secure an ID from BC with borrowing privileges (distance learning, etc.).

Requirements to Borrow Library Materials

1. For Benedict College faculty, staff and students, Benedict College identification card with photo.
2. For others (including those from other institutions), Benedict Library Access Card or an Interlibrary loan request submitted by the personnel of their library that has agreed to be responsible for the return of the materials borrowed.

What May Be Borrowed (Circulating)

1. Library materials from the main collection (circulating).
2. Audiovisual materials, software and hardware for faculty borrowing only.

Loan Policy

1. Books borrowed from the library may be kept for up to three-(3) weeks from the checked out date.
2. There is a check out limit of ten (10) books.
3. Books to be returned should be deposited in the book chute located in the foyer of the Library or at the Circulation/Periodicals Desk.
4. A maximum of 10 items per person may be borrowed at a time.
5. Library materials are loaned out for a period of 30 days for faculty, 21 days for students and others, and 30 days for Interlibrary Loan.
6. Audiovisual materials, software and hardware are loaned out to faculty only for one day.
7. Periodicals, reference books, reserve items and other material are loaned to faculty under special circumstances for a period specified by library personnel at the time they are borrowed.
8. There is a grace period of 7 days.

Fines For Overdue And Lost Items

1. Fines are $0.25 per day for overdue items ($.50 per day per African American Books).
2. The minimum overdue fine is $1.00 per item.
3. The maximum overdue fine is $10.00 per item.
4. Fines for lost items are $100.00 per AV item, $25.00 per reserve item and $50.00 per item from main collection.
5. Fines for other overdue items depend upon the type of material and other special conditions.
6. Fees for other lost materials depend upon the cost to the library for replacement of the item(s).
7. Borrowers are responsible for returning materials on time. When a book is ninety (90) days overdue, charges will be invoiced as follows:
   • Cost of book replacement
   • Processing fee
   • Overdue fines ($.25 per day per book and $.50 per day for African American Books).
8. When a book is returned that was considered to have been lost, credit will be given for all except the accumulated overdue fines.
9. Items not returned by the end of the semester will be considered lost.
10. Charges for lost items will be added to the student’s account in the Office of Business Affairs and billed to other patrons. If a book is still in print, the charges will be based upon the BIP listed price, plus the processing fee. If a book is out of print, the library will refer to the U.S. College Book Price Information Guide plus the processing fee.

Right To Privacy

1. Every library patron has a right to privacy while using properly charged library materials.
2. Names of borrowers are confidential.

Reserves

1. The library accepts requests for items to be placed “on reserve” each semester by faculty members for their respective classes.
2. The maximum number of items (books, articles, etc.) that a faculty member can place on reserve is eight (8).
3. All materials designated by faculty members for required reading are maintained at the Circulation/Periodicals Desk.
4. Reserve materials are for use in the library only, but may be checked out for overnight use by faculty member only.
5. These materials must be returned within thirty- (30) minutes after opening on the following day. Afterward, a fine of thirty cents ($.30) per hour will be charged until the materials are returned.
6. Reserves are issued on a “first come, first served” basis.

Circulation Department Procedures
Stack Management
At the beginning of each fall semester, work-study students are given a Library of Congress Classification Quiz to determine areas of weakness; the staff will help them to understand the classification system.

Stacks Management Services is supervised and/or assisted by staff in the Circulation/Periodicals Department. This department is responsible for the order of the collection and the prompt and efficient reshelving of materials. Work-study students do ninety-five percent (95%) of reshelving.

The following are significant strides made toward preservation of the collection:

1. The use of smooth, solid metal shelves without jagged edges and screws.
2. Provision of air circulation around the books.
3. Shelving of books a minimum of four inches off the floor to reduce risk of damage.
4. Stand all books upright, resting on their base (or tail).
5. Do not shelve too loosely or too tightly; packed shelves should be about 60% full.
6. When removing a book from the shelves, ease back the book on either side. Grasp it by the sides, remove it, and then readjust the bookend.
7. When replacing a book on the shelves, loosen the bookend and move the existing books aside to create a space. Insert the book, then readjust the bookend.

Pick-Up
Another important act performed by the Circulation/Periodicals Department is a “pick-up.” This involves picking up books that are lying around and returning them to the sorting book trucks to be reshelved. Materials are picked up at photocopy machines, on tables, on shelves in the stacks, or anywhere patrons leave them. Materials in the stacks are cleared when performing stack maintenance.

Pick-Up Procedures

1. Take empty books truck from circulation sorting area and proceed to designated areas.
2. Collect all materials at photocopy machines, on tables, etc. and place on book truck. Also, go up and down the aisles and collect materials off the shelves and carrel found intermittently at the end of the rows.
3. Continue until book truck is full and then return to sorting area.
4. Discharge all items including reference and government documents.

Sorting Procedures (books, etc.)

1. Remove and discharge reference books, government documents, African American books juvenile and paperback books.
2. Take Reference books and Government documents to the Reference Department.
3. Place African American, Juvenile, and paperback books on appropriate book truck.
4. Arrange the remaining books in order from lowest to highest, that is, in alphabetical order. For example, if sorting materials with call numbers in the P’s, Q’s, and R’s, the P’s would go on the top shelf of the book truck, the Q’s would go next or on the middle shelf, and the R’s would go last or on the bottom shelf.
5. Once the book truck is full, arrange the materials in exact Library of Congress (LC) call number order.
6. Stand all materials upright, on their spines if too tall.
7. Center the materials on the shelf of the book truck so the truck won’t topple over when turning corners.

Shelving Procedures

1. ALL books are to be shelved upright if possible. This Includes books on the shelves of book trucks as well as in the stacks. Materials too tall to stand up are shelved spines down with their call numbers out toward the aisle. Also, straighten shelves as you go along. Each shelf in the stacks should have a bookend, a large one if possible. There should be a supply of bookends in the Circulation/Periodicals Department. If not, request some from your supervisor.
2. Perform minor shifting if necessary. If there is not enough room on the shelf for a book, do not lay it flat on top of other materials, nor leave it on another shelf. Shift books either forward or backward to make room. If extensive shifting is needed (more than 1 or 2 shelves), return the item to the sorting area and notify the supervisor.
3. Shelve all materials on a book truck before starting another. If there is not enough time to finish a book truck once started, park it in the sorting area to be finished by the work-study student in the next shift. Do not leave empty book trucks in the stacks—return them to the sorting area.
4. DO NOT sit on or stand on the book trucks. They are expensive to replace, and students are expensive to repair.
5. Exercise care when shelving. Keep alert for possible mistakes. Occasionally materials belonging to another area will appear. If you find other items you should route them to their appropriate location.
6. Damaged materials should be brought to the supervisor’s attention, so that they will be charged out to Technical Services.

Reshelving Periodicals

1. Retrieve journals from the “Periodicals to be Shelved” cart.
2. Place journals in appropriate periodical boxes.

Checkout/In Procedures

1. Charging (or checking) out items:
   • Request user’s Benedict College ID (including faculty and staff, users must have a Benedict College ID card).
   • If user’s ID does not have a barcode, affix a patron barcode label to the ID card (a barcode number for patrons begins with “1”).
   • At “>>” prompt at bottom left of screen, enter or type “CI” for charging (checkout).
   • Scan in barcode number from barcode label of ID.
   • If user is not registered in system, system will prompt to add borrower’s record for user; fill in information in record (you can be brief and go back later to complete the record).
   • If item does not have a barcode, affix an item barcode label to it (a barcode number for items begins with “0”).
   • At “Item>” prompt, scan the barcode number of each item.
   • If there is no bibliographic record in the system for an item, the system will prompt to add brief record; fill in the title, call number and author.
   • To complete use the ENTER key to get back to “>>” prompt.
2. Discharging (or checking in) items:
   • At “>>” prompt at bottom left of the screen, enter “DI” for discharging (or check-in).
   • At “Item>” prompt, scan the barcode in the back of each returned item.
   • To complete discharging items, use the ENTER key to get back to “>>” prompt.
3. For more automated circulation procedures, see the Library Management System user manual for circulation.

Interlibrary Loan Like other college libraries, Benedict College Library is not self-sufficient. No library has ever been self-sufficient. Therefore, resource sharing known as Interlibrary Library Loan (ILL) comes into plan. Should a book or journal article be identified by a Benedict College faculty or student at another library and brought to a reference librarian, a formal request will be prepared and sent to the owning library. The borrowing library (in this case, Benedict College Library) complies with American Library (ALA) 108(g) (2) Guidelines of requirements if the item is loaned. The borrowing library (Benedict College Library) monitors the item’s use and returns it at the appropriate time to the owning library. Although libraries communicate quickly with each other regarding items to be borrowed and loaned, the actual sending of materials back and forth still depends on the United States Postal Service.

1. ILL Requests:
   1. Interlibrary loan requests are accepted from current faculty, staff and students of the college.
   2. Patrons may borrow up to 10 items per semester.
   3. The patron must fill out a request form including all bibliographic information about the book, article or other item to be borrowed; his or her name, address and telephone number; and the maximum amount he or she is willing to pay for the item(s).
   4. Request forms are available at the circulation desk or from the reference librarian.
   5. Any charges incurred are to be paid by the requestor.
   6. Many items are sent free of charge but there are fees for some services depending upon the policies of the lending libraries.
   7. Payment is expected at the time the request is received.
2. ILL Lending:
   1. Requests for items through interlibrary loan are received via OCLC or other computer network (including e-mail), by mail, phone or fax. An effort is made to fulfill as many requests as possible within the guidelines of the library's lending policies.
   2. Non-circulating items such as reference books, audiovisual materials, reserves, serials, microform, and archival and African-American Collection materials are not loaned. Photocopies of most of these items may be sent.
   3. Current charges for photocopies are $0.10 per page plus $2.00 processing fee.
   4. Libraries in the Charlotte Area Educational Consortium are not charged for photocopies.
   5. Books are sent free of charge.
   6. Items are loaned via ILL for a period of 30 days and can be renewed upon request.
3. ILL Profile
   1. All accrued fees associated with any interlibrary loan transaction will be absorbed by the faculty member through his/her department or personally.
   2. Before making a formal ILL request on a student’s behalf (1) Record student’s ID number. (2) Make sure that the student’s name, address, and social security number are accurately taken to insure proper billing to the Office of Business Affairs in case of non payment on any delinquent ILL request.
   3. Books: Will Lend: Yes
      Length of Loan: 2 weeks
      Renewable: Yes
      Average Turnaround Time: 3 days
      
   4. Periodicals: Bound: Will not lend
      Unbound: Will not lend
      
   5. Microforms: Will Lend: No
      
   6. Government Documents: Will Lend: Yes
      
   7. Dissertations: Will Lend: No
      
   8. Audio-Visual Materials: Records: Will not lend
      Cassettes: Will not lend
      Other (slides, filmstrips, etc.): Will not lend
      
   9. Computer Software: Will Lend: No
      
   10. Photoduplication: Charge Per Exposure: $0.05
       Minimum/handling fee: None
       Average Turnaround Time: 3 days
       
   11. There is no charge to the borrowing library for postage.
   12. ILL Service is suspended over the Christmas Holidays: December 15 – January 12.

Periodicals Collection Policy
The Library’s Periodicals Collection covers as wide a range of subject areas as possible, with appropriate materials that support curriculum needs. In addition to scholarly journals, the Library strives to maintain a collection of general interest titles.

Depending upon the availability of funds, the Library will consider titles to support individual faculty research.

Criteria For Selection Because of inflationary characteristics associated with the purchase of serial subscriptions, selections will be made with a high degree of discrimination. Re-evaluation will be made on a continuing basis with attention given to titles that exhibit extraordinary price increase. Selection will be made in consideration of the following criteria:

1. The journal is indexed in indices available in our library.
2. Title is in the English language (with some exceptions).
3. Subject matter supports the college curriculum.
4. Appropriateness of need relative to cost.
5. Usage
6. Accuracy of content

1. Subscriptions normally are renewed and ordered in the summer to begin with the following calendar year (January), and continue for twelve months.
2. Payment is due on receipt of invoice. Invoices unpaid on the 60th day incur a 1% carrying charge, which continues at the rate of 1% per 30 days thereafter until paid.

Newspapers on microform are local, regional, and national titles. Printed issues are retained and then replaced by microform due to space availability.

Retention

1. Newspapers of African American (Black) interest are kept for two months.
2. The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post are discarded on the 15th and the 30th of the next month.
3. Others are discarded at the end of each month.

Print and Microform
The most recent printed issue of each title (with the exception of a few) is displayed in the browsing area. Current year plus previous five years are kept at the Circulation/Periodicals Desk. Some back titles are available in microform format and are stored in acid free cabinets. Other back issues and bound volumes are housed on the mezzanine level. Microfilms replace hard copies of The New York Times and the newspapers of South Carolina. The Benedict College Periodicals Holding List distinguishes locations.

Online Journals
In addition to the printed and microform collections, the library has online services such as EBSCOhost, NewsBank, and InfoTrac SearchBank. EBSCOhost provides a database of 1,000 plus periodical titles providing abstract and full-text articles via the Internet. NewsBank is a database of over 70,000 articles published annually from more than 500 newspapers and other news sources around the world, including images. InfoTrac SearchBank consists of a group of four databases covering resources of general interest, sciences, business and management, humanities, and health, including mostly journal and newspaper articles in full-text with images.

Periodicals Collection Procedures
Users Procedures

1. Periodicals are used in-house.
2. After research of appropriate indices, fill out periodical slip to obtain the desired journal(s).
3. After use return periodicals to the Circulation/Periodicals Desk to be shelved according to date of printing.

1. Check-in issue.
2. Property-stamp and tattle tape.
3. Remove previous issue.
4. Place latest issue on shelves in the current periodicals browsing area.

1. Claims for missing issues should be done no later than two months.
2. When claiming missing issues always give the representative our institution name (Benedict College Library) and our account number.