Circulation Policies

A valid University of Iowa ID card, UIHC badge, or Libraries issued borrower permit is required for check-out.
Application for a borrower permit or other library-issued cards may be made at the Main Library South Circulation Desk or the appropriate branch library.

Borrower Type	Books* (open stack and storage with call numbers)	Periodicals*	Periodicals in Storage*	DVDs and Videos	Course Reserve	Borrowing Limits(Books/Media)
Faculty and P&S Staff	due first Monday in June	1 week	4 weeks	1 week	Loan periods range from 2 hour to 1 week. Please inquire at each library.	1,000/25
Graduate & Honor Students	due last Wednesday in June					500/25
Undergraduates & Merit Staff	4 weeks					100/10
Community Borrowers	4 weeks				Not Available	25/5

*Unless recalled earlier

Some items such as materials in reference, special collections, and some open stacks books may not be checked out. They must be used in the library because of their historical value, fragile condition, or frequent use.

Borrower Type	Books	Journals	DVDs and Videos	Course Reserves	Billed Material
Faculty and P&S Staff	Items must be brought into a library (excluding Law) for renewal.	Renew online using My Account	Renew online using My Account	No renewals allowed for these high demand materials.	All users must bring billed material into a library to renew.
Graduate & Honor Students
Undergraduates & Merit Staff	Renew online using My Account
Community Borrowers	Renew online using My Account		1 renewal online using My Account

Check with individual libraries or Main Library units for exceptions to loan periods and renewal policies. In particular, policies for journals, newspapers, music scores, sound recordings, video recordings, microforms, software and other special materials may vary.

All items checked out can be recalled by another borrower or for Reserve.
The recall due date overrides the original due date.
Books may be recalled back by the original user if they were not recalled for Reserve.
Borrowers are guaranteed two weeks with a book and seven days with a DVD or video if it is recalled by another user. If it is recalled for Course Reserve, there is no guarantee of the first two weeks (books) or seven days (videos) of the loan.
When classes are in session, being out of town, failing to maintain a current address or failing to read your e-mail will not be considered valid excuses for their delayed return. This does not include the 3-week Summer and Winter sessions and Fall and Spring Breaks.
All UI-affiliated borrowers are blocked from further check out if they have two or more overdue recalls. Community Borrowers are blocked with one overdue recall.

Loan Periods	Fine Rate	Maximum Fine
Hourly loans	$2.40 per hour (4 per minute)	$40.00
Daily non-reserve loans (1 day, 3 day, 7 day etc.)	$0.50 per day overdue	$15.00
Daily Reserve loans	$4.00 per day overdue	$40.00
Recalled materials	$4.00 per day overdue	$40.00
Material that circulates for 2 weeks or longer	No daily fine accrues	$10.00 replacement fine if/when billed for replacement cost

A user who has not returned material after a reasonable time period is billed for its standard replacement cost and any associated fine.

When billing a user for lost library material, the default replacement cost charged is based on the average cost of books supplied to us by the current vendor and, as a result, will change periodically. [$75.00/book in 2010 based on the average cost of $74.83 for 2008/09 from YBP.]
If library staff have evidence that the replacement cost of an item is likely to be higher or lower than the default charge (not including any labor or overhead), that price may be charged instead.
The replacement cost charged for a journal volume or issue is based on the latest subscription price or the cost of a microform replacement if the default replacement cost is not used.
Materials returned after billing will be issued a credit for the replacement charge only. The $10.00 replacement fine or any overdue fines will not be refunded.

Recall, Reminder and Overdue notices are sent via e-mail.
Students, staff, and faculty are responsible for checking their University of Iowa e-mail or establishing a routing address. Permit holders should make sure the e-mail address on file with the Libraries is current.
The Libraries use the official alias e-mail addresses that are assigned for students, faculty and staff by ITS. Library staff does not have the authority to change your routing address.
Notices will only be sent via surface mail if there is no e-mail option.

Billing is handled by the University Billing Office; the Libraries do not collect payment directly.
If you don't understand a library charge on a University of Iowa Statement for library fines or library books, please contact Main Library Circulation Services.

Borrowers are blocked from borrowing or renewing material when they have reached the following limits:

	Maximum # of Items	Maximum # of Overdue Items	Maximum # of Overdue Recalls	Maximum # of Simultaneous Requests
Faculty and P&S Staff	1,000	500	2	999
Graduate & Honor Students	500	250	2	500
Undergraduates & Merit Staff	100	50	2	100
Community Borrowers	25	5	1	5

Check with individual libraries or Main Library units for exceptions to block policies as librarians in charge of a collection can place administrative blocks. In particular, policies may be set to block users who have an excessive amount of billed materials, fines/bills, heavily used materials overdue, reserve materials overdue, or an ILL book that is overdue by 2 weeks. This block will be honored at all circulation units and must be resolved with the individual library or unit that placed the block before future check-out can occur.

More questions? Visit our FAQ on borrowing materials