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Library Policies

Please see below the library’s polices on various topics. If you have any questions, please call, come in, or email us. We’re here to help.

Loan Periods

Circulating books can be loaned to enrolled students for three weeks. Books can also be renewed for three additional weeks in person, over the phone, or by email.

Student ID is required to check out materials. All materials are due at the end of the current quarter.

College faculty and staff have an initial six week check out period on library materials. Materials may be renewed for one additional six week period. Once the date at the end of the loan period is reached, the materials must be returned or they will be considered overdue. The faculty or staff member will be notified by email that the materials are overdue and must be returned. Once overdue, the faculty or staff member will not be able to check out any additional materials until all the overdue materials are returned. The PC/PD and Dean or supervisor will be notified that the library accounts are delinquent. If the overdue materials are still not returned within 30 days of the final due date, the faculty or staff member will be billed for the materials.

Periodicals, reference, and reserve materials do not circulate.

Library Fines

Students are fined ten cents per day for each item that is overdue. The maximum late fee per item is $10.

After one quarter, the book will be considered lost, and the full cost of the book, along with the maximum late fee, will be added to the student’s tuition bill.
If a student returns a late book, half of the late fee and all of the cost of the book will be waived.

The library only accepts cash for payment of late fees.

Study Rooms

The Library Study Room is available for use by groups of students, staff, or faculty who wish to work together, study together, or conduct meetings. Groups may reserve the room by consulting with Library staff. In general, access to the room is conducted on a “first‐come, first‐served” basis.

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Groups must leave the study room in clean condition. Library staff is not responsible for cleaning the study room.

Please do not leave any personal belongings in the study room. Neither the Library nor Northwestern College is responsible for misplaced or stolen personal belongings.

Creating excess noise, smoking, or any other behaviors not permitted by the Northwestern College Student Conduct Code are not permitted in the Library study room.

Please be considerate of others; the study room is not ‘soundproof’. We ask that you please return tables and chairs to their original layout in the study room before you vacate the room.

Please see Library staff if you have any questions regarding reservations or use of the study room.

Food and Drinks

Uncovered drinks are prohibited in the Edward G. Schumacher Memorial Library at all times. Covered drinks are allowed. Food is not allowed, the only exception to this is when there is food for a library program or event.

Cell Phone Usage

Cell phones are not to be used in the library for phone calls at any time. You must make or take your call outside of the library.

Children in the Library

The library provides a quiet environment for research and scholarship in support of the academic programs of Northwestern College. But there can be risks to children who are left unattended in the library. As a consequence, no unattended children are allowed in the library. All children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Parents or caregivers are responsible for monitoring their children’s conduct and activities. Parents will be held responsible for any damage their children cause to library property. Library staff are not responsible for the safety of children who are left unattended.

If there are unattended children that are brought to the attention of library staff, the staff will contact Security.

Alumni, Former Students, and General Public Library Use Policy

Alumni of the college are allowed to use the computers and study rooms, and can make photocopies, but they are not allowed to check out books.

The general public is not allowed to use the library.

Former students who are not alumni are allowed to use the library facilities. They cannot check out books and generally cannot use the computers. They can make photocopies, use the study rooms, and use the books we have, but only in the library.

Distance Learning Policies and Procedures

The E. G. Schumacher Memorial Library provides informational services to distance learners. The library will keep statistical counts of reference questions, loan requests, interlibrary loan, and document delivery services. While the library strives to provide distance learners with superior library service, supplemental regional public and academic information resources are encouraged to increase user convenience.

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  • Email reference question responses will be made within 48 hours.
  • Email requests for NC owned periodical articles will be scanned and sent as PDF files within copyright restrictions within 48 hours.
  • Email requests for NC owned book material (on shelf) will be shipped in U.S. mail within 48 hours. Materials will be returned to the NC library within the assigned loan period at the user’s expense. Tracking is recommended. Unreturned and lost items are the user’s responsibility. The library maintains the right to charge users fees for unreturned items and hold grades or transcripts.
  • Email requests for document delivery not owned by the library will be submitted to OCLC within 48 hours. Articles will be scanned and emailed to distance learner on receipt within copyright restrictions.
  • Email requests for books not owned by the library will be submitted to OCLC within 48 hours. Materials will be shipped to distance learner on receipt. Materials will be returned to NC within the specified loan period at the user’s expense. Tracking is recommended. Unreturned and lost items are the user’s responsibility. The library maintains the right to charge users fee for unreturned items and hold grades or transcripts.

Internet Use Policies and Copyright Information