Eligibility/Responsibilities
Any library user holding a valid Brock University photo ID card, alumni card, Special Borrowers’ card, or a valid card from a Canadian University library may borrow material. Borrowers from Canadian universities will also be required to confirm their active status by logging into their home institution’s portal or email system.
Only the person to whom it is issued may use a borrower’s card. Library users are responsible for any material signed out in their names and will be charged overdue fines and replacement and processing costs for lost or damaged items.
Lack of knowledge of loan policies, failure to note due dates, failure to renew on time, or failure to receive Reminder or Overdue Notices are not acceptable reasons for waiving library charges.
Additionally, the Library is not responsible for any damage to a user’s computer, VCR, or DVD equipment that might be caused by items borrowed from the Library.
Full details regarding Library Online Access and Borrowing Privileges by user type are available.
Loan Periods
| Item | Period |
| Books and Government Documents | Faculty, students & staff: 120 days. Alumni, & special borrowers: 2 weeks. |
| Popular Reading and Wellness Books | 4 weeks |
| Course Readings on short-term loan (Reserves) | 3 hours or 24 hours or 48 hours. Items with a 3 hour loan period which are signed out within 3 hours of closing time each day will be due back 1 hour after the library opens the next day. |
| Various Equipment such as cables, computer mice, calculators. | 4 hours |
| Board Games & Playing Cards | 3 days |
| Map, Data & GIS Library Thematic maps and aerial photographs Topographic and historical maps and atlases Books | 3 days In-library use only 1 week |
| CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes | 2 weeks |
| Archives & Special Collections | Library use only |
| Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University items | 2 weeks |
| Instructional Resource Centre (IRC) | see IRC homepage |
Borrowing Limits
| Patron Type | Loan Period | # of Renewals | Maximum # of items checked out |
| Undergraduate | 120 days | unlimited | 500 |
| Graduate | 120 days | unlimited | 500 |
| Faculty, Staff, & Retirees | 120 days | unlimited | 500 |
| Alumni | 2 weeks | 4 | 20 |
| Special Borrowers | 2 weeks | 4 | 20 |
Course readings on Short-term loan (reserves)
- 4 items may be signed out at any one time to eligible users (faculty, staff and currently enrolled students.)
- Borrowers may renew high demand 3-Hour materials but will be asked to wait for 15 minutes in case other users are waiting to borrow.
Book Requests (Holds) and Retrieval Service
Brock borrowers may request print materials with “Item in Place” status.
- The option to request is available when users are signed-in to Omni.
- Library staff will retrieve the books for you.
- Requestors will receive a notice via Brock email when their requests are ready.
- Users are limited to ten (10) outstanding holds at any one time.
Renewals
Brock borrowers may renew material online by signing-in to Omni, or in-person by bringing items to the Ask Us Desk.
- Faculty, staff and students have unlimited renewals, subject to recall by another user.
- Borrowers whose privileges have been suspended may not renew material.
- Three-hour course readings, and material requested by another borrower, cannot be renewed.
Fines
Avoid incurring fines by signing-in to Omni to view the list of items you have borrowed and their due dates.
| Item | Fine |
| Overdue maps, CDs, DVDs, Interlibrary Loan materials | $0.50 per day per item |
| Overdue course readings on short-term loan (Reserves) and equipment | $1.50 per hour per item |
| 3 hour loan items will be billed for replacement after 48 hours. 24 hour loan items will be billed for replacement after 5 days. 48 hour items will be billed for replacement after 7 days. 7 day loan items will be billed for replacement after 15 days. | |
| Overdue recalled ILL / RACER material | $25.00 up to 15 days overdue |
| Overdue board games | no overdue fines, but will be billed for replacement after 21 days |
| Lost book | $125 default replacement charge plus a $25 non-refundable administrative charge |
| Lost / damaged maps/CDs/DVDs | Cost of item plus a $15.00 non-refundable processing fee |
| Lost equipment storage bag | $5.00 per item |
| Lost whiteboard cleaning kit | $6.00 replacement charge |
| Lost whiteboard cleaning cloth | $2.00 replacement charge |
| Lost whiteboard spray bottle | $2.00 replacement charge |
| Lost locker key | $25.00 replacement charge |
| Lost / damaged board game | $20.00 (Lost playing cards) - $2.00 |
| Lost / damaged miscellaneous cables | $25.00 per item |
| Lost / damaged calculator | $25.00 |
| Lost / damaged video camera | $550.00 |
| Lost ILL / RACER book / item | Flat rate replacement cost of $75.00, plus a $50.00 non-refundable processing fee |
| IRC | see IRC homepage |
Suspension of borrowing privileges: Faculty & Staff
Faculty and staff borrowing privileges are suspended for fines of $20.00 or more. Privileges will be reinstated when outstanding fines are paid.
Suspension of borrowing privileges/transfer of fines to student accounts & financial aid
Borrowing privileges for Brock University undergraduate and graduate students are suspended when fines are $20.00 or more. On a monthly basis, these fines will be automatically transferred to the student’s financial account. The Library will notify the student before this transfer is made.
- Log in to your Library Account to view details about fines on your record.
- Fine payment information: https://brocku.ca/safa/tuition-and-fees/making-a-payment/
- Privileges will be reinstated when outstanding fines are paid.
Lost or Damaged Library Material
If a library item is lost, missing, stolen or damaged, the borrower will receive an “Invoice for Lost Library Material” and will be assessed a $125 default replacement charge plus a $25 non-refundable administrative charge. The lending Library will determine whether a damaged item is beyond repair.
Appeal of Library Fines
Borrowers who wish to appeal a library fine may do so by completing an online appeal form. The request will be reviewed and an email response will be sent within five (5) working days.
Borrowing From Other Universities
Undergraduate students may borrow books in person from other Ontario university libraries (Direct Borrowing), with the exception of the University of Toronto. A valid Brock University ID card is required, and borrowers may be required to show additional picture identification. Books may be returned to the lending library or to the Ask Us Desk at the James A. Gibson Library.
Graduate students, faculty and staff may borrow books directly from all Ontario university libraries. Arrangements also exist for borrowing from out-of-province universities (Atlantic, Quebec, Prairie and Pacific). See Canadian Universities Reciprocal Borrowing Agreement for more information.
Reciprocal Borrowing Policies for Niagara College and Brock University
Brock University and Niagara College have a reciprocal borrowing agreement for faculty, staff and students.
Niagara College faculty, staff and students may borrow books from the James A. Gibson, IRC and Hamilton campus Libraries at no charge. In order to register for borrowing privileges, Niagara College users must:
- apply in-person and complete a Special Borrowers’ form.
- show a valid Niagara college picture ID card and one other supporting piece of identification.
- log in to their college portal/email account to verify current status.
- re-register in-person on a yearly basis so that contact information is kept current.
Brock faculty/staff/students are entitled to borrowing privileges at Niagara College under the following conditions:
- users must register in-person and present a Brock student or staff card along with an additional piece of photo ID.
- users must re-register on a yearly basis in order to make sure contact information is current.
| Patron registration | Register in-person and present staff/student card with photo ID |
| Material available for loan | Books<br/>Exclusions: DVDs/videos; periodicals; course readings on short-term loan (reserves); reference materials; remote access to e-resources |
| Loan period | 2 weeks |
| Maximum # of items checked out at one time | 5 items |
| Maximum # of renewals | 1 per item |
| Fines | 25 cents per item per day |
| Returns | Borrower responsible for returning materials to Niagara College |
| Expiry date | Students – August 31<br /> Faculty & staff – One year from date of registration |
For further information, please contact the Circulation Department at Niagara College libraries at the Welland or Niagara-on-the-Lake campuses.
Niagara Regional Campus of the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University
McMaster University’s Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine has a regional campus at Brock University, which is located in the Cairns Family Health and Bioscience Research Complex.
McMaster students enrolled in the program are entitled to the same borrowing privileges as Brock undergraduate students.
The James A. Gibson Library houses a collection of books located on the 5th floor to support this program. These materials circulate for a two-week loan period, are available to all Brock Library users, and may be renewed online.
Community Borrowing
| Type | Fee |
| Brock Alumni | No charge |
| Community | $40.00 per year |
| Seniors (65+) | $20.00 per year |
| For-Profit Institutional | $300.00 per year (up to 5 borrowers) |
| Non-Profit Institutional | $100.00 per year (up to 5 borrowers) |
| Replacement for Lost Card/Barcode | $5.00 |
| Interlibrary Loan/Document Delivery (Original works only) | $50.00 per year (plus charges assessed by lending library) |
| Map Library Temporary User Account | $10.00 per session |
For More Information see Alumni & Community
Returns
Please return all Library materials to the Ask Us Desk when the Library is open. An after-hours book return slot is located at the east entrance to the Library.
Other return options for students no longer in the Niagara area:
- Drop off your Brock books to your closest university library when they re-open. They will be returned to Brock on your behalf.
- Ship your returns to us by mail at:
James A. Gibson Library
Brock University
1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way,
St. Catharines, ON
Canada
L2S 3A1
For information on policies of the IRC, please refer to the IRC homepage.