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.

Library online access and borrowing privileges by user type.

Loan Periods

Borrowing Limits

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, unless an item is recalled for use as a course reading (reserve).
• 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.

Suspension of borrowing privileges: Faculty & Staff

Suspension of borrowing privileges/transfer of fines to student accounts & financial aid

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.

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

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:

1. Drop off your Brock books to your closest university library when they re-open. They will be returned to Brock on your behalf.
2. 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.