Hoffman Family Library
Library Policies
Borrowing Materials
Your student, faculty or staff Goodwin University ID is your library card. Faculty or academic staff may authorize a currently enrolled student or staff member as a proxy to check out library materials in the faculty member's name. The individual faculty or academic staff member agrees to be responsible for returning or renewing materials on time and paying any replacement bills for books that are lost or damaged.
Loan periods and due dates vary depending on the type of material and class use. It is the borrower's responsibility to note the due dates for materials and to return or renew them by those dates. Please check the circulation policy posted in the library.
Return material to the circulation desk during library hours. Most Library materials are renewable. Materials recalled or on reserve are not renewable. Material may be renewed in person, by telephone; or email. You may not renew:
- any item that was not originally checked out on from our library
- items which are overdue to the point that they have blocked your borrowing privileges
- items that have been recalled by another patron
- items that have been billed for replacement
- items on reserve for class use
Materials checked out to one borrower may be recalled by another borrower. Only card holders with borrowing privileges are entitled to place recalls. You may recall an item at the circulation desk. You must supply the title or call number of the item needed. You will be notified by e-mail when the item is available to be picked up. If an item you have checked out is recalled, you must return it by the new due date. When it is returned, the item will be put on hold. If more than one person has recalled it, these will be handled in the order the recalls were placed.
Library borrowers are responsible for returning or renewing items by their due date. When an item becomes overdue, borrowing privileges will be blocked until the item is returned. If an item is damaged or lost, borrowers are liable for charges incurred to repair or replace the item. A borrower may replace lost or damaged materials with copies acceptable to the lending library. Such arrangements should be made with the lending library before a replacement is purchased.
Borrowers are responsible for library materials charged out to them until they are returned to the lending library. Borrowers are responsible for maintaining a current address on file with the Library Privileges Desk.
Borrowers who abuse Library borrowing privileges may have these privileges suspended. Examples of abuse of library borrowing privileges include repeatedly not returning materials on time, not paying replacement bills, not responding to recall notices, not returning library materials even after replacement bills have been issued, and mutilation or damage of library materials.
All library records relating to an individual patron and his/her use of the library and its resources are confidential. These records may be consulted and used by library staff in the course of carrying out library operations, but will not be disclosed to others except upon the request or consent of the library user, or pursuant to subpoena, court order or otherwise as required by law. Such disclosure may be made only by the Library Director in consultation with appropriate College authorities.
Cell Phone Policy
Talking on your cellphone is prohibited in the Hoffman Family Library. Failure to comply with requests will result in being asked to leave the library. Thank you for your cooperation.
Children in Library, ASC and Math Lab
The Hoffman Family Library welcomes children on the following conditions:
- children must be supervised by an adult at all times
- children may not be overly loud or cause a disruption
Any children not meeting these criteria will be asked to leave along with their responsible adult. What constitutes a disruption will be determined at the discretion of the library staff.
In order to receive the full benefit of working with a tutor, students may NOT bring children to a tutoring session in the ASC or Math Lab.
Code of Conduct
The Hoffman Family Library wishes to maintain a safe and comfortable environment conducive to study and the use of information resources. Library users are expected show consideration for other users and for members of the Library staff.
All users are required to abide by the Library's borrowing and lending rules which have been designed to provide for the best service for all users.
The following activities are not allowed in the Library:
- Leaving personal belongings unattended inside the Library; using personal belongings to reserve space or equipment, preventing them from being used by other patrons
- Theft and/or misappropriation of Library or another user's property
- Vandalism; abuse or misuse of Library equipment or property
- Talking loudly, making noise, or engaging in other disruptive behavior; playing of audiovisual equipment that others can hear
- Talking on cell phones is not permitted in the library
- Interfering with another person's use of the Library; harassment, verbal abuse of other Library users
- Interfering with Library staff's performance of their duties; harassment, verbal abuse of staff members
- Refusing to leave the premises at Library closing time
- Refusing to discontinue use of equipment, such as computers, printers or copy machines, after closing announcements.
- Physical violence or the threat of physical violence
- Failing to report and surrender any lost items or money found on Library premises to Library staff
Disciplinary action will be taken and students may be suspended or expelled permanently from using the library for violation of any of the above rules.
Use of Reserve Materials
Reserve materials may be checked out for in-house use only by presenting your current Goodwin student ID to the library staff. The ID will be held at the Circulation Desk until the reserve materials are returned. Students may only have one reserve item checked out at a time.
Filming and Photography in the Library
Filming and the photography of the library facilities, personnel or patrons must be arranged with the Library Director. Requests should include information regarding the desired date, location within the Library, type of equipment being used, etc. It is also requested that proper credit be given to the Library in the credits. If people are being filmed or photographed, the appropriate paperwork must be completed according to college policy.
Food and Drink in the Library
Please help preserve the Hoffman Family Library's collections for future generations.
It is the policy of the Hoffman Family Library to maintain an environment appropriate for the protection of library materials and conducive to study. To that effort, covered beverages only are allowed in the library. The Library reserves the right to ask any user to remove his/her food and/or beverage from the library if in the judgment of the staff it constitutes a violation of this policy.
In order to conserve library resources and provide a comfortable environment for all, we ask that you adhere to the following guidelines:
- Bring covered beverages only
- Enjoy your snacks and meals in the student lounge
- Deliveries of food to the library are not permitted. An exception is made for scheduled, catered events taking place in the Library.
- Unattended beverages are subject to being disposed of by staff.
- Clean up any spills right away—if additional assistance is needed, contact library staff at any desk.
The consumption of any food or beverage is specifically prohibited when using the Special Collections.
Rationale
- Eating in the library
Responsible stewardship of the Library collections requires that we exercise care in allowing food in library areas. Food is easily spilled on books, furniture and equipment, causing damage. Particles of food left behind on books, furniture, keyboards, or floors attract rodents, cockroaches, silverfish and other unwanted pests.
- Drinking in the library
All beverages, including water, are easily spilled on books, keyboards, furniture and floors. Damage to library materials result in replacement costs to the Library and make the material unavailable to library users. Allowing covered beverage containers greatly minimizes the risk of damage and, at the same time, meets the needs of users who are frequently in the library for extended periods.
Interlibrary Loan
The Library supports the instructional and research needs of Goodwin's students, faculty and staff by obtaining materials which are not available at its library. Please use this form to request an ILL.
Printing and Photocopying
The library does not charge for printing, however we ask students to be mindful of wasting paper. PowerPoint slides MUST be printed 3 to a page. Please notify library staff immediately if you need help printing. Plan your printing: allow yourself enough time to print what you need. The library has one photocopier available. The charge for copies is 10 cents/side. You may use coins or $1 bills. The library staff cannot make change for larger bills.
Use of Group Study Rooms
The library has three group study rooms available for use by the Goodwin community. These rooms provide a place for students wishing to engage in collaborative and cooperative study in small groups. Each room is equipped with a white board. One room is available for viewing DVDs or videos. Study rooms may be reserved. Rooms are available for use on a first-come-first-serve basis by anyone in the library if no reservation is pending. Reserved rooms not occupied 10 minutes after reserved time will be considered forfeited. Rooms must be vacated at the end of the reserved time.
- All people using the study rooms must provide their current Goodwin ID to a library staff member at the circulation desk.
- Rooms may be reserved for a 2-hour block per day per group during library hours. If no other groups are scheduled, the reservation can be extended for a maximum of one additional hour.
- Group study rooms are not intended for individual use. An individual may use a room for a maximum of two hours a day, but may be required to vacate the room in favor of a group when asked to do so by the Library Staff. Individual use of the room cannot be extended beyond two hours per day.
- Reservations can only be made by a student at the Circulation Desk for the same day use. No telephone or email reservations will be accepted.
- Any personal belongings left unattended will be removed and taken to the Security Desk, and the room will be made available to others.
- Patrons using the group study rooms are required to comply with our "Code of Conduct Policy" and observe the "No Food" policy. Anyone found violating these rules will be asked to leave the study room.
- Study rooms must be vacated 15 minutes before the library closing time
