Birzeit University Circulation Policy
Mission
Responsible for checking books and materials out of the library and ensuring the accurate shelving of all library materials.

Circulation types:
Circulation is divided into two categories: Internal and External.
  1. Internal Circulation:
    This service is available for all Birzeit University students, faculty members, and employees. It proceeds as follows:
    • Regular books: located on the 3rd and 4th floors and can be loaned for 2 weeks; books can be renewed if not requested by any other person.
    • Reserve shelf: faculty often place materials on reserve for specific class assignments. These items are shelved at the circulation desk and are checked out with a valid library card. There are two types of reserve materials:
      • Open reserves - books may be checked out of the library for one night and are due back by 9 am the next working day.
      • Closed reserves - books must remain in the library at all times.

    Internal circulation policy for regular books:
    Birzeit University students can borrow books during a semester, if -
    • The student is officially registered for that semester and his name is listed in the circulation software.
    • Avalid University identification card is presented each time the student borrows books.

    Faculty and staff may borrow materials after presenting a valid University ID card.
    Irregular faculty members (visiting professors, adjunct faculty can borrow materials by presenting proof from their BZU supervisors that they are employed by the University. Upon their departure from BZU, the irregular faculty members must sign a leaving form to ensure all borrowed library materials have been returned.
  2. External circulation:
    This service is available for external patrons who want to benefit from the library resources.
    External circulation policy:
      The subscriber must comply with the following conditions:
    1. Fill the external circulation form, which can be obtained from the circulation division.
    2. Pay a fee of 25 J.D. as a refundable deposit.
    3. Pay a nonrefundable annual fee of 35 J.D.
    4. The patron will obtain a subscription card from the library, which can be only used by him personally and shall not be used by any other person (individual subscription). The patron is ultimately responsible for all materials borrowed on his card.
    5. Present the subscription ID each time when borrowing library materials.
    6. Subscription in the external circulation cannot be issued in the name of corporations, ministries, or associations, etc.
  3. Reserve shelf materials:
    These are materials that faculty members are allowed to put on the reserve shelf; no more than 10 items can be reserved per faculty member. There are two types of reserve shelf materials:
    1. Closed reserve materials - such materials must remain in the library at all times. Any patron who wants to use these materials must submit his ID to the circulation employee who will retain it untill the patron returns the material.
    2. Open reserve materials - books may be checked out of the library for one night according to the following conditions:
      • The patron must reserve the material from the circulation employee in the morning.
      • Such material must be checked out one hour before the library closes, and are due back by 9 am the next working day.
      • The borrower's ID must be retained untill he returns the material.
      • Only one item can be borrowed per patron, taking into consideration the priority when requesting the material.
Borrowers' Status
The library serves 4 types of borrowers:
  1. BZU Students which includes:-
    a. Undergraduate students b. Graduate students c. Diploma students
  2. Faculty members
  3. Employees
  4. External subscribers
Circulation period and the maximum number of books allowed to be borrowed
The circulation period and the maximum number of books allowed to be borrowed each time is determined by the borrower's type, as follows:
Borrowers' type Maximum no. of books Circulation period
Students - 1st year 4 14 days
Students - 2nd year 5 14 days
Students - 3rd year 6 14 days
Students - 4th year 8 14 days
Graduate students 10 14 days
Students - Diploma 8 14 days
Faculty members 15 30 days for regular books, and one semester for text books
Employees and workers 8 30 days
External Subscribers 2 14 days


Overdues (returning library materials late)
Any patron who is found late in returning borrowed materials is exposed to the following penalties:
  1. They are blocked form borrowing any library material, even if the overdue period is just (the computer is programmed to do so).
  2. They must pay a fine of 1 NIS per book for each overdue day (if books borrowed were regular), and 2 NIS per every overdue hour (if the borrowed material was a reserve).
  3. Borrowing privileges are restored once the late items are returned, and the fine(s) has been paid.
Book lost or physically damaged
Any patron who loses a book or returns a book that is physically damaged must take responsibility for the item by -
  • Buying an alternative copy of the lost or physically damaged book, or
  • Paying the amount of money (if book replacement is impossible) that equals the book price plus binding and preparing expenses (the requested amount is according to an official voucher).


Notifications
The circulation division sends official notifications via internal mail, Ritaj for all borrowers in the following cases:
  1. When borrowed materials are overdue
  2. When borrowed materials are requested by another patron
Reservations
Any patron can reserve a borrowed book, and the intended patron will be notified when the book is returned to the circulation division.

Reports and Statistics
The circulation division prepares reports and calculates statistics at the end of every semester to ascertain the number of books that were checked out, checked in, and overdue. They also make financial reports for fines, lost and physically damaged books. All reports are submitted to the Library Director, and all accumulated money is sent to the University Financial Department, which deposits it into a specific account.



Circulation procedures
  1. Any patron who intends to borrow a book should go to the computer laboratory to search for that book using the online catalog. The patron will need to write down its call number and floor location. When facing any problem, the patron should ask for help from the laboratory employee.
  2. Proceed to the floor where the book is located, and ask for help from the Hall Control Employee.
  3. Bring the book to the circulation desk for the computerized check out.
  4. The patron ID must be present when borrowing any library material.
  5. Standing up near the circulation desk is strictly prohibited.
  6. All library patrons must remain quiet and not create any noise or disturbances inside the library. Any patron who violates the laws and regulations of the library will expose himself to penalties, the least being expelling him from the library if he does not comply with the warning directed to him by the Hall Control Employee. The penalty could include depriving the patron from using the library if he offended persons or destroyed any library properties, according to laws and internal library rules.

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