Circulation and General Policy Information

Circulation Information for Students

Students are defined as persons currently enrolled at Trinity University taking one or more courses offered in the undergraduate or graduate Course of Study Bulletin. In order to borrow library materials students must present a current, valid Trinity ID card.

Borrower’s Responsibility

Borrowers assume total liability for items checked out from the Coates Library or borrowed on interlibrary loan (ILL). This includes responsibility for payment for lost, damaged, or mutilated items. Borrowers are responsible for making sure that items are properly returned for discharge from the library’s circulation system. The responsibility and liability remain with the borrower until the item is properly discharged.

All library materials are subject to recall at which time due dates are shortened to 4 days from the date of recall. The student should comply promptly with any request to bring back borrowed items that have been recalled.

Loan Period and Renewals

Books, government documents, and printed music may be checked out for the duration of the semester or summer term and can be renewed electronically one time if there are no holds or recalls placed on the items.  See Renewing Items for instructions on how to do this.

Interlibrary loan materials are assigned the due date set by the lending institution. Any renewal requests must be made through the Interlibrary Loan office.

Bound periodicals circulate for 1 day, with no electronic renewals permitted.

Most reserves at the main circulation desk can be checked out for 2 hours with no electronic renewals.  Some items, such as Chromebooks, dry erase markers, and device chargers circulate for 4 hours. Peripheral Blu-ray/DVD drives to facilitate viewing of the library's DVD holdings can be checked out from the circulation desk, with a loan period of 3 days.

Media materials circulate for 14 days with 2 electronic renewals permitted.

Materials in Special Collections must be used in Special Collections.

Unbound (current) periodical issues may not generally be checked out, unless special permission is granted by Reference staff.  In such a case, the student may have a one-day, non-renewable loan only.

Other materials that do not circulate are Reference books, microforms, and any items marked "Non-Circulating."

Lockers on the 2nd floor and 4th floor are available for student checkout. The lockers are checked out for one term and can be renewed electronically 3 times. Keys can be checked out at the main circulation desk.

Study rooms are available for a usage period of 2 hours. Study room keys must be checked out at the main circulation desk. Reservations may be made up to a week in advance using the online study room reservation interface.  (No more than two reservations per day per student.)

Billing structure for lost or damaged materials

For lost or damaged main-collection items including films, replacement charges include a set cost for the item ($50.00 for books; $20.00 for media) plus a $20.00 processing fee. These charges are removed upon the item's return or replacement with a satisfactory copy (please consult circulation staff before exploring the replacement option).

Reserve items (including certain books, media, study room keys, Chromebooks, dry erase markers, and charging cables, but excluding ILL items) carry an overdue fine rate of $5.00 per hour, with a 15-minute grace period. This is not prorated. The maximum fine for all reserve materials is $30.00 per item. 

Library locker keys carry a replacement charge of $15.00.

In all cases, a borrowing block will be placed on a student's library account when the total balance of charges owed reaches $25.00 or more.

Unpaid library charges are transferred to Student Accounts at the end of the academic term.
 

Renewals and Holds

Through the Library Catalog and information gateway, students can renew items electronically from home unless a hold or recall has been placed on the item. See "RENEWING ITEMS".

Materials that are brought in to the library for renewal will be discharged and charged back to the student unless holds or recalls have been placed. The maximum electronic renewals are then available.

Another useful feature of the Library Catalog is the "Request" button shown in an individual item record.  When requested items are available, they will be retrieved from the collection by library staff, checked out to the student's account, and held at the circulation desk for pick-up, for no more than 14 days.  When requested items are currently checked out to another borrower, they will be flagged for hold upon their return.
 

Checking Materials Out From Other Area Libraries

Trinity students may check out items from certain area libraries through the TexShare program.  A valid Trinity ID card is required, along with a valid TexShare card (granted as needed by staff at the Library circulation desk).  For a list of institutions participating in the TexShare program, see the TexShare website.

Feel free to call the Circulation Desk at (210) 999-8127 for assistance.