Purpose
This policy aims to define the library circulation service and specify borrowing privileges for all users within and outside Qatar University. The library strives to provide equitable access to all available resources and ensures equal rights and opportunities for every user category.
Definitions
Loan Period: The duration for which a user may borrow library items.
Maximum Number of Items: The maximum number of library items a user can borrow at any one time.
Renewal: The extension of the loan period for borrowed materials.
Hold Request: A user request to be next in line to borrow an item once it is returned.
Recall: A library-initiated request for a borrower to return an item.
Fine: A fee charged when a user fails to return items by the due date without renewing them.
Notifications: Email messages used by the library to communicate with users.
Lost Items: Library materials declared lost either by the library or by users who fail to return them.
Clearance: A process ensuring users have returned all borrowed materials before they leave the university.
User Registration Requirements:
All Qatar University users must present their valid university ID cards for borrowing.
External users must present their Qatari ID cards for registration, along with complying with any memorandums of understanding (MOUs) signed with their institutions.
Loan Periods - Qatar University Users
User Category
| Loan Period
| Number of Items
|
|---|
Faculty Members | 90 Days | 30 items |
Administrative Staff | 15 Days | 7 items |
Graduate Students | 28 Days | 15 items |
Undergraduate Students | 15 Days | 10 items |
Loan Periods– External Users
Membership is open to external users. Borrowing privileges are granted upon payment of a refundable deposit:
User Category
| Number of Items
| Loan Period
|
|---|
Alumni | 7 items | 14 Days |
Family | 4 items | 14 Days |
Visitor | 4 items | 28 Days |
Renewals
Hold Requests
Users may request to be next in line to borrow an item once returned.
Requests can be made online or through the Circulation Desk, subject to request order.
Hold requests are available at both the Male and Female Libraries.
Requests are canceled if the item is damaged or cannot be recovered.
Users may place a maximum of five hold requests.
Once an item is returned, it is reserved by the system, and the user is notified via email that the item is available for 48 hours.
If an item is on hold, the current borrower will be notified by email.
Recalls
A recall is a request for a currently borrowed item to be returned.
Recalls can be initiated online or at the User Services Desk.
Users will be notified via email to return the item earlier than the original due date.
Items may be recalled after ten (10) days of being borrowed.
Faculty recall requests for course-related materials are processed immediately, regardless of the loan period.
Borrowed materials cannot be transferred to another user or borrowed on behalf of someone else.
Notifications
The system sends four email notifications to update users about their loan status.
A reminder email is sent two days before the due date.
Two overdue notices are sent during the first month:
The first, 7 days after the due date.
The second, 14 days after the due date.
A final overdue notice is sent 30 days after the due date.
Failure to receive delay notices is not an acceptable excuse to be exempted from paying the fine.
Fines
Fines apply to overdue items.
The overdue fine is 1 QAR per day per item.
If an item is returned damaged, the fine applies in addition to the replacement cost.
The Head of User Services may waive fines due to emergencies or circumstances beyond the user’s control upon receiving official documentation.
Fines can be paid online via the library’s e-payment portal or in person using a credit card at the User Services Desk.
Borrowing privileges are suspended for users with unpaid fines or overdue items.
Lost Items
An item is considered lost if reported by the user or not returned after the due date.
Users must pay the item’s replacement cost (as listed in the library system), overdue fines, and a processing fee of 75 QAR.
Users may replace the lost item with an identical or newer edition that matches all bibliographic details. The same fines and processing fee apply.
Replacement costs for rare or out-of-print items are determined by the Acquisitions Department.
If the lost item is returned within one month of paying the replacement fee, the payment will be refunded