Borrowing privileges are granted to students, faculty, staff, and other individuals affiliated with the University Medical Center. A valid UMC identification badge is required. Individuals with library materials checked out in their names are responsible for all accrued fines as well as loss or damage to those materials. Faculty and staff may designate other individuals as personal substitutes to check out library items, by filing a special authorization form with library personnel. Individuals may check out a total of 30 items, to include no more than five leisure reading and a maximum of 20 textbooks and/or bound journals. Non-UMC personnel participating in a special project or program during a specified time period should contact the access services librarian concerning borrowing privileges. A valid UMC badge is required for entrance into the library after specified hours.

All UMC personnel terminating employment must clear with the library before completing their exit interview. Any overdue materials or unpaid fees will delay receipt of the final payroll voucher. All students must clear their records with the library before taking final examinations. Graduating students and house officers who have overdue materials or unpaid fees will have their diplomas/certificates withheld. The Registrar will not furnish transcripts until all library obligations have been cleared.

Books may be checked out for three weeks and renewed one time for an additional week. Materials that have been requested by other patrons may not be renewed.
Bound Journals may be checked out for three days and renewed one time, for an additional three days. Items needed for slides or graphics may be checked out to Medical Photography and/or Medical Illustration. To avoid additional fines, these items must be brought to the library for a special check-in/check-out procedure before taking the materials to the Learning Resource Center.
Unbound Journals do not circulate, but may be checked out to Medical Photography when high quality photographs and slides are necessary. An appointment should be made with Medical Photography or Medical Illustration before the issue is checked out because the library limits the checkout time.
Audiovisual Materials do not circulate outside the library with the exception of videotapes. Only three tapes may be checked out at one time. Requests for checkout must be placed with library personnel in the Access Services/Circulation area. Slides and audiotapes can only be used in the library.
Leisure Reading Books circulate to UMC personnel for three weeks with renewals for one week. A maximum of five leisure-reading items may be checked out to any one user at a time.
Reserve Materials may be checked out for two hours for use within the library and renewed for additional two hour periods if a hold has not been placed on the item. Three items may be checked out at a time. Fines accrue at $1 per hour if an item is not returned on time. An item may be checked out two hours before the library closes for overnight use and is due back one hour after the library opens the next day.

The following chart summarizes the circulation policies and amounts of the overdue fines.

Problems concerning overdue policies for fines/fees and lost material procedures are handled by the professional in charge of lending/circulation services between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Student workers are not authorized to mediate difficulties involving policies or procedures

Overdue Notices are sent to individuals as courtesy reminders. Three notices are sent within a two-week period beginning the date the item is due. Fines are assessed from the due date and continue to accrue after the third and final notice is mailed until the item is returned. Individuals with items, which have been declared lost or declared returned, must contact the library within four days from the date of the first notice, or the fine will be assessed. When items have been declared lost or declared returned within this period, the patron has an additional seven day grace period to either locate the material or pay for it. If neither is done within this time period, the fine automatically continues to accrue.

Fee Notices are mailed to individuals who have unpaid fines and/or fees. Fees are assessed for computer searches, photocopy cards, interlibrary loan materials, telefacsimile services, lost or damaged items, and other services. Individuals paying cash for services will be assessed sales tax at the current state rate. A $20 processing fee is added to the cost of lost or damaged items in addition to the overdue fine that has accrued.

Circulation privileges will be suspended for any individual with a total accumulation of $75 in fines and/or fees, or when items are overdue for four months.

Students with past due fines and fees will not be allowed to register for classes until payment is made. Employees with unpaid fines/fees for a three-month period will receive automatic payroll deduction.

Refunds are made for payments of lost materials returned by the borrower within 90 days from the time the payment is made or the payroll deduction notice is sent to Accounting. A $50.00 processing charge is retained to cover expenses. The Accounting Department processes refunds upon official notification by the library. Borrowers who return materials after the 90-day period may keep the items or donate them to the library. Lost items returned by other means automatically remain the property of the library.