Rules for loan and library use
We ask our visitors to adhere to the following rules for loan and library use.
- Membership. All students and staff members of the Protestant Theological University (PThU) receive a library card free of charge. Students and staff of other universities and other persons can receive a library card on showing a valid identity card, also free of charge. The library card can be obtained from the library staff.
- Library card. The borrower is responsible for the correct use of the library card. Use of the library card by third parties is not permitted. The borrower is requested to inform the library of change of address as soon as possible. In the case of loss or theft the library should be informed immediately.
- Validity of library card. The library card is valid for the following periods:
- PThU staff members: 10 years
- PThU students (including PhD-students): 8 years
- staff members and students of other universities: 8 years
- other persons: 1 year
- In all cases it is possible to renew the validity of the library card. Retired staff members and alumni of the PThU can remain members of the library and if necessary obtain a new library card.
- Borrowing. Requesting a publication for loan or reference should be done through the WorldCat catalogue. You should enter the code consisting of eight numbers (for example 19012345) on your library card into the field ‘use name' and your ‘password’. For further information on the use of the catalogue see the Instruction for the library catalogue. If a publication is on loan it can be reserved. You will be notified when the item is available. Requested books must be collected within 10 work days at the lending desk. On request the books may be kept at the lending desk for a longer period, provided they are not reserved by another borrower.
- Photocopying. It is possible to make photocopies or scans from books and journals on the multifunctionals for printing, copying and scanning. On request the library can make photocopies or scans of parts of books and journals from its own library collection. Request should be made by email only.
- For PThU-students the following fees apply:
- 1-10 photocopies/scans: € 2.50
- 11 or more photocopies/scans: € 0.25 for each copy/scan
- For other persons the following fees apply:
- 1-10 photocopies/scans: € 6.50
- 11 or more photocopies/scans: € 0.65 for each copy/scan
- For PThU-students the following fees apply:
- Interlibrary loan (ILL). If a publication is not in the PThU collection it can be requested from other libraries in the Netherlands or abroad. The borrower will preferably request the desired title by email. They are notified by email when the requested publication has arrived. Teachers and staff members of the PThU can make use of this service free of charge. Students pay € 13.00 for a book and the copying costs of journal articles are € 6.50.
- Loan period. The loan period is one month. In special cases (bachelor/master thesis, dissertation) the loan period may be extended on agreement. If the book has not been reserved by someone else after a month the loan can be renewed. The loan period can be extended by another month to a maximum of 24 times. After that the book has to be returned. Reserved books should preferably be returned as soon as possible, but not later than by the end of the loan period.
- Not for loan. Not available for loan are:
- reference works from the reading room with stickers Not for loan / Ter inzage niet uitleenbaar
- rare books, books published before 1900
- books of vulnerable material or in bad condition
- journals
- special collections (like master theses)
- other works marked in the library catalogue as for reference only
- In special cases dispensation may be given. Publications that are not for loan can be consulted in the reading rooms.
- Liability. The borrower remains exclusively responsible for the borrowed books until they are returned in the return box at the library desk. Borrowers are not allowed to lend out publications to third parties. A few days before the due date of return the borrower receives an email message indicating that the loan period has almost expired. The borrower is requested to return or renew the publication. Borrowers who do not return their books in time will be charged with a fine. The borrower receives three reminders resulting in the following fines:
- first reminder € 0.50
- second reminder € 1.50
- third reminder € 3.00
If books are not returned in time or fines are not paid, the borrower can be excluded from borrowing. If possible the borrower will be charged with the replacement costs of lost books. It is also forbidden to write in books, make notes or folds or damage the books by removing (parts of) pages. Any person who causes damage to the library, books and journals, computer and other objects will be charged with the costs of compensation. Theft of PThU properties will be reported to the police. The library is not liable for theft of or damage to the properties of library users.
- Privacy. The borrower data of staff, students and other library users are used exclusively for an adequate loan administration. Upon termination of the library membership every borrower can request to have their personal data removed from the library administration, provided all borrowed publications have been returned and any outstanding claims have been paid.
- Reading rooms. The reading room is open to all visitors. The computers in the reading room can be used only by logging in with a PThU-ID. It is forbidden to take books and journals from the reading rooms without permission of the library staff. Users are not allowed to keep reference works from the reading rooms or books which they have not borrowed in their lockers. Users are not permitted to reserve study places for themselves by leaving books there permanently. At the end of the day all places will be cleared. Only very exceptionally the library staff may grant special permission to deviate from this rule.
