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Materials on loan may be recalled for use by students, faculty, or administrators two weeks after the initial check-out date. Materials that are needed for course reserve readings can be recalled at any time.
Regular Borrowers
Reciprocal Borrowers - Students and Faculty of
Faculty and students of the above schools are considered Reciprocal Borrowers.
Visiting Borrowers Not Subject to a Fee
The borrowers card for regular borrowers, including Colgate students, faculty, administrators, and staff, is the Gatecard or other valid Colgate-issued ID. The borrowers card for Reciprocal Borrowers is a valid ID from an institution with which Colgate has established an agreement to offer reciprocal borrowing privileges. Other uses receive a Visiting Borrowers Card. The card must be presented when borrowing library materials.
Borrower type |
Loan Period |
Number of self-renewals granted |
can recall a book? |
| Undergraduate students | 5 weeks | 2 | Yes |
| Graduate students | Due at the end of semester | 2 | Yes |
| Faculty, Administrators, and Emiriti | Due semi-annually in July and January | 2 | Yes |
| Faculty spouses | Due at the end of semester | 2 | No |
| Staff | 5 weeks | 2 | No |
| Visiting borrowers, including qualifying Alumni and Reciprocal Borrowers* | 5 weeks | 1 | No |
*Reciprocal borrowers are persons presenting a current, valid ID from institutions with which Colgate has established an agreement to offer reciprocal borrowing privileges. Upon presentation of the ID, reciprocal borrowers receive a temporary Visiting Borrowers Card to be used in checking out materials.
Visting Borrowers - refer to the Visiting Borrowers Guidelines and Policies
Materials placed on reserve for Colgate courses circulate for two-hours or for three days, as designated by the instructor requesting reserve status for the materials. Videos circulate for 3 hours. Our Reserves Policy is available online. Reserve materials do not circulate to Visiting Borrowers.
Sound recordings circulate for 5 weeks to all eligible borrowers. Sound recordings do not circulate to Visiting Borrowers.
Policies for DVDs, videos, and films are located here. DVDs, videos and films do not circulate to Visiting Borrowers.
With some exceptions, computer files circulate for 2 weeks. Computer files do not circulate to Visiting Borrowers.
ILL policies and information are available elsewhere on our website.
Due dates are stamped on or in materials at checkout. When using the self-checkout machine, a receipt is printed with the due date. Patrons who check out materials accept responsibility for returning or renewing materials on or before the due date and for responding promptly to recall notices.
Due dates of all materials checked out may be viewed by logging into My Library Account .
The Libraries send courtesy notices by e-mail to students, faculty, and staff on the day following the due date. E-mail notices may be delayed or lost by the mail system. Patrons remain responsible for due dates and subsequent fines whether or not courtesy notices are received.
Students, faculty, faculty emeriti, staff, and faculty spouses may use self-renewal for overdue books circulating from the Cooley Main, Case Main or LASR Main collections for a maximum of two additional loan periods. Visiting borrowers may renew items one time. Items which have been recalled or billed may not be renewed. For additional renewals, material must be brought to the library circulation desk.
Fines for 2 hour reserves are $1 for the first hour or portion of an hour, and 25 cents for each additional hour or portion. Fines for a late 3 day reserve are $6 per day. There is a $50 cap on fines for each item. When the cap is reached, the item will be billed as lost. For example, if a RESERVE BOOK is lost the amount billed would include the replacement cost of the book, a $13.50 processing fee, plus the $50 fine accrued.
*Late return of overnight reserves (3 times) will result in loss of overnight privileges.
Fines are $5 a day for overdue recalled books. There is a $50 cap on fines for each item. No grace period. If the item has been recalled for course reserves for a Colgate course, a replacement will be ordered when the book is billed.
During the period of library construction reference books may be checked out for 2 hours to be used outside of our small reference area. Fines will accumulate in the amount of $1 per hour.
Overdue materials are fined at the end of the grace period (7 days). A courtesy notice is sent on the day after the due date as a reminder to return or renew the item. If the item is not returned or renewed within the 7 day grace period, the fine is calculated at 30 cents a day starting from the first day overdue. A second notice is generated on the 8th day overdue notifying the student that a fine is accruing.
Five weeks after the initial fine, the patron is sent a bill for cost of replacement, billing fee, and processing fee. If the book is returned at this time the fine will be adjusted. The replacement and processing fee will be deleted but the billing fee of $10.50 will remain.
Replacement costs for CD-ROMs, Interlibrary Loan materials, and Special Collection items may be substantially higher depending on the cost of the item.
All bills to students are immediately referred to the Office of Accounting and Control for collection and are subject to the collection policies of that office.
Recalled materials are due five days after recall or on the original due date, whichever is sooner. The libraries take seriously the responsibility of securing the return of materials recalled to meet the identified need of another member of the Colgate community. A significant proportion of recalled items are needed for course reserves.
Recalled materials are billed for replacement twelve days after the item is recalled. If the item has been recalled for course reserves for a Colgate course, a replacement will be ordered when the book is billed. Borrowing privileges are suspended four weeks after the item is recalled.
Journals and reference and reserve materials are billed for replacement two weeks after the item is overdue. If the item has been recalled for course reserves for a Colgate course, a replacement will be ordered when the book is billed. Borrowing privileges are suspended four weeks after the item is due.
Other overdue materials are billed five weeks after the item is due. Borrowing privileges are suspended 26 weeks after the item is due.
Borrowing privileges of faculty and staff are suspended when the total amount billed is $500 or more, regardless of due dates.
Bills can not be cancelled after the library has placed an order for a replacement copy. If no replacement copy has been ordered, the bill will be cancelled upon return of the item or presentation to the library of a suitable replacement copy. Determination of suitability of a replacement copy is at the discretion of the Head of Collection Development.
All bills to faculty and staff referred to the Office of Accounting and Control are subject to the collection policies of that office.
Faculty Spouses and Visiting Borrowers
Materials on loan to faculty spouses and visiting borrowers, including alumni and reciprocal borrowers, which are not returned by the due date will be billed to the borrower. Borrowing privileges will be suspended until the bill paid or until the material is returned and the billing fee is paid.
All bills to faculty spouses and visiting borrowers, including alumni and reciprocal borrowers, are immediately referred to the Office of Accounting and Control for collection and are subject to the collection policies of that office.
Bills can not be cancelled after the library has placed an order for a replacement copy. If no replacement copy has been ordered, the replacement cost will be cancelled upon return of the item or presentation to the library of a suitable replacement copy. The billing fee will not be cancelled. Determination of suitability of a replacement copy is at the discretion of the Head of Collection Development.
All charges must be paid at the cashier's window of the Office of Accounting & Control in James B. Colgate Hall. The Libraries cannot accept payment.
The Libraries reserve the right to suspend or revoke library privileges, including borrowing privileges, for violation of policies or for reasons of security and safety of library patrons, materials, and facilities.
Policies for print and electronic reserves can be found in the Policies section of our website.