The Saint Mary Seminary Library follows the policy of confidentiality recommended by the American Library Association. The confidentiality of all patron records will be upheld.
Valid library cards are required to check out books. All library cards expire on the last day of August (as indicated by the expiration sticker on your library card), so each year patrons will need to revalidate their library card. This is the means by which the Library can collect updated patron information, whether it be a new address, a new phone number, a new email address, etc. Please see a member of the Library staff if you need to update your library card.
The loan period for SMS books is 3 weeks for students, and 90 days for faculty, and books are renewable two times. The loan period for OhioLINK books is also 3 weeks, but 1 week for other formats (CD’s, DVD’s, etc.). OhioLINK books can be renewed up to four times, but other formats may not be renewed.
If students wish to renew the books they have checked out, they may do so within 5 days of the due date. Earlier than this, the system will respond that it is too early to renew. Later, and the system will not permit it because they are overdue. To renew both SMS and OhioLINK books, visit the SMS catalog, and click on the login button, or go to My Record. Access your record by entering your last name as the username, and your library card number as the password. You will then see a list of items you have checked out, and you can select those items you wish to renew.
If a student is looking for a book, and that book is in circulation, he has the option of placing a Hold on that item, meaning that he is in line for the book when it is returned. Upon its return, the system will email a hold pick-up notice to the first person in line for the book. When it returned again, the system will email the next person in line, and so on until all Holds have been filled.
To place a hold on an item that is checked out, click on the Request button from the SMS catalog.
The Library system generates a number of notices that are emailed to patrons. In addition to the hold pick-up notices already mentioned, the system also generates courtesy notices to alert patrons when books are nearing their due date. Overdue notices differ according to whether the books are from the SMS collection or from OhioLINK. If books are from the SMS collection, two overdue notices are sent out, the first 7 days after the due date, and the second 14 days later. If books are from OhioLINK, only one overdue notices is sent out, 1 day after the due date.
Fines are not charged for SMS books. However, if books are sufficiently overdue, the Library will bill for lost items. Bills are generated 14 days after the second overdue notice (after 35 days), calculated as follows:
Fines begin accumulating immediately for OhioLINK books, at $0.50/day, for a maximum of 30 days. After 30 days, a bill is generated, calculated as follows, as determined by the consortium:
The fine and billing structure for OhioLINK books is intentionally punitive to encourage patrons to be responsible with books belonging to other institutions. In order to avoid these exorbitant fees, patrons must be attentive to the dates books are due.
