Eligibility to Borrow Books

· All students who are enrolled in the academic college and the regional college are eligible to borrow books on the condition that they have attended an introductory library orientation.
· Books are borrowed using a student ID card or any other valid form of identification.
· Presenting an ID that belongs to someone other than the person at the loan desk is prohibited.
· Lecturers and staff members may borrow books by identifying themselves using their ID number.
· Reader’s with a private membership (“External Readers” from outside the college community) who have paid a monetary deposit and been issued a library card may borrow books by presenting a valid form of identification.
· Librarians who are responsible for the local libraries in the localities that are linked to the regional library may borrow books in coordination with the director of the regional library.
· The Kinneret College library welcomes guests and visitors.

The number of items that may be borrowed and the loan period of each item are determined according to the status of the borrower and the type of items borrowed.

Reference services and assistance are provided to visitors and guests, but preference in the provision of service is given to the lecturers, students, and staff of the college community. It is recommended that guests coordinate their library visits ahead of time.

Guests are not permitted to:

· Borrow items.
· Access printouts and databases that require ID number/password identification.

Borrowing Books

To borrow a book, bring it to the loan desk and present a valid form of identification.

Loan Period

Every book has a loan period that is specified in the computer system. Journals and reference books may not be borrowed.

Students enrolled in academic or certificate studies and practical engineering students may borrow one reserve book for a period of one-night, may view films in the library, and may perform interlibrary loans in accordance with the requirements of the loaning library (requires payment to cover postage and the cost of the loan).

Academic staff members and lecturers may borrow reserve books being used as course material in coordination with the director of the loans department. They may also borrow journals as necessary, in coordination with the director of the loans department, and perform interlibrary loans in coordination with the head librarian.

At the end of the academic year, lecturers are required to return all the items they have borrowed from the library (in order to zero out their card).

Administrative staff members may not borrow books that have a loan period of one week or less.

External Readers with private membership may borrow books in accordance with the terms of their membership agreement.

Reader’s Account Management

Readers are responsible for monitoring their own upcoming due-dates. This is done by means of their Reader’s Account, which is accessed via the computer system using a user name and password.

Extending Loans

The library maintains an automatic loan extension system for all readers. This system extends the loan period for all books that can be extended. A loan can be extended only if: the loaned items have not been ordered by another reader, subject to the restriction on the number of times loans may be extended for students (see “Monitor an Order or Loan”); and the reader’s card has not been frozen due to outstanding fines or borrowed items with passed due dates.

Email Notifications

To be able to receive email notifications in the event that a loan cannot be extended you must update the email address provided for your Reader’s Card.
Notifications regarding the non-extension of loaned items are sent automatically by email two days before to the impending due date. As a result of problems with the different email servers in Israel, messages are not always delivered reliably and properly. Therefore, readers should not rely exclusively on the system’s automatic email notifications and are expected to check the impending due dates on their Reader’s Card regularly. Non-receipt of an email notification is not a valid justification for the late return of a borrowed item.

Ordering Books

A book that is on loan to another reader may be ordered by means of the computer system. A book that is on the shelf cannot be ordered.
Readers can monitor the status of their orders by means of their Reader’s Account via the computer system. A book that was ordered and that has arrived at the library will be held at the loan desk for a period of two days. It is recommended to monitor your orders and to be aware of when your turn arrives to borrow a book that you have ordered.

Returning Books

Books can be returned directly to the loan desk or to the box beside the library entrance. The reader is responsible for all items borrowed in his or her name until they are returned to the library.

Late Returns

Readers shall be issued a fine for each day a book is late. Readers with outstanding fines shall be unable to use the library’s loan services until the matter is resolved. Readers shall be fined NIS 5 per book for each day the book is late. In the case of reserved books, the fine shall be NIS 5 per hour.
In addition, the Reader’s Card of a reader who is late in returning items will be frozen, and he or she will be unable to extend other items that are on loan from the library until the debt is settled.
Fees may be paid by credit card at the loan desk or by cash at the college Tuition Department, along with the presentation of a library fine form. Readers who pay fines in the Tuition Department must bring a receipt of payment to the loan desk. The library does not facilitate the automatic collection of fines from the Tuition Department.
For lecturers and staff members, fines are recorded on their Reader’s Cards in the computer system. However, the fines are not collected and their Reader’s Cards are not frozen.

Loss and Damage
Readers are responsible for the physical integrity and intactness of all items on loan to them and for returning them in proper condition. A reader who returns a damaged item shall be charged the cost of purchasing a new copy of the damaged item. A reader who loses an item is required to inform the library immediately and shall be charged the cost of purchasing a new copy of the lost item.

Note: The Reader’s Card of a student who is no longer enrolled in the college shall be closed, and the same applies to lecturers and employees who are no longer employed by the college. Such former readers are welcome to acquire a new cards privately as External Readers.

Viewing Films
Films for the purpose of study and instruction may only be viewed in the library.