Borrowing Privileges

Checking Out Items

You may have up to 100 items checked out at one time.

To check out materials, you will need to present your Samford ID at the Circulation Desk located on 1st floor (maps).

Renewing Items

Sign into your Library Account to request renewals before your due date.

Reserves, and other special materials may not be renewed.

Interlibrary Loan renewal requests must be made through ILLiad Interlibrary Loan

Due Dates and Renewals

Loan periods vary by the type of item that you check out. Use the table below to determine the loan period for your items:

Loan Periods for Undergraduates, Graduate Students
Regular Circulating Books
and Printed Scores
28 days
1 renewal
Government Documents 28 days
1 renewal
Multimedia:
CDs, Records, Videos
7 days
1 renewal
Reference, Periodicals No checkout
Reserves:
In-Library Use
Varies: 1, 2 or 3 hours
Note: Renewals must be requested in-person
Reserves: Varies: 1, 3 or 7 Days
Note: Renewals must be requested in-person

Overdues and Fines

Fines for overdue materials will accrue according to the following table

Overdue Fines
Regular Circulating, GovDocs,
and Juvenile Books
20 cents per day per item; $10.00 maximum per item
MultiMedia 20 cents per day per item; $10.00 maximum per item
Reserves 25 cents per hour per item; $100.00 maximum per item
Unauthorized Removal Fine: $10.00 per item
Equipment $5.00 per hour per item; $100.00 maximum per item

When materials are returned late and fines have accrued, the user is billed. Bills should be paid within 30 days and can be paid at the University Library. At the end of each semester, unpaid bills are referred to the University Bursar's Office for collection. Library privileges are suspended and students are barred from registration, graduation and other University-wide privileges until the account is settled.

Accounts that have not been referred to University Bursar's office may be cleared at the Library Circulation department by returning the items and paying the fines. If the account has been referred to the University Bursar's Office, payment must be made there (Samford Hall). Payment for materials found and returned within 90 days of payment will be refunded. Prompt response to bills from the Library will avoid referral.

Lost or Damaged Items

When materials are not returned and become long overdue the user is billed for replacement cost and library privileges are suspended. This includes use of Special Collection and Interlibrary Loan Services. If materials are not returned or paid for within 30 days of billing, the bill is referred to the University Bursar's Office for collection. This action bars students from registration, graduation and other University-wide privileges.

Replacement costs are as follows

Replacement Costs
In-print materials Replacement cost as listed in Ulrich's,
Whitaker's, etc. plus processing fee.
Out of print books Price listed by out-of-print book dealer, or average cost of Samford
Library titles purchased in the subject area plus processing fee.
Interlibrary Loan Replacement charges are set by the lending institution.
Other materials Original cost or actual cost of comparable item
plus processing fee.

Accounts that have not been referred to the University Bursar's Office may be cleared at the Library Circulation department by returning the items and paying the fines. If the account has been referred to the University Bursar's Office, payment must be made there (Samford Hall). Payment for materials found and returned within 90 days of payment will be refunded. Prompt response to bills from the Library will avoid referral.

Course Reserves

Reserve items are located at the Main Desk on the First Floor in the University Library. Each professor determines the loan period for his/her items. A professor may place an item on Room Reserve (1, 2 or 3 hour limits), or the professor may choose to allow the item out of the library for 1-, 3-, or 7-day checkouts. Room reserve, without a set hour limit, indicates that the item may be checked out until the library closes but must not be taken out of the building.

Reserve Fines are as follows

Reserve Fines
Overdue fine 25 cents per hour; $100.00 maximum per item
Unauthorized Removal Fine $10.00 per item

Borrowing From Other Libraries

Cooperative Agreement Libraries

With their Samford student ID, Samford students may borrow materials from the other Birmingham-area libraries with whom Samford University Library has a cooperative borrowing agreement.

These libraries are listed online from the library's navigation menu, under How to Find, Other Libraries. Select Cooperative Agreement Libraries to access their websites or search online catalogs.

Interlibrary Loan

Students may also request materials from other libraries via Interlibrary Loan (ILL). To use this service, you do not need to know where the materials are located; we will locate them for you. Sign in to ILLiad Interlibrary Loan, and complete an online request form for the materials you need. For more information, contact Interlibrary Loan by email or call 205-726-2983.