Circulation Desk

Supervisor: Angie Brown, 102 Parks Library, (515) 294-0448
General correspondence: CircDesk@iastate.edu
Personal correspondence: ambrown@iastate.edu

Description: The Circulation Desk ((515) 294-3961), located at the main entrance to Parks Library, is a primary service point in the ISU Library system. The desk is staffed all hours the Parks Library is open, and provides a variety of services, described below. Organizationally, the Circulation Desk is part of the ISU Library's Research and Access Division. (For more detailed information regarding loan periods, overdue fines, lost item charges, etc., see the complete ISU Library Lending Policy.

• Checking out library materials:

  General Collection (Books): Books from the General Collection can be checked out at the Circulation Desk. Borrowers must present the standard ISUCard or an ISU Library Visitor Card.

  Books from the General Collection are loaned to ISU undergraduates, merit employees, and Visitor Card holders for a period of four weeks. Faculty, graduate students, honors students, and Professional and Scientific staff are given an "extended" loan, with items falling due at the end of the current academic year (i.e., the last day of Spring Semester).

  General Collection (Periodicals): Unbound periodicals in the General Collection are considered non-circulating. The bound volumes of most periodical titles are also stamped "Do not circulate," and are intended for use within the Library only; however, these items can be checked out for one week for use outside the building.

  Leisure Collection: Items in the Leisure Collection can also be checked out at the Circulation Desk. These items circulate for four weeks only, regardless of the status of the borrower.
  

• Returning library materials:

  In general, library materials should be returned to the service desk from which they were checked out. During open hours, items checked out at the Circulation Desk should be returned to the indoor "Book Return" slot, just west of the Circulation Desk itself. When the Parks Library is closed, items can be returned to the outdoor bookdrop, located west of the main entrance to the building.
  

• Obtaining circulation information:

  The library's automated circulation system provides up-to-the-minute circulation status reports in the Library Catalog. The catalog will report, for example, that an item is "Checked out" (and due on a certain date), "At bindery," "Being held for a patron," "Billed as lost," "Missing," and so on. If you have questions regarding a circulation status report in the Library Catalog, ask for help at the Circulation Desk.
  

• My Account:

  A list of the items you have checked out and the date they are due is available electronically. To access this list, choose My Account from the Library Catalog. Then follow the instructions. You can also view User Profile, fines, and holds. You can renew material (with some restrictions; see below) and you can cancel requests. This is a secure site, and you will need your Borrower ID (last 11 digits on your ISUCard number, or your Library Visitor Card number) and your Library Catalog Pin# to access any of this information.

• Renewing library materials:

  You can renew most items unless a recall or hold has been placed on the item by another patron or by Reserve. You can renew items either in person or online, although limitations apply to online renewals (see next paragraph). To renew an item in person, bring the item to the Circulation Desk, along with your ID card. Telephone renewals are not possible.

  All items loaned for one day or more can be renewed online, except for Leisure Media (i.e. popular DVD and VHS titles). Online renewal is available to all users and applies to both short-term and extended loans. Online renewal is blocked if an item is overdue, or if another user has placed a recall or a hold on the item. You are limited to three consecutive online renewals for any given item; after that, you will need to present the item physically for renewal.

• Placing a recall:

  If you need a book checked out to another borrower, you may use the Recall/hold function in the online catalog or fill out a paper request form at the Circulation Desk. All library material is subject to recall after two weeks when needed by another patron.

  When the item you recalled has been returned, you will receive an "AVAILABILITY NOTICE." Please bring this notice with you when you come to retrieve the item.
  

• Placing a search:

  If an item is not checked out and not on the shelf, after checking two separate days, you can place a "search" for the item at the Circulation Desk. Library staff will search the collections regularly for the item.

  If the missing item is located, you will receive an "AVAILABILITY NOTICE." Please bring this notice with you when you come to retrieve the item.
  

• Paying overdue fines:

  The due date for any given item is printed on a slip and made available to the borrower. On the day after this due date, fines begin to accrue. There is no grace period.

  Book fines:  For routine book loans (i.e., NOT recalled books), a fine of $.50 per day per book begins to accrue on the first day following the due date. Routine fines accrue to a maximum of $10.00 per book.

  Overdue notices for four-week and extended loans are sent three working days after the due date. These notices are sent as a courtesy; patrons are responsible for returning items if for any reason overdue notices are not received.

  Recall fines:  If a book has been recalled, a recall due date is assigned. If a recalled book is returned after the recall due date, an overdue fine of $4.00 per day is assessed, to a maximum fine of $40.00 per book.

  Fines for bound periodicals:  Bound periodical volumes (journals, magazines, etc.) circulate for one week. For these items, a fine of $0.50 per day per volume begins to accrue on the first day following the due date. Overdue fines accrue to a maximum fine of $10.00 per volume.

  For all fines:  If an overdue fine is not paid at the time an item is returned, the amount of the fine plus a $3.00 billing fee per item will appear on the patron's next University bill.
  

• Obtaining an ISUCard or ISU Library Visitor Card:

  For current ISU students, faculty, and staff, the ISUCard serves as your library borrowing card. This card is issued by the ISUCard Office.

In addition to ISU students, faculty and staff, there are several categories of patrons eligible for borrowing privileges at the ISU Library. Some of these, such as retired faculty and staff, are eligible to receive the standard ISUCard. Others, such as ISU alumni and individual researchers who have no formal affiliation with ISU, can apply for an ISU Library Visitor Card, which entitles them to borrow library materials. Some fees apply. For more information, see Access Privileges.

To apply for an ISU Library Visitor Card, bring a valid form of photo identification (e.g., driver’s license, Non-driver ID card, etc.) to the Circulation Desk, 102 Parks Library.

• Requesting a Group Study Room:

  The Library provides six Group Study Rooms on the third floor, which are assigned by the Circulation Desk on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, ask at the Circulation Desk.
  

• Reporting problems:

  Staff at any Parks Library service desk, including Circulation, can page a library proctor to deal with accidents, emergencies, and disturbances in the building.
  

• Lost and Found:

  The Circulation Desk is the central repository for "Lost and Found" items in the Parks Library. Items are retained here for one month, then forwarded to Inventory Control (phone: (515) 294-8634).