- Circulating Items – Circulating items include print books, sound recordings, music scores, and video recordings. Also available for checkout are laptop computers, tablets, digital projectors, projector screens, digital cameras, video cameras, and web cameras. This equipment circulates to TLU students, faculty, and staff only. Equipment reservations should be made 24 hours in advance to ensure availability. Availability is always dependent upon timely return of equipment by the previous user. Replacement costs for lost or damaged equipment are included in the library’s catalog (see also “Lost or Damaged Equipment” below).
- Loan Period for TLU Students – Most library books and media from the general collection have a circulation period of four weeks. A current, valid TLU I.D. card is required for all transactions. There is no limit on the number of books or media items that may be checked out. Most equipment circulates for three days at a time, and users are allowed a single renewal provided there is no hold on the item. Laptops are available for checkout with some units set aside for in-house use and others available for month-long loan.
- Loan Period for TLU Faculty and Staff – For TLU faculty and staff, a four-week loan period is applied to books and media that are borrowed from the library collection. An item may be renewed provided there is no hold on the item. Most equipment circulates for three days at a time. Faculty names must appear on the active or emeritus patron file in the library circulation system. Staff members must hold a current TLU I.D. card or emeritus status. Faculty and staff are asked to bring their current TLU I.D. card with them when checking out items. There is no limit on the number of items that may be checked out by faculty or staff.
- Non-University Borrowers – Adult community members who are not affiliated with TLU and who are no longer in high school may purchase a borrowing card at the circulation desk. Borrowing cards cost $15 per year. The library offers free borrowing cards to TLU alumni, area ministers, and teachers in the greater Seguin community. In addition, adults who are patrons of TexShare-affiliated libraries and who are no longer in high school may obtain a free TexShare Borrowing Card from their home library for use at Blumberg Memorial Library. Non-university users who wish to purchase a TLU borrowing card or who wish to use a TexShare Borrowing Card must present a current picture ID (e.g., a driver’s license, state-issued ID card, military ID, college or university ID). Juveniles (high school students or younger) may not check out library materials, and Blumberg Memorial Library does not accept TexShare cards from juvenile users. Non-university borrowers may check out a maximum of four items at a time. The loan period on all items for non-university borrowers is four weeks with one renewal possible. Non-university users may not check out equipment or make use of study rooms.
- Overdue or Lost Materials – Cash transactions are no longer allowed at the circulation desk. While continuing to encourage the timely return of items, the library will waive overdue fees. Users with late items may be prevented from checking out other materials until their late items are returned. For students, the library will assess fees for items that are lost, damaged, unreturned after recall, or unreturned by a given student's prospective graduation date. Faculty and staff members are not assessed overdue fees for TLU library items, although they may be liable for the cost of lost or damaged items. All users are liable for late/damaged interlibrary loan items.
- Damaged Items (Non-Equipment) – Charges for a damaged library item will be based on the extent of the damage. If the item can be repaired, the charge will be the cost of repair. If the item cannot be repaired, the charge will be the full cost of replacement. If the replacement fee transaction is sent to the business office, a processing fee may also be added.
- Lost or Damaged Equipment – Equipment and/or peripheral devices that are lost or damaged will be charged to the borrower’s account according to the actual replacement or repair costs. If the replacement fee transaction is sent to the business office, a processing fee may also be added.
- Loss of Privileges – Library users who have overdue or lost items on their account may lose borrowing privileges. Privileges will be restored when good standing is reestablished.
- Holds – A hold will be placed on an item when a library user requests a title that is already in circulation. The library will notify the user when the item is available, and the item will be held for three (3) days. After three days, unclaimed items will be returned to the shelf or held for another library user. Students, faculty, and staff may place holds from the library’s online catalog.
- Recalls – Any item on loan is subject to recall after two weeks upon request by another person; recalled books should be returned within 72 hours after notification. The library will not release the names of borrowers to other persons. Students, faculty, and staff may place recall requests from the library’s online catalog.
In-House Circulating Materials and Equipment
- Class Reserves – Faculty members may place required readings, including items from the library’s circulating collection, on library reserve to ensure that all students in a course have access to the materials. Materials are placed on either a two-hour reserve or a one-day reserve. Items on two-hour reserve may not leave the library. For assistance, please contact librarian Nate Aubin (nbaubin@tlu.edu). Faculty members who wish to add persistent links to a Brightspace course site for items in the library’s subscription databases may contact the library for assistance.
- In-House Equipment – The library’s labs and classrooms each have an instructor’s workstation that features a computer, data projector, DVD player, and speakers. These are the same standard workstations found in all TLU classrooms.
- The Co-Lab – The CoLab is located on the main floor of the library. This area features a variety of specialized equipment including poster printers, a 3-D printer, a color laser printer, and collaboration tables where users may plug in laptops to project group work on shared flat screen monitors. The CoLab is furnished with moveable tables and chairs to facilitate group work.
- Copyright and Fair Use – Copies are subject to U.S. Copyright laws. Please consult the U.S. Copyright Office Fair Use Index on all questions of Fair Use.
- Computer Workstations – The library features general-use computer workstations on the main floor as well as laptops that may be checked out. TLU students, faculty, and staff may log onto the campus network from any of these PCs. The library’s workstations have the standard campus production software load (web browser, MS-Office suite, and other student applications). Non-TLU users are not given passwords, but they may use TLU computers for research purposes by asking a circulation staff member to log them onto the network.
- Collaboration Tables – The library’s lower level is home to two collaboration tables. Students may use these tables on a first-come, first-served basis. The lower level also features a library instruction lab (B12), which is reserved for use by library instruction sessions, faculty and staff training, and class use. This lab is not available for walk-in use.
- Study Rooms – Each of the library’s study rooms is equipped with a large monitor, glass whiteboard, and a connected laptop. Users may access the in-room laptop, check one out at the front desk, or bring personal equipment to connect to these displays in order to project work.
