Southern Vermont College Library Circulation Policy
The Southern Vermont College Library supports the College's career-oriented, liberal arts focused curriculum by providing access to print, non-print, and electronic information resources and services for students, faculty and staff.
ILL, VCAL and other local libraries: Our Circulation Policy also allows us to share with the larger community by participating in the state-wide Interlibrary Loan network as well as reciprocal borrowing agreements with Bennington College, Bennington Free Library, Williams College Libraries, the Southwestern Vermont Medical Center Library and the Vermont Consortium of Academic Libraries (VCAL). Please see our ILL Policy for more information.
VCAL specifics:
- SVC faculty may visit VCAL libraries and borrow materials as determined by the lending library's policy. Please see here and contact the SVC Library Director for appropriate paperwork.
- Faculty members from participating VCAL institutions may borrow from our library. Please visit us between 8am and 5pm on a weekday, and bring a signed VCAL Authorization Form and a borrower's card from your home library. See below for loan periods.
Note: The term Librarian refers to professional library staff, not work study students.
Internal SVC lending policy
Students may borrow circulating books. Reference and reserve materials, periodicals, videos and audio-visual equipment must be used in the library, unless a Librarian approves other arrangements.
Faculty and staff may borrow circulating books, videos and slides. Reference items, reserves and periodicals may be borrowed for a class period, or overnight, with permission of a Librarian.
Archive materials may be used in the library. Ask a Librarian for assistance.
Electronic resources are freely accessible through the on-campus academic computer network. Off-campus use is available to current SVC students, faculty and staff, with passwords available from the library. Passwords change every semester.
External lending policy
Alumni and community members may use all materials in the library.
Circulating books and videos will be loaned through Interlibrary Loan (ILL) and other reciprocal agreements. The Library Director has the right to deny a loan if an item is overly expensive, irreplaceable, or too new/popular.
Electronic resources are available for use by individuals outside the SVC community on a walk-in basis. Off-campus use is not permissible as per our licensing agreements with vendors.
Loan periods and renewals
Circulating books
Students 60 days or until the end of the term, whichever comes first
Faculty 100 days
ILL or reciprocal partners 28 days
Alumni & Community members in-house use
Videos
Students in-house use
Faculty and staff 28 days
ILL or reciprocal partners 28 days
Alumni & Community members in-house use
Non-circulating materials
Students in-house use
Faculty and staff at Librarian’s discretion
ILL or reciprocal partners unavailable
Alumni & Community members in-house use
Renewals are unlimited unless an item has been recalled or a hold has been placed. Renewal periods are subject to the same time limits as original loans (e.g. books for students are still due by the end of the semester.)
Overdues, Recalls and Fines
Overdue notices are sent automatically from our circulation system to the borrower’s SVC e-mail address. This system will also alert you when holds become available.
SVC borrowers may view due dates, renew materials and place holds online. From our card catalog:
- Choose "My Account"
- Enter your Patron ID (the barcode number on your SVC ID)
- Enter your PIN (this can be obtained from a Librarian)
- Log out when finished
Books checked out to students may be recalled if the student has had them for 3 weeks or more. Fines for recalled books that are not returned in five days are 50 cents per day, and are not waived. Interlibrary loans and other reciprocally borrowed items are subject to recall at any time. These should be returned within 10 business days, or will be assessed fines at $1 per day.
Materials borrowed by faculty and staff are subject to recall, but not to fines.
All borrowing privileges will cease upon withdrawal from the College or termination of employment.
