Library Policies, Guidelines & Forms

The following will be useful information for those using the library. If you have questions, comments, or concerns about an of these documents, please ask a staff member or contact the Director of Library Services.

All persons under the age of fourteen (14) using Drain-Jordan Library must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. In the absence of this adult the librarian on duty (or, in her/his absence the senior circulation Library Associate on duty) will talk to the child in question, determining if they are a student here, what their age is, and whether or not there is an older person with them that we have not identified as being with them. Library staff will inform the child of the policy if they are unaccompanied by an adult and are under fourteen years of age, and if this is the case, will ask them to leave the Library.

If the unaccompanied person does not leave, the library staff member will call Campus Security and ask them to take care of the situation as they would in other campus buildings.

If unaccompanied patrons under the age of 14 are in the library during an emergency situation such as a Shelter-in-Place, fire or any emergency practice drill, they will be asked to comply with emergency procedures.

A limited number of laptop computers are available for in-library use only. They may be
checked out at the Circulation Desk.

• Laptops are loaned for in-library use on a first-come, first-served basis. No holds or reservations are allowed.
• Laptops are loaned only to current students, faculty and staff with validated University IDs.
• Library users with overdue or non-returned Library materials may not check out laptops.
• Laptops are loaned for a three (3) hour period. No laptop will be due later than half an hour before the Library’s closing, no matter when it is checked out. Laptops may be renewed if no one else is waiting for one.
• When you borrow a laptop, the Library Associate will tell you when it is due. Please note the time when the computer is due; you will be assessed overdue fines for late returns.
• Laptop late fees are $1.00 per minute, assessed after a 15-minute grace period, up to a maximum of $10.00.
• The borrower is responsible for any damage done to the computer while it is in his/her possession.
• If you have problems with the laptop, bring it to the Circulation Desk immediately and ask for assistance.
• Library laptops print to the main Circulation Desk printer (black and white). Color printouts are not available from laptops.
• Save your work to a portable flash drive. Your files will be erased from the laptop when it is shut down.

The Library complies with the Board of Governors Policy #53, Responsible Use of University Computer Resources

In order to have a pleasant atmosphere conducive to learning, please comply with the following food and drink guidelines. The Drain-Jordan Library provides many trash cans and recycling bins located throughout the library. Report any spills to the library staff and help us keep your library clean.

 Beverages in sturdy, covered, spill-proof containers
 Snacks that do not have an aroma and are not messy such as fruit, pretzels, nuts, granola bars,
candy, etc.

• Beverages in uncovered containers
• Alcoholic beverages
• Any food that is considered a meal such as hot and/or made-to-order food. This includes food from Subway, Taco Bell, Wilson Student Union cafeteria, pizza, etc.
• Food requiring utensils

Enjoy your snacks anywhere in the library EXCEPT those areas listed below:

• Near library computers
• Near library-owned laptops
• Near equipment such as scanners, televisions, video players, etc.
• Near copiers and microfilm equipment
• In the Archives and Special Collections area

Covered beverages are allowed in Main floor computing areas.

The Drain-Jordan Library reserves the right to ask anyone violating the above guidelines to leave the library.

When WVSU’s Drain-Jordan Library does not own materials needed for classwork or research by members of the University community, the Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service allows us to borrow materials for you from other libraries. This is a service provided for currently-affiliated West Virginia State University faculty, staff, and students and qualified KVCTC borrowers. Occasionally this courtesy may be extended to retired faculty or special borrowers. Please check with the Circulation Department for details. In most cases, this is a free service. Occasionally, however, a borrowing fee may apply.

Interlibrary loan services are complicated transactions; they rely on the ability of the borrowing library (Drain-Jordan) and the lending library to pass on information, process loan requests, and get materials into a document delivery stream (email, U.S. mail, or UPS) in a timely fashion. ILL is not immediate—requests take from three to fourteen days or more, but it is a preferred option in most cases. To find more information or to fill out a request form, please go to the Library’s ILL page.

Drain-Jordan Library is the primary information resource for students, faculty, and staff at West Virginia State University, but it is also open to the public for use as well. While all can use materials in the building, only current WVSU affiliates may check materials in and out of the library.

Students need a campus ID to check out materials and use the online indexes from home. The first time you use the library, fill out the “borrower’s agreement” at the library circulation desk.

During the fall and spring semester items are checked out for 30 days; when the end of the semester nears, due dates are set for the last day of finals. All items need to be returned at the end of semester; checkout periods do not span semesters.

Overdue items are fined 10¢ a day per item. (Leeway is allowed during the first nine days an item is overdue, but on the tenth day the full fines are in effect counting from the first day overdue.)

Special rules govern the use of the Library’s laptop computers.

DO NOT LEND YOUR CARD: Overdue materials and fines on a student’s record will prevent registering for classes, getting grades, and graduating.