Policy on Special Permission Circulation of Materials

In order to provide consistency among library departments and to relieve confusion for users, the following criteria for giving special permission to circulate materials are established. This policy pertains to materials in Hamilton and Sinclair Libraries.

Special Permission Materials

For materials that are defined as non-circulating or library use only, which are not high use, special permission loan periods are two hours or overnight two hours before the library building closes. This includes:

• Reference books
• Unbound periodicals
• Bound periodicals
• Library Use Only books

No more than ten items can be granted special permission for circulation at one time to the same user. Renewals require repeating the special permission process.

Fines

Fines are the responsibility of the borrower. (See Overdue Fines policy.)

High Use Materials

High use materials are defined as materials which are frequently used every day. Staff at library Information/Reference desks determine if materials are high use. High use materials are for library use only, and special permission for circulation is normally denied, however it may be granted during periods of non-peak library use, such as semester breaks.

Returned Materials

The due date/time for overnight special permission is the next day one hour after the library building opens. Hamilton Access Services Department provides bins for returned materials in the Circulation offices. Staff from each respective library department are responsible for retrieving materials from those bins in order to insure timely return of materials to the appropriate department.

Access Services staff retain all special permission forms upon return of the material, noting on the form the date and time the material was returned. The forms are distributed to department heads at the end of each month so that an assessment of this policy can occur.

Exceptions:

Exceptions can be made to the loan periods for the above categories of materials if one of the following criteria are met:

• Alternative sources are available.
• Use of the material is related to a special research activity by UH faculty, administrators, UH affiliated research staff, or UH graduate students.

Other Exceptions:

• Sinclair Library periodicals: four hours or overnight two hours before the library building closes. Hamilton Library bound periodicals housed at Sinclair may be loaned for 4 days.
• Microfilm/fiche: Lending to research institutions only through Library Access Services Department; Hawaiian/Pacific microforms are not loaned.
• Wong A-V videorecordings that are "AV Center use only" are not loaned.
• Rare and archival materials do not circulate.
• Hawaiian/Pacific Collection:
  
  * Single copy: non-circulating, except for same-day photocopying or for class presentations, at discretion of curators.
  * Multiple copies: one week circulation. A few designated "library use only" require curator's permission, as for single copies.

Granting Special Permission

Special permission can only be obtained from library Information/Reference desks during times those desks are staffed. Staff at reference desks that serve each collection (i.e. CIS, BHSD, Sci/Tech, Asia, Special Collections, Gov Docs, Maps, Sinclair) are responsible for granting special permission for materials in their collections. Staff verify eligibility of the user to borrow materials prior to granting special permission.

Library departments with circulation operations process special permission circulation for their own departments. Other library departments use Hamilton Access Services to process special permission circulation.

Final Authority

Department heads and library administrators support criteria of the policy. In cases where patron needs conflict with the policy, patrons may appeal to the Head of Public Services. The Library Administration serves as the court of final appeal.

Approved by John R. Haak, University Librarian, March 13, 1997.