Library Policies

Montgomery Library

The library’s collections are intended primarily for the use of students, faculty and staff of Westminster Theological Seminary, but alumni, faculty and students at other schools, as well as area residents and pastors are welcome to use the library facility.

Membership Fees and Borrowing Privileges

Loan Period

The loan period for all circulating materials is 28 days (four weeks).

WTS PhD Students and Faculty have a loan period of 90 days.

Library materials needed by Westminster students and faculty may be subject to recall.

Renewals

Books that are not needed by other students or library patrons may be renewed up to three times. Renewals may be done in person, by phone or online with your account log in. Renewals may only be done seven days or less before the due date.

Overdue Fines and Notices

Overdue fines are $0.25 per day per item to a maximum of $14.00 per item. A two-day grace period will be granted. On the third day overdue fines will begin at $0.25.

Overdue fines for reserve materials are $0.50 per hour.

Three days before the due date, a courtesy email will be sent informing you of the pending due date. After the due date has past, you will be sent an overdue notice every two weeks, up to three notices. After the third notice, the book will be declared lost and the forth notice will be a bill.

It is the responsibility of the library patron to keep their address, phone number and email information accurate with the WTS library and keep up with all correspondence from the WTS library. If a library patron does not provide WTS with an email address, notices will be put in student boxes or sent in the mail.

Lost Books

When a book is declared lost, the default cost for a missing book is $50. There is also a $20 processing fee and a $25 billing fee. If the lost book is worth more, the patron will be charged at the discretion of the Librarian and the Circulation Manager.

Holds and Recalls

If a hold is placed on a book that is out, the patron with the book will not be permitted to renew it. When the book is returned, the requestor will be notified via email or phone and have five days to pick up the book at the circulation desk.

Holds can be placed online through the web log in or at the circulation desk.

If a recall is placed on a book, the patron will have seven days to return the item. The due date will change to seven days from the recall date. After the new due date has past, fines will accrue. If the patron would like the book returned after the recall, the requestor will have seven days to use and return the book.

Recalls can only be made through the circulation desk. WTS students, staff and faculty have priority for use of library materials.

Library Cards

Library cards for non-WTS patrons are made when the new patron information is added to the database. If you apply for library priviledges after normal business hours, please check at the circulation desk at your next visit to the library to pick up your card.

Students, faculty and staff are issued ID’s from the student affairs office that function as library cards.

Please present your library card or student ID when borrowing books.

Logging In to Your Patron Account Online

To login to your patron account, go to http://newlibrary.wts.edu and click on the ‘Login to Your Account’ option at the top of the catalog search page. Enter your name in the first field, followed by your ID number in the second field. Click ‘Submit.’

By logging in, you can view books checked out on your account, renew books, and place holds on books. In addition, you may save preferred searches and your personal reading history if you wish to do so. Keep your personal information up-to-date with us by changing it online as well.

ILL requests:

InterLibrary Loan service is available only to registered students, staff and faculty of WTS. Please fill out an ILL form (available at the Circulation Desk) including as much information as possible about the item needed, and your full contact information. The material may take 1 – 2 weeks to arrive at Montgomery Library.

NOTE : Books in the library collection may not be requested through ILL. If material is checked out of the library, please place a HOLD on the item.

Photocopying:

Cost of photocopies is 10 cents/page. Copiers are located next to the Circulation area and in the Andreas Center lower level. Copiers accept dollar bills and coins.

Notice: The copyright law of the United States (Title 17 U.S. Code) governs the making of photocopies of copyrighted material. A person using our photocopy equipment is liable for any infringement.

Access to Online Databases

Off-campus database access is available to WTS students, faculty and staff. (Verification is required through login to the library catalog.) Please be aware that the library’s contracts with our providers strictly limit off-campus database access to registered WTS students, faculty and staff. Sharing passwords with non-WTS students is not allowed.

All patrons may use workstations on-site at the library to access these databases.

Rare Book and Archive collection

R are books may only be used in the library. Please see a librarian during the hours of 9 AM – 5 PM, Monday through Friday, to request an item.