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Library Use Policies

Rules and guidelines

 

General Library Use

 

The library strives to maintain an environment which is quiet and conducive to study. Please be considerate of others while using the library.

Food and open drink containers, such as pop cans, are not allowed in the library. However, drinks in covered containers are permitted in certain areas. Upon approval of the Library Director, light refreshments may be served at scheduled events in the Gammon Room. These refreshments may not be taken into other areas of the library.

 

General Principles

 

Melick Library seeks to provide an atmosphere conducive to the best use of its resources. To this effect, it strives to balance the rights of users to access all types of information resources with the rights of users and staff to work in a public setting free from disruptive sounds and visuals.

 

Melick Library does not monitor and has no control over information accessed through the Internet and cannot be held responsible for its content or the consequences of using the information. Not all information on the Internet is accurate, complete, or current. Users are responsible for determining if the information they access is acceptable, reliable, and suitable for their needs.

 

Patrons are cautioned that the Internet is not a secure medium and all transactions, files, and communications may be subject to unauthorized access by third parties.

 

Cell Phone Use

 

In order to provide an environment conducive to study and research and as a courtesy to other patrons, all cell phones should either be turned off or set to a non-audible ring prior to entering the library.

 

Cell phone conversations that take place inside the library should last no more than 2 minutes and be conducted in a low voice. If you need to have an extended conversation, please go outside the library to do so.

 

Users who fail to adhere to this policy will be asked to leave the library.


Computer Study Center

 

The computers in the Computer Study Center require an authorized log-in and are therefore only available to faculty, students, and staff. The general public cannot use these computers. Log-ins are not provided by Melick Library.

This is a computer lab and is equipped for word processing, email, Internet access, etc. Computer use for educational purposes has priority over recreational activities.

 

Computer Access - Public

 

Melick Library reserves the right to place reasonable restrictions on the use of computers consistent with the missions of the Library and the College and in accordance with laws or regulations of the United States and the State of Illinois.

 

Reference Computers Responsible Use


All individuals should use the library computers responsibly in pursuit of academic functions. In doing so, they must not infringe on the rights or privacy of others or the integrity of the computer system, and they must abide by Computer Services' college-wide policy on use of computers and networks.

 

Acceptable Uses of Reference Computers:

  • Utilizing resources available through the library's web pages.

  • Using the Internet for research purposes.

  • Printing web pages, search results, or electronic journal articles.

Unacceptable Uses of Reference Computers:

  • Repeated use for non-academic or non-research purposes.

  • Downloading or installing software to hard drives, including instant messaging programs.

  • Deleting or modifying software, and/or alteration of any files or modifying the configuration of any library computer.

  • Violations of the Library computer security or network integrity, including using the network to make unauthorized entry into other computational, informational, or communication services or resources.

  • Destruction, damage, or modification of computer hardware or equipment, or the removal of any part of the Library computer workstations.

  • Game playing, emailing, and chatting.

  • Viewing of pornographic or sexually explicit materials may be grounds for sexual harassment charges by other users. Pop up pornography must be immediately suppressed or reported to library staff.

  • Any illegal activity.

  • Children under 14 may not use computers unless they are accompanied by a supervising adult. Melick Library assumes no responsibility for the use of the Internet by minors.

    Consequences:

  • Any individual found to be using the computers to the distraction of another user or limiting access to the computer for the research purposes of another user, will be required to cease the activity unless they can demonstrate that they are completing an academic assignment for a class.

  • Repeated violations by students, staff or faculty may be subject to disciplinary action as outlined in the college's Acceptable Use Agreement and referred to the appropriate campus disciplinary body.

  • Non-affiliated users who violate this policy will have their computer use privileges revoked.

eBook Policies

 

Melick Library has 20 REB 1100 eBook Reading Devices acquired through an Educate and Automate grant from the Illinois State Library. The eBooks will be used for class projects or as circulating library materials. eBooks will be shelved behind the Circulation Desk. eBook content is not currently entered into the library's online catalog.

 

1. The library will circulate a power adapter and a carrying case with each eBook device.
2. To extend battery life, users should use the power adapter whenever possible.
3. Borrowers are responsible for any damage incurred to the eBook while they have it checked out.
4. eBooks will circulate for the same period as regular books (three weeks) unless they are checked out to a class for course readings -- see item 7 below.
5. Content will be pre-loaded by the librarians.
6. New borrowers are asked to review the User's Guide which is loaded into all eBooks.
7. eBooks will be checked out to students of a class for the duration of the reading assignment as determined by the instructor.
8. Each device will be pre-loaded with content selected by the class instructor.

 

Additional content may be added to the eBooks by appointment with a librarian. Some content is available without charge because a book or document is within the public domain (no longer protected under copyright laws). The purchase cost (book content price) for any copyrighted materials placed on the eBooks by personal request will be charged to the borrower. Content is not transferrable and will stay on the device once the eBook is returned to the library.

 

Scanner

The scanner in Melick Library is tied to the Ariel Interlibrary Loan program. Because the Ariel program runs 24 hours per day, the system is not available for general use. A scanner is provided in Vennum Binkley computer lab for student and faculty use.

For the scanning of non-circulating library materials (journals, reference books that do not leave the library), it is necessary to set up an appointment with the reference librarian who will supervise scanning on a selective basis.

 

 

Gifts - Books


When gifts of books are donated to Melick Library, these gift books will be evaluated according to the criteria established in the library's Books and Materials Selection Policy:

  • Appropriateness for a small, undergraduate liberal arts college.

  • Currentness and/or historical value.

  • Duplication of existing materials.

  • Relationship to the Eureka College curriculum.

  • Academic quality of the book itself.

  • Condition of the book itself.

Only those books that meet the criteria of the Selection Policy will be added to the library's collection. Textbooks are not acceptable additions to the collection because they become dated very quickly. The library will acknowledge all substantive gifts. If a gift book does not meet the criteria for inclusion in the library collection, the Library Director (and, if appropriate, the Development Officer or other campus personnel) will decide whether to return the gift or make some other disposition of it.

 

Gifts - Periodicals


Gifts of periodicals will be retained as a permanent part of the library's collection when they are a major addition of a new title that meets the criteria of the Periodicals Selection Policy, or they fill a gap in the library's existing periodical collection. Gift issues of periodicals that are not added to the collection will be either returned to the donor or offered to interested individuals on campus or at other institutions.

 

Please note: Librarians do not assess the value of gifts for income tax purposes. The library reserves the right to sell any items that are donated but are not added to the library's holdings. Any profit from the sale of donated items will be applied to the library budget.

 

Melick Library Copyright Policy

 

What is Copyright?

 

Copyright is a form of legal protection granted by the government to authors of original works that have been “fixed” in a tangible medium of expression. A “fixed” work is in a form that allows it to be communicated over time. Copyrightable items include: textual, musical, pictorial, graphic, audiovisual, architectural and choreographed works.

 

Copyright potentially extends to:

  • Published and unpublished works

  • Works in any format, including physical, textual, visual, audial, and digital files

  • Works that you own but did not create, including DVDs and digital files

  • Works that are widely available for free, including items available on the Internet

  • Works that do not indicate their copyright status (i.e., older books without copyright statements)

 

Duration of Copyright

 

Copyright status can be difficult to determine, and, with few exceptions, you should assume that every work is covered by copyright until you can prove otherwise.

 

Duration of copyright varies depending on a number of factors. Copyright has expired for works published before 1923 and those are now in the public domain. Prior to 1964, works received a 28 year copyright with the option to renew for 67 more years before entering the public domain. The Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998 prevents new works from entering the public domain due to copyright expiration until 2019.

 

Most works that fall under copyright protection and were published after 1963 are covered by copyright and will be for a long time unless the copyright holder dedicates the work to the public domain.

 

For further details and explanation regarding the duration of copyright please see the following website: http://www.copyright.cornell.edu/resources/publicdomain.cfm (Accessed July 27, 2009).

 

Limitations of Copyright

 

Copyright does not protect ideas, concepts, systems, methods or simple lists (such as recipes) although it may protect expressions of them. (Note: Although copyright does not protect names, titles, slogans, or short phrases, they may be protected as trademarks.) Additionally, copyright does not protect works that have not been fixed in a tangible form of expression. Copyright protection does not extend to any work created by the United States government or to the work of any federal employee as part of their official responsibilities. Additionally, works with expired copyright are no longer protected by copyright law.

 

Exemptions to Copyright

 

Two types of exemptions to copyright law exist: statutory exemptions and Fair Use exemptions.

 

Statutory Exemptions

 

Classroom use: Education institutions and governmental agencies are authorized to publicly display and perform others’ works in the course of face-to-face teaching activities, and to a limited degree, in broadcasts.

 

Copying in a library: The copyright statute describes a limitation to copyright that is used frequently in academic institutions. This statute is provided in Title 17, United States Code §108. It is not an infringement of copyright when libraries (or their users) make single copies of certain copyrighted works, provided that: only individual articles or small portions of a larger work are copied; the copies become the property of the patron; the copies are used for private study, scholarship or research; the copying is not done for commercial advantage; and the library displays prominently a notice warning of copyright restrictions in accord with requirements published by the US Copyright Office. Libraries may make copies of entire works (or substantial pieces of a work) if the work cannot be obtained after a reasonable search and at a reasonable price. For the first use of the item, it is under this exemption and the fair-use doctrine that libraries may copy and place materials on course reserve. Subsequent uses will require the permission of the copyright owner (see the Copyright Clearance section of the Melick Library Reserve Policy).

 

Non-U.S. Works: No “international copyright” automatically protects an author’s works throughout the world. Protection against unauthorized use in a particular country, therefore, depends on the laws of that country. However, most countries offer protection to foreign works under conditions that have been greatly simplified by international copyright treaties and conventions.

 

Fair Use Exemptions

 

The following is an excerpt from Copyright Law of the United States:

 

Fair Use: U.S. Copyright Office

 

§107 of the Copyright Law of 1976: Limitations on exclusive rights of Fair Use. Not withstanding the provisions of section 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright. In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is fair use the factors to be considered shall include-

  • The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;

  • The nature of the copyrighted work;

  • The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole and

  • The effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work

 

The fact that a work is unpublished shall not itself bar a finding of fair use if such finding is made upon consideration of all the above factors.

 

Determining Fair Use

 

  • The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit education purposes

    • Fair use is more likely to apply if the original work is used for a transformative purpose; that is, a purpose that has given the work a new meaning, added new information, or artistic value to the original work. Common transformative uses are parody, art, and scholarly comment and criticism (i.e., classroom discussion). Uses that are educational or informative in nature or that contribute to political debate are more likely to be cases of fair use; please note such uses are NOT in themselves defenses against infringement.

  • The nature of the copyrighted work

    • Fair use is more likely to apply if the original work being used is factual in nature because spreading information is a public good. Works that are fictional or artistic in nature and are not primarily intended to spread information often receive more copyright protection than, for example, biographies.

  • The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole

    • Fair use is more likely to apply when proportionally short and less significant portions of works are used. Even a short use may be infringement if the portion used is central to the meaning or message of the original work (i.e., the harpooning scene in Moby Dick).

  • The effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work

    • An important factor in determining fair use is the degree to which the use impairs future financial profits that the copyright holder might expect to receive by virtue of possessing it.

 

Useful Resources on Copyright

 

Due to new technologies and competing interests, copyright law has become more complex and is subject to regular revision. See the web sites listed here for more information and updates on copyright issues.

 

Revised 8/17/2009

 

 

  
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