Library Policies and Services

Anyone over 16 years of age may make use of our library. Members of Grace Community Church, students, and faculty of The Master’s Seminary and College or the Logos Bible Institute may obtain borrowing privileges. Alumni of The Master’s Seminary also retain library privileges. All other patrons must pay a yearly fee of $25.00 (plus a one time $5.00 library card fee) in order to borrow materials. All borrowers are required to pay a one-time $5.00 library card fee. Lost cards will be replaced at a cost of $5.00. Please note that one may not check out materials without a valid library card in their possession.

All patrons are expected to abide by the following guidelines concerning use of the library:

• Library Demeanor: Please refrain from talking in the library, including the Reference and Periodical Reading Rooms. We are intent on making our facility conducive to research and study. If you are seeking help, try to whisper. Quiet discussion is allowed in the two group study rooms in the basement. The seminary dress code is in effect for all seminary students using the library. Patrons may wear shorts in the library, but sandals, bare feet, shirtless or open shirts are not permitted.
• Use of Library Materials: Do not deface books by marking, underlining, notating, or by bending pages. Storing books or library materials in cars will result in heat damage. The costs of replacing books and materials that are damaged, either purposely or accidentally, while checked out are the responsibility of the patron.
• Eating and Drinking in the Library: Do not bring food or drink items into the library. There is a lounge located on the second floor that has vending machines available for use.
• Re-Shelving Books: Patrons are not to re-shelve any item they may use. Return all materials to a book cart or leave them on a table or in a study carrel, the library staff will re-shelve all books to insure they are returned to the proper location on the shelves.
• Library Closing: Due to closing procedures, please have your books checked out or renewed 15 minutes before closing time.
• Emergency Exits and Fire Alarms: Emergency Exits are located at three places on the first floor of the library. Additionally there are two stairwells at the north and south ends of the basement leading directly upstairs. Please be aware of these emergency exits. However, remember that these exits are for emergency use only. An alarm will sound when they are used. In the event of a fire alarm all patrons are to immediately procede to an exit. A speedy exit from the building is essential for personal safety and to keep the area clear for responding personnel. Patrons SHOULD NOT attempt to gather personal items but should leave the building immediately and must obey all directions of the library staff.
• Rental Study Carrels: Twelve large semi-enclosed Study Carrels in the basement are available to "rent" for $75.00 per semester (Spring, Summer, Fall). Students will be able to store books they have checked out in that carrel and have exclusive use of the carrel during the semester. A key to the locked compartment is provided for storage in the carrel as well. They are not for use by the general student body, nor should assigned student "sub-let" the carrels to others. Even if they are marked "unassigned," they are not to be used and you will be asked to relocate by the library staff if you are found using them. Priority for rental is Th.D. Students, Th.M. Students and then M.Div. students with particular needs. See the seminary librarian for information.
• Obeying Directives from the Library Staff: The on-duty library staff has the responsibility for the orderly operation of the library. They are empowered to make decisions regarding questions and interpretation of policy in the absence of the Seminary Librarian. Any verbal abuse, argumentative behavior, or failure to respond to directives of a member of the library staff is treated as a very serious matter. The staff will ask those who cause such problems to leave the facility and will call campus security as needed to enforce that directive. All such incidents are reviewed by the Seminary Librarian and Director of Library Services and patrons, regardless of type, may have their library privileges revoked for such a violation.

Circulation Policies

Circulating materials may be checked out at the Circulation Desk on the first floor. While a card is placed in the items with a due date, patrons are responsible for remembering the due dates of items. Most books are loaned for a three (3) week period. Videos, transparencies, slides, and chapel message cassette tapes are loaned for a one (1) week period. Regular patrons may check out up to six items in any one subject area at a time, but never more than a total of twelve (12) items may be taken out by a single patron without special permission from the seminary librarian. Advanced students and TMS faculty are allowed to check out more books in total and are not limited in terms of subject. Periodicals, reference materials, and microforms may not be taken from the library facility. A book return drop box is available in the lobby display case for returning items during closed hours.

IT MUST BE REMEMBERED THAT YOU ARE NOT TO LOAN BOOKS YOU HAVE BORROWED TO OTHER PEOPLE. The individual patron is responsible for the materials that he/she has checked out. Should an item become lost or damaged it is your responsibility to make restitution to the library. Items that are late are also the responsibility of the patron. The library staff will not make any effort to locate a third party for the return of an item. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY! Patrons may not use the card of another person, nor may they check out books for a third party so as to avoid check out limitations for that person. Should the circulation personnel determine that this is what is being attempted the patron will not be allowed to check out the materials.

All borrowed library material must be returned to the circulation desk in person or placed in the night drop box when the library is closed. Church and other on-campus personnel MAY NOT USE the inter-office mail system to return books. A $1.00 fine (per book) will be assessed when books are returned in this manner. Seminary library books must also be returned TO THE SEMINARY library. Items returned to the college library or returned through the inter-office mail will be charged $1.00 per item. Additionally, the item will be considered not returned until it reaches the seminary library. This particularly applies to Inter-Library Loan materials.

Serious or repeated violations of this policy WILL result in a loss of library privileges.

Reserve Materials: Reserve reading materials area is located behind the circulation desk. These items are loaned for a 2-hour period and must be used in the library. No more than TWO reserve items may be checked out at one time. Reserve items may be checked out overnight, but they cannot leave the library until one hour before closing and must be returned within an hour after the library opens the following day. Reserve items incur a fine of $1.00 per hour when they are late.

Renewals: Circulating materials may be renewed twice unless another patron requests them. Items may be renewed over the phone only on or before the due date. If the item is overdue the patron must bring it to the library and pay the necessary fine(s) before a renewal will be granted. Phone renewals may also not be allowed to patrons who have outstanding fines or fees.

Recalled Items: On occasion a professor will request that a book be put on reserve for class use. If you have the book currently checked out, you will be contacted by the library staff and asked to return the book to the library within three days. A $1 per day fine will be assessed if the book is not returned.

Fines, Penalties and Fees: The overdue fine for circulating books is $.25 per day. The fine for a reserve item is $1.00 per hour. Fines for videos are $1.00 PER DAY, and a $.50 fine will be applied to every video that is returned not rewound. Those who have outstanding fines or charges of over $5.00 may not be allowed to check out additional items without permission of the librarian.

Those borrowers who lose or severely damage a library book will be charged a minimum of $55.00 replacement fee (as determined by the librarian) plus accumulated fees.

Nonpayment of fines and fees will result in the loss of library privileges. Students of The Master’s Seminary or College will be denied the right to take final exams if fines/fees are not paid before finals week.

Please note a few other general items related to Fines, Penalties and Fees:

• The Circulation Computer System will automatically place fines, penalties and fees onto the patron account. Patrons with fines, fees and penalties in excess of $3.00 will be automatically prevented from checking out materials. Only the librarian can authorize exceptions, so please do not ask the library staff to do so.
• The Circulation Computer System will also keep a tally of how many items you have checked out. If you have reached the limit of twelve (12) items, you will not be able to check out more materials until you have returned some items or you have received special permission from the seminary librarian.
• As previously noted, the loss of individual parts of certain materials (i.e. tapes, slides, or pieces of AV materials) will very likely make you liable to replace the ENTIRE ITEM. Publishers normally do not have individual pieces available for replacement sale.
• An item will automatically be considered LOST if it has not been returned within 45 days of its due date. The Circulation Computer System will automatically assess the $75.00 lost replacement fee and reprocessing fee to your account.
• Seminary students will not be allowed to register for classes at the beginning of each semester if all fines, penalties and fees have not been paid.
• Please remember that the individual staff members of the library have clear and specific policy directives from both the Director of Library Services and the Seminary Librarian regarding these matters. Any deviation from standard practice must have their direct approval and written or verbal direction must come from them directly to the library staff member.

Library Services

Copy Service: Two photocopy machines are located in the circulation center for patron use. The copiers work on a "copy card" system where the patron purchases a "rechargeable" debit card from the dispenser located in the Circulation Area in the copier alcove. The initial price for a card is $1.00, which has $.50 credit for copies (the other $.50 covers the actual cost of the card). The cards can be credited at the dispenser with any amount of money the patron desires. The cards are placed into the copiers, which debit the card for the amount of copies made. PATRONS SHOULD WRITE THEIR NAMES ON THEIR CARDS WITH THE BLACK MARKER PROVIDED ON THE COUNTER TO PROTECT AGAINST LOSS. The library is not responsible for lost cards, but those with names on them are kept at the Circulation Desk until claimed. The Library also provides a three-hole punch, stapler, and paper cutter near the copier. Blank transparencies are available for purchase at the Circulation Desk and are $.10 each. Copies made on the Microform reader/printer are $.10 each and should be paid for at the Circulation Desk.

Computer Services: Computers in the library and the computer terminals at each study station are connected to a sub-network of the Seminary/Grace Church Computer network and allow for a variety of computer services in the library. Computers located in the Reference Room will perform OPAC functions only. Computers in the Periodical Room can access OPAC and the Internet. There are also six (6) OPAC computers located in the basement. All printouts made at any of these locations are $.10 each and should be paid for at the Circulation Desk. There are a small number of computers available for seminary student use only in the basement study carrels. These computers have word processing capabilities, OPAC, and Internet access. Items created here may be printed on the library laser printers. These printers are located at the Circulation Desk and copies cost $.10 each. When you print out a job you may pick up the item at the Circulation Desk.

Every study area in the building has a computer network terminal. Seminary students may connect to the computer network with their own laptop computer (you may not bring in desk top CPU’s to study carrels). Students should see the seminary office receptionist for laptop set up and account information.

It should be noted that the network is automatically checking individual workstations when they are on the Internet at all times. Patrons found accessing sexually explicit or other inappropriate sites on either their own computers or library computers will immediately be expelled from the library and have all privileges revoked. Seminary or College students found violating this policy will also face further disciplinary action from their respective institutions.

SCATLA Borrowing Privileges: The Southern California Area Theological Library Association grants borrowing privileges among its member libraries to faculty and students of The Master’s Seminary. Those who wish to use this service must obtain a borrowing card from the Circulation Desk, approved and signed by the seminary librarian, before going to a cooperating library. Patrons are expected to follow the guidelines of the host library concerning circulation procedures, overdue fines, etc. Contact the Circulation Desk for a list of cooperating libraries and a borrowing card. Tape Duplicator: A tape duplication machine is available in the copier alcove. All blank tapes for duplication must be purchased at the Circulation Desk. The cost is $1.00 per tape and includes tape case and label. Personal blank tapes may not be used on the duplicator. Additionally, the library is not responsible for damage caused to individually owned "original" tapes that may occur during the process of duplication.

Used Book Sale: A set of shelves behind the Circulation Desk displays new and used books for sale. Check for titles periodically. Prices are located inside the front cover of the books. Occasionally the library also sells pieces of equipment or computers that are no longer in need. Prices are normally marked on the individual items. All such items are sold “as is” and the library accepts no liability or responsibility for the functionality of items sold.

Book Drop: During library operating hours, returned items should be dropped into the drop located to the left of the Circulation Desk. PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE ITEMS ON THE COUNTER. Reserve items should be returned to the ledge located to the right of the Circulation Desk. PLEASE DO NOT DROP RETURNED RESERVE ITEMS INTO THE BOOK DROP. An after-hours drop is located in the lobby display case and should be used only if the library is closed. If you are returning an overnight reserve book and the library is closed, please put it in the after-hours drop in the seminary lobby.

Rest Rooms: Rest rooms for men and women are located in the first and lower floors at the south end of the building.

Telephones: Public telephones are located in the Student Lounge on the second floor. Be aware that the library staff cannot take personal phone calls (with the exception of medical emergencies) for patrons. Please do not ask friends or family to call you at the library.

Lost and Found: The library keeps lost items at the circulation desk for an average of one month. While every effort is made to determine ownership of an item, any unclaimed items will be disposed of or put into the book sale.

Inter-library Loan: If the library does not own needed research materials a patron may request the material through the Interlibrary Loan Service. As a member of an on-line bibliographic system (OCLC), the library has access to over 100 million book, journal, thesis, and dissertation titles in North America and Europe. It takes an average of three weeks to receive material.

• General Policy: Interlibrary Loan (ILL) services are available to all TMS students, faculty, staff, alumni, and non-TMS patrons that hold a current TMS library card. All loan requests must be checked by the patron against our current library holding prior to placing the request. Information given on the request form must be as complete as possible, especially for periodical articles. In general, audio-visual materials are not available through ILL.
• Borrowing Charges: Any charges incurred in borrowing items through ILL are charges by the lending library.The library does not charge for ILL requests or loans. When charges exist for the ILL, the fee must be paid by the patron prior to checking out the item. A $5.00 fee will be assessed to any patron (student or faculty) who does not pick up an item he has requested. The patron must be willing to pay at least $5.00 per book or dissertation requested. Because of rising costs, as much as $5.00-$10.00 can be charged by other libraries, though a reasonable effort will be made to borrow the book at no charge. The patron will be notified if a book is available only from a library that charges more than the $5.00 fee. If the patron is unwilling or unable to pay above the $5.00 fee, the book or dissertation will not be ordered. Non-faculty patrons requesting periodical articles must be willing to pay a minimum of $5.00 per article. A reasonable effort will be made to keep the cost under the $5.00 fee. If the charge is over $5.00, the patron will be contacted for approval before the request is ordered. TMS faculty will be charged for costs above $10.00.
• Renewals and Overdue Fines: If a book will be needed longer than the lending library has allowed, a patron must make a renewal request of the library staff on or before the due date. Renewals are at the discretion of the lending library, and at times a book will be sent with a note that there will be no renewals available. A fine of $1.00 per day will be charged for books not returned by the due date.