We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

Learn more about Indigenous Education and Cultural Services

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Library Lending

1. General
2. Borrowers
3. Library cards
4. Loan periods and limits
5. Borrowing materials from other libraries
6. Return of materials
7. Sanctions
8. Appeals

1. GENERAL

These procedures support the Library Policy and include the designation of specific loan periods, the restriction on the circulation of certain library materials, the definition of borrower privileges, and the definition of access to and use of library services and facilities. Privileges vary according to borrower status and are granted subject to continuing adherence to established library procedures. These procedures are enforced by levying fines, suspending privileges, and other sanctions.

2. BORROWERS

There are two categories of Ontario Tech borrowers: University and Other:
University Borrowers include all current students, faculty, and staff of Ontario Tech.
Other Borrowers include alumni, retired faculty and staff of Ontario Tech; faculty, students, and staff at universities with which Ontario Tech has reciprocal borrowing agreements; community borrowers; and other persons issued cards under special programs. Other Borrowers do not have remote access to electronic resources and may not be allowed to borrow from specialized collections.

3. LIBRARY CARDS

A valid library card (i.e. Campus digital ID, Campus ID card, or Library-issued card) must be presented to borrow materials or to obtain other library services. Library cards will not be issued to borrowers with outstanding fines. Library cards are not transferable. The person named on the card is responsible for all library transactions made with the card. The loss or theft of a card must be reported immediately to the library. Borrowers will be held accountable for transactions on their card until such notification is received.

4. LOAN PERIODS AND LIMITS

Circulating Material

Loan Period:

Regular loan circulating material may be borrowed for 120 days by University Borrowers and 14 days for Other Borrowers. 120-day loan material has a guaranteed loan period of 14 days and is subject to recall.
Loan periods are shorter or restricted for other categories of circulating material (e.g. Reserves, Equipment for Loan, some Education material, etc.) for all borrowers.

Loan Limit: For regular loan material, University Borrowers have a loan limit of 500 items at any given time. Other Borrowers have a limit of 10 regular loan items. Additional loan limits apply to other categories of circulating material for all borrowers.

Renewal: Not all loanable material can be renewed. Material that can be renewed is subject to unlimited renewals. Exceptions to this policy may occur if the materials are recalled; if the borrower's privileges expire; or if the borrower's privileges are blocked. Borrowers may renew allowable materials in person, by telephone, or online via My Account.

Non-circulating Material

Items from the Reference collection do not normally circulate. To borrow material from the Reference collection, current University Borrowers should speak to a Library Service Desk staff member.

The Library contains other collections which do not normally circulate (e.g. special collections, and archival material) to any category of borrower. Some non-circulating material may be circulated for a limited loan period upon application to and, at the discretion of, the Access Services Manager or designate.

5. BORROWING MATERIAL FROM OTHER LIBRARIES

Interlibrary Loan: The Library at Ontario Tech will endeavour to locate and borrow library materials not available at Ontario Tech on behalf of authorized borrowers. Due dates and conditions of the loan for Interlibrary loan materials will be communicated to the borrower when the material is picked up. Fees may be charged for this service and sanctions are applied for failure to return interlibrary loan materials by the due date. For more detailed procedures, see Interlibrary Loan procedures.

Reciprocal Borrowing: Ontario Tech has reciprocal borrowing agreements with other Canadian universities as a member of the Ontario Council of University Libraries (OCUL). Through these agreements, Ontario Tech faculty, students, and staff may apply for library privileges at these institutions. Inter-University Borrowing Project (IUBP) cards will only be issued to Ontario Tech faculty, staff, and graduate students in good standing with the Library at Ontario Tech. The lending library's policies apply when borrowing from another institution. For more detailed procedures, please see Reciprocal Borrowing procedures. Individuals from other universities who register under reciprocal borrower agreements for borrowing privileges at Ontario Tech are governed by these procedures.

6. RETURN OF MATERIALS

Library materials must be returned on or before the date and/or time due. Material, found in the stacks, that is still checked out is considered returned on the date found.

Library materials may be returned through either the outside or inside library return slot (where available) at any Ontario Tech Campus Library. Exceptions:

Daily loan reserve material must be returned to a return slot at the library from which it was borrowed.
Materials borrowed from any hourly loan collection, locker keys, supplies, and loaned and rented equipment must be returned to a staff member at the Library Service Desk at the location from which it was borrowed.

To assist borrowers to return or renew books on time, courtesy alert notices are sent, via email only, shortly before the material is due. Courtesy notices are sent when materials are overdue. The non-receipt of notices does not relieve the borrower from liabilities for fines or other sanctions.

7. SANCTIONS

Overdue Fines

Bills are calculated when rented or overdue material is renewed or returned. Although materials are not due on days when the Library is closed, overdue fines will continue to accumulate. Bill payments are not refundable.

MATERIAL TYPE	FINE RATE	MAXIMUM FINE*
Recalled material	$4/day	$56
Hourly Reserve loans	$4/hour	$100
Daily Reserve loans	$10/day	$100
Interlibrary loans	$1/day	$25
Locker keys & supplies	$1/day	$25
Equipment loans	$1/day	$25
Rental laptops	$20/day	$600

*Additional charges are applied once when the maximum fine is reached.

Recalled Materials

Recalled material must be returned within 7 days of the date recalled.
Recall due date change notification is sent via email only.

Lost Materials

Lost materials must be reported to the Library. Upon receipt of this report, the borrower is subject to a charge to cover the cost of replacing the material, a standard processing charge, plus any outstanding fines.
Library materials are assumed lost and charges for the cost of replacing these materials are levied when the maximum overdue fines have been reached or an equivalent time period has passed, and the materials are not returned. Borrowers failing to return materials are subject to a charge to cover the cost of replacing the material, a standard processing charge, plus any outstanding fines.
In lieu of the replacement charge, after consultation with library staff, it may be possible to supply an acceptable replacement copy or item.
If an item that has been billed for replacement is found and returned the replacement charge will be removed. The processing charge and any outstanding fines will stand. If the bills associated with the lost item have already been paid when the item is found and returned, the bills will be reassessed. If the reassessment of the bills results in an amount less than previously paid, the borrower will be contacted regarding a refund.

Damaged materials

Damaged materials must be reported to the Library. A fee may be levied for damaged materials, up to and including the full replacement cost of the materials, to repair or replace the materials. A standard processing charge per item and any outstanding fines will also be levied for damaged materials.

Additional Sanctions

Borrowing privileges are suspended immediately for all borrowers with charges greater than $20.
Final marks will be withheld for current Ontario Tech students with overdue items or outstanding bills at the end of the Spring semester.
The following additional sanctions may be applied where appropriate: withholding of transcripts, permission to re-register, or permission to graduate.

8. APPEALS

Borrowers may appeal the application of fines or sanctions. Borrowers should submit an appeal by asking for an Inquiry Request to be completed on their behalf by staff, at any Ontario Tech Library Service desk. Inquiry Requests will be investigated and responded to within 30 days of the date that the Inquiry Request was received.

Borrowers have the opportunity to have the decision of an Inquiry Request reviewed by the Access Services Manager. The borrower is afforded an opportunity to provide additional information to assist the Access Services Manager with the review. Borrowers should submit a request for review directly to the Access Services Manager. The Access Services Manager will review the decision and any additional information within 30 days of the date that the request for review was received.

Borrowers have the opportunity to have the decision of the Access Services Manager reviewed by the University Librarian. The borrower is afforded an opportunity to provide additional information to assist the University Librarian with the review. Borrowers should submit a request for review directly to the University Librarian. The University Librarian will review the decision and any additional information within 30 days of the date that the request for review was received. The decision of the University Librarian is final.