Collections Use Policies

Borrowing Library Materials

It is the borrower's responsibility to understand and comply with all UK Libraries' policies. As a borrower, you are responsible for all materials charged to your account. Your library card may not be loaned to another person. The card holder is responsible for all costs and consequences of card misuse.

Who is eligible to borrow materials from UK Libraries?

• Any current student, faculty, or staff of the University of Kentucky with a valid UK ID
• Any resident of the state of Kentucky who is at least 18 years of age with a valid KY driver's license or KY non-driver's ID
• Students and faculty of any Reciprocating Kentucky college or university with a valid school ID with photo
• Members of the University of Kentucky Alumni Association with a valid Alumni Associate membership card
• Emeritus Faculty
• Donovan Scholars
• English as a Second Language students (ESL)
• OCLC Reciprocal Faculty Borrowing Program participants with an RFBP card and ID from a participating institution.

Learn more about Loan Periods & Item Limits [link] for all UK Libraries user groups. 

Getting a UK Library Card (Non-UK Borrowers)

Users from other reciprocal institutions may use their institutional ID as their UK Library Card. (Example: A student at Eastern Kentucky University may use their EKU ID to check out a book at UK Libraries)

Community borrowers may be issued a UK Library Card in person at any UK Library by presenting proof of residence in Kentucky. An active Kentucky driver’s license or KY non-driver’s ID may be used to prove residence. Please contact circdesk@uky.edu with any questions about obtaining a UK Library Card.

Renewals Limits

• UK students, community members, and reciprocal borrowers may renew items twice
• Faculty and staff may renew items four times

If you still need an item after the last renewal, bring it back to the library. We will check the item in and then check it back out to you, as long as it has not been requested by another patron. 

There are no renewals on course reserves.

Medical Center Library has no renewals on unbound journals. Please contact the Medical Center Library for more details.

Recall Request

Any UK Libraries user may request a book that is currently checked out to another borrower. UK Libraries will notify the borrower that the item has been recalled, and the borrower will need to finish and return the book within two weeks, unless the original due date is earlier. The user requesting the book will be notified when the book has been returned and is ready for pickup.

Note that recalled items not returned by the new due date will accrue a recall overdue fine of $2.00 per day. Please respond to these notices promptly.

Items that have been recalled may not be renewed.

Research Assistant Authorization

UK faculty and staff may authorize one or more persons to borrow and request library materials on their behalf by submitting this form. A verification email will be sent to the requesting faculty or staff member. Authority to engage in other services and equipment may vary from library to library. Please contact circdesk@uky.edu with any questions.

Course Reserves Deadlines

To ensure that your course reserves will be ready on the first day of the semester, please submit your reserve list by the deadline. These deadlines are communicated via the Course Reserves listserv, and are typically two weeks before the beginning of the semester.

Due to the quantity of reserve lists we receive at the beginning of the semester and the processing time involved for each list, a list submitted after the deadline may take two or three weeks from the time it is received  to fulfill. 

With this in mind, reserve lists may be submitted any time during the semester.  If you would like to add to an existing list that you have already submitted, please submit a new form. 

Course Reserves Listserv

The Coursereserve-L listserv provides information and helpful tips to instructors regarding deadlines, policy updates, and other frequently asked questions.

If you have placed materials on reserve, you will automatically be added to the listserv. 

To subscribe or unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to listserv@lsv.uky.edu.

Copyright for Course Reserves

UK Libraries adheres to copyright law and Fair Use Guidelines when placing materials on course reserve. If you want to use photocopies or digital scans of copyrighted materials in your courses you may need to obtain permission from the copyright holder. 

Copyright permissions for course reserve materials

Some copyrighted material included in course reserves is covered by the fair use provisions of the US Copyright Act (Section 107).

Generally, copyright permissions for photocopied or scanned material are required if:

• Material is used for longer than one semester
• You are photocopying or scanning more than 10% of a book, or more than one article from a journal issue
• More than 12 items are placed on reserve

Copyright permissions are not required if:

• Materials are in the public domain
• Materials are accessible via the E-Journals Database
• Materials are owned by the library or the instructor

If the article you would like to reserve is available electronically through UK Libraries, permission has already been obtained by the library.

No permissions are required to place the library’s copy of a book or journal or your own personal copy of a book or journal on physical reserve.

If the library does not own a book that you would like to use extensively in the future, we will be happy to order a copy if possible.

UK Libraries responsibilities for copyright permissions

The library will obtain copyright permissions for reserve items that are available in the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC). The CCC is a US-based company that licenses copyrighted material on behalf of authors for corporate and academic users. These permissions must be purchased, and the library will pay up to $50 per course.

The library must pay copyright permissions for each student per reading placed on electronic reserve and for each duplicate copy of a reading placed on paper reserves, and do so for each semester that the material is used. To reduce costs:

• Place only required readings on reserve
• Allow the library to place hard copies of books on paper reserve, rather than scans or photocopies, which eliminates the need to obtain copyright permission

In order for the library to provide these copyright services, instructors placing photocopied or scanned material on reserve must submit materials at least three weeks prior to their intended use and provide complete citation information for every item.

Instructor responsibilities for copyright permissions

The instructor must obtain copyright for photocopied or scanned items that are not available via the CCC, or for any permissions obtained by the library that exceed the $50 cost limitation.

To obtain copyright permissions, contact the publisher and use this sample form.

When asking for copyright permission, explain that the materials will be used for course reserves and ask for use of the item for the longest time period possible. Obtaining permissions can be a lengthy process, so it is best to begin this process a semester in advance when possible.

Keep records of granted permissions for the duration of the use of the materials. The library may request to view permissions obtained by the instructor.

Information on Copyright

Find authoritative and up-to-date copyright information via U.S. Copyright Office circulars. Pertinent circulars include:

• Copyright Basics (PDF)
• Reproductions of Copyrighted Works by Educators and Librarians (PDF)

For clarification on questions related to copyright law, please contact the Office of Legal Counsel.

To find information about copyright ownership by individual authors, visit the Authors Registry.

Please direct questions about course reserves and obtaining copyright permissions to circdesk@uky.edu.

Fines

The Libraries are responsible for managing large collections of state-owned materials and must provide an incentive for these materials to be returned in a timely manner. Overdue fines are used as an incentive for borrowers to return library materials after an established, reasonable loan period, so that materials may be properly accounted for and can be made available for other borrowers. 

Overdue Letters sent via email are issued as a courtesy to all library users. Please ensure that your email address is current in the Library System. Unpaid fines may result in suspension of borrowing privileges, the withholding of transcripts and/or diplomas, and/or the blocking of class registration.

All legitimate objections to library charges will be considered, however the following will not constitute a legitimate basis for contesting fines:

• Lack of knowledge or understanding of UK Libraries policies
• Disagreement with the fine structure or the amount owed
• Inability to pay fines and charges (Payment plans are available)
• Unwillingness to take responsibility for materials checked out to you and loaned to a third party
• Failure to receive or read an overdue or courtesy notice
• Fines accrued during vacation or University holidays

The Libraries would much rather have items returned on time than to charge fines. Please return library materials on time and avoid overdue fines.

We do not  is always closed on academic holidays and the week between Christmas and New Years Day. We do our best to maintain the posted hours of operation, though circumstances will occasionally force us to close. You can call the Fines Office at 859-218-2025 or the Ask Us Desk at 859-218-1881 to ensure we’re open before making a trip.

Claimed Returns

If you believe you have returned an item that is being billed as overdue, please contact the owning library’s Ask Us Desk to file a Claims Returned, or submit a Claims Returned form. Library personnel will search for the item up to three times within a maximum of 60 days. The item will stay charged to your account during the search period, but a note will be placed in your record to allow you to continue to check out library materials while the claim is in process. 

If the item is found in the library, the item will be checked in and any fines will be removed. If the material is not found, you will be assessed a lost book replacement cost of $100.  

During the claims returned process, you should continue to look for the item. If you find the item, please return it to the library and let the Ask Us Desk know that there is currently a Claims Returned on the book.  

Damaged or Lost Library Materials Cost

Following our Damaged and Lost Library Materials Policy, the following costs are assessed for lost items:

• Lost book replacement cost: $100
• Other lost item replacement cost: $10

The conditions for use of the Interlibrary Loan services are set by the Interlibrary Loan Code of the American Library Association, US Copyright Law, and by regulations of individual lending libraries. 

All University of Kentucky faculty, emeritus faculty, staff, students, and visiting scholars may use ILL and document delivery services, provided they have no outstanding library fines or fees. 

Young Library Interlibrary Loan serves all colleges and departments, with the exception of the College of Law, which is served by Law Library Interlibrary Loan.

Most material may be acquired within two weeks, though some material may arrive more quickly. International requests may take more than three months to obtain. Always indicate any deadlines you may have on the ILL form and plan on submitting your requests well in advance.

Borrowed items kept overdue by patrons create critical problems for Interlibrary Loan service. Lending libraries may cease to lend to our institution until all overdue material is returned. Costly fines and replacement fees could also be incurred. Items kept extremely overdue will result in a $20 fine from UK Libraries and a block of your use of the ILLiad service until the overdue is resolved.

Loan periods, item limits, and policies vary depending on the borrower and which UK Libraries location holds the material on loan.

For most items, check-out times and renewals are determined by the total number of days of the original checkout and renewals allowed.  

• Non-UK borrowers have 84 days total
• UK Undergraduate Students have 126 days total 
• UK Graduate Students have 270 days total 
• UK Faculty/Staff have 600 days total 

Need the item longer? If you still need an item after your last renewal, bring the book back to the library, and we will check the item back out to you as long as it has not been requested by someone else.

UK Libraries' electronic resources, including databases, ebooks, e-journals, and streaming media are generally governed by license agreements that limit their use to current UK students, faculty, and staff, or community members who are physically present in the library.

Each user is responsible for ensuring that licensed products are used only for non-commercial, educational, clinical, scholarly, or research purposes. Permitted actions generally include: downloading, viewing, temporarily storing, or printing discrete, reasonable portions of the materials.

 The following activities are strictly prohibited:

• Systematically downloading, distributing, or retaining indefinitely substantial portions of information
• The use of software such as scripts, agents, or robots to harvest information
• Sharing passwords or other access codes with unauthorized users
• Running open proxy and open terminal services
• Posting copyrighted materials on publicly accessible websites
• Sharing proprietary or client software connected to information resources

Violations of these terms may result in the loss of access to these resources for the entire University of Kentucky community. The person violating these terms is liable for any infringement they have caused.

Engaging in actions intended to circumvent or defeat access control mechanisms of the library or information provider may result in revocation of library privileges and other campus, civil, or criminal disciplinary measures. 

Systematic downloading, either manually or with specialized software, is detectable by information providers and traceable to specific computers. 

Use of these resources may also be covered under UK’s Use of Technology Resources regulations. Each licensed product may have more specific or additional permissions or prohibitions. In many instances, walk-in users (individuals who are physically present on the UK campus and who are not UK students, faculty, or staff) are restricted in the amount of material they may download or print by the specific agreement for a license. 

Exceptions

Exceptions to these limits include titles in the public domain, government documents, and certain open access works.

• Public domain titles are those for which copyright protection has expired, been explicitly waived by the work’s creator, or is not allowed (as with many government documents).
• Government publications created by federal employees in the course of their work are considered in the public domain in the US. Publications from many non-US governments are also freely available for reuse.
• Certain open access works may have fewer limits on reuse. Many open access works are still governed by publisher restrictions, and their terms of use reflect the terms of use for licensed resources. Others are governed by Creative Commons licenses, which allow for broader reuse. Some Creative Commons licenses allow for reusing the original work on the broadest of terms, as long as the original creator is credited. Other Creative Commons licenses only allow for downloading and sharing the work non-commercially, and disallow any changes to the original work. There are other Creative Commons licenses that fall between these two extremes. If a work is open access, double-check how it may be reused, or contact the Electronic Resources Department for assistance.
• Several of our resources allow for text and data mining. A list of resources can be found here: https://libguides.uky.edu/datasources/mining. If you are interested in using text or data mining with a resource that is not found on this list, please contact the vendor directly to request permission.
• While copyright law does not allow for public viewings of licensed streaming media, some of our licenses have granted us additional permission for non-commercial public viewing. Individual platforms’ public performance rights can be viewed at https://libguides.uky.edu/streamingmedia. 

Please direct any questions about the appropriate use of licensed information resources to the Electronic Resources Department at lib-er@lsv.uky.edu.

To ensure the security and preservation of the SCRC's rare and unique materials, we ask that all users of the Breckinridge Research Room (BRR) and Breckinridge Digital Studio (BDS) review and abide by the following policies.

Use of BRR and BDS equipment requires compliance with these policies as well as UK regulations governing the Use of Technology Resources.

Please silence all cell phones and limit their use to messaging. Phone conversations in the BRR are prohibited.

We ask that users mute laptops and tablets or wear headphones if playing audio.

Please limit personal items to laptops, tablets, note-taking paper or notepads, and pencils. Pencils and note-taking paper are available. Photography of materials is allowed with a phone or camera. No flash photography.

Lockers are available for secure storage of all other personal items not permitted in the BRR. Items prohibited at the research tables include:

• Pens
•  Food, drinks, candy, or gum of any kind
• Book bags, briefcases, laptop cases, purses, hand bags, backpacks
•  Coats, hats, gloves, scarves, umbrellas
•  Large binders or notebooks (8.5”x11” or larger)
• Outside books

A staff member may ask that you store or discard any other items they deem a potential risk to collections. Please consult with BRR staff regarding outside books, notes, or other materials you would like to use while conducting research or utilizing the room for quiet study.

The Breckinridge Research Room is equipped with security cameras and other security devices.

Many of our materials are very fragile. To ensure their long-term preservation and capacity for re-use, we ask that you carefully follow these material use policies.

 Accessing and Arranging Materials

• The staff person on duty will check out and check in items for you. We will be happy to help you with large or heavy items.
• Boxes and materials should be kept on a table, never on the floor or on a chair.
• Please arrange boxes and materials on the table to allow for a clear line of sight between yourself and the staff person and page on duty. We ask that you do this for security purposes, and so that we may ensure proper handling of materials.
•  Reference books in the BRR should be returned to the SCRC staff member at the desk after use.

Viewing and Handling Materials

• When viewing a box, you may only remove one folder at a time, leaving an out card to indicate where the folder was removed from the box.
•  Keep all materials flat on the table. Be mindful of your elbows and be careful not to lean on or bend materials.
• Please turn pages one at a time.
•  All materials must be kept in the exact order in which they are found. If you notice something that appears out of order, please alert the staff person on duty and do not attempt to correct the error yourself.
• Never place your note-taking paper or laptop on top of an item or write over top of an item.

Be aware that at any time, a staff person on duty may approach you with a friendly reminder regarding these policies, or to adjust the use of materials to better accommodate the condition of a fragile item. This is a normal part of research with original or fragile materials.

The BRR is available to all registered users as a quiet study space. No appointment is necessary to access the room for general study, though you will be asked to sign in when you arrive.

The University of Kentucky Libraries Special Collections Research Center (SCRC) provides broad public access to collections as a contribution to education and scholarship. Most content in the digital libraries is protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). Use of the materials may also be subject to other legal rights, such as rights of publicity, privacy rights, or other legal interests. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. As noted, additional permissions may also be required. The SCRC does not authorize any use or reproduction whatsoever for commercial purposes.

The SCRC makes digital versions of collections accessible in the following situations:

• The materials are in the public domain
• The rights are owned by the holding repository
• Holding repositories have permission to make them accessible
• Materials are made accessible for education and research purposes as a legal fair use
• There are no known restrictions on use

The SCRC can digitize a maximum of 10% of a work in copyright.

Researchers should consult with the SCRC for information about rights, contacts, and permissions. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of an item and securing any necessary permissions ultimately rests with those persons wishing to use the item(s).

To contact us, please email scrc@uky.edu.

Breckinridge Digital Studio

The Breckinridge Digital Studio (BDS), located in the Breckinridge Research Room in the Special Collections Research Center, provides scanning equipment to all registered users for the digitization of personal research materials and select SCRC materials.

The Breckinridge Digital Studio is open during regular SCRC hours.

To ensure the continued availability of BDS equipment and the preservation of SCRC materials, all users are expected to agree to and comply with the same security policies and user agreements as the Breckinridge Research Room. Use of BDS equipment requires compliance with these policies as well as UK regulations governing the Use of Technology Resources.

Scanning materials and obtaining usage rights is solely the responsibility of the user. Please view the UK Libraries Copyright Policy for further information.

You may come across language in our collections or online resources that you find harmful or offensive. In the interest of preserving and presenting the historical record, the SCRC collects materials from all cultures and time periods. These materials document the time period in which they were created and demonstrate the views of their creator. As a result, some may contain oppressive, biased, and marginalizing language that does not reflect the values of UK Libraries.

We make every effort to ensure that our finding aids and collection guides do not reproduce the harms of the materials they describe. If you find a description with problematic language that you think the SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.