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Borrow, Renew, Request

Borrowing From the Libraries

Students, faculty/staff, and community members may borrow materials from the OWU Libraries with a valid Ohio Wesleyan University ID or specially issued library card. Checkout periods, renewals, and fines/fees are posted below. The library's circulation policy contains detailed information about the loan rules for all types of borrowers.


Loan Rules

To view loan rules, number of checkouts, fines, fees, and more for some of our most popular items, click the tab that best describes your patron status. 

How many items can I check out?

You can borrow up to a total of 250 items at any one time. However, there are further limits on the number of items you can borrow from other CONSORT libraries, OhioLINK, and SearchOhio so please consult the following table:

 Lending Library Max. Number of Checkouts     
All (includes items from OWU, 
CONSORT, OhioLINK, and SearchOhio)
250
Non-OWU (includes CONSORT, 
OhioLINK, and SearchOhio)
100
OhioLINK 50
SearchOhio 25

 

How long can I keep items?

You can keep some items longer than others. It depends on the type of item and where it came from.

 Item Type Loan Period Renewals
Books -
General and Browsing Collections
5 weeks
Seniors: Academic year
3
Seniors: 0
Scores and Sheet music
(selected, small format scores only)
5 weeks
Seniors: Academic year
3
Seniors: 0
GovDocs 5 weeks
Seniors: Academic year
3
Seniors: 0
Course Reserves Check with The Desk 0
Permanent Reserves Check with The Desk 0
Short Loan Laptops 4 hours 0
Media 7 days 3
Media Equipment 2 days 0
Interlibrary Loans Check with ILL Office 0
CONSORT Loans 3 weeks
Seniors: Academic year
6
Seniors: 0
CONSORT Media 7 days 3
OhioLINK Loans 3 weeks 6
OhioLINK Media 7 days 3
SearchOhio Books, Audiobooks, Music 3 weeks 3
SearchOhio DVDs 1 week 3

 

What are the fines/fees for overdue and lost/damaged items?

*Please Note: Fines for most overdue items will be waived upon an item's return. Items that will retain an overdue fine regardless of their return are listed below. 

 Overdue Item Item Cost Maximum Fine     
Reserve Material Price per hour or day varies by item type $25
Interlibrary Loans Determined by lending institution NA
Short Loan Laptops $5 per hour $25
Media Equipment $5 per day $25


 

 Lost/Damaged Item Item Cost Processing Charge Total Amount Due
Lost Books, Gov. Docs, & Media (OWU, CONSORT, OhioLINK, SearchOhio) $110 $15 $125
Lost Interlibrary Loans Determined by lending institution  NA Total will vary
Lost OWU Laptop or Media Equipment Actual cost of item + accumulated overdue fines $15 Total will vary
Damaged Books, Gov. Docs, & Media (OWU, CONSORT, OhioLINK, SearchOhio) Cost of repair. If repair impossible - $110 + processing fee $15 (applied only if repair impossible)
 
Total will vary
Damaged Interlibrary Loans Determined by lending institution NA  Total will vary
Damaged OWU Laptop or Media Equipment Cost of repair. If repair impossible - Actual cost of item + processing fee $15 (applied only if repair impossible) Total will vary

How many items can I check out?

You can borrow up to a total of 250 items at any one time. However, there are further limits on the number of items you can borrow from other CONSORT libraries, OhioLINK, and SearchOhio so please consult the following table:

  Lending Library Max. Number of Checkouts     
All (includes items from OWU, 
CONSORT, OhioLINK, and SearchOhio)
250
Non-OWU (includes CONSORT, 
OhioLINK, and SearchOhio)
200
OhioLINK 200
SearchOhio 25

 

How long can I keep items?

You can keep some items longer than others. It depends on the type of item and where it came from.

  Item Type Loan Period Renewals     
Books, Scores - General Collection 1 year 6
Books - Browsing Collection 1 year 1
GovDocs 1 year 1
Course Reserves Check with The Desk 0
Permanent Reserves Check with The Desk 0
Periodicals 1 day 0
Reference Books With special permission 0
Short Loan Laptops 4 hours 0
Media 7 days 3
Media Equipment 2 days 0
Interlibrary Loans Check with ILL Office 0
CONSORT Loans 1 year 1
CONSORT Media 7 days 3
OhioLINK Loans 6 weeks 6
OhioLINK Media 7 days 3
SearchOhio Books, Audiobooks, Music 3 weeks 3
SearchOhio DVDs 1 week 3

 

What are the fees for lost or damaged items?

  Lost/Damaged Item Item Cost Processing Charge Total Amount Due
Lost Books, Gov. Docs, & Media (OWU, CONSORT, OhioLINK, SearchOhio) $110 $15 $125
Lost OWU Periodical Actual cost of item $15 Total will vary
Lost Interlibrary Loans Determined by lending institution NA Total will vary
Lost OWU Laptop or Media Equipment Actual cost of item $15 Total will vary
Damaged Books, Gov. Docs., & Media (OWU, CONSORT, OhioLINKSearchOhio) Cost of repair. If repair impossible - $110 + processing fee $15 (applied only if repair impossible) Total will vary
Damaged OWU Periodical Cost of repair. If repair impossible - Actual cost of item + processing fee $15 (applied only if repair impossible) Total will vary
Damaged Interlibrary Loan Determined by lending institution NA Total will vary
Damaged OWU Laptop or Media Equipment Cost of repair. If repair impossible - Actual cost of item + processing fee $15 (applied only if repair impossible) Total will vary

OWU Community Members include OWU alumni, family of OWU faculty and staff, contracted staff, and Delaware residents.


How many items can I check out?

You can borrow up to a total of 25 items at any one time. However, there are further limits on the number of items you can borrow from other CONSORT libraries, OhioLINK, and SearchOhio so please consult the following table:

 Lending Library Max. Number of Checkouts     
OWU Materials 25
Non-OWU Materials (includes CONSORT, 
OhioLINK, and SearchOhio)
25
OhioLINK* 5
SearchOhio 25

*Delaware residents & contracted staff may not borrow materials from other CONSORT or OhioLINK libraries. Instead, they should establish SearchOhio accounts through their local public libraries.

*OWU Community Members also may not borrow OWU Media or OWU Media Equipment.


 

How long can I keep items?

You can keep some items longer than others. It depends on the type of item and where it came from.

 Item Type  Loan Period           Renewals     
Books - General Collection 5 weeks           3
Books - Browsing Collection 5 weeks           3
CONSORT Loans* 3 weeks           6
CONSORT Media* 7 days           3
OhioLINK Loans* 6 weeks           6
OhioLINK Media*     7 days           3
SearchOhio Books, Audiobooks, Music 3 weeks           3
SearchOhio DVDs 1 week           3

* Delaware residents & contracted staff may not borrow materials from other CONSORT or OhioLINK libraries. Instead, they should establish SearchOhio accounts through their local public libraries.

*OWU Community Members also may not borrow OWU Media or OWU Media Equipment


 

What are the fines/fees for overdue and lost/damaged items?

*Please Note: Fines for most overdue items will be waived upon an item's return. Items that will retain an overdue fine regardless of their return are listed below. 

 Overdue Item Fine Maximum Fine     
Reserve Material $1 per hour or day (depends on item type) $25

 

 Lost/Damaged Item Item Cost Processing Charge Total Amount Due
Lost OWU, CONSORT*, OhioLINK*, SearchOhio* Materials $110 $15 $125
Damaged Books & Media Cost of repair. If repair impossible - $110 + processing fee $15 (applied only if repair impossible) Total will vary

* Does not apply to residents or contracted staff


Renewing Items

To help provide a better user experience, the OWU Libraries have implemented automatic renewals for all eligible items.

Some items, such as periodicals, items from the browsing collection, items on reserve, and items for which other patrons have submitted requests may not be renewed.

For a more detailed list of eligible items and how many times a specific item will automatically renew, clink the link above that best describes your patron status.


Requesting from Other Libraries

If you are a student, faculty, or staff member, you may borrow items from other CONSORT schools - Kenyon College, Denison University, and College of Wooster.

To request an item from another CONSORT school, click the request button for the item you would like to borrow in CONSORT and enter your name and library barcode number.

You may also borrow items from OhioLINK, a consortium of 121 college and university libraries,  or SearchOhio, a consortium comprised of Ohio public libraries.

If you have trouble finding an item in CONSORT, OhioLINK, or SearchOhio you can request materials through OWU's interlibrary loan service. Please allow extra time for delivery of these items.


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