Learning Resource Centre Regulations

2.1 Use of Queen Margaret University LRC is free and available to all. Borrowing rights are available to the following:

• Members of the University Court during their term of office
• All University staff
• All matriculated University students and researchers
• Students of other institutions as specified by reciprocal agreements and by the Head of Learning Services.
• University collaborative partners
• External members, of such categories and subject to such conditions and fees as the Head of Learning Services may determine

2.2 Conditions of use, borrowing privileges, and access to electronic and audio-visual resources are dependent on the category under which the user is registered with the LRC.

2.3 Members of the public, who are not registered as external members, may freely use the LRC for consultation and reference only. Members of the public may access some electronic resources on designated terminals, as prescribed by the licence agreement for the individual resource.

2.4 Use of the LRC, or access to its facilities, implies an undertaking to observe these Regulations.

3.1 Users must produce a valid QMU Smart Card whenever they wish to borrow.

3.2 QMU Smart Cards are not transferable.

3.3 Items may be removed from the LRC without first being formally issued as a loan. Any removal or attempted removal of an item without complying with this procedure constitutes an offence and renders the user liable to disciplinary action.

3.4 Users will be held responsible for all items issued on their QMU Smart Card until they are returned to the LRC and duly discharged.

3.5 Books and other items of LRC stock which have been issued on a QMU Smart Card may not be transferred from one LRC user to another.

3.6 Current loan periods must be observed at all times, and items returned by the date and time specified.

3.7 It is the responsibility of the user to return all items by dates and times specified. Reminder notices are a courtesy, not an entitlement.

3.8 Email will be the standard means by which communications from the LRC are delivered. Email will only be sent to a QMU email address.

3.9 When returning items, these must be discharged at the Self Service facility or handed to a member of LRC staff during staffed hours. Users returning LRC materials, issued on their QMU Smart Card, must not leave them unattended in the LRC, whether at the LRC Service Desk, or anywhere else in the LRC. LRC materials remain the responsibility of the user until they are duly discharged and it is the responsibility of the user to check the screen and make sure that items are discharged from their record.

3.10 Fines are levied on all users for the late return of items. Users who fail to return items will be invoiced for the accumulated fines, the cost of replacement and an administration charge. Users who have such an 'account' on their QMU Smart Card will have their borrowing privileges suspended until all accounts are cleared to the satisfaction of the Head of Learning Services.

3.11 University users who are in debt to the LRC, due to non-payment of fines or through failure to clear accounts on their LRC record, by the end of their programme may have their degree certificate withheld and/or will not be allowed to graduate.

3.12 If not required by other users, most items may be renewed for a further period. Items can be renewed at the Self Service facility, in person at the Service Desk, by telephone or electronically via the LRC online catalogue. Please note that, under the Data Protection Act, telephone renewals can only be carried out by the person who originally borrowed the items.

3.13 A reservation or 'hold' may be placed on most items that are currently on loan. Users will be notified when the item becomes available and it will be held for 'pickup' for 7 days.

3.14 Users will be notified if any item issued on their QMU Smart Card is required by another user. These items will no longer be eligible for renewal and must be returned by the date and time specified.

3.15 Any user who fails to return a book, knowing that it is in demand, may be required to pay the costs of replacing it and will be liable to suspension of further borrowing privileges.

3.16 Lost or stolen QMU Smart Cards must be reported to Security and to the LRC immediately. There is a £20 charge for the replacement of lost cards.

4.1 The LRC Regulations are supported by the University Code of Conduct. In line with the General Principles of the University Code of Conduct, all LRC staff are empowered to enforce the Code of Conduct for the duties and operation of LRC facilities and services, and are entitled to be treated with courtesy and respect, when discharging these duties.

4.2 Users must comply with the provisions of any relevant legislation e.g. laws relating to intellectual property rights including copyright, data protection; and also any licence agreements between the University and a third party e.g. the Shibboleth authentication system, which govern the use of software and access to data.

4.3 Users should carry their QMU Smart Card with them at all times and be prepared to show this identification at the request of LRC staff. Failure to produce a valid QMU Smart Card may result in the user being asked to leave the LRC.

4.4 For health and safety reasons, children under 12 will only be admitted to the LRC if they are kept under the close supervision of an adult.

4.5 Silence in areas designated as Silent or Quiet Study Areas must be observed. Mobile phones and other devices must be switched to silent in these areas.

4.6 LRC staff are empowered to remove unattended bags to the LRC Workroom. Users will be able to reclaim such property from the LRC Service Desk.

4.7 Damage or defacement of books and other items of LRC stock is prohibited. Any damage to, or loss of, LRC materials must be made good to the satisfaction of the Head of Learning Services.

4.8 Any defect or damage to a book or other item should be reported immediately to the LRC Service Desk. 

4.9 Users should report any accident, theft or other incident to a member of LRC staff immediately. 

4.10 It is the responsibility of the owners of mains-powered equipment e.g. laptops, to have it tested for electrical safety, and their use is conditional upon the owners' acceptance of responsibility for damage to University property caused by their equipment. No floor boxes are to be used, only the designated extension units provided by the University. The University accepts no responsibility for such equipment or for data stored.

4.11 The University accepts no responsibility for loss or theft of, or damage to, personal belongings left anywhere in the LRC.

4.12 No book or other item of LRC stock may be removed from the LRC unless it has been issued via the Self Service facility or at Service Desk.

4.13 The LRC has electronic security systems to prevent the unauthorised removal of LRC materials. Users must comply with the requirements of their operation.

4.14 LRC staff can ask that bags, briefcases and all other containers be opened, to check for LRC materials being taken out of the LRC, whether or not the security system has been activated.

4.15 Users must leave the LRC immediately on hearing the fire alarm or when required to do so in any emergency. LRC users must comply with directions given by Fire Wardens and Fire Marshals.

An item borrowed from another Library will be subject to the conditions imposed by the lending library.

6.1 Any photocopying, or scanning, of material or downloading of electronic data must comply with the appropriate copyright legislation, and/or appropriate University or LRC licence agreements.

6.2 Some audio-visual materials, software and data are licensed for educational use only; unless otherwise indicated, they may not be copied or used for commercial purposes. The licensing terms and conditions of some software may mean that it is unavailable to external members and other categories of users.

7.1 The University views very seriously any abuse or misuse of the LRC facilities or services. Any abuse of the LRC facilities or services may be dealt with under the appropriate University Regulations Governing Discipline.

7.2 In terms of paragraph 1.4 of the University Regulations Governing Discipline, the LRC Management Team are empowered to deal with minor breaches of the LRC Regulations. Serious breaches will be dealt with under the University Regulations Governing Discipline.

7.3 Any LRC user found to be in breach of LRC Regulations will be asked, in the first instance, to show their QMU Smart Card. Details of the person and the offence will be recorded for future consultation, in accordance with the Data Protection Act.

7.4 In the case of any breach of LRC Regulations, the Head of Learning Services is authorised to suspend the LRC privileges of any user, for a period which could continue in force up to 3 months after which the breach occurred, and also to impose any other appropriate penalties. Any action taken under this Regulation will be reported summarily to, and taken in agreement with, the appropriate Head of School.

7.5 External members who commit a major breach of LRC Regulations will have their membership cancelled and will forfeit fees paid to the University. Re-admission to membership will be at the discretion of the Head of Learning Services.

Please note that all overdue returns will incur a fine. The current fine rates are displayed on the Library webpages. Overdue notices, for University users, will be sent by email to QMU mailboxes. Overdue notices for other users, external to the University, will be sent via email or through the post to their home address.

1.1 Overdue Reminder notices for 21-Day and 7-Day Loans

7 days after expiry of loan: First overdue notice will be sent.

21 days after expiry of loan: Second overdue notice sent.

Failure to return or renew the items, where allowed, results in an account being placed on the user's LRC record and borrowing privileges suspended. An account notice will be duly dispatched for the replacement cost of any overdue items plus an administration cost.

1.2 Overdue 1-Day Loans and DVDs. Overdue 1-day loan materials and DVDs are charged at a higher rate of fines.

Failure to return 1-day loans or DVDs on time is seen as a serious abuse of the LRC service. Overdue notifications and accounts will be sent to users as outlined in 1.1 above.

1.3 Overdue Inter-Library Loans. An item borrowed from another Library through the Inter-Library Loan service will be subject to the conditions imposed by the lending Library. This may ultimately result in the LRC user being invoiced for the replacement cost of the item, plus any administration fee in accordance with the lending library's own regulations. The LRC may also impose a fine in the event of late returns.

1.4 Accounts. All users will be sent accounts for LRC items that are 21 days or more overdue. The University may take further steps to recover items which become seriously overdue. Users must return the item(s), pay any fines due (where applicable to the category of user), and pay an administration cost to clear the account.

If any item(s), issued on a QMU Smart Card have been lost or stolen, the user must pay the replacement cost of the item(s), any fines (where applicable) and the administration cost. If the item(s) are subsequently found, the replacement cost only will be refunded