The services and policies on this page apply to Burke Library, the main library on campus. Consult the Media Library and Music Library home pages for policies that apply to those collections.
Hamilton College students may borrow an unlimited number of books for the semester. All books are due on the last day of final exams. The library may recall a book after fourteen days if requested by another patron. Books that have been recalled may not be renewed. Books cannot be borrowed by students in the Off Campus Study programs, including international and domestic programs. The College I.D. serves as the borrower's library card. Cards are non-transferrable to other patrons. The owner of the card will be held responsible for any lost, overdue or damaged books charged out in his name.
Books returned after the last day of final exams, are subject to a fine of $.20 per day to a maximum of $40.00 per book. After the book has been overdue for 80 days, the system will add this fine as a replacement charge to the patron's record, and it will not be refunded if the book is returned. The student will be billed for the book(s) by the College Business Office.
During the time between when the book becomes overdue and the billing letter is sent, a patron receives 7 overdue notices. The first notice is sent on the day after the due date. The second notice and all subsequent notices, are sent in 10 day intervals.
Students who fail to return books which have been recalled by the date indicated in the recall letter, will be fined $5.00 per day up to the maximum of $40.00. The book then is considered overdue and the student will be billed as described above.
Damaged books will be replaced and the borrower will be charged $40.00 per book to pay for the replacement.
Faculty, Administrators and Staff may check out up to 300 library materials at a time. Items must be returned or renewed before the last day of exams each semester. Books checked out following the end of the spring term are due at the start of the fall term. Items that are not returned or renewed will be declared missing and replaced. The borrower’s departmental library book budget will be charged for the replacement.
As long as the retired employee resides within a 50-mile radius of the college, borrowing privileges will remain the same as when they were active. This includes the ability to borrow materials through interlibrary loan. Retired employees who reside outside of the local area are not able to borrow materials directly from the library. They are encouraged to get in touch with a local library near them and may request Hamilton-owned items via the library’s interlibrary loan system.
Spouses and children of college employees and Alumni may borrow up to 50 books at a time. Alumni must live within a 50-mile radius of the college. Items are loaned out for one term. Patrons are subject to fines for overdue books and recalls.
Area residents, area college students and most summer program participants may check out up to 20 books for a period of 28 days. Books may be renewed twice. These patrons may not recall a book from another borrower. Fines are assessed at $.50 per day per book up to the maximum of $40.00 per book. Recalls are fined at $5.00 per day per book up to the maximum ($40.00).
The Reserve collection consists of course related readings, permanent departmental materials, magazines, newspapers, and a selection of heavily used Reference materials. Books on reserve are arranged in call number order, personal copies and photocopies are assigned a number when placed on reserve.
Students needing paper reserve materials must obtain the call number before the Circulation staff can retrieve the readings. The Reference librarians or Circulation staff are available to teach students how to use the online catalog to find the call numbers they need. If a librarian is not available, there are written instructions at the Reserve desk, or a Circulation staff member can help.
Due to the importance of reserve materials to classroom teaching, and the necessity of allowing all students in a class to use the items, reserves must returned on time. Reserve fines accrue at the rate of $1.00 per hour. Unlike other overdues, there is no overdue notice to remind the student that he has an overdue reserve, although we will send reminder notes, or call for it's return. Once the item has been checked in, the overdue fine will be added to the paton's record.
Faculty interested in placing materials on reserve for a course should contact the Circulation department at 315-859-4479. Additional information and instructions are available on the placing materials on reserve page.
Any item except a reserve, can be recalled after a patron has had it checked out for at least two weeks.
Reserve recalls may be placed at any time and are due in 5 days. The item does not have to be checked for two weeks as with non-reserve items.
If recalled books are not returned by the date specified in the letter, a late fine of $5.00 per day will accrue to a total of $40.00.
WHO MAY PLACE RECALLS:
Recalls may be placed by students, faculty, staff and administrators. Recalls are not placed for area college students, such as Colgate students or community borrowers.
Holds may be placed on an item that is missing or overdue, or for any other reason that the book cannot be recalled, or the patron doesn't want to place a recall at that time. This is done so that the requesting patron may receive notice that the item has been returned or replaced. A hold may be placed only by a Circulation Staff member at the Circulation Desk.
Elizabeth Brotherton, Circulation Assistant
E-Mail: ebrother@hamilton.edu
Telephone: 315-859-4479
Phillip Gisondi, Circulation Assistant
E-Mail: pgisondi@hamilton.edu
Telephone: 315-859-4479
Linda Hodinger, Public Services Assistant
E-Mail: lhodinge@hamilton.edu
Telephone: 315-859-4496
Cynthia McKelvey, Circulation Assistant
E-Mail: cmckelve@hamilton.edu
Telephone: 315-859-4479
Katrina Schell, Circulation Assistant
E-Mail: kschell@hamilton.edu
Telephone: 315-859-4479
