Policies

Library Conduct Policy

Please join Meyer Library in creating and sustaining an environment conducive to study and scholarly collaboration. This includes:

• Treating others with dignity and respect
• Refraining from engaging in behavior that creates a disturbance or interferes with the use of the library for research and study

The following behaviors are deemed unacceptable within an academic library:

• Writing in, underlining, highlighting or otherwise damaging library materials
• Using scooters, skateboards, rollerblades, skates, etc. (except those assisting persons with disabilities), within the library or near library entrances
• Exposing others to pornographic or obscene images
• Leaving minors (children under the age of 12) unsupervised within the library [See Unattended Children Policy]
• Consuming alcohol or exhibiting behavior which indicates intoxication or illegal drug use
• Smoking, vaping, or using electronic cigarettes
• Entering any non-public, restricted, or closed area of the library, including opening emergency exits or activating emergency alarms, except in emergencies
• Stalking, harassing, or making unwanted sexual advances
• Causing a disturbance while obtaining signatures on a petition.  Signatures may not be obtained inside the library except within the context of scheduled meetings in library meeting rooms.

Loan Periods

Meyer Study Room Reservation Policy

Purpose: Study rooms are intended as a place for students, staff, and faculty to study, research, and collaborate. These rooms should not be reserved as meeting space to conduct University business.

Study Room Use

• If not reserved, study rooms are available on a first come, first served basis.

• There are reservable rooms that are for individuals or groups up to three. There are also larger rooms for groups.

• The larger rooms are designated as such in the reservation system and on the windows of those rooms. They should only be reserved for groups of 3 or more.

• Individuals or pairs may use a group study room if it is empty but must relinquish the room to any group. For the purpose of this document, a group is three or more people. Please feel free to reserve a study room that is for individuals or two people.

Reserving study rooms

• Individuals may reserve a study room by using the room reservation system online. Individuals may reserve study rooms up to two weeks in advance.

• People can reserve a room for no more than two hours per day across all study rooms.

Overdue Fines

The Library is not responsible for notifying borrowers that materials are overdue. Email notices for overdue, lost materials, and recalled materials are sent as a courtesy.
All unpaid Library fines are transferred to Financial Services each business day (Monday—Friday) and should be posted to the borrower's account within 48 hours (with the exception of replacement charges for items which are still being searched by library staff).
Fines owed to other libraries for late return of items borrowed through a Missouri State Library account cannot be waived. Missouri State Libraries must abide by the policies of the owning libraries of SWAN/MOBIUS/Prospector materials with regards to overdue charges, and replacement of materials.
If you think that the library has made an error that resulted in a financial charge, or if you have a unique situation or extenuating circumstances that made it difficult to return or renew Library materials on time, please contact the Circulation desk to appeal your charges. Charges may then be upheld, reduced, or waived. The following reasons are NOT generally regarded as valid for cancelling or reducing charges:

• Forgetting or not knowing due dates, amount of fines.
• Disagreeing with fee structure or Library policy
• Loaning the item to a third party, or checking material out on their behalf
• Being too busy or out of town
• Claiming that your need was greater than that of another patron's, or that you were not done with an item
• Not receiving or not reading courtesy notices, overdue notices, or other library communications sent to your email address.
• Transportation problems
• Financial problems

If a borrower believes that they have returned material that is being billed as overdue or lost, they should inform the main Circulation Desk. Library staff will search for the material twice or more, but the material will remain on the borrower’s record until it has been located. If the material is found within the library by library staff, the item (and all charges) will be removed from the borrower’s record. If the material is not found in the library, the borrower will be responsible for the replacement charge. “Lost” materials found by the patron after the initial staff search will retain their processing fee and overdue charge. Items claimed to be found by the borrower within the library must be shown to be sensitized and return date-stamped for any processing fees or overdue charges to be removed.
A borrower may return an item owned by Missouri State Libraries which has been declared "Lost" to the Libraries within one year of its being lost and billed. If the item has not yet been replaced, the Libraries will issue a credit for the replacement cost to the borrower's account via
Financial Services. The $10 processing fee and $10 overdue charge are non-refundable. Refunds or credits for SWAN/MOBIUS items that have been lost and billed are subject to the discretion of the owning libraries.
All late fees and lost or damaged book charges are charged only to the borrower. These charges cannot be transferred to a specific University department, unit, or office. Any university department, unit, or office desiring to accept responsibility for a borrower’s library charges must reimburse the borrower directly. Unpaid fines will result in encumbrances being placed on student accounts.  We accept BearPass Cards, cash, or paper check for payment of fines.  

Proxy Cards Policy

• Proxy Authorization is a service offered to Missouri State faculty and staff members who want other Missouri State individuals to be able to check out materials for the faculty/staff member.
• Completed cards will be given to the faculty or staff person to give to their proxy. The proxy will have the authority to check out library materials for the identified faculty/staff member only at the Springfield Missouri State University libraries.
• A proxy must present the proxy card and a valid picture ID to check out items using the card.
• Only three proxies may be authorized at any given time for one faculty/staff member.
• All proxies will be authorized for a maximum of one year, unless the faculty/staff member specifies a shorter period of time. After 1 year please submit another form and bring in the old proxy card if possible.
• The faculty/staff member is responsible for all materials borrowed on his or her patron record by an authorized proxy. This includes responsibility for payment of all fines and replacement charges.
• Faculty/staff members who use a proxy are encouraged to view their library accounts on a regular basis (we suggest weekly) to confirm all materials checked out by the proxy have been approved by the faculty/staff member. 
• You can also fill out a printable form and return it to the Meyer Library Circulation Desk

Unattended Children Policy

Library staff cannot assume responsibility for children left unattended on Library property. While on Library property, children under 12 years of age (and those requiring supervision) must be in the physical presence and supervision of a responsible adult (defined as a parent, guardian, teacher or assigned caregiver who is at least 16 years of age).

If a responsible adult cannot be located, Library staff will contact MSU Security, which may contact appropriate agencies, which may include emergency medical services, law enforcement agencies or the Missouri Department of Social Services–Children's Division.