Circulation Policies
Check-out of library materials is permitted for currently enrolled students, appointed faculty and staff, and other individuals who have been approved for circulation privileges by the User Services department.
Borrowing privileges may be obtained by completing the Application for Circulation Privileges form available at the Mullins Help Desk. Fees apply for community borrowers. Circulation privileges are not transferable from one person to another.
Identification
All patrons must present a valid University of Arkansas photo identification card. The patron is responsible for all materials borrowed against his/her I.D.
Loan Periods
A chart of loan periods and other borrower privileges for items in the MAIN collection is available online.
Faculty Authorization
Faculty Authorization enables graduate students and staff members to check out materials or pick up interlibrary materials for the faculty member. Authorization may be requested by completing the request for faculty authorization online or at the Mullins Help Desk. Faculty members are responsible for all materials checked out by individuals they authorize.
Laptops
Laptop computers may be checked out by students, faculty, and staff from the Mullins Tech Spot in Mullins Library for five hours. Laptops and other multimedia equipment available through Information Technology Services can be reserved up to a week in advance at reserveit.uark.edu. An overdue fine of $10.00 is charged for each hour, or any portion thereof for items kept past the time they are due. Fees will be assessed for any damaged or lost items. Please contact the Student Technology Center at 479-575-8602 or stc@uark.edu with any questions.
Renewals
Library materials other than journals may be renewed two times as long as they have not been requested by another patron. Renewals can be made while viewing your patron record from My Library Account, by phoning 479-575-4104, or by bringing the items with a valid University I.D. to the Mullins Help Desk.
Requests and Holds
Use the Request this Item button in the online catalog to ask that items be pulled and held for you. You may specify the library where you would like to pick up your materials. More about how to request
Recalls
Library staff may recall materials when items are needed for course reserve or when Interlibrary Loan is unable to fulfill a request.
If library staff recall an item before its original due date, a notice to return the item is sent to the patron to whom the item is currently checked out. Individuals who fail to respond after one recall notice will be fined $1.00 per day until the item is returned ($30.00 maximum). Failure to respond to the final notice will result in an invoice for the cost of the book and for the total fine.
Searches
A search may be requested by a borrower for an item that is neither on the shelf nor currently checked out by another patron. A search request may be submitted to the Mullins Help Desk and will be processed daily. The requester will be notified of the search result. If a search item is located, it will be held at the Mullins Help Desk for pick up. If library staff cannot locate the item the patron requested, the patron may then request the item through Interlibrary Loan.
A search may also be requested for items that a patron claims to have returned to the library. The patron must complete a Claims Returned form at the Mullins Help Desk with as much detailed information as possible (e.g. the date, time of the day when an item was returned, or the location where an item was returned) to initiate a search process. A search will be conducted daily for the first week, and weekly for one month. If the item is not located after one month of searching, then the patron is responsible for replacing the item.
Overdue Items
Courtesy overdue reminder notices are sent to all patrons via campus email. Failure to receive the courtesy notice does not, however, exempt borrowers from fines.
The status of checked out items is always available for review online by using My Library Account or by calling the Mullins Help Desk 479-575-4104.
A fine is assessed on books and musical scores that are six or more days overdue. The charge is three dollars ($3.00) for the sixth day and fifty cents ($.50) for each day thereafter. Overdue fines are not charged if library materials are returned within the five-day grace period.
A fine of one dollar ($1.00) an hour or fraction of an hour is charged for reserve materials that are not returned within one hour of the time due.
A fine of one dollar ($1.00) per day is charged for overdue recalled items and one dollar ($1.00) per day for overdue bound journals.
A fine of three dollars ($3.00) per day is charged for overdue reference books.
Charges for damaged books vary according to the amount of damage.
Overdue fines for electronic equipment are ten dollars ($10.00) for each hour, or any portion thereof for items kept longer than three hours. A replacement charge of up to $3,000 may be assessed for loss or damage.
Invoicing
When materials are thirty days overdue, an invoice is sent. The amount of the invoice is a fifteen dollar ($15.00) fine for thirty days overdue plus replacement cost for the item. Replacement costs may vary by subject area and are based on average costs in each discipline.
Overdue reserve materials may be fined up to thirty dollars ($30.00), and overdue recalled items may accrue a fine of up to thirty dollars ($30.00).
Invoices must be paid to the Treasurer's Office. If books that have been invoiced are returned, an adjustment notice will be sent to the Treasurer's Office reducing the billed amount to the overdue fine. No refunds or adjustments for paid invoices are processed after six months.
Patrons who are invoiced for materials are blocked from circulation privileges until materials are returned or the invoice is paid. Questions about an invoice or requests for adjustments are handled at the Mullins Help Desk 8:00am - 5:00pm Monday through Friday.