Mike & Myra McCoy
Library & Learning Center

Library Policies and Services

Loan Periods

Loan periods vary according to the type of material borrowed and the borrower’s status. Borrowers are responsible for returning items on time and in good condition. Loans of one day or longer are due by closing time on the due date.

Patron Classification	Books & AVs	Reference	Reserve
Students & Staff	3 weeks	In library only	In library or overnight
Faculty	4 weeks	In library only	In library or overnight
Alumni	2 weeks	In library only	In library only
Local Pastors	2 weeks	In library only	In library only
Visitors	In library only	In library only	In library only

Items can be renewed if there are no holds on them. Renewals can be requested by email or through the Library Catalog.

Reserves

Reserves are available for 3-hour, in-library use. They can be found on the open Reserves shelves in the library and are designated with a blue “Reserve” sticker on the cover of the book. These items should always be checked out by a library or front desk staff person. This helps count the use, keeps track of the time due back, and provides equitable access to the item.

As a courtesy, when possible and affordable, the Library purchases digital versions of Required books. Links to these eBooks are added to the relevant course page in Populi.

Interlibrary Loans

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is a service provided to students, faculty, and staff to supplement resources available in The Seattle School Library. Requests may be submitted via email, in person, or through the “Request this Article” option in the EBSCO databases.

ILL requests can take time for our staff to process and fill so it is good to plan ahead. If you are working on a tight deadline, try using the “Full Text” filter in our databases to avoid search results that require ILL.

The Library does not provide interlibrary loan service for required texts.

What Materials & Services Are Available to Low-Residency Students?

Any physical item in our collection that is not also available in an eBook format and circulates can be mailed to our Low Residency students in the continental United States. Students are responsible for returning the books by mail (Media Mail is acceptable) when they are due. Renewals are possible unless there are holds on them.

We continue to expand the number of digital resources available in the library. Whenever possible and affordable, acquisition of a digital format is prioritized over a print one. The library databases contain over 200,000 electronic books and thousands of full-text journals.

We will scan and email book sections, subject to the “fair use” clause as defined by the U.S. Copyright office. In practice, this is typically 1-2 chapters or up to 10% of a book.

Interlibrary Loan services for low-residency students do not include borrowing print books from other libraries, as these must be picked up from the library in the Red Brick Building. However, we will evaluate any request for a book we don’t own, and if it meets our collection development criteria and budget allows, acquire it for the library.

What Materials & Services Are Available to Alumni?

The Seattle School alumni retain certain library privileges following graduation. These include:

Borrowing Library Materials
Items not on Reserve may be placed on hold and are checked out for the usual loan periods. There is a 10-item limit on materials checked out. You must borrow in person; we do not routinely mail library materials.

Access to Online Resources
Access to Atla Serials Plus, an online full-text collection of more than 180 key theological journals, is available off-site to our alumni. Contact one of the librarians for login information.

We are not able to offer remote access to the online library databases due to licensing restrictions from the vendors. Local alumni may use them on-site with a guest login.

Research Consultation
Library staff will provide research assistance for your continuing education or professional development. Requests can be made in-person (making an appointment is encouraged to ensure library staff is available), via email, or by phone. Alumni may also request a limited number of full-text articles or book chapters from our local collection.

These services are limited and at the discretion of Library staff; the needs of our current students and faculty always take precedence.

Interlibrary Loan
Library staff will obtain and email a limited number of articles or chapter scans from items not available in our collection if they can be obtained at no cost.

We do not borrow books from other libraries for alumni. Most public libraries offer interlibrary loan services to their patrons and many college/university libraries offer the opportunity to purchase limited library privileges at a reasonable cost.

Where Else Can I Find Library Resources?

University or Community College Libraries
Many universities and community college libraries offer the ability to purchase a Community Borrower’s Card, typically for 3 -12 months, for a reasonable cost. In most cases, this does not allow for remote use of the library’s databases, but you can often use a guest wireless account and library computers while you are in the building.

For students in the greater Seattle areas, some options to consider are:

Public Libraries
Public libraries can be good supplemental resources for materials not available in our library and will often offer interlibrary loan services for patrons. For students in the greater Seattle areas, some options to consider are:

Theological Libraries Consortia

We are a member of two theological library consortiums that offer reciprocal borrowing privileges. Students and faculty of participating schools may borrow physical items from other participating schools, subject to that school’s circulation times periods. Together, there are more than 300 libraries around the country, so it is worth checking to see if there is a school nearby your home.

American Theological Library Association (Atla) Reciprocal Borrowing Program
As a student, you have checkout privileges at participating libraries around the United States. Learn more about which libraries participate in this program.
Association of Christian Libraries Reciprocal Borrowing Program
Faculty, students, and staff, have reciprocal access to the physical collections of participating Christian institutions.

Computer Access

The Library has a computer lab for use by students, faculty, and staff. Personal laptops may connect to the wireless network. Instructions for setting up this access are available in the library. An audiovisual viewing station is available for watching DVD or VHS materials in the library. Headphones are required to use this station; you may use your own or use the set available at the viewing station.

Acceptable Use of Computing Resources Policy

Printing

A printer/photocopier/scanner is available in the library. Scanning documents is free, and there is a minimal charge for printing/photocopying:

$0.08 for a single-sided, black & white page
$0.12 for a double-sided, black & white page
$0.25 per side in color

Students can access their printing accounts to view their balance, add funds, and print wirelessly while on-campus.

Copyright

Copyright is a form of legal protection provided by U.S, law, Title 17 U.S.C. §512(c) (2), that protects an owner’s right to control the reproduction, distribution, performance, display and transmission of a copyrighted work. The public, in turn, is provided with specific rights for fair use of copyrighted works.

The Library uses due diligence in complying with all of the provisions of the U.S. Copyright Law (17 U.S.C.) and its amendments, as well as the Digital Rights Management Act, as well as the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998. The library supports the Fair Use section of the Copyright Law (17 U.S.C. 107) which permits and protects citizens’ rights to reproduce and make use of copyrighted works for the purposes of teaching, scholarship, and research.
Unauthorized Distribution of Copyrighted Material on The Seattle School Network

Overdue Fines & Replacement Costs

The Mike & Myra McCoy Library & Learning Center has finite resources and we wish to ensure equitable access to all library patrons.

Charges may be assessed in the following cases:

Late fines are assessed for Reserve items at a rate $.50 per hour.
Lost or damaged items, items that are more than 30 days overdue, reserve items, OR items that have holds may be billed for the actual cost to replace the item and a $20 fee
Unpaid fines and fees will be added to the student’s account at the end of each term.