Pikeville College - School of Osteopathic Medicine - Medical Library - Policies

Medical Library Policies

Who may use the medical library?

1. All PC & PCSOM students, faculty and staff are welcome to use the medical library.
2. Adults from the general public are welcome to make use of most library resources. Adults from the local community who wish to check-out library materials may sign-up for “Special Patron” status. Identification materials that include the individual’s age and current address must be presented before “Special Patron” status can be granted. “Special Patrons” can only have three items checked-out from the medical library at any point in time.
3. Children accompanied by, and directly supervised by, a parent or guardian are allowed inside the medical library.
4. The medical library’s resources includes graphic, non-censored material. Therefore use by the general public is limited to use by individuals over 18 years of age and children directly supervised by a parent or guardian. Individuals between 16 and 18 years-of-age who wish to use the medical library’s resources without parental supervision should speak to a medical library staff member about the paperwork that must be completed before such unsupervised access can be granted.

How long will I be able to keep an item checked-out from the medical library?

The check-out period varies with the location of the item.

Medical Reference

Reference materials generally do not circulate. However, there are a couple of exceptions:

1. Materials from the Medical Reference location are checked-out to those who wish to use these materials in other areas of the 119 College St. building. They are due back to the third floor circulation desk or back to the third floor drop box before the beginning of the next business day. Failure to return Reference items on time will result in ten cents/hour fines and may result in termination of the individual’s Medical Reference check-out privileges. Removing these materials from the building may result in the termination of an individual’s Medical Reference check-out privileges.
2. Medical Reference materials may be checked out for two hours at a time for copying in another building. The individual checking the materials out must tell the involved library staff member that he/she plans to remove the material from the 119 College St. building for photocopying purposes. Fines are charged for late return (ten cents per hour) and failure to return Reference items on time may also result in termination of an individual’s Medical Reference check-out privileges.

Medical Reserve

Medical Reserve items can typically be checked out for three days, unless they are on Instructor Reserve. Instructor Reserve circulation periods are set by the instructor. Medical Reserve materials may be renewed if a hold has not been placed on the item(s) by another library patron.

Medical

Materials in the “Medical” collection (non-Reserve, non-Reference materials) are checked out for 28 days at a time. Medical materials may be renewed if a hold has not been placed on the item(s) by another library patron.

Extension/Renewal

An extension or renewal in check-out periods will generally be granted for mail deliveries/returns of Medical and Medical Reserve materials.

Medical students may renew books that they currently have out by visiting the library, calling the library at (606) 218-5150 or by e-mailing the library staff at pcsomlibrary@pc.edu.

What fines will I have to pay if I return an item after its due date?

Generally, PCSOM students, faculty and staff are not charged overdue fines. However, fees may be assessed for seriously delinquent, lost or damaged items. Overdue items are subject to recall if another patron requests the item.

All other patrons are subject to fines and fees as follows:

• Ten cents per day per item for items checked-out for one day or more at a time.
• Ten cents per hour per item for items checked-out for less than 24 hours at a time (this includes two-hour Medical Reserve materials and Medical Reference items checked-out for use in other areas of the library building).

Please remember that you can renew overdue items when the items in question are not on hold for another library patron. Renewing the items will stop further accrual of fines until the renewal due date. You can renew in person, by phone or by e-mail. It is not always necessary to have the item with you when you renew in person.

Rules for Conduct in the Library

A hand-out of the medical library’s Rules for Conduct is available at the third floor circulation desk.

Four important rules to be familiar with:

1. Please observe any signs posted throughout the library and on the outside library doors.
2. Please, do not reshelf items you use. We keep statistics on items that are used by patrons and subsequently reshelf by the library staff. We base decisions on subscriptions and acquisitions in future years, in part, on our reshelf statistics.
3. Food and beverages are permitted in all study areas of the library. However, we ask that patrons clean up after themselves and to keep these areas neat and clean. Failure to do so can result in loss of food/drink privileges.
4. Use of the medical library’s public access computers to view pornography is forbidden. Use of these computers may be monitored, and individuals found to be in violation of PCSOM library rules on computer use will lose their library computer use privileges.