Guest Policy
As a private institution, Roanoke College's primary mission is to serve its students, faculty, and staff. Roanoke Valley residents and students from other institutions are welcome to use the Library for research purposes. The Library reserves the right to limit or deny access to the facility, materials, and services when necessary. Due to licensing restrictions, off-campus access to electronic resources other than Federal Depository e-resources is available to Roanoke College faculty, staff, and students only. Guests are expected to:
- Give priority to Roanoke College community members' needs for equipment, computers, materials, and study rooms.
- Refrain from inappropriate or disruptive behaviors.
- Use Library materials within the building. (Qualifying applicants may request borrowing privileges in order to use resources outside the facility - see Borrowing below.)
- Reference assistance is available when the staff is not assisting members of the College community. Librarians may ask guests to use the most cost effective tools in conducting their research.
As a Government Depository Library, Fintel Library provides its guests full rights, without cost, to access and use depository resources. Anyone using a public computer workstation to access federal government information will not be given a time limit but will be asked to be considerate of others who are waiting. Because the Library is a selective depository for federal documents, everyone, including the general public, has a right to access that information.
Computer Use
Wireless access to the Internet is available to all Library patrons. Those wishing to use the computers in the Library will need to obtain temporary guest log-ins and passwords which are available at the Access & Lending Services Desk. Only those computers located on the main (first) floor are available for public use. Guests should limit their use of computers and may:
- Use these workstations for research purposes only.
- Be restricted from using some fee-based resources.
- Be asked to suspend using the computers if they're needed by members of the Roanoke College community.
- Save documents to personal storage devices. If needed, you may request a temporary card which will enable you to print documents. Payment for all copies and prints (5¢ per side for black and white and 40¢ per side for color) should be made at the Access & Lending Services Desk.
- All computer use must be in compliance with relevant sections of the Use of Computer Facilities Policy at Roanoke College.
Borrowing
ALL BORROWERS:
A Guest Borrower Card is required in order to use resources outside the building. (Hollins University faculty, staff, and students must use their university ID cards.) However, all items located in the Library's general collection can be obtained less expensively by guests through their public library's Interlibrary Loan (ILL) program. Please inquire at your home library for more information about this program.
- Borrowers must live or work in the Roanoke Valley (Salem, Roanoke City, Roanoke County, or Vinton).
- Borrowers cannot be enrolled in classes at another academic institution.
- Borrowers can apply for Guest Borrower Cards between 8:00 a.m. and midnight Monday-Thursday and 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Friday. The card is issued upon receipt of the $25.00 annual fee. (Another option is available to Roanoke College alumni and Salem public school teachers - see below.)
- Borrowers may check out up to five items (any combination of books, DVDs/videos, and magazines) at a time. The borrowing period is one month for books and seven days for DVDs/videos/magazines.
- Guest Borrower Cards are issued for personal use only. Borrowers may not check out materials for (or lend their card to) others. Guests are financially responsible for all lost or damaged items that are checked out using their cards.
- Borrowers are responsible for a $55.00 charge for each lost or damaged item. (See Returning Material on our web page for more information.)
- Borrowers are responsible for paying overdue fines: 25¢ per item per day for books and $1.00 per item per day for DVDs/videos/magazines. The maximum overdue fine is $10.00 per item. Checked out items can be renewed by calling the Lending Services Desk (540-375-2294).
- Borrowers are expected to return items immediately if notified that they are needed by Roanoke College faculty, staff or students.
- Roanoke College and Hollins University have a combined online catalog; however, Roanoke College Guest Borrowers (alumni, residents, or others) are not eligible to request items from the Hollins University library.
- Borrowing privileges will be revoked and no refund will be issued if it is determined that a card has been misused.
ALUMNI:
- Must qualify and comply with All Borrowers stipulations above to receive a Guest Borrower Card.
- The Library can issue at no cost a Guest Borrower Card to alumni who do not wish to purchase a Maroon Card (Roanoke College ID). After the application form has been completed, your patron record will be created and the card will be issued.
- Able to access library databases while in the library. Off-campus access to electronic resources is only available to current Roanoke College faculty, staff, and students due to licensing restrictions.
AREA RESIDENTS:
- Show current ID
- Must qualify and comply with All Borrowers stipulations above to receive a Guest Borrower Card.
SALEM PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS:
- Show current school ID
- Must qualify and comply with All Borrowers stipulations above to receive a Guest Borrower Card.
- There is no fee for this card.
