Borrowing Materials

You may borrow a variety of materials from the library. The tables below outline the term of your loan and the types of materials available to you, based on your borrower type.

Note: Alumni borrowing has been suspended indefinitely. We hope to restart community borrowing with the TAL Card later in the year.

Materials available to all borrowers

*Main collection includes the following: Business Display, Display, English Language Foundations Collection, Fiction Collections, Level 0, Magazine Collection and Oversize Collection

Overdue fines on main collection items will not apply to current SAIT students and staff unless the item has been recalled for a request.

Materials available to current SAIT staff and students

Materials available to current SAIT students

The loan periods will be shortened if they would extend beyond your library account's expiration date.

Multi-part sets (such as games and media kits) must be complete when returned.

The maximum number of items you may have signed out at one time is limited by your borrower type:

• SAIT students and staff: 20 items
• TAL: 10 items

Notifications

The library sends a variety of notifications via email regarding borrowing, such recall notifications and due date reminders. It is the borrower's responsibility to access these notifications and act on them, if needed.

For SAIT students and staff, these messages go to your SAIT email address. For community borrowers, the messages will go to the email address on your library account.

Requests

The request system allows borrowers with an active library account to request items be held for pick-up at our Information Desk.

1. Use Library Search to find your book or other item.
2. Click on the title of the book you want to request.
3. Sign-in to your Library Account, if not already signed-in ( log-in help).
4. Click "Request" under the "Get It" heading.
   • If there's no "Request" link, then requests are not allowed for that item.
5. Click "Send Request".

You will be notified by email when your item is ready to be picked up. Once you've been notified that your request is available, you'll have 7 days to pick it up. After that, the item goes to the next person in the request queue or back to the shelf.

If the item you've requested is out to another borrower, an email notifaction will be sent to that person. After the recall notification has been sent out, they will have until their current due date to return the item. After the recall due date, daily overdue fines will be charged to all patrons.

If you need further assistance with requests, contact us.

Renewals

Renewing a book, or other material, allows you to keep borrowed materials for an additional loan period. Borrowers may not renew library materials if:

• Borrowing privileges have been suspended due to outstanding fines, overdue material or other charges.
• Another person has requested that item.
• The renewal would exceed that item type's number of renewals.

Some items will renew automatically on the due date, if your account is in good standing and no one else has requested it. You will receive a renewal notification by email notifying you of the new due date.

Items that have reached their renewal limit must be returned to the library. After the embargo period, if no one else has taken or requested the item, you may borrow it again.

You can renew materials by contacting us or via My Library Account.

Returns and Late Fees

You may return material to the Information Desk or use the drop slot inside the Stan Grad Centre's south-east doors. Returns should be made before the due date or time.

Many items do not accummulate late fees, but we may change replacement costs for items more than 30 days overdue or past the recall due date. If an item is recalled due to a request, you will have until your current due date to return the item after which late fees will apply.

All users with fines in excess of $10.00 will have their borrowing privileges suspended. Students with outstanding fines or other charges will have holds placed on their accounts with the Office of the Registrar, preventing registration and the release of diplomas or transcripts. Delinquent accounts for all borrowers may be referred to a collection agency or banned from further borrowing.

You can pay fines and other library charges at the Information Desk. We accept credit card and debit card payments. Credit card payments can be made over the phone.

Lost materials

If you lose an item borrowed from the Library, notify us as soon as possible. The charge for a lost item is overdue fines + replacement cost of the item.

Students with outstanding replacement charges will have holds placed on their accounts with the Office of the Registrar. Delinquent accounts for all borrowers may be referred to a collection agency or banned from further borrowing.

Appealing Fines and Charges

If you have outstanding fines or charges, we encourage you to discuss your situation with us. We want to work with you toward an equitable solution.

Note that frontline staff are not empowered to waive fines or make other accommodations. Email library@sait.ca or visit the Information Desk and you'll be put in touch with someone who can help.