Circulation of Government Documents

The Government Documents collection is located in the Reference area, and includes:

  1. Documents which have not been cataloged and are not barcoded;
  2. Documents which have been cataloged and are searchable through the online catalog. These items have a printed label and a barcode. Documents which are barcoded but do not circulate are stamped “This item does not circulate.”

Check Out Policy

  1. The circulation period for Government Documents (those that can be checked-out) is seven (7) days. The Government Documents Librarian holds the authority to determine which documents may circulate and which do not.
  2. For Documents that are barcoded and are not stamped “This item does not circulate,”
    the student or faculty member does not need the approval of the Government Documents Librarian. He or she should take the Document to the Circulation Desk for checkout.
  3. For Documents that do not have a barcode, the government documents librarian will barcode the item and create a brief record in SIRSI thus allowing the item to be checked out under normal conditions.
  4. Because of our depository status, the Library is obligated to check-out those Government Documents which have circulating status to any adult (18 years or older) who requests to borrow an item. For any person who does not have faculty, student, Dancing Rabbit, Friends, alumni or other accepted borrowing privileges of Roberts-LaForge Library, the following policy applies:
    1. The circulation of ALL items (both barcoded and non-barcoded) must be approved by the Government Documents Librarian.
    2. Special guests must present a Driver’s License or state ID to the Government Documents Librarian as well as a Circulation Staff member at the time of check-out.
    3. These special guests are limited to checking out one item at a time.
    4. The borrower and government documents librarian should take the Document to the Circulation Desk for check-out. The Circulation staff will create a “Special Guest” account for the borrower and follow approved procedures in checking out materials.
  5. It is the responsibility of the Circulation Department to notify the Government Documents Librarian of overdue items checked out by special borrowers.
  6. It is the responsibility of the Government Documents Librarian to contact special guests who have the materials overdue.
  7. The Circulation Department will send overdue notices and invoices to patrons who are registered in the library system and whose overdue notices and invoices are generated by the system.