Circulation Policies

Circulating materials are those library resources which patrons may borrow for use outside the library for a specified period of time. Circulating materials include books (excluding reference works and reserve materials); curriculum materials; audiovisual materials; Italian-American Cultural Center books; and interlibrary loans. Different patron types have various degrees of access to circulating materials.

Non-circulating materials are library resources which patrons must use in the library. Non-circulating materials include reference books, periodicals (journals and magazines) and reserve items.

Library Cards

You can sign up for a library account by presenting a valid Alvernia ID and registering at the Main Desk. You must present this card whenever you want to check out materials. You will be held responsible for all materials checked out on your card, including any unauthorized use until the library has been notified that the card is lost or stolen. You will also be charged for any lost or damaged materials.

Loan Periods

The loan period for circulating books is three weeks. Patrons may renew circulating books once for another three weeks. Renewals may not be automatic. The library usually extends renewal privileges to patrons; however, if during the previous borrowing period another patron has requested a particular book, that book will not be renewed but will be held for the other patron.

Other types of materials such as audiovisual materials have varying loan periods and generally may also be renewed once if no one else has requested the item.

Reciprocal Borrowing Privileges at Other Libraries

Alvernia College students, faculty, and staff are entitled to borrowing privileges at other libraries as a result of our participation in various library associations. While specific policies may differ among individual libraries, the general guidelines are as follows.

Associated College Libraries of Central Pennsylvania (ACLCP)

ACLCP is a consortium of 24 institutions of higher education in the central region of Pennsylvania. In addition to Alvernia College, member libraries include:

Albright College
Bloomsburg University
Bucknell University
Dickinson College
Dickinson School of Law
Elizabethtown College
Franklin and Marshall College
Gettysburg College
Harrisburg Area Community College
Juniata College
Kutztown University
Lebanon Valley College
Lycoming College
Messiah College
Millersville University
Penn College of Technology
Penn State/Harrisburg Campus
Shippensburg University
State Library of Pennsylvania
Susquehanna University
U.S. Army War College
Wilson College
York College.

Patrons are entitled to direct, in-person-borrowing privileges at any of the participating libraries. In order to obtain these privileges you must go to the library you are interested in using, present your current and valid Alvernia ID and at least one other form of identification. The staff there will register you and present you with a library card for use at their institution. If you choose not to go to the library directly, we can request materials via interlibrary loan.

Penn State

Alvernia College patrons may apply for a library card entitling them to borrowing privileges upon presentation of a current and valid Alvernia ID card.

Updated: April 20, 2006

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