Library Policies

• Access to Facilities

  1.1. Access to the Library is restricted to registered students, staff of the College, alumni and external members of the Library. Deferred student may also use the Library but cannot borrow print titles.

   

  1.2.1.Access to online resources (including online databases and e-books) is available to registered students, deferred students and staff of the College both on and off campus.

   

  1.2.2. Alumni borrowers are permitted to use all the Library online databases on campus, the library e-book collection both on and off campus and designated online databases off campus. Alumni readers are authorised to use the Library resources on campus only.

   

  1.2.3. External borrowers are permitted to use the Library online databases on campus only and the library e-book collection both on and off campus. External readers are authorised to use the Library resources on campus only.

   

  1.3. Registered Library users must be in possession of a valid library card. Students are issued with a student/library card and staff with a staff/library card by Dublin Business School for the current period of study or work. In the case of alumni and external readers, Library cards are issued by Library staff.

   

  1.4. A valid Library Card must be presented when requested by a member of Library Staff.

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• Borrowing

  2.1.1. Each person entitled to borrow must present a valid Library card whenever an item is borrowed.  Items should be returned or renewed (when possible) by the due date shown on the receipts/date stamps given when items are issued and also always available through the Heritage Library catalogue.

   

  2.1.2. Staff members pursuing a course of studies in the College must revert to student status on their Library account throughout the duration of their studies.

   

  2.2. All items to be borrowed must be issued to the borrower before they are removed from the Library. Postgraduate students are permitted to borrow 10 items at a time; undergraduate students: 6 items; staff: 15 items and alumni and external borrowers: 3 items.

   

  2.3. Items borrowed must be returned to the Library site that they were borrowed from. A charge of €0.60 per book can be applied for the return of books to the wrong location.

   

  2.4. Library users may not use another Library user’s card for borrowing purposes. Library users are responsible for all material borrowed in his/her name. His/her responsibility is not transferable and ends only when the items have been returned in the same condition as when borrowed. Damaged items must be returned directly to staff at the library desk

   

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  2.5. All Library users are requested to provide their term-time address and contact number. Change of address and/or contact number must be notified to the Library in a timely fashion.

   

  2.6.1. Courtesy notices will be sent by email to remind users that they have items which are about to become overdue or are overdue.  All students should activate their College’s email accounts (studentnumber@mydbs.ie) to avail of this service.  The courtesy notices sent by e-mail are a courtesy service only. It is the user's responsibility to ensure that loans are either renewed or returned on time. Due dates are shown on the receipts/date stamps given when items are issued and are always available through the Heritage Library catalogue.

   

  2.7. Library materials may be renewed (with the exception of 3 day loan materials) where there are no reservations on these materials and fines on the user’s Library account do not exceed €5.00 for undergraduate students and €6.00 for postgraduate students; (3 day loan materials in law may be renewed where there are no reservations on these materials and the fines on the user's Library account do not exceed €5.00 for undergraduate students and €6.00 for postgraduate students).  There is a maximum of twelve consecutive renewals for undergraduate students, postgraduate students, and staff, and five for alumni and external borrowers.

   

  2.8.1. Fines are charged on items returned late.

   

  2.8.2. One month prior to summer examinations all fines double to encourage timely return of books during the examination period.  Notices in the Library will indicate the exact details of the dates and increases.

   

  2.8.3. The following fine rates apply for the late return of Library materials and are applied to all registered users of the Library.

   

  Standard Loan collection: €0.60 per day per item
  7-Day Loan collection:  €0.60 per day per item
  3-Day Loan collection:  €1.50 per day per item
  One-Day Loan collection: €5 per day per item

   

  2.10. No further items may be borrowed or renewed by a  Library user with fines in excess of €5.00 on their Library account for undergraduate students,  €6.00 for Postgraduate students, €3.00 for Alumni and external borrowers and €15.00 for staff. Fines must be lowered to below the specified fine threshold and items renewed or returned to be able to borrow again as normal.

   

  2.11. Library users who are sick must ensure that Library materials are returned in as prompt fashion as is possible. Books can be returned to the Library by a third party on behalf of the Library user.  Alternatively items can be posted to the Library or returned by an alternative method agreed upon with the Head Librarian. Fines attached to Library user’s account will be waivered upon the production of a medical certificate. 

   

  2.12. Library staff reserve the right to lend, to refuse to lend or to recall a book at any time.

• Conduct

  3.1. The Library is a silent study area. Library users must not act in a manner that is disruptive or offensive to other Library users or Library staff members.

   

  3.2.1. Library users are required to vacate the Library at designated closing times, upon hearing alarm bells or at other times when requested by Library staff.

   

  3.2.2 Closing time of the Library will be announced to Library users by two riggings of a bell: one 30 minutes prior to the time of complete closure of the Library, and one 15 minutes prior to the complete closure of the Library to also announce the closure of the desk and all other Library services.

   

  3.3. Library users must not intentionally damage or deface Library property.

   

  3.4. The consumption of food and drink is prohibited in the Library at the exception of safely . Library staff will remove any food or drink found in the Library.

   

  3.5. Mobile phone use in the Library is strictly forbidden. Mobile phones must be fully powered off before entering the Library.

   

  3.6. Library staff reserve the right to impose and collect fines of €5.00 per infringement of regulations 3.1, 3.3 and 3.4. In the case of  regulation 3.2, Library users must pay the cost of intentional damage to Library property.

   

  3.7. Library users must not reserve Library desks for themselves or others. Any space left unoccupied for more than 15 minutes may be taken by another Library user. Library Staff will remove items left on unoccupied desks.

   

  3.8. Computing resources are provided for educational and research purposes only.

   

  3.9. Computing resources must not be used for any illegal or recreational use.

   

  3.10. Persons found accessing, transmitting or processing offensive, obscene or indecent images, data or other material may be expelled from the College.

  
  

• Breaches of Discipline

  4.1. Library users who breach the above regulations may be asked to leave the Library.

   

  4.2. Library books lost or damaged must be replaced. A fee for the cost of replacing the item (or if this item is unavailable a similar item of equal value), and a processing fee of €10.00 will be imposed. Failure to pay the cost of lost or damaged material can result in the matter being referred to the College’s Legal Team.

   

  4.3. Failure to respond to overdue and recall notices may lead to the withdrawal of borrowing rights.

   

  4.4. Failure to clear outstanding fines may lead to exclusion from the Library.

   

  4.5. Unauthorised removal of material from the Library is a serious offence and will be treated as such. Any person found removing material illegally from the Library will be asked to report directly to the Library Manager. A fine of €10.00 will be imposed for the first breach of this rule. Any subsequent breach will result in referral to the Academic Disciplinary Committee and possible expulsion from the Library.

   

  4.6. Serious breaches of regulations will lead to the suspension of  Library privileges.

   

  4.7. In any of the above circumstances, the Library user has a right to a hearing before the Library Manager.

   

  4.8. Upon completing a course of study at Dublin Business School, before exam results are issued or any award conferred, Library users must clear outstanding debts to the Library and return all outstanding material. It is the responsibility of all students to ensure that all accounts have been cleared at the end of the academic year.

   

  4.9. Students leaving the college before the completion of his/her course of study must also must clear outstanding debts to the Library and return all outstanding material.  Staff members ceasing employment with the College must also clear their fines and return all outstanding materials. Alumni and external members not renewing their membership must clear their fines and return all outstanding material