Borrowing and Renewing

Borrowing Privileges

All EMU students, staff and faculty have borrowing privileges at Halle Library. We are happy to extend borrowing privileges to Ypsilanti residents, alumni and other approved non-EMU affiliated groups, as well.

In order to checkout materials, library users must have a library card. For EMU students, faculty and staff, their EMU ID cards function as library cards. Alumni, Ypsilanti residents and others must have a library courtesy card. Courtesy cards are available at the Reception Desk for $25. (This fee is waived for EMU alumni and Ypsilanti residents.) If you don't have your EMU ID card or library courtesy card, the staff at the Reception Desk will hold your materials for 24 hours while you obtain your EMU ID card or library courtesy card.

Book returns are located both inside and outside the Library's front doors and on the left side of the Reception Desk.

If you must return materials by mail, please address them to:

Circulation Desk
Halle Library
955 W Circle Dr.
Ypsilanti,MI
48197-2207

Fines and fees will be based on when the materials are received at the library.

Loan Periods

Renewals

Students may renew books up to five consecutive times using the WebVoyager catalog (http://portal.emich.edu/). After the fifth renewal, the items must be returned to the Reception Desk to renew them. Faculty members may renew items up to three times using WebVoyager. Then, the item must be renewed at the Reception Desk.

Reserve materials may not be renewed. Multimedia items may be renewed only once.

To renew materials with WebVoyager, click the My Account link toward the top of the catalog page and follow the instructions on the screen. Materials do not need to be renewed before the due date, but fines will accumulate between the original due date and the date the renewal was placed.

Library users can place holds and recalls on materials that are currently checked out to another user using the WebVoyager online catalog.

What is a Hold? When you place a hold on an item that is checked out, that item is held for you at the library’s circulation desk for 10 days when it is returned to the library. You will be notified when the item is returned and available for pickup. The user who has the item cannot renew it.

What is a Recall? Some patrons, faculty and university administrators, may check out materials for an entire semester. If the due date in the Voyager catalog reflects the last day of the current semester, you can generally place a Recall for the item. A Recall resets the due date to a 21 day loan period, notifies the user who has the item of the new due date, and asks them to return the item by that time. They cannot renew the item. You will be notified when the item is returned to the library and it will be held for you at the library's circulation desk for 10 days. NOTE: An exception to the last day of the semester due date is during the last month of each semester.  Most users are given the last day of semester as a due date and a shorter loan period as the semester comes to a close.  (Due dates for the next semester generally begin 10 days before the end of each semester.)

If you cannot figure out if you should place a hold or recall on an item or if you need further information, please go to the Circulation Desk or call them at 734 487 0020 2140.

To place a hold or recall on an item, locate it in the catalog and click on the "Request" link near the top of the screen. WebVoyager will walk you through the process of placing your request. You will be notified by email when the item is available for you to checkout.

Searches

Sometimes, materials are not on the shelves where they belong. To initiate a search for an item, fill out the online Book Search Request Form.

Fines

Overdue fines for library materials are listed on this chart. If items are not returned to the library, additional replacement costs and processing fees are also incurred. These additional costs and fees vary by type of material. Contact the Library's Client Services Office for specifics. (Room 116 or (734) 487-0020 x2199 or lib_clientservices@emich.edu) Should items be returned to the library after the non-return billing process has started, overdue fines and processing fees are NOT REFUNDABLE. All fines, costs, and fees must be paid in the Client Services Office on the 1st Level of Halle Library, Room 116. Unpaid fines, fees, and costs are forwarded to EMU's Student Accounting Office.

Questions/Assistance

If you have questions about circulation services, please stop by the Reception Desk or telephone us at 734.487.0020, x2140.