LIBRARY POLICY FOR COMMUNITY USERS
Including groups or individuals occupying the residence halls & Preferred Users Policy (PUP)
The primary function of the University Libraries is to serve the academic program needs of faculty, staff, and students. The University allows on-site access to library collections for adult members of the Virgin Islands community. Resources in the collections are identified through the online catalog. No login account is required to use the catalog. This policy explains the guidelines for the community users who may visit the library occasionally, non-UVI groups residing in residence halls, as well as community residents who have met the requirements for borrowing privileges.
Groups affiliated with UVI programs
Programs such as Upward Bound, the Writing Project, and AES Aquaponics course enroll community members who are housed in the residence halls for the duration of the programs. Such community users are given program-funded access to library resources and a group guest account for using computers in the labs. Members of each group must add value to an account in the print administration system at ten cents per page to pay for printing.
Non-affiliated groups
Residence halls are rented to students and researchers visiting the island from other institutions. These tenants are not affiliated with any UVI program but often desire access to library resources for research. Non-affiliated groups are governed by the procedures for community users.
University facilities are rented to community groups for meetings and conferences. Access to equipment available from the library for use in the rooms by such groups is arranged through the facilities reservations staff. The facilities staff maintains the price list, collects fees for equipment rental, and notifies ITS of service requests.
A valid government-issued ID must be presented to use resources in restricted collections. This ID will be kept by the library staff until the items are returned. A maximum of three restricted print resources at a time may be checked out for four-hour intervals for in-library use only.
Library collections are developed through collaboration among librarians, faculty, and students in support of the University’s academic programs. The library policy for community users does not guarantee that resources will be available on all topics sought by community users.
The libraries use the SIRSI/DYNIX Symphony Library System for managing library operations. The online catalog includes the holdings of both St. Croix and St. Thomas libraries. Community users should request assistance in using the catalog to determine which resources are located at the local campus library. Community users have access to resources in the local campus library ONLY.
The unrestricted collections include books in general and reference collections, as well as current and back issues of periodicals. Materials should be used in the vicinity of the collection to which they belong. Library patrons are asked to leave all materials used on the tables for re-shelving. Library staff will re-shelve material to ensure that order is maintained on the stacks.
To ensure the persistence of materials over time, direct access to some collections by the general public is limited. Restricted collections include video and audio recordings, newspaper back files not yet filmed, local government documents, UVI Theses, desk reference, library reserves, and the Special and Caribbean Collections of resources on Virgin Islands and Caribbean topics. Titles in these collections are accessed through the online catalog and retrieved by service desk staff. Some resources from restricted collections are designated for UVI-affiliated users only and will not be checked out to community users. Allowable items requested from the restricted collections are checked out to the user for IN-LIBRARY USE ONLY.
General community users are expected to adhere to the university standards of behavior for conduct on campus. Contact the security office for directions on standards of behavior on campus. The University policy on unattended children on campus applies to the use of the library as well. Children must not be left unattended in the library.
Community members are eligible to borrow resources through a Preferred User Program (PUP) account. PUP account holders have open access to the general library collections for browsing and in-house use of materials, as well as access to the open general study area. However, because library study rooms and labs primarily serve the academic needs of students, community members do not have automatic access to these facilities. Access may be granted upon request and with special permission.
Annual membership requirements:
Options for yearly access
Options for short-term access
The UVI Library Public Service Policy, located on the UVI Library’s web page, outlines the programs available to the community. Approved community borrowers must adhere to these policies in addition to the following specific guidelines for access to library resources.
Community borrowers are not eligible for interlibrary loan services (neither from the other campus nor from institutions outside the territory). Individuals requiring these services are encouraged to utilize the public libraries operated by the Division of Libraries, Archives, and Museums (DLAM). Interlibrary loan requests from researchers engaged in scholarly activities who are directed to the University from the DLAM will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The cost for this service will be passed on to the community borrower.
No printing or technical support is available for personal computers or for creating extraordinary Internet access. No interlibrary loan and equipment services are available.
Preferred User Program Handout
Privileges may be revoked at any time if users abuse any library policies. No printing or technical support is available for personal computers or for creating extraordinary Internet access. No interlibrary loan and equipment services available.
