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Library Policies

Here are the "Rules of the road" for the RSU Library staff and patrons.

Cell Phones and General conduct

While cell phones are welcome within the RSU library, please put your ringer on silent and move long conversations to the second floor hallway, the snack bar, or an empty study room.

RSU Library patrons are expected not to engage in the following activities:

  • Breaking any local, state, or federal law.
  • Being noisy or unruly.
  • Placing feet on chairs, tables, or walls.
  • Not wearing appropriate clothing, ie shoes or shirt.
  • Bringing pets into the Library, unless taking shelter during a tornado warning. Assistance dogs are an exception.
  • Carrying deadly weapons in the Library unless authorized by law.
  • Using tobacco in any form; tobacco use is prohibited by University policy.
  • Hiding Library material.
  • Removing or attempting to remove Library material without checking it out.
  • Damaging Library material or property (removing pages, security strips, or barcodes; marking in books, journals, etc.)
  • Using skateboards, roller skates or in-line skates.
  • Refusing to leave when the Library is closing.

Library staff will ask patrons to leave if they engage in these behaviors, and RSU Police will be called if neccessary. Please help us enforce these rules to maintain a safe and productive research space for the RSU community.

Children

To maintain an environment conducive to study and learning, an adult must accompany children. The library staff member on duty has the authority to require individuals behaving in a disorderly or disruptive manner to leave the library.

Community Borrowers and Alumni

Library patrons who are not RSU students, faculty or staff may obtain checkout privileges by making a one-time-only $20 contribution. For this contribution, the community member receives the privilege of borrowing books and audiovisual materials. No contribution is needed to peruse materials on the shelves, access WiFi as a guest, or use the public access computer. Patrons will need to show a photo ID in order to create an account. Community borrower membership is free of charge to RSU Alumni, Rogers & Mayes County librarians, and educators & administrators from State Board of Education accredited schools in Rogers & Mayes County.  If you are an Alumni, we ask that you bring your Alumni membership card with you.  Educators and librarians, please bring your school ID, badge, or proof of employment.

Checkout Limits for Community Borrowers and Alumni

Community Borrowers may have a total of 10 items charged out to them at any time, with no more than 5 being in any one format (5 print books, 5 CDs/Playaways or 5 DVDs/BluRays). Unfortunately, due to contract restrictions, we cannot provide access to our digital resources.

Additional Information

For more information on available materials, library hours and Community Borrower policy, please see the Community Borrower Flier.

Confidentiality

The university adheres to Oklahoma and Federal law with respect to the confidentiality of library records. The records of library materials borrowed or used cannot be disclosed to anyone except:

1. Persons acting within the scope of their duties in the administration of the library;

2. Persons authorized to inspect such records, in writing, by the individual or group whose records are sought;

3. As otherwise required by law. (OK Statute 65 1-105 and RSU Personnel Manual)

Copyright

U.S. Copyright Law

All libraries are subject to U. S. Copyright Law. The following code of copyright is present on this library's printed request forms and also on the online request forms that can be accessed from the library web-page:

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted materials. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use" that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.

Copyright Law Specifically for Journals (or other periodicals)

No more than 5 (five) articles from the same journal may be ordered within each year. This does not include those with dates that are older than 5 years (for example, in 2001, the law would apply to articles dated from 1997) and does not apply to articles from journals to which the RSU Library subscribes. The year for copyright observance is from January 1 - December 31.

Equipment Checkout

Faculty, administrators, and staff may check out audiovisual (AV) equipment and notebook computers.

This is handled only by full time library staff.The individual pieces have barcodes, which should be scanned with the barcode reader.

AV equipment checks out for 1 day, normally, but can be checked out for up to 5 days. Periods longer than 5 days should be coordinated with the Associate Director. Notebook computers can be checked out for 7 days.

The Library Fax Machine/scanner is also available for RSU students with library staff faxing/scanning any material.  Llibrary staff can have the student fill out the transaction sheet and library staff will dial the number and send the fax in the fax/copy machine. Please make sure that you give back the student their transaction sheet and sheets to fax. Because this activity will take a library employee away from the front desk, it can only be done when there is another staff member who can perform "front desk" duty while the other is at the fax machine with the student. RSU faculty and staff may use the fax machine during all our open hours and they may actually do the entire process on their own.

Library Bill of Rights

The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their services.

I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.

II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.

IV. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.

V. A person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views.

VI. Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.

VII. All people, regardless of origin, age, background, or views, possess a right to privacy and confidentiality in their library use. Libraries should advocate for, educate about, and protect people’s privacy, safeguarding all library use data, including personally identifiable information.

Adopted June 19, 1939, by the ALA Council; amended October 14, 1944; June 18, 1948; February 2, 1961; June 27, 1967; January 23, 1980; inclusion of “age” reaffirmed January 23, 1996; amended January 29, 2019.