Borrowing of Library Materials

• Loan Quota and Period
• Loans
• Renewals
• Requesting Checked-out Items
• Requesting Materials from Shatin Storage
• Requesting Materials from UGC-funded Libraries and Other Libraries
• Return
• Fines and Charges
• Email Notices

Loan Quota and Period

Loan quota and loan period for books and media resources borrowed by different categories of users are stated in the Library Regulations. Serials and reference materials at the Run Run Shaw Library are not for loan. There is a limit on the number of items that can be placed (Book Request Quota) at any one time.

Loans

All materials must be properly checked out at the Circulation Counter or with the Library's different EasyService (self-service) applications at different locations. EasyService stations are available at the Circulation Counter, inside the Semi-closed Collection Room and at the Law Collection area. For borrowing purposes, users must present their own CityU ID cards or CityU Library cards as appropriate.

Renewals

• Items of circulation nature, including books borrowed via HKALL but excluding short loan and media resources, may be renewed any number of times up to the maximum renewal period as stated below via CityU LibraryFind, provided that these items are not requested by other users. Items must be returned to the library when the renewal period expires.

  Loan Type	Categories of Borrowers	Loan Period	Maximum Renewal Period
  Normal	General Grade / Minor Staff & Undergraduate / Associate Degree Students / SCOPE - Affiliated Staff and Students of All Levels	30 days	180 days
  	Academic / Teaching / Research / Administrative Staff & PG Students	120 days	720 days
  	Others	30 days	90 days
  HKALL	General Grade / Minor Staff & Undergraduate / Associate Degree Students	15 days	45 days
  	Academic / Teaching / Research / Administrative Staff & PG Students	30 days	90 days
  Reserved (Semi-closed & Closed Access Collections)	All	5 hours, 1 or 3 days	No renewal
  Reserved (Media)	All	1 day	No renewal
  Media Resources	Refer to Loan Quotas and Loan Periods for details	Same day, 3 or 7 days	No renewal

Renewal will NOT be accepted if:

• An item is requested by another user.
• The renewed date has exceeded the specified maximum renewal period from the date of the initial check-out.
• The loan rule specifies that an item (e.g. a media resource or a short loan item) cannot be renewed at all.
• A borrower has long overdue books or over $30 unpaid library fines.
• A borrower whose borrowing privilege has been suspended or terminated.

To renew Library materials:

1. Access My Library Account via CityU LibraryFind -> login with your EID and password -> then renew the desired items.
2. Note the new due date(s) and any accrued overdue fines for the renewed item(s).
3. If you do not know your EID, please contact the Circulation Counter in person for help.

Please note the following:

• The new due dates are calculated from the date you renew the items.
• Items may not be renewed successfully.
• Overdue fine still applies to an item renewed after the 3-day grace period.
• Accrued overdue fines, which will be calculated from the due date if items are renewed after the 3-day grace period, can be settled when you visit the Library next time.
• Renewal is treated as a continuation of loan and thus will be subject to recall at any time.

Requesting Checked-out Items (Recall)

• Users with borrowing privileges may recall on loan circulation books, excluding short loan items, via CityU LibraryFind by clicking the "Request" button after signing in with your EID and password.
• Users will be notified by email when the requested item is available for pickup.

Please note the following:

• The original loan period for the requested item may be shortened.
• You CANNOT request an item that is currently borrowed by you.
• If you no longer need an item, please go to My Library Account -> click "CANCEL" next to the item that you no longer need.

Requesting Materials from Shatin Storage

• Users with borrowing privileges can submit online requests for monographs, media resources and journals (articles or bound volumes) that are housed at the Shatin Storage via CityU LibraryFind by clicking the "Request" or "Request a specific article/volume" (for articles, bound volumes and multi-volume sets) button after signing in with your EID and password.
  • For bound volume / serials request, please fill in Volume, Issue and Year. The requested items will be delivered to the Library for you to pick up.
  • For article request, please fill in Article Author, Article Title, Date, Volume, Issue, Year and Page No. of the article and accept the Copyright Declaration stipulated on the form. The Library will charge you at HK$0.3 per page. Payment should be settled upon receipt of the article at the Library.
• Requests received will be fulfilled on the next working day (Mondays to Fridays, excluding public holidays).
• Users will be notified via email when the requested materials are ready for pick up at the Smart Pickup Lockers (except for oversized materials and loose / fragile library items).

Requesting Materials from UGC-funded Libraries and Other Libraries

• HKALL Borrowng Services
  • Eligible users of HKALL service, including CityU staff and also students enrolled on courses leading to CityU awarded degrees, may borrow books that are NOT available at CityU Library (either because CityU Library does not hold the items or the items have been checked out) but with the status "Available" at the UGC-funded libraries via CityU LibraryFind by clicking the "HKALL Request" button after signing in with your EID and password.
• Interlibrary Loan Services
  • Eligible users of Interlibrary Loan Services may borrow books and get photocopies of articles from other libraries via CityU LibraryFind by clicking the "ILLiad" button after signing in with your EID and password.
• JULAC Library Cards
  • Eligible users can apply for the Joint University Librarians Advisory Committee (JULAC) Library Cards to access the libraries of the other participating UGC institutions.

Return

All circulating books (including materials inside the Semi-closed Collection) and media resource items should be returned on or before the due date to the Circulation Counter. Book drops are located near the Circulation Counter, the Library exit and at the Student Residence (outside Hall 7-Jockey Club Harmony Hall) for users to return circulating books. Media resource items can also be returned via the Media Return drop box outside the Library and at the Student Residence.

Fines and Charges

Late return of books is liable to a fine as stipulated in the Library Regulations. Consult the Library Regulations for more information on library fines, charges, overdues, lost and damaged materials, billing, and blocks.

Payment Methods

In Person

• Library fines and fees can be paid at the Circulation Counter by Octopus card, in cash, or personal cheque.

Online

• Overdue fines can be paid online by VISA and MasterCard using the Hang Seng Bank Secure Payment Site via the Pay Library Fines and Fees Online system or your CityU LibraryFind My Library Account. Replacement fees and processing fees due to damaged or lost books may also be paid online if you notify us via email at lbasprs@cityu.edu.hk in advance.
• All amounts paid will not be refunded under normal circumstances. The refund (if any) will be made to the credit card account used for payment.
• There is no service charge for using online payment service.

Email Notices

In line with the University's emphasis on and practice of electronic communication, all check-out and check-in receipts, as well as all pre-overdue, overdue, renewal, recall and reservation notices from the Library are sent to CityU members' registered email addresses in the University's central database. Under normal circumstances, the email accounts should be in one of the following formats:

For students, your CityU email account is in this format:
eid-c@my.cityu.edu.hk
e.g. tmchan8-c@my.cityu.edu.hk (if your eid is tmchan8)

For staff members, your CityU email account is in this format:
eid@cityu.edu.hk
e.g. lbpeter@cityu.edu.hk (if your eid is lbpeter)

For alumni, if you have not provided your personal email address in AIMS, your default CityU alumni free email account is in this format:
eid-c@my.cityu.edu.hk (Office 365)
e.g. tmchan8-c@my.cityu.edu.hk (if your eid is tmchan8)

For users who still prefer using non-CityU email accounts to receive library notices, please use the Set up Email Forwarding function in the CityU email account to re-direct messages from the Library to the preferred email account. For details, please go to the University's web page on email services at http://email.cityu.edu.hk/home/ and click on "Account Management".