Couch Biology Library: Borrowing Information

Borrowing Privileges

All UNC-Chapel Hill students, faculty, and staff must use their UNC One Card as a library card. For all other patrons, library borrower's cards are available at the Davis Circulation Desk during all hours of operations. Card fees for qualified borrowers are $25 per year and $5 to replace lost cards.

Faculty members, currently enrolled students, administration officials, and staff members of TRLN member institutions and other UNC System institutions may use their Campus ID Card to borrow books from the UNC Library. Patrons must first have their local institution's cards activated at the Davis Library Circulation Desk before books can be checked out from the branch libraries on campus. UNC Chapel Hill students and faculty who wish to borrow materials from other TRLN institutions must first present their UNC One Card at Perkins Library (Duke), Shepard Library (NCCU), or D.H. Hill Library (NCSU).

See the Davis Circulation page for more information.

Loan Periods

Borrower Status	Books	Journals	Maps	Theses
Biology Dept. Faculty	180 days	7 days	180 days	180 days
Biology Dept. Graduate Students and Staff	90 days	7 days	90 days	90 days
Other UNC–CH Faculty	180 days	2 hours	180 days	Library use only
Other UNC–CH Graduate Students and Staff; TRLN Faculty and Graduate Students	90 days	2 hours	90 days
Undergraduates	30 days	2 hours	30 days
Others	30 days	2 hours	30 days

Overdue and Replacement Fines

Library patrons are expected to return or renew items by the due date that is stamped on the date due slip at the time of checkout. The Library sends overdue notices as a courtesy; if a notice is not received or is received late, patrons are still responsible for returning material or paying overdue fines.

For books and journals, fines accrue at $0.50 per day, up to a maximum of $25.00. There is an additional fine of $0.50 per day for items that have been recalled. For reserve items, fines accrue at $1.00 per hour up to a maximum of $50.00.

If an item is not returned within 42 days past due, it is declared lost and the patron will be charged a replacement fee of $125.00. If a lost item is later returned, the replacement fee may be refunded and replaced with the maximum overdue fine.

Renewals

Items that are not on hold for another patron or on reserve may be renewed through the My Library page.

Recalls and Holds

Materials that are checked out may be recalled for another user or reserves. Recalled items are held for one week. Requests may be made in person at the Biology Library sections or by email using this form.

Reserve Materials

Most items are library use only, with one-hour loan periods. Overnight loan items may be checked out one hour before closing and are due the next day the library is open, within one hour after opening time. Instructors: please view our Reserves Policy.

Interlibrary Loan

Books and journal articles not available at UNC-Chapel Hill may be requested through the Interlibrary Loan page. Be sure to include the source of your citation in case there are any problems locating your requested item(s).