• Return or renew materials checked out to you on or before their due date.  Log in to your Library Account to keep track.
• Protect all materials from damage and theft.  You are responsible for each item until it is checked in by library staff.
• Keep materials in good condition.  Do not write in books, fold pages, or put sticky notes in them (they leave a residue).

Library materials are used by thousands of people every year.  Everyone deserves to have materials in good condition.  Please do your part!

• LSU faculty, staff, and students must present a current LSU ID card in order to charge materials.
• ID cards are not transferable.
• Each individual is responsible for all library materials charged to his/her card.
• Lost ID cards should be reported immediately to the ID Office in the LSU Union and to the checkout desk in LSU Library.
• Faculty and graduate students in good standing may obtain a LOUIS Reciprocal Borrowers Card from the checkout desk or online which will allow them to get library privileges at other LOUIS institutions. A list of participating LOUIS libraries may be obtained from the LOUIS homepage.

Current faculty, staff, and properly registered students of LSU may borrow library materials from LSU Library upon presentation of a valid University identification. Retired LSU faculty and staff may borrow library materials from LSU Library upon presentation of a valid University identification or a valid photo id. Electronic resources are available to retired faculty and staff at several designated public computers in LSU Library. Students who are registered for classes during the current semester will be granted borrowing privileges through the first two weeks of the following semester. Graduating students' privileges will expire on graduation day of the current semester. If students have not registered by the first day of classes of the current semester, their privileges will expire two weeks after the beginning of the semester.

You must be an LSU STUDENT on the Main LSU Campus with a student ID to be eligible for Gear 2 Geaux. VetMED and LSU Law students are not eligible to participate in the program. Unfortunately, Faculty and Staff are not eligible as these services are provided through the Student Tech Fee.

The LSU Student Technology Fee funds the purchase of mobile computing devices available for checkout at the second-floor checkout desk. A student ID is required to check out these items.  Any items not returned will be charged to your fee bill.

During times of high demand, laptop checkout dates and times may be restricted. Contact the checkout desk at libcirc@lsu.edu for more information

Request books and other physical items through your interlibrary loan account. Borrowing books from other libraries requires transit time. A minimum of 2 to 3 weeks is usually required, and you are responsible for the cost of shipping the material back to LSU Library. For this reason, we recommend using your local library’s interlibrary loan service for books and physical items, and using LSU Libraries’ Interlibrary Loan service to request journal articles and book chapters, which are delivered digitally.

Public patrons must submit a filled out physical Public Patron Agreement

Some individuals not affiliated with LSU may receive limited borrowing privileges. These individuals include:

• Louisiana residents (age 18 or older) with valid photo ID
• Out-of-state residents who teach in Louisiana K-12 schools (must be requested by principal or superintendent)  
• Persons affiliated with academic institutions belonging to the LOUIS consortium who have a LOUIS Reciprocal Borrowing Card, including out-of-state residents
• Out-of-state residents working for Louisiana state agencies
• OCLC Reciprocal Faculty Borrowing Program participants
• Graduate students from institutions located in other states or countries (must be requested by thesis advisor, department head, or a librarian at their home institution)
• The LSU Libraries will revoke public patron borrowing privileges in the event of misuse or if we receive information that the patron is no longer welcome on campus.

Individuals may request public borrowing privileges during the following times:

8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m., Monday-Friday
11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Saturday
12:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., Sunday

Call 225-578-5652 to confirm Library hours, as holidays may affect staff ability to process public patron borrowing requests.

Letters requesting special borrowing privileges should be submitted to the Head of Circulation Services or to the Dean of Libraries and must be accompanied by proof of eligibility.

Public Patrons may borrow up to 10 books for a period of 28 days. Audio-Visual items circulate for 7 days. All Special Borrowers are subject to all rules and regulations including all library fees.

Due to licensing restrictions, remote access to electronic products is not available to Public Patrons. Also, Interlibrary Loan services are only available to Visiting Scholars.

Every library patron has a right to privacy while using properly charged library materials. Names of borrowers will not be disclosed (Louisiana Revised Statutes, Section 44:13).

Please be aware that this statute prohibits us from discussing patron accounts with third parties, except in the case of parents of minor children. For privacy and security reasons, we also do not discuss patrons' accounts over the telephone. Patrons who have questions about their accounts should e-mail them to libcirc@lsu.edu and a library staff member will send a response to the patron's myLSU account. In compliance with Policy Statement 16.15, "Use of Electronic Mail," we will send e-mail communications only to the "lsu.edu" e-mail address if it exists. We will only use other types of e-mail addresses for correspondence in the case of public patron card users or former LSU employees and students whose myLSU accounts are no longer active.

For faculty and staff, the Access Services Department provides a delivery service of LSU Library and Interlibrary Loan materials.  This includes only library materials in hardcopy format that are not checked out or missing.  Reserve and Government Document materials will not be included. For information on how to receive scans of articles and book chapters from the main library's print collection, please see our Electronic Delivery policies.

This service is available to faculty and staff who are registered with the Libraries, in good standing, and have an LSU departmental address.  You will need an Illiad account to make the request. Once logged in, you will need to select "Deliver to Departmental Mailbox" for your Delivery Method. Books will be delivered to the departmental mailbox of the requestors within 1-2 business days.  A second attempt will be made if the delivery is not successful the first time, but if the department office is inaccessible again, patrons will receive an e-mail stating the problem and asking them to come pick up their materials.  The materials will be placed on hold, and kept at the checkout desk for 7 days.  If they are not picked up in this time frame, they will be returned to the collection.   Users are responsible for getting materials back to the library as there is not a pickup service offered. 

Materials will be checked out to the patron's library account prior to being delivered. The user is responsible for the items requested through this service.  Any LSU Library books not returned or renewed within 40 days of the due date will be considered “lost” and the usual penalties will apply. A limit of eight physical material format items can be requested per day.

• Regular overdue charges are 50 cents per day per item.
• For information about overdue charges on electronics, see http://grok.lsu.edu/Article.aspx?articleid=3494.
• Overdue charges on journals and other short term loans are $1.00 per day per item.
• Charges for Reserve and unbound periodical items are $1.50/hr. Reserve items are considered lost if they are not returned within 24 hours after their due date.  
• The maximum fine is $20.00 per item.
• In addition to fines, service charges and lost book fees are assessed after the maximum fine is reached, or after 40 days, whichever comes first.
• Fines for faculty and staff that have been transferred to the Bursar's Office must be paid there. Notify the Access Services Department as soon as your bills are paid in order to have your library privileges reinstated.

Current library charges may be paid at the checkout desk using cash, check, or Tiger Card. Checks must be made out to "LSU Libraries". They may also be paid online with a credit card by logging in to a user’s library account. All library charges forwarded to the Bursar's Office must be paid at that office prior to registration. Older bills (already at the Bursar's Office) may be paid with a credit card through myLSU.

Patrons who are not satisfied with the resolution of their inquiries about library charges may file a formal appeal, as long as they have not paid the fines under despute. The time limit for filing an appeal is two years after the due date of the item(s). If you wish to file a formal appeal, please fill out the online form below. Forms may also be obtained at the checkout desk if you wish to file a paper appeal or if the online form is not working.

Appeals made on the behalf of others will not be accepted. Please note that the following circumstances are also not grounds for filing an appeal to cancel a fine:

• Lack of knowledge of library policy
• Lack of understanding of library policy
• Inability to pay fines and charges
• Failure to receive a courtesy renewal notice or an overdue notice
• Cases in which you loaned materials charged to you to a classmate, family member, faculty member, etc., who failed to return them

Patrons who wish to request an exception to library borrowing policies, such as a special due date for an item or to have their borrowing privileges reinstated, may file an appeal using the same form.

Submit an Appeal

Patrons

• Students at LSU-BR, LSU Online, and LSU-SVM
• Faculty and faculty emeriti at LSU-BR and LSU-SVM

  Note: If you are not eligible, contact the interlibrary loan office at a library with which you are affiliated (a public library or another university). Patrons at LSU Law School should use the LSU Law Library's Interlibrary Loan.

Material Types

• Articles
• Books 
• Book Chapters
• Audio-visual Materials
• Music Scores
• Thesis/Dissertations
• Microfilm
• Reports
• Conference Proceedings
• And more!

Limitations

• Requested material must be used to support academic research.
• For questions about submitting a large or complex request, email Interlibrary Loan at libilb@lsu.edu.
• Textbooks can be ordered through interlibrary loan, but it is not recommended because few libraries carry them, and they are typically due before the end of the semester. When ordering a textbook you will need all semester, plan to place a request for a second copy a few weeks before the due date of your first copy.
• E-books may be requested through Interlibrary Loan but are often unavailable due to publisher restrictions. If unavailable, we will contact you and offer to borrow it in print.
• Recently published books may not be immediately available from other libraries. If so, we will offer to hold your request until the item becomes available.

Library materials are used by thousands of people every year.  Everyone deserves to have materials in good condition.  Please do your part!

• Articles and Book Chapters are delivered in PDF format and are available for download on your interlibrary loan account for 30 days.
  One article or book chapter allowed per request.
• Place requests automatically through a Discovery search on the library homepage. When the library does not hold the material, a “Request though Interlibrary Loan” option appears beneath the Discovery search result. If the item is not found in Discovery, request it on your interlibrary loan account using the “Article” or “Book Chapter” form.
• To access previously received articles from your interlibrary loan account,  choose "View/Download Electronically Received Articles." Material will be available for 30 days.
• US Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S. Code) applies to materials requested through Interlibrary Loan. One of the conditions of the law is that the copy cannot be "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research."

• You will be notified by email when your request arrives. Pick it up at the Checkout Desk,  2nd Floor, Main Library. A picture ID is required.
• Authorize others to pick up your materials by adding them as Authorized Users on your interlibrary loan account. Login to your account. Under “Tools,” click “Change User Information” and under “Authorized User” type the names of those you authorize to check out your materials. Authorized Users must present a picture ID when picking up materials.
• Due dates and due date extensions (renewals) are set by the lending library and will vary.
• Abide by the conditions printed on the book band, found on the cover of the loaned material.
• Keep loans marked “Library Use Only” in the library during use. This restriction is imposed by the lending library. Rare, manuscript, fragile, reference, genealogical, and audio-visual material requests are often designated “Library Use Only.”
• To cancel a request for a physical item, email our office at libill@lsu.edu. 
   

Request materials from LSU Libraries through your interlibrary loan account. Borrowing books from other libraries requires transit time. A minimum of 2 to 3 weeks is usually required, and you are responsible for the cost of shipping the material back to LSU Library. For this reason, we recommend using your local library’s ILL service for physical items and using LSU Libraries’ Interlibrary Loan service for journal articles and book chapters, which are delivered digitally.

Books (and other physical materials)

• Books usually arrive in 3–10 business days. There are exceptions, so place your request well in advance of your deadline. We recommend at least 2 weeks ahead of your deadline.

Journal Articles and Book Chapters

• Journal articles usually arrive in about 24 hours. There are exceptions, so place your request well in advance. We recommend at least 1 week ahead of your deadline.
   

Request a renewal to extend your due date. Renewal requests can be made beginning 10 days before the due date and cannot be requested after the due date has passed. One renewal request per loan. Approval and length of extension is determined by the lending library.

To request a renewal:

• Logon to your ILL account.
• Under "View Your Requests" click “Checked Out /Renew.”
• Click the transaction number (TN) of the item you want to renew.
• If the item is eligible for renewal (10 days or fewer before due date) click the “Renew Request” link in red.
• The new due date is initially a three-day extension of the original due date. If the lender grants a renewal, you will receive an email with the new due date. If you do not, contact Interlibrary Loan to check on the progress of the renewal, or return the loan on the three-day extended due date.

Also known as document delivery.

Books

• Use your ILL account to request LSU Library’s local materials. We retrieve them and notify you when they are ready for pickup at the Checkout Desk. Faculty and Staff have the option to have local and interlibrary loan books delivered to their departmental mailbox. 

Journal Articles and Book Chapters

• Use your ILL account to request chapters and journal articles LSU Library holds in print. When you request an article or book chapter LSU Library holds in print, we will scan it and provide the PDF on your interlibrary loan account.

• Our Book Delivery service delivers Main Library and Interlibrary Loan items to departmental mailboxes. Faculty and Staff at LSU-Baton Rouge’s main campus are eligible for book delivery. 

• To place a Book Delivery request, logon to your interlibrary loan account and choose “Book” from the left menu. Complete the request form and under “Delivery Method” choose “Deliver to Departmental Mailbox.” We will notify you when the item is out for delivery and it will automatically be checked out to your ILL account. Book deliveries must be returned to LSU Library. We do not offer a pickup service.

Cost

LSU Libraries provides Interlibrary Loan services free of charge to eligible LSU patrons, with the following exception:

• LSU Libraries subsidizes orders for up to $65.00. If the order exceeds $65.00, the patron will be notified and given the option to pay the excess amount to proceed with the request. Payment can be made via the patron's LSU departmental account, or by credit card.

Overdue, Damaged, and Lost Items

• Charges for overdue, damaged, and lost items are determined by the lending library.
• When the lender charges for overdue, damaged, or lost interlibrary loan items, LSU Libraries charges an additional $30.00 processing fee, in addition to the lender’s fee.
• Notify the ILL Department Head immediately about lost, stolen, or damaged items, 225-578-6722, libilb@lsu.edu, to prevent your library privileges from being blocked.

Overdue Notices

Patrons receive the following notifications for checked out physical items:

• Due Soon Notice sent during the week before the item is due.
• First Overdue Notice sent during the first week that the item is past due.
• Second Overdue Notice sent during second week that the item is past due, and ILL privileges blocked.
• Third Overdue Notice sent during the third week that the item is past due, additional LSU Library privileges blocked.
   

Types of Requests

• Requests received via OCLC are preferred. We loan to most non-profit libraries and museums. We reserve the right to deny any request.
• Requests by email and ALA form are accepted (if there is no OCLC access). These requests must include a complete citation, as well as the email and shipping address of the designated library.
• We do not accept personal requests from non-patrons; interlibrary loan requests must come via another library’s interlibrary loan office or related agency.

Loan Policies

• Loan Period
  • Material is due back 120 days from the date the request was shipped.
• Renewals
  • No renewals are allowed.
• Overdue Notices
  • One overdue notice will be sent each month for the first three months that the material is past due.
  • At four months past due (or earlier if requested by borrower), the first invoice will be sent, and the borrowing library will be blocked.
    Standard Charge: $30.00 Processing Fee + $70.00 Replacement Fee* = $100 Total Charge
    *Replacement fee may be greater depending upon cost and ease of replacement.
  • Once material has been received back from the borrower and/or invoice has been paid, ILL privileges will be restored. Fees may be reduced depending upon circumstances of return.
• Types of Materials Not Loaned
  • Rare Items
  • Reserve Materials
  • Material that has been in the collection less than four months
  • U.S. Census Materials
  • Micro-Opaque, Micro-Cards, Micro-Guides
  • LPs (vinyl records)
  • Most printed material is housed in Special Collections in Hill Library.
  • Material held by the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine Library (VETMED). It is a separate library. Their borrowing code is LBD.
  • Material held by the LSU Law Library. It is a separate library. Their borrowing code is LUL.

ILL Charges

• Loans
  • $20.00 (plus shipping for international libraries)
• Articles
  • $15.00
• Lost Items
  • The lost item charge is the cost of the item plus a $30.00 processing fee. If a replacement cost cannot be determined, the charge will be $70.00 plus the $30.00 processing fee, for a total of $100.00.
• Mailing
  • Loans are shipped by US mail at USPS Library Rate unless another shipping method is required by a library or consortium.
• Payment Methods
  • IFM (preferred)
  • Credit card
  • IFLA Voucher
• Network Affiliations
  • Reciprocating network affiliates are exempt from charges.
  • RapidILL, ASERL, SEC, and SOLINE (exempt from fee for "returnables" only)

International Libraries

International requests should be submitted through OCLC. If your library does not have access to OCLC, email the request to: libill@lsu.edu

The total cost is our lending fee, plus shipping. Borrowing libraries will be notified beforehand of the total cost and asked to agree. OCLC IFM payment is preferred. For non-OCLC requests, payment by IFLA voucher or credit card is accepted.

Interlibrary Loan Code for the United States

https://www.ala.org/rusa/interlibrary-loan-code-united-states-explanatory-text
 

• Please create a new Special Collections account or log into your existing account to make an appointment or place requests for materials in the collections.

• Items that can be taken into the Reading Room include pencils, note paper or notebooks, laptops, tablets/pads, cameras, chargers, and cell phones. Food, drinks, pens, and other personal items like bags, briefcases, purses, laptop or camera cases, outerwear, and umbrellas should be left in a secure locker.  

• LSU Special Collections materials are non-circulating and can only be used in the Reading Room in Hill Memorial Library.  

• Some collections are stored off campus and require additional time to retrieve,  typically 3-7 days. Talk to a staff member for assistance in placing requests from remote storage.  

• Unprocessed collections materials may be used only with permission from a curator. A staff member can assist with this process. 

• Items currently on exhibit are unavailable for use in research or instruction unless special approval has been requested in advance and agreed upon by library staff.  

• Patrons may photograph archival and manuscript materials (without flash) after completing a Camera User Policy form, obtained from reference desk staff. 

• Duplication and digitization services are available.

Due to the rare or fragile nature of our collections, we ask all researchers to handle materials with extra care according to the following guidelines. Thank you for helping us preserve these unique resources.  

• Ensure hands are clean and dry before using materials.
• Use only pencils in the Reading Room.
• Keep materials flat on the tabletop. Please do not mark, alter, fold, lean on, trace materials, or write on note paper with library materials underneath.
• Use one manuscript box, volume, or reel, or up to five publications at a time.
• Maintain the existing order of materials in folders; do not remove items from folders.
• Notify staff if you notice damage of the materials or if items in archival collections appear to be out of order. Do not rearranging the materials yourself.
• Use the provided gloves wwhen handling photographs.
• Use the provided book cradles and weights as necessary.
• Return all items to the reference desk when you are finished with them.
• Make all belongings available for staff to check when you exit the Reading Room.

Loan policy: 

• Accredited museums and cultural institutions with proven exhibitions programs may submit loan requests 6 months in advance of proposed loan date.
• Requests must include exhibition title, building location, names of curator(s), duration and method of display, and: 
  • (published material) title, author, publisher, year of publication, collection, and call number, along with proposed page(s) to display 
  • (manuscript material) title of collection, item date and description, location 
• Loan requests should be sent to Chairity Waugh, Special Collections Cataloger, at cwaugh3@lsu.edu 

If approved, borrower must provide a certificate of insurance and current facility report. LSU Libraries must approve mode of shipping/transportation. 

Original photographs are not subject to loan. Learn about Special Collections duplication policy here.