OSF Library Circulation
Frequently Asked Questions

Who Can Borrow Books?

My Library Barcode Doesn't Work, What Do I Do?

How Many Books Can I Check Out?

What Are The Loan Periods For Books?

Can I Renew The Books I Have Checked Out?

Where Can I Return Books?

How Can I Find A Book That Is Not On The Shelf?

How Do I Renew Books On CLICnet By Myself?

Why Should I Care About Copyright? see Copyright at UST

Who Can Borrow Books?
1. University of St. Thomas (UST) faculty, staff, and currently enrolled students may borrow circulating books from any of the three UST libraries with their valid UST identification card. UST identification cards are issued only by the UST Card Office at 259 Murray-Herrick Hall on the St. Paul campus and by the Security Desk on the Minneapolis campus.

2. Faculty, staff, and currently enrolled students of the other schools in CLIC (Cooperating Libraries in Consortium) may also borrow books from the UST libraries with a valid patron card from their school. The other CLIC schools are Augsburg College, Bethel University, Bethel Seminary, Concordia University, Hamline University, Macalester College, Northwestern College, and St. Catherine's.
 
3. Spouses of UST faculty and staff may also obtain valid UST identification cards at the UST Card Office. A UST faculty or staff spouse with a valid card has the same borrowing privileges as a UST faculty or staff member.
 
4. Alumni of UST may borrow books from UST libraries with an Alumni Library card. An Alumni Library card can only be obtained at the circulation department. Before issuing a card to an alumnus, a circulation supervisor must confirm this status. If we cannot confirm your alumnus status in either way, we will ask you to provide us with confirmation of your status by the UST Registrar.

5. Seniors attending classes through the "Senior Citizens Go To College" program have the same library privileges as UST students, including reserves.  Seniors are asked to first obtain a UST identification card from the Card Office before availing themselves of library services.

6. Friends of the Library/Neighbors
Neighbors of the University of St. Thomas who are not alumni may borrow books from the OShaughnessy Frey Library with a valid Friends of the Library card. A Neighbor is any person at least eighteen years of age who lives south of Marshall Avenue, north of St. Clair Avenue, west of Prior Avenue, and east of the Mississippi River. If you live within this area, you may apply for a Friends card at the OShaughnessy Frey circulation counter. Before issuing a card, we may ask that you provide us with proof of your address.
 
Other Friends of the Library cards are issued to certain non-alumni patrons by the Archbishop Ireland Memorial Library on the St. Paul campus. See the Borrowing Privileges information for the ***Archbishop Ireland Memorial Library Friends of the Library policies***. Note that Friends of the Library cards held by non-alumni are valid only at the library where issued. UST ALUMNI can check out books at OShaughnessy Frey Library, Archbishop Ireland Memorial Library and Charles J. Keffer Library on the Minneapolis Campus. Keffer Library and Ireland Library ALUMNI cards are also honored at O'Shaughnessy-Frey Library.

My Library Barcode Doesn't Work. What Do I Do?
Call or stop by a Circulation Desk.

OShaughnessy Frey Library:  (651) 962-5494
Archbishop Ireland Memorial Library: (651) 962-5450
Charles J. Keffer Library: (651) 962-4642

If your ID card is lost, you will need to go to the Card Office and obtain a new card.  Call or stop by a Circulation Desk so we can update your library record. 

How Many Books Can I Check Out?
There is no limit to the number of books that UST or other CLIC school faculty, staff, and students may check out. We do ask all patrons to limit their borrowing to the books they currently need, and to return books promptly when they no longer need them.
Any patron using a Friends of the Library card, whether alumnus or non-alumnus, is limited to six books checked out at any time.

What Are The Loan Periods For Books?
1. Books checked out by UST faculty and staff or their spouses during the regular school year are due at the end of the current semester. Books checked out by the same patrons during the summer are due at the end of the summer. (The actual due dates change slightly each year.)
 
2. Books checked out by UST students are due six weeks from the date of check-out.
 
3. Books checked out by UST alumni and other Friends of the Library are due six weeks from the date of check-out.
 
4. Books checked out by faculty, staff, and students of the other CLIC schools are due on the dates set for each patron status by the patron's school. With a few exceptions, these dates are the same as for UST patrons of the same statuses.
 
5. Books on reserve at a UST library are subject to other, more restricted loan periods, as decided by the instructor placing the book on reserve and by the Reserves supervisor. See Reserve Books for more information.

An Important Note: Any book checked out to a patron may be recalled by the circulation staff of any of the three libraries at any time. (We sometime need a book for a professor's reserve list, or for another special purpose.) If we recall a book checked out to you, we will include a new due date with the notice we send you.

Can I Renew The Books I Have Checked Out?
Any non-reserve book that does not have a hold on it for another patron can have its loan period renewed. See Reserve Books for information on renewing a reserve book.
Non-reserve books checked out to UST faculty, staff, and students may be renewed twice for the same loan period before they must be returned. Non-reserve books checked out to other CLIC faculty, staff, and students may also be renewed twice. Non-reserve books checked out to any Friends of the Library card holder, whether alumnus or non-alumnus, may be renewed once.
If a book has exceeded the maximum number of renewals but no hold has been placed on it, you can check it out again after you bring it to the Circulation desk to have it checked in.
A non-reserve book can be renewed in any of three ways:
1. Bring your UST identification card to the Circulation desk and a circulation attendant will renew your books for you.
2. Call the Circulation desk at any of the three UST libraries and ask to have your books renewed.
3. My Clicnet account

Where Can I Return Books?
Any book checked out at a CLIC library can be returned to any CLIC library. This applies to the three UST libraries and to any UST book (except Reserve books: see below). A book returned to a library other than the library that owns it is carried to the owning library by the CLIC courier. The other CLIC libraries are those at Augsburg College, Bethel University, Bethel Seminary, Concordia University, Hamline University, Macalester College, Northwestern College, and the College of St. Catherine.
Books on reserve at a UST library must be returned directly to the Reserve desk at the lending library. Never use a book drop for a Reserve book: the due date and time will pass before the book is properly checked in and fines will accrue to your patron record. See Reserve Books for more information.
Media collection items must be returned inside a library to minimize damage to materials.

How Can I Find A Book That Is Not On The Shelf?
If the status of a book on CLICnet is "checked in" but you cannot find it on the shelf, try each of the following:
1. Scan the call numbers of a few books to either side of where the book should be. Despite our best efforts, books are sometimes shelved incorrectly.
2. Look on the browsing cart nearest the book's shelf location. Another patron may have consulted the book recently and placed it there to be reshelved.
3. Ask an attendant at the Circulation desk to check any shelving carts held there.

How Do I Renew Books On CLICnet By Myself?
If the CLICnet terminal you are using is not logged in, follow the log-in instructions at the terminal:
 At the main Search menu, select My Clicet account
 At the appropriate prompts, type in your name and the barcode number on your UST identification card.
 At the next menu, select Items currently checked out. This brings up a list of the books you currently have checked out.
 Select Renew All to renew all of the current items.
 If you want to renew some of the items, you may select the items you want to renew and select Renew Selected Items.
 Select Logout to exit the system.

CLICnet will not renew a book if :
 The book has already been renewed the maximum number of times.
 There is a hold on the book by another patron.
 The book is a Reserves book.
 The book was ordered through Interlibrary Loan.
 http://clicnet.clic.edu

Why Should I Care About Copyright? see Copyright at UST

If you have a question or problem when renewing your books, see an attendant at the Circulation desk or call (651) 962-5494.