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Using the Library and learning spaces

The Library and learning spaces are here to support study, research, and collaboration. Everyone using these facilities is expected to show courtesy and respect to both staff and fellow users. To use the Library and its services, you must carry your º£½ÇÂÒÂ× ID card. This card is needed to borrow items, access facilities, and enter the Clifford Whitworth Library out of hours. Your ID is personal to you – it cannot be transferred or used by someone else.

Spaces should be used for study and learning. Behaviour that disturbs others, including repeated sleeping in the Library, may result in being asked to leave or in restrictions being placed on your access. Library and Security staff may intervene if necessary, and serious or repeated misconduct can be escalated under the University’s disciplinary procedures.

Visitors and external members are welcome, provided they respect the facilities and other users. Personal belongings are your own responsibility – unattended items may be moved for safekeeping. CCTV is in use throughout the Library to support safety and security.

Children under 18 are only permitted when accompanied by a responsible adult, who must supervise them at all times. The University cannot take responsibility for the safety of children in Library spaces.

Breaches of this policy may result in sanctions, such as:

• temporary exclusion from Library spaces
• referral to misconduct or disciplinary processes
• escalation to an external debt recovery company or the police.

1.0 Purpose

The purpose of this document is to specify the policy on the acceptable use of the library and other learning spaces and facilities, and sanctions for non-compliance.

2.0 Scope

• Library facilities
• Library PC suites
• Library learning suites
• Study rooms
• Careers Hub
• All other Library public areas

The policy applies to all users of library learning spaces;

• Students
• Staff
• Alumni
• External members
• Other visitors

3.0 Policy Statements

3.1 General Use and ID

3.1.1 Users should treat University staff and other users with courtesy and respect and can expect to be treated in the same manner.

3.1.2 Library spaces are intended for study and collaborative working any behaviour which may impact other users of the spaces will be addressed through library and University misconduct procedures.

3.1.3 Users should be in possession of their º£½ÇÂÒÂ× ID card while using the Library and other learning spaces and facilities. The ID is required to access Clifford Whitworth library out of hours and to use other Library facilities and services, such as borrowing library items.

3.1.4 Users must show their ID card or other ID when requested to by a member of University staff. Users are responsible for their own ID card, it is not transferable.

3.1.5 Users must notify a member of the Library team immediately if their card is lost or stolen. Library staff will block the lost card to prevent any fraudulent access to Library Services.

3.1.6 As per University policy, users must not allow others to use their ID card, in particular in the library to borrow items or to access spaces.

3.1.7 The Library operates an external membership scheme for non staff or students who wish to use the library facilities. We welcome other visitors by arrangement with University colleagues and expect them to respect the space and fellow users to ensure everyone has a positive experience in any Library learning space.

3.1.8 The library accepts no liability for personal items left unattended. Any items left unattended may be moved to a place of safety by library or security staff.

3.1.9 CCTV cameras are present throughout the library. CCTV is captured in line with the wider University CCTV Policy and is captured for your safety, security and for the purposes of crime prevention’.

3.2 General Borrowing Terms

3.2.1 All items taken from the library must be borrowed against the Users’ library account. Users are responsible for all items borrowed on their account until they are returned and discharged. Users are advised to keep receipts in case of queries.

3.2.2 Users must take care to prevent loss or damage to library items and under no circumstances are any items or equipment to be left unattended unless they have been properly secured and stored.

3.2.3 Full details of borrowing terms can be found in the Library Loan Policy.

3.3 Under 18s in the Library

3.3.1 Children under 18 years of age are only permitted in Library facilities when accompanied by a responsible person aged 18 years or over.

3.3.2 The accompanying person must supervise children under 18 at all times and is fully responsible for their safety and wellbeing while in the Library. They must ensure that the child complies with all aspects of this policy. The University cannot accept responsibility for the safety of children in the Library or other learning spaces.

3.3.3 Community Access members and other visitors bringing children under 18 into the Library are fully responsible for those children for the duration of their visit.

3.3.4 Students of the º£½ÇÂÒÂ× and students from Associate Colleges with a valid library visitor ID who are under 18 years of age may use the Library without a responsible adult during Library staffed hours (when Library staff are on duty) only. They must not access or remain in the Library outside these hours, even when Security staff are present.

3.3.5 For safeguarding reasons, children accompanying Community Access members or visitors are not permitted in the Library when Library staff are not on duty, with the exception of babes in arms (babies under 24 months old).

3.3.6 Any concerns observed by the Library team regarding the welfare of a person under 18 will be referred to the University's designated Safeguarding Officers and/or Security staff.

3.3.7 University staff reserve the right to ask individuals to leave should this policy not be adhered to.

3.4 Health & Safety

3.4.1 Users must seek assistance from a member of Library staff before using Library resources or equipment they are unfamiliar with. Any problems/ breakdowns must be reported to a Library staff member. Users should not attempt to repair Library equipment themselves.

3.4.2 Users must not create any health and safety hazards. This includes, but is not limited to, trailing cables across walkways, using personal extension leads or multi-way socket adaptors, inserting any object other than a UK 3-pin plug into a socket, moving furniture which creates an obstruction.

3.4.3 Users must report any hazards to Library or security staff.

3.4.4 To ensure the wellbeing of all students, sleeping in library managed spaces is not permitted. Library and Security staff will speak to anyone found sleeping in the library. Repeated instances of sleeping may result in a student being asked to leave and restrictions on use of spaces may be implemented.

4.0 Accessibility

4.1 Accessible study rooms are available to pre-book in all library managed spaces (except MCUK). Bookings are restricted to students who have a reasonable adjustment plan.

4.2 The click and collect service enables all students to request items from any library site to be delivered to a library site of their choosing for collection.

4.3 Collection by another person can be arranged in advance by contacting the Library.

5.0 Actions

5.1 As an officer of the University, The Director of Library, Student Careers & Skills (or their nominee) has the authority to investigate alleged breaches of this policy misuse and to apply sanctions directly, or to refer individuals to the Student Misconduct process or Staff Disciplinary process for disciplinary action. Those who are not staff or student may be referred to debt recovery or police, dependent on

the circumstances. The Director of Library, Student Careers & Skills (or their nominee) may apply the following sanctions:

5.1.1 Withdrawal of some or all Library and Learning facilities for up to 1 week.

5.1.2 Exclusion from Library and Learning facilities for up to 1 week.

5.1.3 Exclusion from Library and Learning facilities pending the outcome of a student misconduct hearing.

5.1.4 Financial charges including (but not limited to) the following;

• Theft, if as a result of negligence,
• Lost or overdue items, including books, laptops, macbooks and other property belonging to the University,
• Damaged or destroyed items, including books, laptops, macbooks and other property belonging to the University,
• Charges incurred for repairs or extra cleaning required due to acts of graffiti inappropriate or negligent use of library property and spaces.

5.2 Repeated acts of minor misconduct will be managed by the library misconduct procedure and may be referred to the Student Misconduct Procedure which may result in a range of sanctions including restrictions on access to the library up to expulsion from the University.

5.3 Any Library visitor, external member or Alumni who has repeated instances of minor misconduct will be permanently excluded from using any Library or Learning space and their membership revoked.

5.4 Any Library visitor, external member or Alumni who engages in serious misconduct will be removed from the library immediately and permanently excluded.

5.4.1 The Alumni office will be notified of any Alumni who temporarily or permanently excluded from the Library.

5.5 Serious misconduct of staff or students will be referred immediately to the Student Misconduct Procedure or the Staff Disciplinary process

5.6 Library staff may ask users of the library to leave for the day in cases of minor misconduct.

5.7 In cases where ID is not presented to Library staff when requested, users may be excluded from using the Library until they identify themselves

5.8 Security may be contacted to support Library staff in removing students, visitors, external members or alumni who have been asked to leave or have previously been excluded from using the Library.

5.9 Any contravention of this policy will be regarded as an act of misconduct and may result in sanctions being imposed on the person responsible for the breach of policy.