Circulation Policies
Loan Periods
You must have a current valid Columbia or affiliate ID to receive borrowing privileges. All circulating items may be recalled by another patron, or for course reserves.
Regular Circulation
- Semester loan for all Columbia University ID holders
Reserves Circulation (same for all borrowers)
- Reserves materials circulate for 2 hour intervals. Items circulate overnight 3 hours before library closes. Books that circulate overnight are due back 1 hour after the library opens the following day.
Fines
Any borrower with more than $99 in fines or replacement fees will have borrowing privileges suspended at all Columbia libraries.
Regular Circulation
- 25 cents per calendar day, up to a maximum of $7.50
- An additional $100 fee is charged after 45 days to replace the item.
Reserves
- $1.00 per hour or part of an hour for each overdue item, up to a maximum of $50.
- An additional $100 fee is charged after 7 days to replace the item.
Recalled Items
- $1.00 for each calendar day that a recalled item is overdue, up to a maximum of $30; borrowing privileges blocked.
Special Materials
- Current and bound periodicals circulate for 2 hours. No overnight or weekend loans.
- Newspapers do not circulate.
- Maps (depository and non-depository) do not circulate.
- U.S. Government Documents collection and South Asian Language material adheres to the regular circulation periods stated above.
- Reference material (any item with a gold or red star on the spine) does not circulate.
- Videos on reserve circulate for 1 week.
- Slavic microfilm may be used only by special arrangement with the Slavic Bibliographer in room 206.
- Microfilm and microfiche do not circulate.
- Tibetan Material
A key for room 210.1 can be checked out at the circulation desk. Bound volumes adhere to the regular circulation periods stated above; boxed, unbound materials do not circulate.
All materials may be returned to the book drop in the lobby outside of the main entrance when the library is closed.