Renewal Policy

1. Materials can be renewed in two ways:

   1. The patron can bring the material to the library to be renewed in Aleph.

   2. The patron can renew material on-line.

2. There is no limit to the number of renewals of UMBC books by UMBC Faculty,          Staff and Students.

   1. If there is a renewal limit, renewal will be blocked once it is reached.

   2. UMBC Media materials can be renewed only one time.

   3. UMBC Special Borrowers (including Friends of the Library, High School Students, and UMBC & USMAI alumni) are limited to only 2 renewals per item.

   4. Some USMAI libraries have renewal limits.  The owning library’s policy is the applicable one.

3. Renewal will be blocked if:

   1. There is a hold on the title.

   2. The item is more than 30 days overdue.

   3. The renewal will not change the due date.

   4. The patron’s privileges are expired.

   5. The item is a Reserve (this includes Group Study room keys and Daily Locker Keys).  Reserves must be returned in the system; only then can you check it out to the patron, if appropriate.

Aleph Renewal Procedure

1. Ask the patron for their UMBC ID and the items to be renewed.

2. Click on the Loan tab and scan the patron’s barcode.

3. Scan the barcode of each item.

4. Give the items back to the patron and tell them the new due date.

5. If the patron wants a receipt, click on the <Print Session> button in the lower right pane of Loan; give the patron the receipt.

Online Renewal Procedures

Fliers explaining this process are available for patrons at the Circulation desk.

For UMBC faculty, staff, and students:

1. Go to the library home page. (http://www.umbc.edu/library)

2. Click on My Accounts.

3. Click on catalogUSMAI Account.

4. Select University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

5. Login with your standard UMBC username and password.

6. Click on Renewals

7. Select each item to be renewed, and click Renew Selected.

For Special Borrowers:

1. Go to the library home page. (http://www.umbc.edu/library)

2. Click on My Accounts.

3. Click on catalogUSMAI Account.

4. Select Other

5. Login with your barcode and last name

6. Click on Renewals

7. Select each item to be renewed, and click Renew Selected.

Problems with renewals

Patron does not get the expected due date

1. Click on the Patron tab; then click on Local Patron Information in the Navigation Pane.

2. Check the expiration date in the upper right pane - their borrowing privileges may expire before the regular due date.

3. If the patron is a UMBC student, faculty or staff and their privileges have expired; ask them to bring up their MyUMBC page.  If it comes up you can renew their privileges. 

   1. On the Local Patron Information page highlight the BC line and click the ‘Get Defaults’ button and then the ‘Update’ button.

   2. Repeat this procedure after highlighting the MAI150 line. 

   3. Click on Address Information and verify that the information is correct.  If not, edit the information and then click the < Update> button.

   4. If the patron is from another USMAI campus and is expired they must contact their home library in order to update their privileges.  We can hold their books for 2 days while they clear up the situation (have the patron write their name on a slip of paper, put the date we will pull the books and place the books on the temporary hold shelf).  You can also give them the phone number of their home library (found on the reverse of the Kuhn phone list). 

   5. If the patron is a UMBC Special Borrower, staff should follow the procedures to update the patron record.

Note: If a patron is in the system as BCUGRD or BCGRAD when the item is originally checked out and the patron status is subsequently changed to BCHON or BCTAS, the renewal date will reflect the date for the original patron status.  In order to get the enhanced renewal date the item must be returned in Aleph and then charged out to the patron.

Note: Some UMBC patron statuses (BCFAC, BCSTF, BCGRAD, BCHON, BCTAS) and some other USMAI libraries have a fixed due date.  This due date will not change until a few weeks before the date.  Renewal before the change will be blocked because it will not change the due date.

Patron has reached the limit of renewals for another campus

The book must be returned to the owning campus. If the patron is insistent that they need this book now, get a staff person to work with the patron.

“Account Blocked - <block number and explanation”

1. Go to the Patron tab (tab 3, or press F7).

2. Click on “Global Patron Information”, then on “Global Blocks and Notes” in the right pane.

3. If the issue is one that can be resolved (updated address, fines, etc), resolve it and then set the block to “00” and click “Update” to clear it.

4. If the issue is one that you cannot resolve, explain the situation to the patron and offer to hold the books for a day while they deal with the issue.

   1. The following blocks cannot be cleared:

      1. 6 or more lost books

      2. 3 or more overdue Recalled items

      3. More than $750 in fines owed

   2. If an 04 block has been placed by another campus, override it and have the patron contact that campus to have the block cleared.

The item has been declared lost (more than 30 days overdue).

The item must be brought to the library to be renewed. 

For UMBC items, return the item in Aleph. If there are no holds, and the patron still needs the item, you can loan it to the patron.

NOTE: Non-UMBC books will go In-Transit when returned.  If the patron still wants the books, get a staff person to deal with the situation BEFORE you return the items in Aleph.

USMAI Renewal Limits

Bowie State University                                              2 renewals

Coppin State University                                             no limit

Frostburg State University                                         2 renewals

Health Sciences Library (UMB)                                 3 renewals

Marshall Law Library (UMB)                                     no limit

Morgan State University                                            no limit

St. Mary’s College of Maryland                                 3 renewals

Salisbury University                                                   no limit

Towson University                                                      2 renewals

University of Baltimore - Langsdale Library                        2 renewals

University of Baltimore - Law Library                       2 renewals

UMBC                                                                          no limit

University of Maryland College Park                                    no limit

University of Maryland Eastern Shore                     no limit

University of Maryland University College               no limit