Foso College Of Education

Library Policies

Introduction

1.1 Mission of Foso College of Education Library

To provide quality information that will help train, equip and orient competent professional teachers of high caliber for basic schools in Ghana and also support quality teaching and learning, research and application of modern technologies and provision of access to the best information resources and services, both online and offline.

1.2 Vision of Foso College of Education Library

The Foso College of Education Library is committed to be the ultimate centre of excellence for quality information delivery for teacher education in Ghana and seeks to offer individual enlightenment in every aspect of information and technology in a user friendly and service-oriented environment that provides challenge, collaboration, entertainment and welcome for all through proactive services that meets every need to enhance quality of life so that our constituents will consider us the preferred provider of learning and research information by taking advantage of the rapid improvements in computers and Information Communication Technologies (ICTs).

1.3 Welcome Message

The Foso College of Education Library welcomes all head of departments, staff, students, and visitors to its threshold without any form of bias, be it race, age, physique (physically challenged or not) or colour. The Foso College of Education Library provides information resources and services to support the teaching, learning and research activities of all members of the Educational College. We assure you of our maximum support to make your studies and stay at AcCE an extremely memorable one. Please take advantage of our diverse resources and facilities in the library to enhance your learning/research as well as academic work. Our competent library staff are always available to assist and support you in every available means.

1.4 Brief background of the library

Foso College of Education (FOSCO) was established in 1962 to provide qualified teachers so as to enhance quality education in the country. The institution trains teacher trainees who are finally posted to the places where their services are needed.

Library is paramount to any educational institution as the results of that effort were made to establish Foso College of Education Library. Library is central importance to any tertiary

institution. The mission of FOSCO Library is to provide services in support of teaching, research and outreach activities of the institution.

The College Library on the 12th  of November, 2012 was named after Sir John Rodger the

British Governor of the Gold Coast in 1909 who established the Foso Training Institute now

Foso College of Education.

1.5 Staff Strength

     

Name

 

Designation

Qualifications

        

1.

Fordjour Richard

 

Librarian

M.A.(Gh) Lib, BEd.(Gh)

2.

Zenabu Acheamfour

 

Snr Library Assistant

B.A (Information Studies)

3.

Agyekum Augustina

Library Assistant

  

4.

Lartey Margaret

Library Assistant

  

5.

Heneku Budu

Cleaner

  
        

1.6 Definition of Collection Format and Organization

The library’s collection includes printed and electronic books, DVDs, CDs and periodicals.

The library also provides computers with Internet access for its primary patrons to be able to avail themselves of the world of electronic information. Interlibrary loan service through library cooperation, which allows the library to borrow materials from other libraries on behalf of patrons, is yet to be established for the academic community.

Books are organized according to the Library of Congress. Designated areas are set aside for the circulation, reference, and rare collections. Periodicals are arranged alphabetically by title, and current editions are on display shelves.

General Policy

2.1 Operational Periods

The  Library  opens   for  business   from  Monday  to  Friday  between  the  hours  of  9:00am and 9:00pm on each day.

2.2 Library Closure

The library shall be closed during statutory public holidays. In addition, emergencies such as unfavourable weather conditions and other unforeseen circumstances/conditions may necessitate its closure for a period. At the discretion of the Librarian with the approval of the Principal, the library may be closed for other reasons other than those afore stated.

Definition of Library Patrons

Patrons of the AcCE shall be categorized into primary and secondary patrons.

The Primary patrons would comprise of:

Departmental Members of AcCE

Students of AcCE

Research Fellows and Visiting Scholars of AcCE

Administrative staff and Board members of AcCE

Secondary patrons may also be entertained. This category shall comprise of:

Visitors from Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Services

Old Students of AcCE

Other visitors to the AcCE

2.4 Admission & Standard for Patron conduct

Admission

  1. The Library is open for the purpose of study and research to patrons as stated in section 2.1.
  2. All users must possess a current college I.D or permit, or any other form of identification, accepted nationally and show it on request.
  • Patrons are responsible for the use of their personal I.Ds and should not allow others to use it.

2.5 Standard for Patron Conduct

All library patrons are expected to show consideration of others and cooperate with other library users and staff. A reasonably quiet environment should be maintained for the benefit of all persons in the library.

 

The following rules and regulations are to be observed in the Accra College of Education

Library.  Violation  of any  of them  shall  result  in  eviction  from  the library  and/  other

penalties as may be approved by the Library Committee:

  1. All students/scholars and outsiders entering the Library shall deposit their bags and other belongings at the entrance. Only notebooks and the Library Resources to be returned will be allowed inside. Do not leave any valuables at the Check Point. The Library shall not be responsible for any loss of personal belongings. All files, books and notebooks must be presented to the Library staff for inspection while leaving the Library. The Library does not permit any exception in the observance of this rule.
  2. Identity Card is compulsory for getting access to the library and its resources.
  3. Books removed from the shelves by students, if not required for reference, should be kept on any table nearest to patrons. Please do not try to shelve them yourself. Please remember that a book misplaced is a book lost.
  4. The newspaper(s) should be folded properly after reading and brought back to the designated place.
  5. Readers should not deface, mark, cut, mutilate or damage Library Resources in any way. If anyone is found doing so, he will be charged the full replacement cost of the resource. Books Borrowed should be protected from RAIN, DUST, INSECT, etc.
  6. The Reserve Shelf book must be returned on the due date between 9.00 am to 10.00 am. And General Shelf books on or before the due date. General Shelf books are issued up to 6:00 pm.
  7. Claim for Reserve Shelf books should be made in the Register maintained at the counter between 9:00 am and 2:00 pm and they should be collected between 4:00 pm and 5.00 pm.

 

  1. Books are issued to students for overnight during the examination time only.
  2. Students who do not return the books, issued for overnight use, in time, will not be issued any book for a period of 7 days.
  3. All the students who want to return the books issued on their names are advised to wait until the books are shown as cancelled against their names in the automated system.
  4. Conversation and discussion disturbs Library Ambience. Therefore, all are requested to maintain dignified silence. If discussion is necessary, the Discussion Room should be utilized for the same.
  5. Smoking is NOT permitted in the Library.
  6. All users are requested to keep their mobile phone(s) switched off or in silent mode whiles in the Library.
  7. Beverages and other Eatables are NOT allowed within the confines of the library.
  8. No visitor or guest is permitted to use the Library without the prior permission of the

Librarian. He/She is required to produce a nationally or internationally accepted form of identification or a proper introduction letter from the concerned Institution/Organization to which he/she is attached.

  1. No photograph of the Library and its resources shall be permitted without the prior knowledge of the Librarian or his/her surrogate.
  2. The Library reserves the right to call back any issued book/item at any time.
  3. All patrons are advised to come to the Library in decent dress as they are in the classrooms.
  4. Demand and suggestion slips are available at the circulation desk for your use.

 

Reader Services and Circulation Policy

  1. The library shall acquire materials relevant to the programmes offered by the institutions within the AcCE. Only circulating materials shall be made available for borrowing. Rare and reference materials are not to be borrowed but are to be used in the library only.
  2. Circulating materials are available for checkout for a two week period to staff and students who hold a valid ID card.
  3. Loan periods will be reviewed from time to time by the Librarian in consultation with the Library Committee.
  4. DVDs and CDs usually circulate to head of departments/staff only. They may circulate to students when placed on reserve by staff for specific courses.
  5. Reference books, periodicals and newspapers in any format, shall not be taken from the library.
  6. Faculty and staff members are expected to return all books at the beginning of the end-of-semester examination. Those books that are still needed may be renewed at that time.

Check-out limits

There are specific limits on the number of items that may be checked out.

Check-out limits vary for different patron categories as follows:

Staff– three at a time

Students – two at a time

Research fellows, Visiting scholars – three at a time

Other staff and alumni of AcCE cannot borrow from the library, for now.

3.2Renewals

A borrowed item may be renewed if presented in person at the library and if no other patron has requested the items or the library has not recalled it.

3.3Overdue Penalty

A student who keeps borrowed books beyond due dates shall pay a fine or have his/her certificate withheld. The hold shall remain in place until the material is either returned or a replacement fee is paid. As a courtesy to borrowers, the library shall send regular notices for overdue items. However, it is the borrower's responsibility to return the items on time, whether or not the notice is received.

 

 

3.4Failure to settle library obligations

Failure to settle library obligations such as unpaid library fines or overdue items may result in the following penalties:

  1. Returning students will not be allowed to register and graduating students shall not be allowed to receive their certificates or transcripts.
  2. The library’s computer-based circulation system will place a "block" on a user's borrowing privileges
  • As such, library clearance shall be a requisite for registration and collection of certificates, in the case of students; and payment of salaries/allowances in the case of staff.

3.5 Circulation period

Books generally circulate for a one-week period and are due by the last date written for the user. Staff may keep books longer than the one-week period but such books are subject to immediate recall. Staff may borrow periodicals, reference books, CDs and other restricted materials for reference and research for only one week.

3.6 Circulation files

  • Circulation files are considered confidential. As such, library staff will not reveal the name of the person to whom an item has been checked out.

3.7 Lost/Damaged book

  • A patron shall pay the full cost of a lost book. In lieu of this payment the library will accept a new replacement copy of equal or greater value.
  • Damaged books, while assessed by the librarian on a case-by-case basis, may also be replaced in like manner.
  • Library books and other materials cannot be purchased. Therefore, even if a lost item charge has been paid, the item remains the property of the college.
  • Any person who falsely claims to have lost an item simply to retain possession of it may be charged with illegally possessing the AcCE’s property.
  • If a book is found within one year, upon presentation of the receipt, a refund may be made minus the service charge and any fines owed.

 

Collection Management Policy

The library makes decisions regarding the development, maintenance, and use of the collection based on principles that aim at correcting any weaknesses in the collection and also maintaining the strengths of the collection. The collections management policy covers three main areas: evaluation, selection, acquisition and stock-taking policies.

Responsibility for Implementation

The overall responsibility for Admission Policy in Accra College of Education is that of the College Council. The Day-to-day responsibility for ensuring this policy is implemented, is delegated to the College Principal, Vice Principal, and the Academic Board which comprises of all Heads of Department, and others.

Acquisition of Library Resources

It is the policy of the Accra College of Education Library to build a collection containing scholarly resources that best suit the objectives of its primary clientele both now and in the future. It is the aim of the library to build in all appropriate fields a collection of the highest degree of excellence, both qualitatively and quantitatively that its monetary resources can possibly provide.

The implementation of the acquisitions policy is the responsibility of the Librarian who may delegate to others a portion of that responsibility. Building a collection to meet the objectives expressed in the policy requires provisions for evaluating the collection and for expending funds designated for the development of the collection.

4.2         Collection Evaluation

Continual examination of the collection is necessary to affirm its relevance to curriculum, and sufficiency in variety and number of materials per discipline. Collection evaluation shall be accomplished through direct and indirect means. Usage statistics shall be analyzed every year

to determine the extent to which the collection meets patrons’ needs. Interlibrary loan requests

and reserve requests are useful feedback tools that will be harnessed. Core bibliographies shall regularly be consulted to build up needed areas of the collection. The expertise of faculty shall also be sought.

4.2.1     Allocation of Funds

The management of AcCE will make funds available for all library expenditure on the basis of the Library’s Annual Budget. The Librarian would ensure that, the funds are utilized equitably in the library by identifying shortfalls in the collection, as well as equipment requirements and making appropriate suggestions to the Library Committee for purchases. This will take care of gaps in the collection, resources in subject areas that are not represented in the curriculum,

 

 

resources that have been damaged or lost, resources to be repaired and equipment to be maintained or replaced.

4.3         Selection of Library Resources

Resources shall be selected for the library by consulting the opinions of Staff and/or standard bibliographies, dependable review journals, and lists of publications considered to be outstanding by authoritative boards of review. Specific criteria applicable to almost all library purchases include:

Subject scope of the resource

Authority, honesty and credibility of the author and publisher

Timely value of the resource

Cost of the resource

Special features: index and bibliography

Resource accuracy

Usefulness and value of the resources with respect to other works already in the collection or easily available from other collections, including but not limited to the following:

  • Representation of all sides of controversial issues
  • Avoidance of resources that duplicate information already held
  • Avoidance of expensive resources of limited use when they are held by other member libraries in the cooperative.
  • Scarcity of resources on the subject in a particular field of knowledge
  • Price of the work in comparison with other equally useful material
  • Appropriateness of the format of the work and resource
  • Appropriateness of the resource with respect to the Academic City’s curriculum

The primary responsibility for the building of the collection resides with the Librarian. Within the library, the Librarian is responsible for ordering and receiving requested materials and maintaining the business records necessary for the fiscal control of Library Budget. Cooperation between Heads Department and the Librarian in the selection of resources allows individual Departmental Members to bring their specialized knowledge to the task of selection and to assure the support within the collection of specific curricula needs. The responsibility of the Librarian is to ensure that no single area of the collection development is ignored or slighted, while ensuring objectivity, consistency and thoroughness throughout the various stages of the collection development process.

 

 

4.3.1     Book and Periodical Orders

Book and periodical orders come primarily from Heads of Department and Library Staff. However, students and other staff of AcCE may suggest book purchases to the Librarian who will consider placing an order for the recommended items. The final decision to purchase any Library Resource rests with the Library Committee. Allocations shall be based on the availability of library funds in relation to the contents of the Annual Budget.

Each academic department receives a portion of the annual materials budget allotted by the Library Committee. This Committee shall be composed of the Vice Principal, Librarian, One representative of Departmental Board, one representative of SRC and a representative of college secretary.

4.4         Special Aspects of Collection Management

4.4.1     Paperbacks

When there is a choice between hardcover and paperback, the paperback will be purchased unless the work is one expected to stand up to frequent and heavy usage.

4.4.2 Periodicals

Subscriptions shall be placed at the request of Departments and on the basis of the expressed needs and interests of the library's patrons. Every year, prior to renewal dates, the library shall inform departmental members as to which titles are available in the library's full-text databases. Departmental members shall be required to review their orders and to consider canceling the print versions that are duplicated online or electronically.

4.4.3     Newspapers

The library shall subscribe to representative national newspapers which shall be bind yearly. Due to limited storage space, back-files of newspapers in the future shall be digitized for research purpose

4.4.4     Resources not used regularly

Resources (books, manuals, indexes, periodicals, dissertations) and information needed to support the research of an individual student or departmental member shall be obtained whenever possible, through interlibrary loan rather than through purchases.

 

4.4.5     Out-of-Print Materials

Out-of-print resources are sought through catalogs and web pages of out-of print book dealers and services of major book jobbers. This category of resources shall be acquired on need basis.

4.4.6     Textbooks

Textbooks shall be purchased to support curricula and research, while free copies shall be accepted only when they supply information in areas in which they are considered to be the best or the only source of information on the subject.

4.4.7     Audio-Visual Resources

The library shall acquire a limited number of recordings, CDs, DVDs and videos. These shall be selected on the basis of course needs and general interest to the library patrons, largely on the recommendation of departmental members. The policy on the inclusion of other A-V materials to the collection shall be in relation to such resources as will best serve the purposes and interest of the AcCE.

4.4.8Project work

The library shall accept and maintain both electronic and printed copies of both diploma project works and college scholar papers, from its theses unit or institutional repository unit.

4.4.9 Electronic Resources

For the purpose of this collection policy, electronic resources are defined as reference or indexing sources, either as full-text and/or as citations, which require computer access. The library management committee will collectively vote on new acquisitions. Electronic resources are subject to contracts negotiated with the respective suppliers. In selecting these resources the following criteria will be followed:

  • Scope and depth of coverage
  • Speed and efficient access for users as compared to the print version of the resource
  • Cost effectiveness (start-up and maintenance costs in relation to the number of academic programs served and patronage)
  • Ease of manipulation
  • For bibliographic databases, a high percentage of the titles found in the indexing/abstracting database should be owned by or be accessible to the Library
  • Shelving space available for physical forms of the database contents

 

 

  • Accuracy and authenticity
  • Historical perspective as well as currency of data
  • Ease of use (e.g., special indexing/browsing features).

4.4.10  Gifts and Donations

The library welcomes gifts as well as donations, but with the understanding that it has the right to handle or dispose of them in the best interest of the institution. The library will determine the classification, housing and circulation policy relating to all gift items.

4.5         Maintenance of the Collection

Library materials are expensive to purchase, process, and house. The library acknowledges the necessity of preserving all of its holdings, both traditional and nontraditional. Therefore, library staff and patrons shall be oriented on the proper care and handling of library resources in all formats. In addition, temperature and humidity within the building shall be controlled for the maintenance of library resources.

Deteriorating resources in the collection shall be reviewed by the Librarian. He/she shall determine if the resource can or should be preserved. In the event that a resource can and should be preserved, appropriate action(s) shall be taken to restore the resource to a usable and useful state, otherwise it shall be weeded from the collection. The Librarian, in consultation with Library Committee and the relevant departments, shall determine if the resource should be replaced and if so whether the same version/edition.

4.5.1     Weeding

The Accra College of Education Library shall endeavour to keep the currency of the collection through a regular and continuous process for removal of materials which are no longer useful. Therefore, it shall be the job of the Librarian to survey the collection throughout the year so as to determine the materials' usefulness in the curriculum. The Accra College of Education Library shall conduct systematic programs of weeding from the general library collection. Decisions to withdraw resources shall be made in consultation with the Library Committee in addition to the departmental members of the academic discipline most directly concerned with the possible future usage of the resource. Factors to be considered in arriving at such a decision shall include but not limited to:

 

 

Works of a timeworn appearance which are not necessarily rare or of considerable value in terms of either content or actual marketability Unneeded duplicates

Earlier editions which have been superseded

Editions in non-English languages in which the English version is held by the library and the foreign language resource does not relate to the course offerings or support faculty scholarly needs

Works with outdated or incorrect information

Books over 30 years old which have not circulated for the last 10 years Ordinary textbooks and school dictionaries

Superseded almanacs, yearbooks, and manuals Outdated course outlines

All resources which are weeded shall be properly reported in the annual inventory report and properly marked so as to prevent its reappearance on the shelves.

4.5.2     Intellectual Freedom

The library shall not be bias on any issue and shall seek to maintain a free flow of information in the selection and usage of its resources. Therefore, the disapproval of a resource by one group shall not be a means for denying all other groups the physical and/or intellectual access to that resource if per library selection standards the resource is of relevance to the curricula and the complete collection of the library. For this reason, any patron who wishes to challenge a library resource on the shelves should do so through the Librarian.

Responsible Usage of Equipment and Other Library Resources

6.1 Introduction

A number of Desktop computers shall be located in the library for the provision of direct access (i.e. physical and intellectual) to the online catalog, Web, online databases and resources. Access to resources on the internet through library terminals shall be provided to support

 

 

research and pedagogical activities only. All library patrons who make use of library computers shall be expected to do so responsibly, respecting library property and the rights of others.

The library cannot control the information available over the internet as well as that of the world wide web (www), and is not responsible for its content but shall through its Information Literacy training sessions educate its patrons on the fact that the internet contains a wide variety of resources, expressing many points of view, hence, it shall be important to note that not all the available sources provide information that is accurate, complete or current, with some having the potential of being offensive or disturbing to some viewers. Users should therefore, properly evaluate the resources obtained through the internet according to their academic and research needs. Links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement by the library of the content or views contained therein.

The library respects and supports the concept of intellectual freedom. The library also supports access to information and opposes censorship, labeling and/or restricting access to information. In accordance with this policy, the library does not use filters to restrict access to information on the Internet or World Wide Web.

Behaviour that adversely affects the work of others and interferes with the ability of library staff to provide good service is considered inappropriate. It is expected that patrons of the library's public access computers will be sensitive to the perspectives of others and responsive to library staff's reasonable requests for changes in behaviour and compliance with library and the AcCE’s policies. The library reserves the right to remove any patron from a computer if they are in violation of any part of this policy and may deny further access to library computers and/or other library resources for repeat offenders. The library will pursue infractions or misconduct through disciplinary channels and/or law enforcement as appropriate.

All students who want to use the library computers must obtain the authorization of library staff

The initial time of usage for each student shall be one (1) hour, but this can be extended if there are no other patrons waiting to use the computers.

 

 

Library patrons are not permitted to undertake the following:

 

 

Copying of any copyrighted software provided by the college. It shall be considered a criminal offense to copy any software that is protected by copyright, and Academic City will treat it as such.

Usage of licensed software in a manner inconsistent with the licensing arrangement Copying, renaming, altering, examining, or deleting the files or programs of another person or AcCE without prior permission

Usage of a computer with the intent to intimidate, harass, or display hostility toward others (e.g. sending offensive messages or prominently displaying material that others might find offensive such as vulgar language, explicit sexual material or material from hate groups)

Creation, dissemination or running a self-replicating program ("virus"), whether destructive in nature or not

Usage of a computer for business purposes

Tampering with switch settings, moving, reconfiguring or doing anything that could damage terminals, computers, printers or other library equipment

Collecting, reading, or destroying output other than one’s own work without the prior

permission of the owner

Usage of the computer account of another person with or without their permission unless it is designated for group work

Accessing or attempting to access a host computer, either at AcCE or through a network, without the owner’s permission, and/or through use of log-in information belonging to another person

Downloading software from the Internet onto library computers, altering settings or files, and tampering with computer security in any way

Usage of external drives e.g. pen drives, CDs or diskettes must be supervised by library staff.

Installation of programmes on the computers is not allowed.

Usage of computers for games, watching of pornographic/other films is also not allowed.

6.2ReprographicMachines

Except in cases where the library acquires self-service copier(s) reprographic services shall be provided by a library staff at a fee to be determined on a regular basis, and in compliance with the copyright law.

 

6.3Library Reproductions, Copyright protections and License Agreements

Many of the resources found on the Web are copyright protected. Although the Internet is a different medium from printed text, ownership and intellectual property rights still exist. Patrons must check the documents for appropriate statements indicating ownership. Most of the electronic software and journal articles available on library servers and computers are also copyrighted. Library patrons shall not violate the legal protection provided by copyrights and licenses held by the library. Copyright law and contractual license agreements govern the access, use and reproduction of the electronic resources that the AcCE Library makes available to its patrons. Users shall not make copies of any licensed or copyrighted computer program found on a library computer.

Unless resources are covered by license agreements, reproductions (print or electronic) of resources are governed by copyright laws which generally require that:

Materials reproduced are for non-profit purposes

Materials reproduced are for educational purposes such as criticism, comment, teaching, scholarship and research

The reproduction does not become the property of the user.

The reproduction is for a single copy or one original, as opposed to multiple copies.

The reproduction is reasonable in length given the nature of the material.

6.4 Printing

Library patrons may print at the library. Patrons shall be charged for printing no matter who supplies the paper. Mass production of club flyers, newsletters, posters, is strictly prohibited. If multiple copies are desired users need to go to an appropriate copying facility on or around campus. The AcCE Library reserves the right to restrict user printing based on quantity and/or content (e.g. materials related to running an outside business).Users are responsible for retrieving materials printed from library computers in a timely fashion and for paying any associated charges incurred as a result of the printing activity. The exact printing cost shall be determined from time to time on the basis of economic considerations. In addition to standard printing options, some databases allow users to download Internet information to disk or email it to their personal email addresses. Such a situation shall be permitted by the library.

Library Instruction

Library instruction sessions are available both for general and specific subject areas. The librarian shall conduct the instruction session, except in cases where he/she delegates a staff of the library to so. Departmental members are requested to schedule an instructional session with the librarian as far in advance as possible. At the time the appointment is made, specific needs can be discussed, and the session will be tailored to address the request. Departmental members are further requested to notify the library staff if they wish to bring their class into the library for a hands-on work. Prior scheduling reduces the chances of conflicts with other classes and makes room for adequate preparation.

7.1         Library Orientation

The library through its Librarian shall organize orientation for freshmen and women of the AcCE as and when admissions are done. This shall cover areas such as rules and regulations governing library usage, products and services offered by the library, library operational hours, and considerations for accessing library resources.

7.2         Information Literacy

The library shall train its patrons in the skills required to independently engage the searching, retrieval, evaluation, and usage of relevant information as relating to the information need(s) of its patrons. Library patrons shall be required to register for the training sessions.

Library Security Policies

The Library shall use various measures to help ensure that its patrons, resources, equipment and staff are secured, and its collections kept under control.

8.1         Magnetic tags

The library shall use a sensitized electronic tagging system to identify its materials. During circulation when the resource is being charged the resource shall be desensitized by a library staff at the point of circulation. The process shall be reversed when the discharging process is completed upon the return of the resource by the library patron.

8.2         Security gates

In future AcCE shall purchase a security gates with an audible alarm so if an item owned by the library passes through them without authorization it sounds. If the alarm sounds, patrons

 

and their belongings are subject to be searched and must return to the librarian’s desk. Security

shall be resorted to if deemed necessary.

8.3         Security Cameras

Library patrons shall be monitored manually by library staff and via security cameras set at vantage points inside and outside of the library.

8.4         Temperature and humidity

Temperature and humidity levels shall be duly controlled for the safety and comfort of library patrons, collection, and equipment.

8.5         Fire extinguishers

Adequate fire extinguishers shall be made available for any unexpected fire emergencies.

8.6         Clean environment

The library environment shall be clean of dirt, dust and garbage for the health of its patrons, staff and collection.

8.7 Lost and found user personal property

The library assumes no responsibility for loss of unattended personal property. Patrons shall assume full responsibility to securing their belongings while using the resources of the library. Nonetheless, any lost item that may be found in the library would be sent to the librarian after a short period of time. Staff will attempt to contact the owner if contact information is visible on the item. In the absence of any contact details on the said item the library staff shall handover it over to the librarian after appropriate documentation.

8.8Damage or Mutilation of Library Resources

Any person who shall willfully, maliciously or wantonly mutilate, deface, tear, write upon, mar or damage any library material or facility may be subjected to a fine, loss of borrowing rights, dismissal or prosecution.

Preservation of Library Resources

The library shall be fumigated annually.



Review

This policy will be reviewed every year to ensure that it is responsive to the changing needs of

the library and of the general academic community.